Komentarz do Izajasza 19:10

And its foundations shall be crushed, all who make dams Eklusa in O.F., a sluice. Comp. (Gen. 8:2) “And the fountains of the deep were stopped up (וַיִּסָּכְרוּ),” for they would stop up the water that went out of the banks of the river and spread out, forming a pond of still water, standing in its place, where fish would spawn. The prophet says that the foundations of their diggings shall be crushed, and the dammed up pools that they made.

שתותיה Her foundations.¹⁶A. V., In the purposes thereof. Comp. Ps. 11:3. The buildings which they erect to take the fish in.

still ponds An expression like (Ex. 31:17): “He rested and was refreshed (וַיִּנָּפַשׁ),” for the water of the ponds rests and stands in one place. Jonathan, however, renders: Who would make the dams and gather the water, each one for himself.

שכר Sluices. Comp. ויסכרו and they were stopped (Gen. 8:2), although שכר is spelt with שֹ; comp. בסורי ═ בשורי when I depart (Hos. 9:12).

אנמי נפש The ponds for fish. Ponds containing the lives (נפש) of the fish.¹⁷This explanation is against the accents, which require שכר rather to be joined to עשי than to the following word. According to I. E. שכר together with נפש אנמי is one expression, the object to עשי; the latter should therefore have a disjunctive accent, e.g., עֹשֵֹ֖י שֶֹכֶ֥ר אַנְמֵי־נָ֑פֶשֹ.