Izajasza 43:3 Komentarz: Rashi, Ibn Ezra & Tze'enah Ure'enah

I have given Egypt as your ransom And they were your ransom, for their firstborn died, and you, My firstborn son, although you were deserving of destruction, as it is said in Ezekiel (20:8): “And I thought to pour out My fury upon them...in the land of Egypt.”

I gave Egypt for thy ransom. The Egyptians shall be afflicted by the kings of Media.²Media is here identical with Media and Persia. Kambyses, king of Persia, conquered Egypt 625 B.C.

“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel” [43:3]. The Holy One said: I am God, your Holy One, your helper. Sennacherib came against the city of Jerusalem. Sennacherib first had a war with the king of Kush and Sheba and the king of Egypt. He came from these wars to the city of Jerusalem, with the plunder that he had acquired from them. He thought that he would easily conquer Jerusalem. Israel was few in number and weak. The Holy One showed him that though he had conquered these strong kings, but he could not do anything against Israel and the city of Jerusalem. Also in the days of the Messiah, many kings will gather together and will war with each other and then they will come against Israel and the Holy One will help Israel. Therefore, He said that Kush, Sheba and Egypt became your scapegoat.