Tafsiran Yesaya 9:6: Rashi, Ibn Ezra & Tze'enah Ure'enah

To him who increased the authority To whom will He call this name? To the king who increases the authority of the Holy One, blessed be He, upon himself, to fear Him.

למרבה Some remark, after the manner of the Midrash,¹¹פשט and מדרש (simplicity and research), are the two modes of commentary met with in Hebrew Literature; while the former reads and expounds the Scriptural text before us, the latter does not confine itself to this task, but, introducing extraneous historical, philosophical and moral matter, employs the wording of the text as a framework, or simply as a support to the memory. Notice is, therefore, taken even of the shape of the letters if they deviate in any extraordinary way from their customary form; as, e.g., when a final Mem is found in the middle of a word; as such instances are too striking to be easily forgotten, any lesson which may be attached to them will probably retain a firm hold upon the memory. that the use of the final Mem in this word hints at the miracle of the sun’s shadow going backward (38:8).¹²In the Yalkut no mention is made of this explanation. Kimchi gives a Midrash explanation to this final Mem, but different from that cited by Ibn Ezra. Neither of them gives any account of the word, which is certainly one of the many instances of Keri and Ketib; according to the Keri it is read למרבה, according to the Ketib להם רבה ═ לם רבה. מרבה is either a noun, increase, like מְַעַשֶׂה work, or a regular participle Hiphil, causing to increase.

authority an expression of government. [This is to refute those who disagree with us [the Christians]. But it is possible to say that “Prince of Peace,” too, is one of the names of the Holy One, blessed be He, and this calling of a name is not actually a name but an expression of (var. for the purpose of) greatness and authority. Comp. (Ruth 4:11) “And be famous (וּקְרָא שֵׁם) in Bethlehem. Also (II Sam. 7:9, I Chron. 17:8): “And I shall make for you a name.” Here too, Scripture means, “And He gave him a name and authority.”]

and for peace which is given to him, there will be no end, for he had peace on all his sides, and this “end” is not an expression of an end to eternity, but there will be no boundaries. On the throne of the kingdom of David shall this peace be justice and righteousness that Hezekiah performed.

and for peace Heb. וּלְשָׁלוֹם. This ‘vav’ is to rectify the word, thus: He [Hezekiah] increased the authority upon his shoulder, and what reward will He [God] pay him? Behold, his peace shall have no end or any limit.

from now and to eternity The eternity of Hezekiah, viz. all his days. And so we find that Hannah said concerning Samuel (I Sam. 1:22): “and abide there forever.” And, in order to refute those who disagree [i.e., the Christians, who claim that this (Prince of Peace) is their deity], we can refute them [by asking], What is the meaning of: “from now”? Is it not so that the “deity” did not come until after five hundred years and more?

the zeal of the Lord of Hosts Who was zealous for Zion concerning what Aram and Pekah planned about it.

shall accomplish this but Ahaz does not deserve it, moreover, the merit of the Patriarchs has terminated. Addendum: And our Rabbis said: The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to make Hezekiah the Messiah and Sennacherib, Gog and Magog. Said the ministering angels before the Holy One, blessed be He, Should the one who stripped the doors of the Temple and sent them to the king of Assyria, be made Messiah? Immediately, Scripture closed it up.