ืืจืืฉืืช ืืดื: ื
โโืึนึฝืึพืึธืกึฅืึผืจ ืฉึตืึืึถืึ ืึดึฝืืืึผืึธึื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตึืง ืึดืึตึผึฃืื ืจึทืึฐืึธึืื ืขึทึื ืึดึผึฝืึพืึธืึนึฃื ืฉึดืืืึนึื ืึฐืึืึน ืึดืงึฐึผืึทึฅืช ืขึทืึดึผึฝืืื
The staff shall not depart from Yehuda, and the rod[1]ย from between his legs,[2]ย until he comes to Shiloh,[3]ย and the obedience[4]ย of peoples is his.
Preamble: The month of AV is the saddest month of the Hebrew calendar, commemorating the destruction of both the First and Second Jerusalem Temples. The month is also dedicated to comfort and hope, especially hope for the eschatological Restoration of the Temple and messianic re-establishment of Davidic kingship. The verse Iโve selected for Av is Genesis 49:10, Jacobโs deathbed blessing of his son Judah, which is traditionally understood as a promise of dynastic royalty to the tribe of Judah. The main syntactic ambiguity that I focus on here relates to the word ืขึทึื. My discussion of traditional Jewish exegesis of this verse relies on Richard Steinerโs demonstration of inner-biblical interpretations of the verse:
RICHARD C. STEINER, โFour Inner-Biblical Interpretations of Genesis 49:10: On the Lexical and Syntactic Ambiguities of ืขึทื as Reflected in the Prophecies of Nathan, Ahijah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah,โ in Journal of Biblical Literatureย , 2013, Vol. 132, No. 1 (2013), pp. 33-60 Published by: The Society of Biblical Literature Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23488236
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23488236; also available at: https://repository.yu.edu/handle/20.500.12202/4330
โโืึนึฝืึพืึธืกึฅืึผืจ ืฉึตืึืึถืึ ืึดึฝืืืึผืึธึื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตึืง ืึดืึตึผึฃืื ืจึทืึฐืึธึืื ืขึทึื ืึดึผึฝืึพืึธืึนึฃื ืฉึดืืืึนึื ืึฐืึืึน ืึดืงึฐึผืึทึฅืช ืขึทืึดึผึฝืืื
English Translations:ย
Alhatorah.org:The staff shall not depart from Yehuda, and the rod[5]ย from between his legs,[6]ย until he comes to Shiloh,[7]ย and the obedience[8]ย of peoples is his.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor the rulerโs staff from between his feet;
So that tribute shall come to him
And the homage of peoples be his.
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
ย ย nor the rulerโs staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him, [a]
ย ย and the obedience of the peoples is his.
- 49.10ย Or until Shiloh comesย or until he comes to Shilohย or (with Syr) until he comes to whom it belongs
AMBIGUITIES and READING OPTIONS
R. Steinerโs abstract:
*SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITIES
MAIN SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY:
SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY/DIFFICULTY:
SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY: READINGS
READING 1: ืขื = โeverโ; ืืโฆืขื = never The rod will never departย from Judah nor the staff from between his legs. | ย ืึนืึพืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืืึผืึธื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตึืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื ืขึทื ืึดึผืึพืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนื |
READING 2: ืขื = โforeverโ The rod will not permanentlyย depart from Judah nor the staff from between his legs. | ย ืึนืึพืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืืึผืึธื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตึืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื ืขึทื ืึดึผืึพืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนื |
READING 3: ืขื = โuntilโ (indicating a point of cessation) The rod will not depart from Judah nor the staff from between his legs untilโฆ <and then, it will depart> | ืึนึฝืึพืึธืกึฅืึผืจ ืฉึตืึืึถืึ ืึดึฝืืืึผืึธึื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตึืง ืึดืึตึผึฃืื ืจึทืึฐืึธึืื ืขึทึื ืึดึผึฝืึพืึธืึนึฃื ืฉึดืืืึนึื |
READING 4: ืขื ย = โuntil (not to mention after)โ (indicating a point of culmination) The rod will not depart from Judah nor the staff from between his legs untilโฆ <and beyond>. | ืึนึฝืึพืึธืกึฅืึผืจ ืฉึตืึืึถืึ ืึดึฝืืืึผืึธึื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตึืง ืึดืึตึผึฃืื ืจึทืึฐืึธึืื ืขึทึื ืึดึผึฝืึพืึธืึนึฃื ืฉึดืืืึนึื |
- Lexical Ambiguities:
The staff shall not depart from Yehuda, and the rod[9]ย from between his legs,[10]ย until he comes to Shiloh,[11]ย and the obedience[12]ย of peoples is his.
EXEGETICAL SOURCES
*** CANTILLATION; nothing in Kogut; check for publications that focus on this; check Steinerโs article & footnotes.
Targum Onqelosย (c. 3rd century CE)
ืึธื ืึดืขึฐืึตึผื ืขึธืึตืื ืฉืืึผืึฐืึธื ืึดืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึฐืืึผืึธื ืึฐืกึธืคึฐืจึธื ืึดืึฐึผื ึตื ืึฐื ืึนืึดื ืขึทื ืขึธืึฐืึธื ืขึทืย ืึฐึผืึตืืชึตื ืึฐืฉึดืืืึธื ืึฐึผืึดืืึตืืึผ ืึดืื ืึทืึฐืืึผืชึธื ืึฐืึตืืึผ ืึดืฉึฐืืชึทึผืึฐืขืึผื ืขึทืึฐืึทืึธึผื.
English translation of Steiner:
English translation of Grossfield: The ruler shall never depart from the House of Judah nor the scribe from his childrenโs children for evermore*,[13]ย until the Messiah comes**, to whom belongs the kingdom,*** and him shall nations obey.[14]ย
****:summarize Steinerโs discussion of Onkelos & (suspicious) variant, including criticism of Grossfield
Grossfield:
**Shiloh lexical; Grossfield: refers to M. Kasher, Torah Shelemah. And in next note, refers to word play of Shilo as shelo, his, in rabbinic texts.
*****Shiloh lexical; Grossfield:
โUntil Shilohโ: ย link to Elul: ย ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืจ ืืโฆ.
โThe Hebrew could mean: โuntil Shiloh comesโ or โuntil he comes to Shiloh.โ The passage is obscure, and many emendations and interpretations have been offeredโฆโ etc.; itโs a long note, with references.
ืื ืคืกืงืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืช ืืืืื ืืืฃ ืื ืกืคืจืื ืืืคื ืืืจืื ืืื ื ืื ืื ืขื ืืื ืืืืชื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืืื ืืฉืชืขืืืื ืื ืืืืืืชื.
Kingsย shall not cease from among those of the houseย of Judah and neither (shall) scribes teaching the Lawย from his sonsโ sonsย until the time King Messiah shall come, to whom the kingship belongs; to him shall all the kingdoms be subject.[15]
Martin McNamara, Targum Neofiti 1:Genesis, Translated, with Apparatus and Notesย The Aramaic Bible. ย Vol. 1A, 1992
****ADD NOTES
ืึธื ืึดืขึฐืึตึผื ืขึธืึตืื ืฉืืึผืึฐืึธื ืึดืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึฐืืึผืึธื ืึฐืกึธืคึฐืจึธื ืึดืึฐึผื ึตื ืึฐื ืึนืึดื ืขึทื ืขึธืึฐืึธื ืขึทื ืึฐึผืึตืืชึตื ืึฐืฉึดืืืึธื ืึฐึผืึดืืึตืืึผ ืึดืื ืึทืึฐืืึผืชึธื ืึฐืึตืืึผ ืึดืฉึฐืืชึทึผืึฐืขืึผื ืขึทืึฐืึทืึธึผื. ืื ืคืกืงืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืช ืืืืื ืืืฃ ืื ืกืคืจืืื ืืืคื ืืืจืื ืืื ื ืื ืื ืขื ืืื ืืืืชื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืืื ืืฉืชืขืืืื ืื ืืืืืืชืื. ืื ืคืกืงืื ืืืืื ืืฉืืืืื ืืืืืช ืืืืื ืืกืคืจืื ืืืืคื ืืืจืืืชื ืืืจืขืื ืขื ืืื ืื ืืืชื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืขืืจ ืื ืื ืืืืืืื ืืชืืืกืื ืขืืืืื
Kings and rulersย shall not cease from those of the houseย of Judah, nor scribes teaching the Law from his descendants, until the time the King Messiahย comes, the youngest of his sons, because of whomย the people will pine away.
