וְאָ֨נֹכִ֜י הִשְׁמַ֤דְתִּי אֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר כְּגֹ֤בַהּ אֲרָזִים֙ גָּבְה֔וֹ וְחָסֹ֥ן ה֖וּא כָּֽאַלּוֹנִ֑ים וָאַשְׁמִ֤יד פִּרְיוֹ֙ מִמַּ֔עַל וְשָׁרָשָׁ֖יו מִתָּֽחַת׃
און איך האָב פֿאַרטיליקט פֿאַר זײ דעם אֶמוֹרי, װאָס װי די הײך פֿון צעדערן איז געװען זײַן הײך, און שטאַרק איז ער געװען װי אײכנבײמער; און איך האָב פֿאַרטיליקט זײַן פֿרוכט פֿון אױבן, און זײַנע װאָרצלען פֿון אונטן.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“I destroyed the Amorite before them, etc.” [2:9]. I destroyed the Amorites because of their evil deeds against you, and you Israel have left the good path and took on the evil ways of the Amorites. Even though the Amorites have been very strong, like a tall fir tree, I destroyed it from its boughs at the top down to its roots below.
Rashi
his fruit from above—I.e, the celestial princes. [from Midrash Tanchuma, Devarim 4; Tanchuma Buber, Addendum to Devarim 8]
Rashi
and his roots from below—I. e, the earthly princes. Another explanation: the wasp would blind their eyes from above and castrate them from below. [from Sotah 36a]