Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Nahum 2:1

ראשונה יסעו, “they are to be the first ones to journey.” Our sages in Tanchuma Bamidbar 14 mention that wherever you look throughout the Scriptures you will always find the tribe of Yehudah mentioned first, being in the forefront. This is true in connection with the journeys, the encampments, the offering of the inaugural sacrifices, the battles against the Canaanites remaining after Joshua’s death (Judges 1,1-2). The same will hold true in the future when the message of the impending redemption will arrive; Yehudah will be the first one to proclaim it as we know from Isaiah 52,7: ”how welcome on the mountain are the footsteps of the herald announcing happiness, heralding good fortune; announcing victory, telling Zion, “Your G’d is King!” Similarly, in Nachum 2,1: “Behold on the hills the footsteps of a herald announcing good fortune! Celebrate your festivals O Yehudah.” [In both verses quoted it is Yehudah who is addressed. Ed.]

Koheles. This קֹהֶלֶת is a feminine noun, and when it is used in the masculine form, it refers to the one who gathers it, i.e., Shlomo. We find in the Midrash, Rabbi Yirmiyah the son of Elazar said, that the Holy Spirit sometimes speaks in the masculine gender and sometimes it speaks in the feminine gender. One verse states, “you are my help עֶזְרִי and my rescuer,”⁶⁴Tehillim 70:6. and another verse states, “you are my help עֶזְרָתִי and my rescuer.”⁶⁵Ibid. 40:18. [Also,] one verse states, “a herald מְבַשֵּׂר proclaiming peace,”⁶⁶Nachum 2:1. and another verse states, (the voice of)⁶⁷The text in the parenthesis is not part of the verse. “the herald מְבַשֶּׂרֶת of Tzion.”⁶⁸Yeshayahu 40:9.