Michael Maher, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan:Genesis, Translated, with Introduction and Notesย The Aramaic Bible. ย Vol. 1B, 1992, pp. 158-159.
****ADD NOTES
Alhatorah:
Kings shall not cease, nor rulers, from the house of Jehuda, nor sapherim teaching the law from his seed, till the time that the King, the Meshiha, shall come, the youngest of his sons; and on account of him shall the peoples flow together. How beauteous is the King, the Meshiha who will arise from the house of Jehuda! He hath girded his loins, and descended, and arrayed the battle against his adversaries, slaying kings with their rulers; neither is there any king or ruler who shall stand before him.
MIDRASH RABBA
Alhatorah:
[ื] ืึนื ืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืืึผืึธื, ืึถื ืึธืึดืืจ ืืืืณ ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื โ ืฉึถืืึธึผื ืึฐื ึดืชึฐืึทืึตึผื ืึดืคึฐื ึตื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื. ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนื, ืึถื ืึถืึถืึฐ ืึทืึธึผืฉึดืืืึท. ืึฐืืึน ืึดืงึฐืึทืช ืขึทืึดึผืื, ืฉึถืืืึผื ืึธึผื ืึผืึทืงึฐืึถื ืฉึดืื ึตึผืืึถื ืฉึถืื ืขืึนืึฐืึตื ืึผืึนืึธืึดืื.
ืึธึผืึธืจ ืึทืึตืจ: ืึนื ืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืืึผืึธื โ ืืึน ืกึทื ึฐืึถืึฐึผืจึดืื ืฉึถืืึดืื ืึทืึธึผื ืึฐืจืึนืึธื. ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื, ืึตืึผืึผ ืฉึฐืื ึตื ืกืึนืคึฐืจึตื ืึทืึทึผืึธึผื ึดืื ืฉึถืืึธืืึผ ืขืึนืึฐืึดืื ืึดืคึฐื ึตืืึถื ืึถืึธื ืึดืืึดืื ืึฐืึถืึธื ืึดืฉึฐืืึนืื. ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนื, ื ึดืึฐื ืึผ ืึฐืึธืึฐืจืึผ ืึดืึตึผื ืึดืฉึถึผืื ืึดื, ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึดึผื ืึตืึดื ืึฐืึดืึทึผืช ืึปืึธืกึดืื ืึธืฆึฐืืึผ ืึดึผืืจืึผืฉึธืืึทืึดื ืึผืึฐืชึดืื ืึธึผืึผ ืึดืึตึผื ืึดืึธึผืึดื. ืจึทืึดึผื ืึดืึธึผื ืจึทืึธึผื ืึดื ืึดึผืฉึฐืืคึทืึฐืึธื ืึถึผื ืึฒืึดืืึธื. ืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึทึผืึฐืึธึผื ืฉึธืืืึนืขึท ืึดืึฐึผืึธืึตื. ืึฐึผืึตืืช ืฆึดืืฆึดืืช ืึทืึทึผืกึธึผืช, ืึดื ืึฐึผืึทืึฐื ึตืจ. ืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึผืึนืึฐืฉึดืืื, ืึดื ืึฐึผืึทืึฐืึธื. ืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึธืฆึฐืึธื, ืึดื ืึฐึผืึธืกึธืฃ. ืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึตืืึผื, ืึดื ืฆึดืคึผืึนืจึดืื. ืึฐึผืึตืืช ืึทื ึทึผืื, ืึดื ืึฐึผืขึตืึดื. ืจึทืึดึผื ืืึนืกึตื ืึทึผืจ ืึฒืึทืคึฐืชึธึผื, ืึดื ืึฐึผืืึนื ึธืึธื ืึถึผื ืจึตืึธื. ืจึทืึดึผื ื ึฐืึถืึฐืึธื, ืึดืึดึผื ึฐืึถืึฐืึธื ืึทืชึดึผืจึฐืฉึธืืชึธื.
Tanhuma
ืึนื ืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื โ ืึถื ืึดึผืกึตึผื ืึทืึฐืืึผืช, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ: ืึดึผืกึฐืึฒืึธ ืึฑืึนืึดืื ืขืึนืึธื ืึธืขึถื ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืฉึนืืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึทืึฐืืึผืชึถืึธ (ืชืืืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื โ ืึฐึผืฉึถืืึธึผืึนื ืืึนืชืึน ืึถืึถืึฐ ืฉึถืืึทืึทึผืึฐืืึผืช ืฉึถืืึผืึน, ืฉึถืืึธึผืชืึผื ืึผืึน, ืึฐึผืจึทืึฐืึทืึดื ืชึตึผืจึธืึทืกึฐื ึธื ืขึฒืึถืจึถืช ืึตึผืืึผืช ืฉึดืืึผืึนืจึตื ืึถืคึฐืจึธืึดื (ืืฉืขืืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนื โ ืฉึถืืึทืึทึผืึฐืืึผืช ืฉึถืืึผืึน. ืึฐืืึน ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืช ืขึทืึดึผืื โ ืึทืงึฐืึถื ืฉึดืื ึตึผื ืขึทืึดึผืื, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ: ืึธืฉึดืืืืึผ ืึธื ืขึทื ืคึถึผื ืึฐืึธืึฐื ึตืืึถื ืชึถึผืึฑืจึทืฉึฐืื ึธื (ืืืื ืืณ:ืืดื). ืึธึผืึธืจ ืึทืึตืจ: ืึฐืืึน ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืช โ ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืช ืึดื ืฉึถืืขึธืชึดืื ืึดืชึฐืงึทืึฒืึดืื ืขึธืึธืื, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ: ืฉึนืืจึถืฉื ืึดืฉึทืื ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืขึนืึตื ืึฐื ึตืก ืขึทืึดึผืื ืึตืึธืื ืึผืึนืึดื ืึดืึฐืจึนืฉืืึผ (ืืฉืขืืื ืืดื:ืืณ).
MIDRASH AGGADAH BUBER
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ 1ืื ืืฉืื ืื ืืื, ืฉืขืชืื ืืจืืืช ืืช ืืขื ืืืงื, ืฉื ืืืจ ืชืจืืขื ืืฉืื ืืจืื (ืชืืืื ืืณ:ืืณ). ืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ 2ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืขืืฅ ืชืจืขืชืื ืฉืืขืชืื ืกืืืชืื (ืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืณ:ื ืดื), ืฉืืืจืื ืืืืืช ืืืฉืจืื, ืืื ืกื ืืืจื ืืืืื ืฉืืืฉืืช ืืืฉืืช ืืืืืช ืืืืงื ืฉื ืืืืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืฉืคืืืช ืกืืคืจืื ืืืฉืื ืืขืืฅ (ืฉื). ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ 3ืฉืืงืื ืฉืื ืื ืฉื ืืืืืช ืืขืืื, ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืฉืื ืืช ืืจืืฉืื ืืื ืืขืืกื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืืจ ืืืจ: ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ 4ืืื ืจืืฉื ืืืืืช ืฉืืืื, ืฉืจืืืื ืืช ืืขื ืืฉืื. ืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ 5ืืื ืจืืฉื ืืฉืืืืช ืฉืืืจืฅ ืืฉืจืื. ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ 6ืื ืืื ืืืฉืื, ืฉืืื ืืืืืช ืืืช ืืื ืงืืืืช. ืืืจ ืืืจ: ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืขื ืขืื ืขื, ืืืืืจ ืขื ืขืืื, ืืืืฉืจ ืืื ืืฉืื ืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื.
YALQUT SHIMONI
ืึนื ืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืืึผืึธื โ ืึตืึผืึผ ืจึธืืฉึตืื ืึธึผืึปืึผืึนืช ืฉึถืืึฐึผืึธืึถื, ืฉึถืืจืึนืึดืื ืึถืช ืึดืฉึฐืืจึธืึตื ืึฐึผืฉึตืืึถื ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื ืึตืึผืึผ ืึฐึผื ึตื ืึธึผื ึธืื ืฉึถืื ืึดืึตึผื ืฉึถืืึฐึผืึทืึฐึผืึดืื ืชึผืึนืจึธื ืึธึผืจึทืึดึผืื.
ืึธึผืึธืจ ืึทืึตืจ: ืึนื ืึธืกืึผืจ ืฉึตืืึถื ืึดืืืึผืึธื โ ืึถื ืึธืฉึดืืืึท ืึถึผื ืึธึผืึดื, ืฉึถืืืึผื ืขึธืชึดืื ืึดืจึฐืึผืึนืช ืึทืึทึผืึฐืืึผืช ืึฐึผืฉึตืืึถื, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ (ืชืืืื ืืณ:ืืณ) ืดืชึฐึผืจึนืขึตื ืึฐึผืฉึตืืึถืืด. ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืง ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืื. ืึตืึผืึผ ืดืึนืฉึฐืืึตื ืึทืขึฐืึตึผืฅืด ืฉึถืืึผืึนืจึดืื ืึฒืึธืืึนืช ืึฐึผืึถืจึถืฅ ืึดืฉึฐืืจึธืึตื ืึฐึผืกึทื ึฐืึถืึฐืจึตื ืึฐึผืืึนืึธื ืฉึถืืึดืื ืืึนืฉึถืืึถืช ืึฐึผืึถืึฐืงืึน ืฉึถืื ืึฐืืึผืึธื, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ (ืฉื) ืดืึผืึดืฉึฐืืคึฐึผืืึนืช ืกืึนืคึฐืจึดืื ืึนืฉึฐืืึตื ืึทืขึฐืึตึผืฅืด. ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนื. ืฉึถืืขึฒืชึดืืึดืื ืึธึผื ืึธืึปืึผืึนืช ืึฐืึธืึดืื ืึผืึนืจืึนื ืึฐืึดืฉึฐืืจึธืึตื ืึผืึฐืึถืึถืึฐ ืึทืึธึผืฉึดืืืึท ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ (ืืฉืขืืื ืืดื:ืืณ) ืดืืึผืึทื ืฉึทืื ืึทืืณ ืฆึฐืึธืืึนืชืด. ืึฐืืึน ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืช ืขึทืึดึผืื. ืืึน ืึฐืจืึผืฉึธืืึทืึดื ืฉึถืืึดืื ืขึฒืชึดืืึธื ืึฐืึทืงึฐืืึนืช ืฉึดืื ึตึผืืึถื ืฉึถืื ืึปืึผืึนืช ืึธืขืึนืึธื ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ (ืดืึผ)ืึทืึผืึนื ืึทืืึผื ืึธืฉึดืืื ืึถืช ืึฐืจืึผืฉึธืืึทืึด ืึถืึถื ืึทืขึฒืึธืกึธื ืึฐืึธื ืึธืขึทืึดึผืืืด.
ADD TALMUD
HORAYOT 11b3 https://www.sefaria.org/Horayot.11b.3?lang=bi
Horayot 11b:3
Rav Safra taughtย the exchange in thisย manner: Rabbiย Yehuda HaNasi raised a dilemma before Rabbi แธคiyya:ย In a case where Iย perform an unwitting transgression, what isย the halakha: Would I be liable to atone with a male goatย as a sin-offering because I am the Nasi, or is my atonement with a ewe or a female goat, like a commoner, because I am not the king? Rabbi แธคiyya said to him: There,ย the Exilarch has authority that is represented by a scepter; here,ย in Eretz Yisrael, we have lesser authority, which is represented by a staff. And it is taughtย in a baraita: โThe scepter shall not depart from Judahโย (Genesis 49:10); thisย is a reference to the Exilarch in Babylonia, who reigns over the Jewish people with a rod,ย as he is authorized by the gentile monarchy to impose his will. โNor the rulerโs staff from between his feetโย (Genesis 49:10); these are the descendants of Hillel, whoย serve in the role of the Nasiย and teach Torah to the Jewish people in public,ย but who are not authorized by the government to impose their will.
Rashiย (1040 -1105)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืื ืืืืื, ืืืื ืจืืฉื ืืืืืช ืฉืืืื ืฉืจืืืื ืืช ืืขื ืืฉืื, ืฉืืืื ืื ืขื ืคื ืืืืืืช. ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืชืืืืืื, ืืืื ื ืฉืืื ืืจืฅ ืืฉืจืื. ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืืื ืืืฉืื, ืฉืืืืืื ืฉืื, ืืื ืชืจืื ืืื ืงืืืก. ืืืืจืฉ ืืืื: ืฉึทืื ืื โ ืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืืจื (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืืดื).
ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืืกืืคืช ืขืืื, ืฉืืืืดื ืขืืงืจ ืืื ืืืกืืโฆ
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื
THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH โ Even after the house of David ceases to reign. For this refers to the Chiefs of the Exile in Babylon who ruled over the people with the
rod ย (ืฉืื), having been appointed by the government (Sanhedrin 5a; Horayot 11b).
ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื
AND THE LAWGIVER FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET โ This refers to the scholars of the Torah: the Princes of the Land of Israel (as Hillel and his descendants who were Heads of Schools only and had no political power; Sanhedrin 5a; Horayot 11b).
ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื
โ means until the King Messiah will come, whose will be the kingdom (Genesis Rabbah 99:8). Thus too does Onkelos render it. A Midrashic interpretation is: ืฉืืื is the same as ืฉื ืื, a present unto him, (Psalms 76:12) "Let them bring (ืฉื) presents unto him that is to be feared.โ
ย ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื
โ means AND UNTO HIM [SHALL BE] AN ASSEMBLAGE OF PEOPLES. โ
ืืงืืช is a noun from the root ืืงื...
Rashi follows midrashic interpretation and Onkelos. He explains the verse as predicting future leadership of the descendants of Judah, from the kings of the Davidic dynasty, through exilarchs in Babylon, alongside Torah scholars, up to the time of the Messiah at which time Judahite leadership will be secured in the form of the messianic kingdom. ย Hence, Reading 4.
Lekach tovย (11th century)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืื ืกืืคืจืื ืฉืืืืืื. ืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืฉืื ืกืืคืจ (ืฉืืคืืื ืืณ:ืืดื).
ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืขืืฅ. ืฉืืืจืื ืืืืืช ืืืฉืจืื.
ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืคืืณ ืฉื ืื. ืฉืขืชืืืื ืืืืืช ืืขืืื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืืช ืืืฉืื ืื ืืื. ืฉื ืืณ ืืขืช ืืืื ืืืื ืฉื (ืืฉืขืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืชืจืฉืืฉ ืืืืื ืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืณ (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืืณ).
ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืฉืขืชืื ืืืงืืืช ืฉืื ืืื ืฉื ืขืืืื ืืืืืโฆ
ืกืดื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืื ื. ืืื ืืืฉืืืชื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ื ืดื).
ืขืดื: ืฉืืื โ ืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืชืื ืืฉืจื ืืืืื ืืืืืข ืืืืื ืืืฃ ืฉืืฉ ืืืืช ืฉืืฉืื ืืืืฉื (ืื ืืื ืืดื:ืืดื). ืจืืื ืืขืงื ืืืื ื ืืืจืืชื ืืืฃ ืืืื ืืืื. ืืืคืจื ืืื ืฉืืดื. ืืื ืจืืื ืืฉื ืจืืื ื ืืื ืื ืืกืชืจ ืืกืชืืจ ืคื ื ืืืื ืืืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ืืดื). ืืืฃ ืืฉืืฉ ืืืืช ืืฉืืฉืื ืืืืฉ. ืื ืืณ ืืืกืชืืจ ืืคื. ืื ืืกืชืืจื ืขืืงืจ. ืืื ืื ืืื ืืคืืจืฉื ืืฉืจื ืืืืื ืืืืืข ืืืืื ืืืฃ ืืฉืืฉ ืืืืช ืฉืืฉืื ืืืืฉื ืืื ืขืืื ืขืืืื ืื ืืคืื ืขืืื ืืืขื ืืืขืืื ืืืฆื ืืกืคืจืื ืืืื ืฉืืฉ ืฉื ืื ืืืืฆื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืฆืจื ืืืื ื ืืืฉืข. ืืื ืืชืืืชื ืืื ืื ื ืืืืขืื ืืืืชื. ืืขืดื ื ืืืจ ืคืชืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืื (ืืืืื ืืณ:ืืณ). ืืฉืดื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื. ืคืชืืื ืืื. ืืืฉ ืืืืจ ืืงืืช ืืฉืื ืืงืื. ืืขื ืื ืืืงืช ื ืืืืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืืืดื ืื ืื ืืืคืื ืื ืขืืื ืฉืคื ืืจืืจื ืืงืจืื ืืื ืืฉื ืืณ ืืืขืืื ืฉืื ืืื (ืฆืคื ืื ืืณ:ืืณ).
EDIT TRANSLATION: from ChatGPT:
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah" โ these are the scribes in Judah, like those who draw the tribe of the scribe (Judges 5:14).
"Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet" โ these are the inhabitants of Yaavetz, who observe the laws of Israel.
"Until Shiloh comes" โ meaning until he comes. This refers to the future when the nations of the world will bring gifts to the Messiah, the son of David. As it is written, "In that day a great shofar will be blown" (Isaiah 27:13), and it says, "Kings of Tarshish and the islands shall bring presents" (Psalm 72:10). "And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples" โ referring to the time when he will subdue the idolaters and their false beliefsโฆ
"Shiloh" โ this is what the verse in Daniel 12:12 says, "Blessed is he who waits and reaches the 1,335 days." Jacob our father alluded to this in his blessing with "1,000" as the general concept, and the specific is the "335." Moses our teacher also alluded to it with "And I will surely hide my face on that day" (Deuteronomy 31:18). 1,000, 335, and 35. Because 1 hides a secondary factor, for hiding is the main thing. Then Daniel came and explained it with "Blessed is he who waits and reaches the 1,335 days," which is the period of renewal, the division of time, the half of numbers. Three and a half years will be included in it, and in the midst of it will be the days of distress, and from it, they will be saved. But the beginning of it, we do not know when it will be. Hence it is said, "Suddenly he will come to his temple" (Malachi 3:1). This is the same as "when Shiloh comes, suddenly he will come." And it can be said that "yekhat" is a term for gathering, similar to the gathering of prophets (1 Samuel 19:20). And thus, "Then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one accord" (Zephaniah 3:9).
โโ
ืจ' ืืืกืฃ ืืจ' ืฉืืขืืย ืงืจื (c. 1050-1130)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืืณย โ ืืฉืืืื ืืื ืืืืืืณ ืื ืืกืืจ ืืื ืฉืื1 ืฉืื ืืกืืืื ืืืืืืชื, ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืืย โ ืืฉื ืืืืง ืืืืืืช. ืืืืืณ ืืฉืืืื ืืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืื ืืืฉืจืณ ืฉืื ืืกืืืื ืืืืืืชื ืื ืืืื ืคื ืื[ื] ืืืืืื ืืืชื.
ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืืย โ ืืืืืณ ืขื ืจืืืขื ืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืฉืจืณ ืฉืืื ืืืืืื ืืืชื ืืื ืืกืืจื ืืื ืขืฉืจืช ืืฉืืืื. ืืฉืืื ืกืืื ืืืืชืื ืืืืชืณ ืื ื ืื ืืดื ืืฉืืื ืืืืื {ืืืืื} ืืฉืจ ืืฆืคืื ืื ืืืืชืื {ืืืจืื ืืฉืืฉ} ืืืกืืืื ืืขืืื ืืืืชืื ืฉืืื {ืฉืืคืืื ืืดื:ืืดื}. (ืงืื ืืจืก ืืืจืื ืืืดื ืืืืื ืื 509.1)2
EDIT TRANSLATION: from ChatGPT:
The scepter shall not depart from Judah - From the one who becomes king in Judah, the scepter shall not depart from them, meaning they shall not relinquish their agreement with his kingship, until Shiloh comes - and there the kingdom shall be divided. It means that from the time David became king, not one tribe from Israel shall dissent from his kingship, for all of them are unanimous in crowning him. Until Shiloh comes - it means until the time of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when all of Israel gathered to make him king, and then the ten tribes departed from them. Shiloh is close to Bethel, as it is written, "Behold, there is a yearly feast of the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem" (Judges 21:19). (Last commentary in Kehati Bologna 509.1)
n day, i.e
Sekhel Tov commentary composed 1139
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืืื ืจืฆืื ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืื ืฉืืืื ืืืืืื, ืืื ืืกืืจ ืืืืงืง, ืืืืื ื ืกืืคืจ, ืืืืชืื ืื ืฉื ืืืงืช ืืืืงืง (ืืืจืื ืื ืื), ืื ื ืืืืจ ืืจืื ืืืืงืงืื (ืฉืืคืืื ื ืื):
ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืืืืืจ ืืืืฆืื ืืจืืื, ืืืืื ืืืืจ, ืืืฉืืืชื ืืืืฆืืช ืืืื ืจืืืื (ืืืจืื ืื ื ื),ืขื ืืชื ืืืื ืืื ื ืฉืื ืืืืืงืง ืืืืชื ืืื: ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืขื ืื ืืื ืืืชืืกื ืืืื ืฉืืื, ืืื ืืื ืืฉืืฉ (ืืืงืจื ืื ื), ืืืืื ื ืืฉืื ืฉืงืืขื, ืืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืื (ืชืืืื ืขื ืก), ืืกืืื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื (ืฉื ืฉื ืข), ืืืืืจ ืฉืื ืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืื: ืื ืืงืืช โ ืืืื ืฉืืืืื ืืขืืื ืืงืืช ืืืืืฉ ืืืื ืืขืืื, ืืขืืงืจ ืืืช ืืงืืช ืืฉืื ืงืืืืช ืฉืื ืืื, ืืืืื ืื, ืืืืื ืืืืกืจ ืชืงืืื ื ืฉืื ืื (ืืจืืื ืื ืื)
EDIT TRANSLATION: from ChatGPT:
The staff shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet. May it be the will that the staff and leaders shall not depart from Judah, and the scribes, meaning the scholars, shall not cease, as it is written, "He gave a portion to the scribe" (Deuteronomy 33:21), "From Machir came down scribes" (Judges 5:14).
From between his feet, meaning his descendants, and it is similar to the verse, "And in the end, he will have dominion" (Numbers 24:19), referring to the sun setting. Likewise, it says, "He chose David his servant" (Psalm 78:70), and immediately after the tabernacle of Shiloh was forsaken (Psalm 78:60).
To him shall be the obedience of the peoples, meaning the king of Judah will subdue and weaken the glory of the nations. The root of the word "Yikhat" (obedience) is related to the grinding of teeth, and it is similar to the expression, "The one who eats the fruit, his teeth will be set on edge" (Jeremiah 31:29).
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืืืืช ืื ืืชื ืื ืืืฉืชืืืช ืื ืื ืืืื ืฉื ืื ืขืฉืจ, ืื ืชืคืกืืง ืืื ื ืื ืืืชื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืงืง ืืฉืจืจื ืืืจืขื, ืขื ืื ืืื โ ืืืืื, ืฉืืื โ ืืืืืจ: ืขื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืจืืืขื ืื ืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืืืฉ ืืืืืื ืืฉืืื, ืฉืืื ืงืจืื ืืฉืื. ืืื ืื ืืกืืจื ืขืฉืจืช ืืฉืืืื ืืื ื ืืืืืืื ืืช ืืจืืขื, ืืื ื ืฉืืจ ืืจืืืขื ืื ืฉืืื ืจืง ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื (ืืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืณ-ืืดื). {ืืื} ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืงืืืฆืช ืืืืืืช ืฉืืื ืืคืืคืื ืชืืช ืฉืืื ืืืื. ืืืืชืื: ืื ืืื ืจืืื ืืื ืขืืจ ืื ืืจ (ืืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืณ), ื ืชืงืืฆื ืฉื ืืืืืื ืจืืืขื, ืืืืชืื: ืืืื ืจืืืขื ืฉืืื ืื ืฉืื ืื ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืื ืืืชื (ืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืณ). ืืฉืื ืืฆื ืฉืืื, ืืืืชืื ืืืืืฉืืข: ืืืืกืืฃ ืืืืฉืืข {ืืช} ืื {ืฉืืื} ืืฉืจืื ืฉืืื (ืืืืฉืข ืืดื:ืืณ) ืืื ืืคืจืฉื, ืืืืกืืฃ ืืคืจืฉ: ืื ืืืื ืืืืจืื ืืื ืืคื ื ืืดื ืืฉืืื.1 ืืื ืืฉืืคืืื ืื ื ืื ืืดื ืืฉืืื {ืืืืณ} ืืืกืืื ืืขืืื {ื}ืืืช ืื ืฉืืื ืืืืณ (ืฉืืคืืื ืืดื:ืืดื), ืืื ืืืจืืื: ืืืืื ืื ืฉืืื ืืฉืื {ืืฉืื} ืืืฉืืจืื (ืืจืืืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืงืจืงืข ืืืงื ืืื ืืฉืื ืกืืื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืขื ืฉืื ืืจืืืื ืืืชืงืืฅ ืฉื ืื ื ืืื, ืืืืืื ืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืืฉืืื ืืกืืื ืฉื. ืืคืฉื ืื ืชืฉืืื ืืืื ืื, ืฉืืื ืืชืื ืื ืื ืฉืืื ืฉื ืืขืืจ, ืฉืืื ืืขื ืืืงืจื, ืื ืดืฉืืืด ืืชืื ืืื ืืืืจื ืืขืืจืื, ืืื ืดืฉืืืืด ืืืืจื ืื ืืฆืจืื. ืืืขืงื ืขืืงืจ ืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืืื ืฉืืืื ืขื ืจืืืขื ืคืืจืฉ, ืืื ืืืกืจ ืืืืืื {ืื}ื ืจืฆื ืืคืจืฉ, ืืื ืืืืื ืฉื ืืงืจื ืืชื ืืืงืืง ืฉืืฉืืื ืืืืื ื ืชืืขืื. {ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืืื: ืืฉืืื, ืืื: ืืืื ืื ืืืช ืืื ืืื: ืืืืช ืืื. ืืืื ืืืืชืืืช ืืืกืจืืช ืืืื ืืืจืื ืืงืืืืช.}ื
From alhatorah.org:
THE SCEPTER SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH: The kingship that has been granted to him โ that all twelve of his brothers shall bow low to him (vs. 8) โ that greatness of his shall not cease nor shall mehoqeq โ power โ cease from his progeny,
UNTIL HE, i.e. Judah, COMES TO SHILOH โ in other words until a Judaean king, Rehoboam the son of Solomon, comes to Shiloh, which is near Shechem, to renew the monarchy. However, then the ten tribes will desert him and proclaim Jeroboam king, leaving only Judah and Benjamin for Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
Yiqqehat 'ammim: The assemblage of nations that were subordinated by his father, Solomon โ as it is written (I Kings 5.4), "For he controlled the whole region west of the Euphrates" โ gathered together there to proclaim Rehoboam king, as it is written, "Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to acclaim him king." Shechem is near Shiloh, as it is written in Joshua (24.1), "Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem ...," and at the end of that passage the text explains that all these things occurred before God in Shiloh. Also in Judges it is written (21.19), "'The feast of the LORD is now being held at Shiloh.' [It lies ... east] of the highway that runs from Bethel to Shechem." Also in Jeremiah it is written (41.5), "Men came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria." There was a stretch of flat land in Shechem around the oak tree of Shechem, where people could assemble to pay honor to the nearby tabernacle in Shiloh. This interpretation constitutes a refutation of the heretics. "Shiloh" that is written here is just the name of a city. For there are no vernacular words in the Bible. Nor is shello โ his โ written here, as some Jews claim, nor shaliah โ a messenger โ as the Christians say. Jacob elaborated on [the period of] the true greatness of Judah, which was from David to Rehoboam. He did not want to elaborate on [the period of] the diminution of that greatness. However, from that which is written, one infers that from Shiloh onwards that greatness diminished.
DISAMBIGUATION STRATEGY:
DISAMBIGUATION EXPRESSION:
Ibn Ezra Commentary A (c. 1088 - 1167)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืขื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืชืืืช ืืืืืช ืืืืื, ืืื ืืื. ืืื ืชืจืื ืื ืืื ืืืืื ื ืืกืข ืืจืืฉืื ื (ืืืืืจ ืืณ:ืืดื), ืื ืืืจ ืืฉื: ืืืืื ืืขืื ืืชืืื (ืฉืืคืืื ืืณ:ืืณ). ืืคืืจืืฉ ืืืงืง โ ืกืืคืจ, ืฉืืืืง ืขื ืืกืคืจ. ืืืขื ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืฉืื ืืจื ืื ืกืืคืจ ืืืืืช ืืืฉื ืืื ืจืืื ืืงืฆืื. ืฉืืื โ ืืฉ ืืืืจืื: ืืืจื ืืืชืจืื ืืจืืืช (ืืื ืงืืืก ืืจืืฉืืช ืืดื:ืืณ), ืืืขื: ืฉืื. ืืืฉ ืืืืจืื: ืฉืืื ืืืืจืช: ืืืฉืืืชื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ื ืดื). ืืืฉ ืื ืฉืืืฆืื ืืืฉืื ืืขืื ืชืืืื: ืฉืืื. ืืืฉ ืื ืฉืคืืจืฉ ืืืชื: ืขื ืขืืจ ืฉืืื, ืืืคืจืฉ ืืืื ืืื: ืืื ืืฉืืฉ (ืืืงืจื ืืดื:ืืณ), ืื ืขื ืื ืืืื ืงืฅ ืฉืืื. ืื ืื ืืชืื: ืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืกืณ), ืืืืจ ืื: ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืขืณ). ืื ืื ืงืจืื. ืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืื: ืื ื, ืืืืดื ืชืืช ืืดื, ืืื: ืืชืื ืืืื (ืืจืืฉืืช ืืณ:ืืดื), ืืืืจืช: ืื ืชืฉืื ืืืชื (ืืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืดื) โ ืฉืคืืจืืฉื ืื ืชืืืื. ืืืืช ืืงืืช โ ืืื: ืืงืืชื ืื (ืืฉืื ืืณ:ืืดื), ืืืืืดื ืืฉืจืช ืืขืชืื. ืืืขืื: ืฉืืกืืจื ืขืืื ืื ืืฉืืขืชื, ืืื ืืื ืขืืื ืจืืื ืชืืช ืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืื ื. ืืืื ืืขื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืฉืืกืืจ ืืฉืื ืืื ื ืืืื ืฉืืื. ืจืง ืืขืื: ืื ืืืกืจ ืืคืื ื ืืื ืขื ืฉืืืืข ืขืช ืฉืืืื ืื ืฉืืืช ืจืืืช, ืืืื: ืื ืื ืืขืืื ืขื ืืฉืจ ืื ืขืฉืืชื (ืืจืืฉืืช ืืดื:ืืดื), ืฉืืฉืืืื ืื ืืืจืฅ.
From alhatorah.org:
THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH. The sceptre of greatness shall not depart from Judah until David, who inaugurated the Kingdom of Judah, comes.1 And so it was. Observe that in Israel's march toward the promised land, the standard of the tribe of Judah set forth in the first (Num. 10:14).2 God also said, Judah shall go up first (Jud. 1:1, 2).3
ย [NOR THE RULER'S STAFF.] A scribe (mechokek) who will write (she-yachok) in a book.4 [FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET.] Scribes sit at the feet of the ruler.
5 SHILOH. Some interpret Shiloh as Onkelos does. They say that it means "his."6 Others say that Shiloh comes from the same root as u-ve-shilyatah (and against her afterbirth) (Deut. 28:57).7
Others connect it to the Rabbinic term shalil (embryo).8
There is also a commentator who says that shiloh refers to the city Shilo. He would explain yavo to mean goeth down, as in and the sun goeth down (ba) (Eccles. 1:5).9 Or he would maintain that our verse is abridged and should read as if written ad ki yavo ketz shilo (until the end of Shiloh comes).10 For it is written, And he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh (Ps. 78:60), and then, He chose David also His servant (Ps. 78:70). The latter interpretation is also not implausible.
It is also possible that Shiloh means his son, with the heh taking the place of the vav,11 as in the word oholoh (his tent) (Gen. 9:21), and that the word shiloh comes from the same root as tashleh (give birth) in lo tashleh oti (don't cause me to give birth) (II Kings 4:28).12
[OBEDIENCE.] The word yikkehat (obedience of) is similar to the word li-kehat in to obey (li-kehat) his mother (Prov. 30:17).13 The yod of yikkehat is a third person imperfect prefix.14 The meaning of ve-lo yikkehat ammim is that nations shall obey him. Jacob's prophecy came true, for we find that many nations were subservient to David and his son Solomon. Our phrase (v. 10) does not mean that the sceptre shall depart from Judah when David comes.15 Our verse may be compared to someone saying, so and so will not lack bread until the time that he will have many vineyards and fields. For I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of, viz., returning you to the land of Canaan (Gen. 28:15), is identical.16
Which READING does this source adopt? <<<
DISAMBIGUATION STRATEGY:
DISAMBIGUATION EXPRESSION:
Observations: multiple suggestions
Ibn Ezra COMENTARY C https://alhatorah.org/Commentators:R.%20Avraham%20ibn%20Ezra
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืขื: ืืชืืงืฃ ืืืืืฉืื, ืฉืืื ืืืืงืง, ืื ืชืกืืจ ืืื ื ืขื ืืฉืจ ืืขืื ืืขืื. ืขื ืื ืืืจ ืฉืืื โ ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืฉืืจืจ: ืืืืืก ืืืื ืืืกืฃ (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืกืดื) โ ืืืื ืฉืืื, ืืืฉืื ืืคืจืื ืื ืืืจ (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืกืดื) โ ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืฉื ืืจื ืืื ืืื ืื.1 ืขื ืื ืืืจืื: ืืืืืจ ืืช ืฉืื ืืืืื ืืช ืืจ ืฆืืื ืืฉืจ ืืื (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืกืดื). ืืืืขืื ืืชืื ืืื ืืืืืืจ: ืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืื (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืกืณ), ืขื ืฉืืืจ ืืกืืฃ ืืืืืืจ ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื ืืืงืืื ืืืืืืช ืฆืื ืืืืจ ืขืืืช ืืืืื ืืจืขืืช ืืืขืงื ืขืื ืืืืฉืจืื ื ืืืชื (ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืขืณ-ืขืดื). (ื-ืื) ืืื ืืคืืจืืฉ ืื ืืื, ืื ืื ื ืชืงืืื ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืื ืื ืื ืืขืงื ืืืื ื ืืืืจ ืืืืืจืข ืืจืข ืืขืชืื, ืจืง ืืืืื ืืืื ืฉืืืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืืง ืืืืจ ืืื ืืื. ืืื ืืืจื ื: ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืื ืื ืชืืื ืืืืฉืื, ืืืืืืืช ืชืคืกืง ืืืจืขื, ืื ืื ืืื ืื ืืจื ืืืืจื. ืืขืื ืื ืืขืืื ืื ืืืืจ ืดืขืืด ืืคืกืืง ืืืขื ืื ืื ืืืืกืืฃ, ืืืจื ืฉืืืจ ืืืขืงื ืืืื ื: ืืื ื ืื ืื ืขืื ืืฉืืจืชืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืชืื ืืืฉืืชืื ืื ืืืืื ืืืืช ืื ืื ืืขืืื ืขื ืืฉืจ ืื ืขืฉืืชื ืืช ืืฉืจ ืืืจืชื ืื (ืืจืืฉืืช ืืดื:ืืดื). ืืื ืืฉื ืืขืืื ื ืืืจ ืฉืืขืฉื ืื ืื, ืื ืืืขืืื ืื ืื ืืืืื ืฉืขืฉื ืขืื. ืจืง ืืื ืืืขื ืืื ืฉืืืืจืื ืื ื ืืื ืืืฉ ืืจืขืื: ืื ื ืื ืื ืืคืจื ืกื ืืืืขืืื ืืืืืืฉื ืืืืฆืืื ืื ืฆืจืืื ืขื ืฉืืืืื, ืขื ืฉืชืืื ืฉืจ ืื ืฉืืืื ืื ืืื. ืืื ืืืื ืืจืื ืืืืชื. ืจืง ืืื ืืจื ืฉืืืืจ ืื ืื ืื ืืขืืื ื. ืืื ืืื ืชืฉืืืช ืืืืขื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืื ื. ืืขืื, ืื ืืืกืืฃ ืืืจื ืืืืจืื ืืืกืจื ืืืคื ืขืืจื. ืืื ืืคืกืืง, ืื ืืคืกืืง ืืื ืืืจืื ืืืืืื ืขืื ืื ืืืื. ืืื ืืืืจื ืืืคืกืืงืื ืืืจืื, ืื ืืื ืจืืื ืืืจ ืื ืฉืืฉืื ืืืจื. ืื ืขืชื ืืืฉืจ ืคืืจืฉื ื, ืืืืจ ืืืื ืืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืืื.2 ืืืื ืืจื ืืืืจื.
Bekhor Shor (12th century)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืืื โ ืื ืืคืจืฉ ืืชื ืืื ืื ืืืืืืช. ืืืืจ ืื: ืื ืชืขืื ืขื ืืื ืฉืชืืื ืืขื ืืืช ืขื ืฉืืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื, ืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืฉืื ืืื, ืื ืืขืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืืืื ืืชืืื ืืงื ืืจืฆืืขื ืืืื. ืืืืืงืง โ ืฉ{ืช}ืืชืื ืืชืืืงืง ืืืืจืืช ืืฆืืืช ืขื ืืืจืื. ืืืืืจ: ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืชืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืืฉื, ืืื ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืชืืื ืืื. ืื ืืฉืื ืืืื ืฉื ืฉืืื ืฉื ืืจื, ืื ืฆืืื ืืืืืช ืืืช ืืื, ืืืืชืื ืืกืคืจ ืชืืืืื: ืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืืืืก ืืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื ืืืืจืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืจืฆื (ืืฉืื ืชืืืื ืขืดื:ืกืณ-ืขืณ). ืืืื ืืืืืืช ืืืื ืฉื ืฉืืื ืชืืื ืืืืืช ืืืช ืืื, ืืืืฉืจ ืื ืืขืงื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืื. ืืขื ืืืืช ืฉืืื, ืื ืืืื ืืฉืคืืืช, ืจืง ืฉืื ืืืืืงืง. ืืื ืืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืื ืืงืืื ืืืื ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืืื, ืืืืชืื: ืืืืื ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืจืื ื ืืืืืื ืืช ืืื (ืืฉืื ืฉืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืณ, ืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืดื). ืืื ืืฆืื ื ืฉืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืืืื ืืขืืื, ืืืืชืื: ืืืื ืืืงืจืื ืืืื ืืจืืฉืื {ืืช ืงืจืื ื} ื ืืฉืื ืื ืขืืื ืื (ืืืืืจ ืืณ:ืืดื), ืฉืืื ืจืืฉ ืืืืืื ืืืื ืืืช ืืืืื, ืืืชืื: ืื ืืขืื ืื ื {ืื ืืื ืขื ื} ืืชืืืื {ืืืืื ืื} ืืืืืจ ืืณ ืืืืืื ืืขืื (ืฉืืคืืื ืืณ:ืืณ-ืืณ). ืืงืืช โ ืืฉืื ืงืืืืฅ, ืืื: ืืงืืช ืื (ืืฉืื ืืณ:ืืดื). ืืฉ ืืคืจืฉ: ืืฉืื ืงืืืื ืฉ[ื]ื ืื, ืฉืงืื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืืืช ืืขืืื ืืฉืขื ืฉืฉืืขื ืฉืืื ืืื ืขื ืืฉืจืื, ืืืืชืื: ืืืขืื {ืื} ืคืืฉืชืื ืืืงืฉ ืืช ืืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืดื).
English from alhatorah.org:
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ THE STAFF SHALL NOT DEPART FROM YEHUDA โ He came to explain when the kingship was to come to him. And he said to him: Do not think that you will be in poverty until the time of your reign comes, for the staff and the rulership will not depart from you, for you shall always be considered great, and the staff and the strap will be in your hand. ืืืืืงืง โ AND THE LAW โ That you shall write and legislate decrees commanded over others. Meaning: ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ UNTIL SHILOH COMES TO AN END โ you shall be an enforcer and a ruler, but when Shiloh comes to an end, you shall be king. Because when the era of Shiloh comes to an end, and it is destroyed, then the kingship of the dynasty of David will flower, as it is written in the book of Tehillim: โAnd He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh and abhorred the tent of Yosef and chose David His servantโ and Jerusalem that He wanted (compare to Tehillim 78:60-70). So we see that the kingship of the dynasty of David is dependent on the ending of the era of Shiloh, and Yaakov informed him that then he will be king. And until the ending of Shiloh, he will not be in lowliness, but with staff and legislature. But from when ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ SHILOH COMES TO AN END, TO HIM IS THE GATHERING OF PEOPLE โ Then all of Israel will gather to him to crown him, as it is written: โAll of Israel came to Chevron to crown Davidโ (Compare to Shemuel II 5:1, Divrei HaYamim I 12:39). And thus we find that the tribe of Yehuda will be great forever, as it is written: โHe who offered {his offering} the first day was Nachshon the son of Amminadavโ (Bemidbar 7:12), that he was the first of the standards and for the inauguration of the altar, and it is written: โWho shall go up for us first {against the Canaanites to fight against them?} Hashem said, โJudah shall go upโโ (Shofetim 1:1-2). ืืงืืช โ THE GATHERING OF โ A term of assembling, like: โTo gather [before] motherโ (Mishlei 30:17). It is possible to explain: a term of blunting of teeth, that the nations of the world gnashed their teeth when they heard that David reigned over Israel, as it is written: โAll of the Philistines went up to seek Davidโ (Shemuel II 5:17).
Radakย (1160 - 1235)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืืฉื ื ืงืจื ืฉืื ืืคื ืฉืจืืื ืขื ืืขื ืืืืกืจื ืืื ืฉืืืกืจ ืืื ืืฉืื, ืืื ืืจื ืืืืฉืืื ืืืืืช ืฉืื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืื, ืืื ืฉืืืจ: ืืช ืฉืจืืื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืื (ืืกืชืจ ืืณ:ืืณ), ืืื ืืืจ: ืฉืื ืืืฉืืื (ืืฉืขืืื ืืดื:ืืณ), ืฉืื ืืืฉืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืชื (ืชืืืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืื ืืื ืื ืืขืช ืืื ืกื ืืืจืฅ ืืื ืจืืฉืื ืืื ืืืจ ืืื ืฉืืชืื ื. ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืจืดื ืืื ืื, ืืื ืฉืืืจ: ืืืฉืืืืชื ืืืฆืช ืืืื ืจืืืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ื ืดื). ืืืืืฉื ืืงืจื ืืืืงืง ืืคื ืฉื ืืชื ืืืืงืื, ืืืจ: ืื ืชืกืืจ ืฉืจืจื ืืืืืื ืขื ืฉืืืื ืื ืืืชืจ ืฉืืืื ืืื, ืืืืจ ืื ืขื ืืื. ืืคืืจืืฉ ืฉืืื โ ืื ื, ืื ืืืฉืืืชื. ืืืขืช ืืืชืจืื ืขื ืืืฉืื ืืชืจืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืืื, ืืื ืืืจืืฉืืช ืจืื: ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืขื ืฉืืื ืื ืฉืืืืืืช ืฉืื, ืืขื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืงื ืื ืขืชื ืขื ืฉืืชื ืื ืืืชืจ. ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืืงืืช โ ืฉื, ืืื: ืืชืืื ืืืงืืช ืื (ืืฉืื ืืณ:ืืดื) ืืคืจืืฉื ืืฉืืขืืช ืืขืืืื, ืืืืจ ืื ืืขืืื ืืืื ื ืฉืืขืื ืืืื ืืขืืืืื ืืืชื, ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืืฉืื.
English from alhatorah.org:
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื, the ruler is called ืฉืื because he exercises authority over the people and disciplines them if they disobey. He uses his power like a father uses his rod on a disobedient son. In fact, the rod or scepter, or its equivalent, are carried by people in authority in order to remind those who are subservient to them as a symbol of their power to exact punishment. We find such a ืฉืื called ืฉืจืืื ืืืื, โthe golden scepter,โ and whether the king extended it or failed to extend it to a supplicant determined if he would be executed. (Esther 5,2) The expression also occurs in the sense we have mentioned in Isaiah 14,5 and in Psalms 45,7. ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื, a reference to the sons of Yehudah, i.e. that his appointment as forecast by Yaakov will be hereditary, just as the priesthood is transferred from father to son. (if the son is worthy and the people do not object) The expression ืืืื ืจืืืื is analogous to the afterbirth, which exits from between the motherโs legs (Deuteronomy 28,57) The reason why the king is referred to as ืืืืงืง, is because he has the authority to legislate laws, ืืืงืื. Yaakov said that this authority of an informal nature would not depart from Yehudah until he would have someone from his tribe who wields formal authority, i.e. is elected king, a reference to David. ืฉืืื; a reference to Davidโs son, seeing that the meaning of the word is derived from Deuteronomy 28,57 ืืืฉืืืชื, i.e. โand against her afterbirth, etc.โ Onkelos understands the word as referring to the Messiah. He bases himself on the variant spelling here still having the same meaning as ืฉืื, โhis.โ This is also the way Bereshit Rabbah 99,8 understands the word ืฉืืื in our verse. Yaakov would be saying that Yehudahโs preeminence would not be short-lived, but would continue until the coming of the Messiah, the one to whom royalty would belong permanently. The whole blessing to Yehudah could then be compared to a father saying to his son: โaccept this token in the meantime until I can give you the real thing!โ ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื. The word ืืงืืช is a noun meaning โobedience,โ as it is also in Proverbs 30,17 ืืชืืื ืืงืืช ืื, โand disdains to relate with obedience to his mother.โ Yaakov predicts that all the nations will show obedience to the king stemming from Yehudah. This prophecy began to be fulfilled in the days of King David, and in an even greater measure during the reign of his son Solomon.
R. Abraham son of Maimonidesย (1186 - 1237)
ืื ืืกืืจ โ [ืืืณ] ืจืื ืื ืฉืจืืื ืืืืืื ืืืืืฉืื ืืื ืืืืขื ืืฆืืจืช ืชืคืื. ืืืืงืง โ ืกืืคืจ ืืคื ื ืืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืคืงืืืชื ืืืชืื ืืืืชืื ืืฉืืืื ืืคื ืฉืจืืื ืืืืจืืืช ืืืื ืืืืืฆื ืื. ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืืฉ ืฉืืกืืื ืื ืื ืืื [ืืืขืื ืืืื] ืืขืช ืืืื ืื ืฉื ื ืืืง ืืืชืจ ืื ืืฉืื ืืืฉ ืฉืืกืืื ืื ืื ืืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืื ื ืืืืื ืื ืืื ืชืืจืื ืืืชืจืื (ืดืขื ืืืืชื ืืฉืืืืด); ืืืคื ืฉื ื ืคืืจืืฉืื ืืื ืืืื ืืจืื ื[ื]ื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืื ืชืืคืก ืืืื ืฉืจืจื ืืื ืฉืจืจืช ื ืฉืื ืืฉืืคื ืืื ืฉืืื ื ืืฉืื ืืขืชื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืคื ื ืืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืขื ืืืื ื ืืืืขื ืขืืืื ืืืืฆื ืจืืฉื ืืืืืืช ืฉืืืื ืฉืจืืืื ืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืฉืื; ืืื ื ืื ืืฆืจืื ืืฉืื ืืืงืจื ืื ืื ืืฉื ืื ืืฆืจื ืืดืฉ ืืื ืฉื ืจืื ืืืืืจื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืจื (ืื ืืฆืจืื) ืื ื ืืืืืื ืืืจ ืคืกืงื ืืื ืงืืื ืืืืช ืืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืืชื ืืืืื ืื ืืืขืงื ืืืจ ืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืื ืืจืื ืื ืืฉื ืื ื ืืืื ืื ืืืช ืฉืืจื ืืฉื ื ืืื ืืขืื ืื ืฆืื ืงืืื ืฉืคืกืงื ืืืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืืืช ืฉื ื ืืื ืื ืืื ืืจืื ืื ืืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืืชื ืืืืื [ืื] ืื ื ืืืื ืื ืืื ื ืืืช ืฉืืจื ืืืจ ืคืกืงื ืืืืืื ืืื ืงืืื ืืืืชื ืืื ืืชืื ืืืืจื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืณ ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืณ; ืื ืจืืื ืืฉืจ ืืกืืื ืขื (ืืื ืื) ืื ืฉืื ืืืืจื ืืืืืช ืืื ืฉืฉืืขื ืืคืืจืืฉืื ื ืืืคืจื ืืชืจืืื ืืื ืงืืืก ืื ืืขืื ืขืืื ืฉืืืื ืืจืืื ืื ืฉืืขืชื ืืืชื ืืืงืฉืื ืืจืื ืืืืืื ืืกืืืช ืืืืงืืชื ืื ืืคื ืฉืื ืื ืืฆืื ืืืืชื ืขื ืื ืกืชืื ืืชืืจื ืืืชืืืช ืื ืืื ืฉืืฆืื ืืื ืขื ืื ืื ืกืชืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืืชืืืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืคืืื ืขืืืื ืฉืงืจืื; ืืจืณ ื[ืืจื]ื ืื ืขืืจื ืืดื ืืื ืื ืืคืืจืืฉื ืืืืคื ืงืืืฉ ืืืืืืจ ืืืชืืื ื ืื; ืืจืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืช ืกืชืืจืชื ืืฉืจ ืื ื ืฉืืชืงืชื ืืืชื ืื ืคื ืื ืคื ืืืื ืื ืืืจื ื ืืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื (ืืืกื) ืื ืฉืจืืื ืืื ืืืฉืืืื ืื ืื ืฉืจืืื ืืืืืื ืืืงื ืืื ืฉืืฉืืชื ืืื ืืืจืชื ืื ืื ืืื ืื ืฉืจืืื ืืืืืื (ืืืงื) ืืืจื ื [ืืื] ืืจื ืืืืจื ืืื ืฉืื ืคืกืงื ืืืืื ืืชืืืช ืืืจืข ืืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืืืื ืขื ืฉืืืื ืืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืืืืื ืื ืืืจื (ืื ืืฆืจืื) ืื (ืืืืจ) ืืื ืืื ืฉืืจื ืืฉื ื ืชืืื ืืกืืฃ ืืืช ืฉื ื ืงืืื ืฉื ืคืกืงื ืืืืืช ืืืืืืื ืื ืืจืกื ืืืืืชื ืืืจื ื ืืื ืืื ืื ื ืคืกืงื ืืืืืื ืื ืืืืืืื ืืื ืืืช ืจืืฉืื ืืืืช ืฉื ื ืืื ืืืชื ืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืืฉื ืื ื ืชืืื ืืื ืืกืืฃ ืืืช ืฉื ื ืืืจ ืฉื ืคืกืงื ืืืืืื ืืฉื ื ืืืชืื ืืืืื ืืชืืืืช ืืืช ืฉื ื ืื ืืื [ืืื] ืืื ืืืืฉืจ ืขืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืขืื ืื ืืืืช ืืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืืืื ืืื ืฉืืขืืื ืขื ืื ืืชืื ืืืจื ืืืืื ืืืื ืฉืืชื ืืืืจืืื ืืคืจืฉ ืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืื ืฉื ื ืืืชืื ืืืื ื ืขื ืชืคืืกืช ืฉืจืจื ืื ืฉืืืืช ืื ื ืคืจืฉ (ืื) ืื ืื ื ืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืช ืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืื ื ืื ืืืื ื ืขื ืจืืฉื ืืืืืืช ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืืืื ืืดื ืื ืขื ืื ืฉืืืื ืืืืืชื ืืขืื ืจืืฉื ืืืืืืช; ืืื ืกืชืืจื ืืจืืื ืื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืขืืื ืชืฉืืื ืืื ืืขืงืฉื ืืช ืจืืงื ืืช ืืื ื ืงืืื ื ืคืืื ืจืืื ืื ืืฉืืืจ ืืืชื. ืฉืืื โ ืืืจ ืื ืืืคืจืฉ ืดืืื ืื ืืืชื [ืืืื ืื] ืืืด (ืืืืืจ ืดืขื ืื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืืด), ืืืจืืฉืื ืื ืืดื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืื. ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืืืจ ืืืคืจืฉ ืดืชืืชืืข ืืืฉืขืืืด (ืืืืืจ ืดืืงืืื ืืขืืืืด) ืขืฉืื ื ืืืจ ืื ืืืงืืื [ื]ืื ืจืืืง ืืืืจ ืคืืจืฉื ืื ืดืืงืื ืืืฉืขืืืด ืืืืืจ ืดืืฉืืขืช ืืขืืืืด.
Chizkuniย (13th century)
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืฉืืืืื ืืืืื ืชืืืื ืืื ืืืืืืช ืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืฉืืชื ืืื ืชื ืืฉืื ืืืจ ืืื ืฉืืืกืจื ืืืืืช ืฉืืื ืืื ืชื ืืืื.1 ืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื โ ืื ืืจื ืื ืกืืคืจ ืืืืืช ืืืฉื ืืื ืจืืื ืืืืฉื.2 ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืื ืื ื ืืืงื ืืืืืช ืืืช ืืื ืื ืชื ื ืืืจืืขื ืืืืืช ืขืฉืจืช ืืฉืืืื ืืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืืืื ืขืืืื ืืช ืืจืืขื.3 ืืืจ ืืืจ: ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืืืื ืืฉืืืื ื ืฉืืื ืืฉืืื ืฉืงืจืข ืืืื ืจืืืขื ืืืดื ืงืจืขืื. ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ื ืชืงืืฆื ืฉื ืืืืืื ืืจืืขื ืืืืชืื ืืืื ืจืืืขื ืฉืืื ืื ืฉ{ื}ืื ืื ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืื ืืืชื (ืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืณ), ืืฉืื ืืฉืืื ืกืืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืชืื ืืืืกืืฃ ืืืืฉืข ืืช ืื ืืขื ืฉืืื ืืืืณ (ืืืืฉืข ืืดื:ืืณ) ืืืชืื ืืืืชืจ ืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืงืืฉ ืืดื (ืืืืฉืข ืืดื:ืืดื) ืืืื ืืฉืื ืฉืืื. ืืคืฉื ืื ืืชืฉืืืช ืืืื ืื. ืืืขืงื ืคืืณ ืขืงืจ ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืืื ืฉืืืื ืขื ืจืืืขื, ืืื ืืืกืจ ืืืืื ืื ืจืฆื ืืคืจืฉ ืื ืืืืื ืฉื ืืงืจื ืืชื ืืืื ืืืงืืง ืฉืืฉืืื ืืืืื ื ืชืืขืื.4
English from alhatorah.org:
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื, "the rod (mace) will never leave Yehudah;" once the crown will be placed on a member of the tribe of Yehudah (King David), it will never be placed on the head of someone belonging to another tribe; (as opposed to the first King of Israel, Shaul, who had been unable to establish a dynasty.) ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื, "nor will scribes be absent from sitting at his feet." ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื, "until the arrival of Shiloh, when the kingdom will be split, and Jerovam will be appointed to rule over ten of the twelve tribes. Yaakov refers to the people after the death of Solomon assembling to appoint Jerovam and to dissent from Rechavam, Solomon's son and successor. [There is no verse in the Bible stating that this occurred at Shiloh;] perhaps our author understands "shiloh" as a reference to the prophet Achiyah Hashiloni, who had first informed Jerovam that he would become king over the ten tribes in Kings I 11,29, and who resided in Shiloh, as we know from Kings 14,2. Ed.] An alternate explanation: Yaakov simply referred to Achiyah the prophet who stemmed from Shiloh, and who told Jerovam who was at the time fleeing from the wrath of King Solomon that he would become King over ten tribes, but at the same time warning him not to interfere with the Kingdom of Yehudah, a remnant of David's empire. (Kings I 11,2931.) ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื, "and to whom the gathered nations will belong." The ten tribes will congregate at Shiloh to crown Jerovam as their head. This has all been spelled out in Kings I 12,1. The crowning took place at Sh'chem, but Shiloh and Sh'chem were practically next door (about 10 k.m.) to one another. Compare Joshua 24,1, and immediately after that Joshua 24,26 where Joshua is reported as recording all this "at the Temple of the Lord," (which was at Shiloh) without any mention of Joshua having had to move to there to do this. This comment is mentioned here only as a reply to heretics who insist that Shiloh cannot be the name of a town, as a town is always feminine in Hebrew, so that the masculine ืืื, "he will come," would be inappropriate. Essentially, Yaakov describes the greatness of Yehudah as lasting from when David ascended the throne until his grandson Rechavam forfeited most of his kingdom. Seeing that Yaakov did not want to spell out the decline of Yehudah, he worded it in a manner that lets us draw these conclusions ourselves.
https://alhatorah.org/Commentators:R._Yitzchak_b._Yehuda_(Paneach_Raza)
ืงืืฆืืจ ืคืขื ื ืจืื
Nahmanidesย (1194 - 1270)
ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืขื ืื ืจืืืขื ืืