{"id":65271,"date":"2018-07-09T17:45:12","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-355\/"},"modified":"2023-06-15T09:39:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T06:39:14","slug":"wall-355","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-355\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Isaiah-21"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"355","date":"20270107","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"65414","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 21 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 21","slug":"jps-audio-bible-isaiah-chapter-21","old_id":"65414","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah Chapter 21","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_Isaiah_Chapter_21","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"115941","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Isaiah\u2019s Oracle Against Dumah ","post_title":"Isaiah\u2019s Oracle Against Dumah","slug":"isaiahs-oracle-against-dumah","old_id":"115941","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The night of Exile has passed, but the morning of Redemption has come\u2026\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our<\/span> chapter<\/span><\/a> consists of three \u201coracles\u201d against various nations. These are three of nine oracles of the prophet Isaiah, for example the<\/span> \"Valley of Vision\"<\/span><\/a> oracle in the following chapter. The word <\/span>massa<\/span><\/em>\u2019, <\/span><\/i>translated here as \u201coracle\u201d, from the Hebrew root NSA' meaning to \u201clift\u201d, suggests that such oracles were some kind of spiritual \u201cburden\u201d for those prophets who \u201clifted them up\u201d in order to proclaim the Word of God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The rabbinic sages described the prophet\u2019s receiving the \u201cburden\u201d of God\u2019s word as requiring courage and resolution. Midrash Pesiqta Rabbati elaborates on<\/span> Isaiah's description of the prophetic experience<\/span><\/a>: \u201cMy Master, the Lord, opened my ears and I did not disobey. I did not run away\u201d from receiving the prophetic message, but rather I prophesied more than all the other prophets. For, indeed, you find that Isaiah prophesied far more than all other prophets. And moreover, Isaiah prophesied against all the nations of the world, for example, his<\/span> oracle on the fall of Babylon<\/span><\/a>, his<\/span> oracle against Arabia<\/span><\/a> and Isaiah\u2019s<\/span> oracle against Dumah<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

According to<\/span> Genesis<\/span><\/a>, \u201cDumah\u201d is a people descended from Ishmael, who together with his mother Hagar was<\/span> banished to the land of Paran<\/span><\/a> in the Desert of Sinai. But the word \"Dumah\" develops a number of various meanings in Scripture and in post-biblical Jewish Tradition.\u00a0 For example, the psalmist refers to \u201cDumah\u201d as a place of \u201cSilence\u201d (i.e. Death, <\/span>Sheol<\/span><\/em>, Gehenna): \u201c<\/span>Were not the Lord my help, I should soon dwell in Silence (Dumah<\/span><\/a>)\u201d.<\/span> Psalms 115:17<\/span><\/a> further refers to \u201cDumah\u201d as the place to which the dead who cannot praise the Lord \u201cgo down in Silence\u201d (<\/span>yordey Dumah<\/span><\/em>).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n

Tanhuma (Printed Version) Noah 1<\/span><\/a> inserts an apparent allusion to the expression \u201c<\/span>yordey Dumah<\/span><\/em>\u201d (\u201cthose who go down in Silence\u201d) to make a polemical reference to the<\/span> Karaites<\/span><\/a>, who did not light Shabbat candles and practiced other such<\/span> abstensions<\/span><\/a>. This instead of\u00a0 the Rabbinic approach to \u201c<\/span>call the Shabbat a delight<\/span><\/a>\u201d: If you sit in darkness on Shabbat, it would not be a \u201cdelight\u201d. And those who condemn themselves to darkness (i.e. the Karaites) \u201cgo down to Gehenna\u201d. Significantly, the end of<\/span> Psalms 115:17<\/span><\/a>, \u201cBut we will bless the Lord now and forever. Hallelujah!\u201d, is recited three times a day at the conclusion of the<\/span> Ashrei prayer<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin<\/span><\/a> interprets Isaiah\u2019s oracle against Dumah as referring to an angel named \u201cDumah\u201d, but with an uplifting conclusion. Rabbi Yo\u1e25anan says that the angel, who is appointed over the spirits is named Dumah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

All the spirits assembled near Dumah and said to him: \u201cThe Dumah Pronouncement. A call comes to me from Seir: \u2018Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?\u2019 The watchman replied. \u2018Morning came, and so did night. If you would inquire, inquire. Come back again\u2019.\u201d (<\/span>Isaiah 21:11-12<\/span><\/a>). The Holy One, Blessed be He, said that the night of Exile has passed, but the morning of Redemption has come. If you inquire and seek repentance, inquire and repent, and return to God and redemption will come.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":71850,"alt":"","title":"jer38-hope","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah\u2019s Oracle Against Dumah","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The night of Exile has passed, but the morning of Redemption has come\u2026","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":71850,"alt":"","title":"jer38-hope","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer38-hope-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"403","name":"Redemption","old_id":"803"},{"term_id":"458","name":"Nations","old_id":"858"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"}]},{"order":3,"id":"115938","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Desert Of The Sea ","post_title":"The Desert Of The Sea","slug":"the-desert-of-the-sea","old_id":"115938","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Three short prophecies about three other nations - but who are they?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 21 is a combination of three short prophecies against foreign entities. The problem is that it is unclear who these three entities are.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verses 1- 10 is a prophecy against the \u201cDesert of the Sea\u201d, Rashi says that this is the Babylonian empire. He quotes Targum Yonatan that it refers to the armies that come out of the desert as numerous as the seas. Rashi adds that it is not odd for there to be a second prophecy against Babylonia because a prophet can have inspiration on one day and then another day it returns. Ibn Ezra agrees. He explains that the name could be interpreted as desert of the west, because Babylonia was west of Persia or desert of the sea because Babylonia is next to the Euphrates river, a river so side that it was like a sea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verses 11-12 is a prophecy concerning \u201cDumah.\u201d\u00a0 Rashi interprets this as shorthand for Edom. Ibn Ezra however references a verse in Genesis that lists Dumah as a son of Ishmael:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa\u201d (Gen. 25:13-14).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verses 13-17 are about the people \u201c<\/span>ba\u2019arev<\/span><\/em>\u201d i.e., the \u201cpeople of the steppe.\u201d Rashi reads the Hebrew word \u201c<\/span>ba\u2019arev<\/span><\/em>\u201d<\/em> as Arabia. Ibn Ezra agrees and references a verse in Jeremiah: \u201call the kings of Arabia (<\/span>ba\u2019erev<\/span><\/em>), and all the kings of the mixed peoples who live in the desert\u201d (Jer. 21:13). He also links them to the sons of Kedar, the second born son of Ishmael, listed in Genesis. It is interesting that Ibn Ezra links the second two prophecies to sons of Ishmael, usually associated with the Arabs, and yet the first one is a repeat of Babylonia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi spreads the wealth by listing Babylonia, Edom, and Arabia, but the problem with Rashi is that he ignores that one of the sons of Ishmael is named Dumah. It would seem to make more sense that each of these prophecies would be about various sons of Ishmael. Because the sons of Ishmael lived in the Arabian Peninsula, it would make sense that the \u201cdesert of the sea\u201d would refer to the vast desert area of Arabia. Yet, both Rashi and Ibn Ezra are most likely motivated by the direct reference to Babylonia in verse 9: \u201cFallen, fallen is Babylon, And all the images of her gods Have crashed to the ground.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If pronouncement #1 is about Babylonia, then it is clear that Rashi had some concern with a repeat of Babylonia followed by two prophecies about the sons of Ishmael. He also probably saw that pronouncement 1 & 3 begin with pseudonyms, so pronouncement 2 must also begin with one, and not directly refer to someone\u2019s name.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":90161,"alt":"","title":"ps127-sand castle","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle.jpg","width":1081,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-169x300.jpg","medium-width":169,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-577x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":577,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-577x1024.jpg","large-width":577,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle.jpg","1536x1536-width":865,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle.jpg","2048x2048-width":1081,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-676x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":676,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-236x420.jpg","home_baner-width":236,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Desert Of The Sea","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Three short prophecies about three other nations - but who are they?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":90161,"alt":"","title":"ps127-sand castle","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle.jpg","width":1081,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-169x300.jpg","medium-width":169,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-577x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":577,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-577x1024.jpg","large-width":577,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle.jpg","1536x1536-width":865,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle.jpg","2048x2048-width":1081,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-676x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":676,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps127-sand-castle-236x420.jpg","home_baner-width":236,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"458","name":"Nations","old_id":"858"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"948","name":"Babylonians","old_id":"1348"}]},{"order":4,"id":"65917","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Aramaic Oracle To The Aramaic Speakers Of Duma ","post_title":"The Aramaic Oracle To The Aramaic Speakers Of Duma","slug":"the-aramaic-oracle-to-the-aramaic-speakers-of-duma","old_id":"65917","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36147,"post_title":"Aaron Koller","slug":"aaron-koller","old_id":"36147","first_name":"Aaron","last_name":"Koller","description":"Aaron Koller is professor of Near Eastern studies at Yeshiva University, where he is chair of the Beren Department of Jewish Studies. His last book was Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought (Cambridge University Press), and his next is Unbinding Isaac: The Akedah in Jewish Thought (forthcoming from JPS\/University of Nebraska Press in 2020); he is also the author of numerous studies in Semitic philology. Aaron has served as a visiting professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and held research fellowships at the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research and the Hartman Institute. He lives in Queens, NY with his wife, Shira Hecht-Koller, and their children.","short_description":"Aaron Koller is professor of Near Eastern studies at Yeshiva University, and chair of the Department of Jewish Studies there.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36148,"alt":"","title":"AJ Koller headshot","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot.jpg","width":5184,"height":3456,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/AJ-Koller-headshot-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Isaiah speaks the language of the (other) people\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

Buried in the middle of Isaiah 21 is the oracle to\/for\/about Duma, which consists of two of the more difficult verses in the book:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u05de\u05b7\u05e9\u05bc\u05c2\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d3\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b7\u05d9 \u05e7\u05b9\u05e8\u05b5\u05d0 \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05bc\u05c2\u05b5\u05e2\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b9\u05de\u05b5\u05e8 \u05de\u05b7\u05d4 \u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05dc\u05bc\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b9\u05de\u05b5\u05e8 \u05de\u05b7\u05d4 \u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05dc\u05bc\u05b5\u05d9\u05dc. \u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b9\u05de\u05b5\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b8\u05ea\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b9\u05e7\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d2\u05b7\u05dd \u05dc\u05b8\u05d9\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b4\u05dd \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5\u05bc \u05e9\u05c1\u05bb\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b5\u05ea\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5\u05bc.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Massa Duma: Elai qore me-Se\u2018ir shomer mah mi-laylah, shomer mah millel. Amar shomer atah boqer ve-gam laylah. Im teva\u2018yun be\u2018ayu shuvu etayu <\/span><\/i>(11-12).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

JPS: The \u201cDumah\u201d Pronouncement. A call comes to me from Seir: \u201cWatchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?\u201d The watchman replied, \u201cMorning came, and so did night. If you would inquire, inquire. Come back again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are numerous difficult words here, and plenty of clauses that are unclear. Strikingly, there are a number of words which are not difficult, but they are not Hebrew: they are Aramaic. This is most clearly the case for the word <\/span>atah<\/span><\/em> \u201ccome\u201d and the two verbs <\/span>teva\u2019yun be\u2019ayu<\/span><\/em> from the root <\/span>b\u2018y<\/span><\/em> \u201cto ask.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How does Isaiah even know Aramaic? The second question is easier. We learn from a story later in the book that some Jerusalemites in Isaiah\u2019s time spoke Aramaic: the diplomats Eliakim, Shebna, and Yoah say to Assyrian emissary Rabshakeh, \u201cSpeak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it!\u201d (36:11).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But why does Isaiah use Aramaic? This may be an example of \u201ccode switching.\u201d Speaking to Duma \u2013 associated with Seir in this passage, and plausibly modern Al-Jawf in northwestern South Arabia \u2013 Isaiah uses Aramaic words, to convey something of the flavor of the people addressed. This phenomenon turns out to be common in the Bible, and Isaiah\u2019s Aramaic \u201coracle of Duma\u201d is a good example of it.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":69834,"alt":"","title":"jer10-aramaic","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","width":408,"height":272,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","medium_large-width":408,"medium_large-height":272,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","large-width":408,"large-height":272,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","1536x1536-width":408,"1536x1536-height":272,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","2048x2048-width":408,"2048x2048-height":272,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","post_full_size-width":408,"post_full_size-height":272,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","home_baner-width":408,"home_baner-height":272}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Aramaic Oracle To The Aramaic Speakers Of Duma","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Massa Duma: Elai qore me-Se\u2018ir shomer mah mi-laylah, shomer mah millel. Amar shomer atah boqer ve-gam laylah. Im teva\u2018yun be\u2018ayu shuvu etayu","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":69834,"alt":"","title":"jer10-aramaic","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","width":408,"height":272,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","medium_large-width":408,"medium_large-height":272,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","large-width":408,"large-height":272,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","1536x1536-width":408,"1536x1536-height":272,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","2048x2048-width":408,"2048x2048-height":272,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","post_full_size-width":408,"post_full_size-height":272,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer10-aramaic.jpg","home_baner-width":408,"home_baner-height":272}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"493","name":"Aramaic","old_id":"893"}]},{"order":5,"id":"65922","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Go Set A Watchman\u00a0 (Isaiah 21:6) ","post_title":"Go Set A Watchman\u00a0 (Isaiah 21:6)","slug":"go-set-a-watchman-isaiah-216","old_id":"65922","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34235,"post_title":"Marc Gitler","slug":"marc-gitler","old_id":"34235","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Gitler","description":"Rabbi Marc Gitler, a recipient of the Wexner Fellowship, was ordained at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and earned an MPA from NYU . The founder of Fast for Feast, he lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Sarah and their four children. He used to work for 929 North America.\r\n","short_description":"Rabbi Marc Gitler, founder of Fast for Feast, lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Sarah and their four children. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34236,"alt":"","title":"Marc Gitler","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","width":407,"height":407,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","medium_large-width":407,"medium_large-height":407,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","large-width":407,"large-height":407,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","1536x1536-width":407,"1536x1536-height":407,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","2048x2048-width":407,"2048x2048-height":407,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","post_full_size-width":407,"post_full_size-height":407,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","home_baner-width":407,"home_baner-height":407}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"To \u2018kill\u2019 an Atticus...","post_main_content_content":"

I just can\u2019t look at my son\u2019s classmate Atticus the same way again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In 2015, fifty-five years after the publishing of To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em>, Harper Lee released Go Set a Watchman,<\/em>\u00a0a story that she had written prior to Mockingbird<\/em>, but due to a variety of reasons was not released publicly for a half century.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The book\u2019s title comes from the sixth verse in our chapter \u201cThe Lord said to me: Go set a watchman and let him announce what he sees.\u201d According to Lee\u2019s friends the book was so titled because <\/span>somebody needed to be the moral compass of the town. God had sent Isaiah as a watchman over Israel to keep them on the right path. The verse expresses God\u2019s desire for Israel to set its own watchman to keep them on the straight and narrow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In <\/span>Mockingbird<\/em> <\/span>Atticus Finch was that watchman; defending Tom Robinson against a rape charge, even though he was fully aware that he had zero chance of winning the case in racist Alabama of the 1930\u2019s. But Atticus takes the case because it was a moral necessity, and affords him the opportunity to teach his children about the horrors of bigotry and stand as a watchman against the vile beliefs of his fellow citizens.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Sadly, in the recently released book Atticus is transformed. Amongst his papers is a pamphlet titled \u201cThe Black Plague.\u201d He attends a Citizen\u2019s Council meeting (something akin to the KKK), and when confronted by his daughter asks her <\/span>\u201cDo you want Negroes by the carload in our schools and churches and theaters? Do you want them in our world?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isaiah\u2019s watchman reports of Babylon\u2019s destruction, and the smashing of its false idols. The beloved figure of <\/span>Mockingbird<\/span><\/em>, Atticus, is similarly smashed to pieces. Both to his daughter and readers alike he is no longer the watchman. Is Harper Lee predicting that if the Alabama of her youth continues in its bigoted ways that it will face a fate similar to Ancient Babylon?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Like most critics, when I see Atticus at school, I will pretend that the Watchman was never published.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65923,"alt":"","title":"is21-watchman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","width":373,"height":458,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman-244x300.jpg","medium-width":244,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","medium_large-width":373,"medium_large-height":458,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","large-width":373,"large-height":458,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","1536x1536-width":373,"1536x1536-height":458,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","2048x2048-width":373,"2048x2048-height":458,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","post_full_size-width":373,"post_full_size-height":458,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman-342x420.jpg","home_baner-width":342,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Go Set A Watchman\u00a0 (Isaiah 21:6)","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"To \u2018kill\u2019 an Atticus...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65923,"alt":"","title":"is21-watchman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","width":373,"height":458,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman-244x300.jpg","medium-width":244,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","medium_large-width":373,"medium_large-height":458,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","large-width":373,"large-height":458,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","1536x1536-width":373,"1536x1536-height":458,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","2048x2048-width":373,"2048x2048-height":458,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman.jpg","post_full_size-width":373,"post_full_size-height":458,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-watchman-342x420.jpg","home_baner-width":342,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"373","name":"Literature","old_id":"773"},{"term_id":"577","name":"Racism","old_id":"977"}]},{"order":6,"id":"65925","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"For Everything There Is A Purpose Under Heaven\u2026Even Exile ","post_title":"For Everything There Is A Purpose Under Heaven\u2026Even Exile","slug":"for-everything-there-is-a-purpose-under-heaveneven-exile","old_id":"65925","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A necessary stage in the growth of the people","post_main_content_content":"

As Isaiah foretells the downfall and destruction of the Babylonian empire and end to that particular exile of the Jewish nation, one is driven to consider the relative brevity of this exile: only 70 years, compared to our current period of diaspora which has continued for nearly 2000 years.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What could God have had in mind for this short period of total eviction from the land of Israel? The truth is, calling this a 70-year exile is a bit misleading because we know that many years earlier, when Nebuchadnezzar first laid siege on Israel, he deported some 10,000 of the brightest and most promising of the Jewish nation. So, by the time Nebuchadnezzar finished his mission of conquest with the destruction of the Temple and the final deportation of Jews, the new exiles were actually joining already established Jewish communities in Babylonia. These were not just subsisting communities, but ones that had prioritized the development of a religious infrastructure. This community continued to grow deeper in religiosity and spirituality during the next 70 years of exile.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While in exile, with no Temple at which to worship or bring sacrifices, the Jewish people were forced to find alternate modes of religious expression. The result was a new focus on study and learning as a focal point for worship. Remember back in Chapter 1 when God said, \u201cLEARN to do good\u201d? This period of exile spawned the roots of formal Judaic scholarship, culminating in the Babylonian Talmud (Talmud Bavli) compiled many centuries later by the descendants of those who were exiled to, and remained in Babylonia.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is not to suggest that exile was then, or is now, a good thing. Ultimately something was missing during this period of exile, namely the Jewish homeland, the holy city of Jerusalem and our Temple. But prior to this exile, there was also something missing: a formal learning structure in order to support and perpetuate religious practice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God realized that to complete development of our national persona we needed to be temporarily displaced. Perhaps that is our lesson as we await the end of our current exile. Our land is part of our whole promised package and over 45% of world Jewry now lives in our homeland, so we\u2019re making progress. But to be ready for the Messianic era to come, we need to remain vigilant and continue to strengthen ourselves in the study of Torah and Jewish scholarship.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image:\u00a0 Babylonian Talmud \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65926,"alt":"","title":"is21-talmud","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","width":800,"height":560,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-300x210.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":210,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-768x538.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":538,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":560,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":560,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":560,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":560,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-600x420.jpg","home_baner-width":600,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"For Everything There Is A Purpose Under Heaven\u2026Even Exile","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A necessary stage in the growth of the people","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65926,"alt":"","title":"is21-talmud","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","width":800,"height":560,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-300x210.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":210,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-768x538.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":538,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":560,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":560,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":560,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":560,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-talmud-600x420.jpg","home_baner-width":600,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"422","name":"Diaspora","old_id":"822"},{"term_id":"432","name":"Exile","old_id":"832"},{"term_id":"500","name":"Messiah","old_id":"900"}]},{"order":7,"id":"65928","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Psychological Warfare ","post_title":"Psychological Warfare","slug":"psychological-warfare","old_id":"65928","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The shock and confusion of the sudden transition from pleasure to terror \u201clead one to the depths of fear and into the chasms of the soul\u201d","post_main_content_content":"

The opening verse of our chapter is notable for both its lyricism and obscurity. \u201cDesert of the sea and gales that race through the Negev\u201d are quite poetic, but to whom (or what) are they addressed? The exegetes were unanimous in identifying their objective as Babylonia, but they were divided with respect to how the designations came about. (Because of its association, in context, with death and destruction, the term \u201cNegev storms\u201d [<\/span>sufot ba-negev<\/span><\/i>] was used to describe a series of violent pogroms in the southern reaches of the Russian empire\u2014present-day Ukraine\u2014in 1881.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In commenting on v.2: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>My mind is confused, I shudder in panic. My night of pleasure he has turned to terror\u201d (4), Malbim* offered a significant psychological insight into the turbulence that Isaiah forecasted.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Subsequently, his body was nullified because of his mind\u2019s confusion, thereby nullifying his life-force. Moreover, \u201cshuddered in panic\u201d are \u201cconvulsions\u201d (<\/span>\u05e7\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5\u05d5\u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05e1\u05d9\u05d0\u05df<\/span>), which shake all the sinews and nullify the whole body\u2014muscles and blood vessels\u2014all because \u201cmy night of pleasure\u201d has been turned to shuddering; namely sudden fear and trembling that occur at a time of rejoicing intensify bewilderment and confusion. They switch the body and its senses from joy to great fear, to the extent that one hovers between happiness and perplexity. One\u2019s eyes then see things falsely and the visions of rejoicing, alongside death and destruction, lead one to the depths of fear and into the chasms of the soul.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The balance of the chapter incorporates two additional prophetic destinations, so to speak: Duma (aka Seir, aka Edom, 11) and Arav (13). The reference to Arabs evoked another contemporary observation on the part of Malbim, namely \u201cthe Children of Kedar [Ishmael] were known for their hospitality, and that remains the custom of the Arabs to this very day\u201d (13).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*For the significance of Malbim\u2019s commentary to the Book of Isaiah,<\/span> see our introduction to chapter 1.<\/span><\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65929,"alt":"","title":"is21-eyes","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes.jpg","width":1920,"height":1357,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-300x212.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":212,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-768x543.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":543,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-1024x724.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":724,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1086,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1357,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-1200x848.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-594x420.jpg","home_baner-width":594,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Psychological Warfare","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The shock and confusion of the sudden transition from pleasure to terror \u201clead one to the depths of fear and into the chasms of the soul\u201d","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65929,"alt":"","title":"is21-eyes","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes.jpg","width":1920,"height":1357,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-300x212.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":212,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-768x543.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":543,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-1024x724.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":724,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1086,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1357,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-1200x848.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-eyes-594x420.jpg","home_baner-width":594,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"386","name":"Psychology","old_id":"786"}]},{"order":8,"id":"65931","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Prophecies To More Distant Nations ","post_title":"Prophecies To More Distant Nations","slug":"prophecies-to-more-distant-nations","old_id":"65931","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64700,"post_title":"Yaakov Jaffe","slug":"yaakov-jaffe","old_id":"64700","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Jaffe ","description":"Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe is Dean of Judaic Studies at the Maimonides School in Brookline, and is the Rabbi of the Maimonides Kehillah there. 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","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64701,"alt":"","title":"yaakov-jaffe","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"That continue to echo across the centuries in other Jewish texts","post_main_content_content":"

This small chapter stands out from among the prophecies to the nations. Whereas the other chapters dealt at length with familiar nations, neighbors to the Jews, Chapter 21, deals with three nations, who relate less with the Jewish people: \u201cArabia,\u201d \u201cDuma,\u201d and the nation of the \u201cDesert Ocean.\u201d Because the text is unclear as to which nations it refers to and why these nations are singled out, the Midrashic tradition fills in the details of the three prophecies extensively.\u00a0 All three prophecies retain a significant echo across Jewish teaching, Midrash, and piyyut: the first two are cited each year at the Passover Seder, the third in the Kinot on the 9<\/span>th<\/span> of Av.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Prophecy to Arabia (21:13-17) sketches the story of some Arab tribes who greeted captives or escapees of war with food and water; and are destroyed as a result. The commentaries are forced to the conclusion that these Arabian tribes must have not actually helped the captives or refugees of war as much as the text implies. The traditional interpretation is that these refugees were Jews who needed water when entering exile \u2013 but were instead offered only salty bread. The prophet predicts that these Arab tribes will be punished as a fitting recompense for their actions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Prophecy to Duma (11-12) is even more challenging.\u00a0 A watchman sees dawn, but surprisingly remarks that \u2018both day and also night have come\u2019 \u2013 and then asks people to return in order for \u201cit\u201d to come. Rashi following the traditional interpretation (see Radak and Malbim citing Yerushalmi Taanit end of 1:1)\u00a0 take this prophecy to refer to the Jewish people who are under the yolk of Esau\u2019s descendants, Edom here called Dumah, dropping the initial 'alef<\/em>. The Jews sit in the darkness of oppression and exile, and a watchman\/ prophet looks-out for them, waiting for the light of dawn, the symbol for the redemption. The watchman, the prophetic voice, speaks saying \u2013 it can come, it can happen; if only people repent, then the light of dawn will come.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Prophecy to a Western Desert (1-10). This prophecy is the most obscure of the three.\u00a0 Most commentaries agree that this prophecy predicts the fall of Babylonia (9), a western desert compared to Persia, with special attention to the overwhelming fear accompanying the total plunder of the empire on the part of the Medians (2). The speaker describes tremendous fear, echoing the response to the hand writing on the wall described in Daniel 5:5 at the day of the fall.\u00a0 On that night, the king Balshazzar had a vast party (5:1-5), with much drinking and celebration. This prophecy captures that part of the setting as well (21:5): \u201cSet the table, set the lookout, eat and drink. Rise up the ministers, anoint the shield.\u201d<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65933,"alt":"","title":"is21-prophecy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy.png","width":922,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-216x300.png","medium-width":216,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-738x1024.png","medium_large-width":738,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-738x1024.png","large-width":738,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy.png","1536x1536-width":922,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy.png","2048x2048-width":922,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-864x1200.png","post_full_size-width":864,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-303x420.png","home_baner-width":303,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Prophecies To More Distant Nations","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"That continue to echo across the centuries in other Jewish texts","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65933,"alt":"","title":"is21-prophecy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy.png","width":922,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-216x300.png","medium-width":216,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-738x1024.png","medium_large-width":738,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-738x1024.png","large-width":738,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy.png","1536x1536-width":922,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy.png","2048x2048-width":922,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-864x1200.png","post_full_size-width":864,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-prophecy-303x420.png","home_baner-width":303,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"458","name":"Nations","old_id":"858"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"}]},{"order":9,"id":"115964","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah21 ","post_title":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah21","slug":"the-tanakh-podcast-isaiah21","old_id":"115964","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. 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21:8 \u201cAnd the seer shall call out: \u201cOn the Master\u2019s lookout I stand perpetually by day and on my watch I am stationed all through the nights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The received text reads: \u201cAnd he shall call out: A lion!\u201d This is problematic if the danger is cavalry. The Qumran Isaiah has instead of \u201clion\u201d \u2018<\/span>aryeh<\/span><\/em>, \u201cthe seer,\u2019 <\/span>haro\u2019eh<\/span><\/em>, which is merely a reversal of consonants, and that looks more likely.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, <\/span>The Hebrew Bible, <\/span><\/i>vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"The Seer Shall Call Out","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"He ain\u2019t lion\u2026","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"569","name":"Translation","old_id":"969"}]},{"order":11,"id":"65919","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"What of the Night? What of the Night? ","post_title":"What of the Night? What of the Night?","slug":"what-of-the-night-what-of-the-night","old_id":"65919","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33992,"post_title":"Bradley Shavit Artson","slug":"rabbi-dr-bradley-shavit-artson","old_id":"33992","first_name":"Bradley Shavit ","last_name":"Artson","description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and is professor of philosophy there. Artson is married to Elana Shavit Artson, and they are the parents of twins, Shira and Jacob.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson is the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33993,"alt":"","title":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","width":204,"height":199,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-256x300.png","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","medium_large-width":204,"medium_large-height":199,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","large-width":204,"large-height":199,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","1536x1536-width":204,"1536x1536-height":199,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","2048x2048-width":204,"2048x2048-height":199,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","post_full_size-width":204,"post_full_size-height":199,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","home_baner-width":204,"home_baner-height":199}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Morning is coming\u2026 If you seek, seek, repent and come","post_main_content_content":"

In the midst of an extended prophecy on the power and fall of Babylonia, Isaiah invokes an image of fear, yearning, hope, and faith that has never been surpassed in human literature. It\u2019s brief enough to share in its entirety, and deep enough to ponder for a lifetime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A call comes to me because of Seir: \u2018Guard, what of the night? Guard, what of the night? The Watchman said, \u2018Morning is coming, but also night. If you seek, seek, repent and come (21:11).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The call, from no one in particular, is one of fear and yearning. After standing watch throughout the long darkness, what do I need to know? You who stood guard, tell me where do we stand now? You can hear the fear in the question, and the forced courage of asking it nonetheless.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And the answer is unvarnished honesty. No false cover of beauty to the raw reality that we face together. Morning is coming. We have survived the terror of the dark. The light is dawning and we will see the sun again. But after that daylight, another stretch of darkness awaits. It will grow again cold and terrifying. The cycle will continue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet all is not an endless cycle of doom. We always retain the capacity to seek, to change our ways, to find common ground and to advance together. Baba Kama 5b understands the word b\u2019ayu to mean prayer, and goes further to say that human beings are praying beings. It is our nature to confront our fears by speaking our hopes, by calling out, an act both of resistance and of a stubborn insistence that the future may yet be altered.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Even in the darkest stretches, we can call out to each other and to our Source. We can nurture each others\u2019 hopes, and strengthen each others\u2019 faith. And then we return \u2013 spiritually and physically \u2013 to a common history, a shared destiny, and a mutual resolve to stand together to create a better tomorrow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What of the night? We will bring the dawn.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65920,"alt":"","title":"is21-dawn","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"What of the Night? What of the Night?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Morning is coming\u2026 If you seek, seek, repent and come \u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65920,"alt":"","title":"is21-dawn","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is21-dawn-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"403","name":"Redemption","old_id":"803"},{"term_id":"451","name":"Hope","old_id":"851"},{"term_id":"502","name":"Fear","old_id":"902"}]},{"order":12,"id":"65873","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 21 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 21","slug":"points-to-ponder-isaiah-21","old_id":"65873","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"355","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. A little history<\/em>. What is the historical context for the prophecies in this chapter? <\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>\u201cThe Desert of the Sea Pronouncement\u201d - Prophecies regarding the downfall of Babylonia, at the hands of Eilam and Medea. The Babylonian empire was defeated in the 550 BCE, by another Mesopotamian empire - the Persians. Or, perhaps, this whole section is speaking of Assyria, which was removed from the stage of history for good by the Babylonians at the end of the 7th Century BCE.<\/span>
    \r\n<\/span>The end of the \u201cIn The Steppe\u201d (Arabian) Pronouncement speaks of an attack on B\u2019nei Kedar. This attack took place in the history of the area in the days of the Assyrian kings Sennecharib (704-681 BCE) and Ashurbanipal (668-626 BCE), that embarked on military campaigns in this region.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Storms from the southland<\/em> (JPS: \u201cLike the gales that race through the Negeb\u201d - verse 1). This phrase was used as an epithet for the pogroms against the Jews of south western Russia in the years 1881-1882. It is borrowed from the image used by the prophet for the catastrophe that is to befall Babylonia.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. The riddle of Duma<\/em>. Who were the people, or where was the land, called here Duma? Is it Edom? Or one of the Arabian tribes? Is the Aramaic that the watchman uses here a hint as to their identity? And is the pronouncement connected to the prophecy of destruction of Babylonia from the previous one, or to the confrontation with the Assyrians that the next pronouncement proclaims?<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Business days<\/em>. There are years, and there are years that \u201cfixed like the years of a hired laborer\u201d (shnei sachir - <\/i>v. 16). When the prophet wants emphasize the accuracy of the timing of the prophecy, he uses the more exact legal term.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Isaiah 21","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"21","chapter_main_number":"355","date":"20270107","wall_id":"355"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/65271"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}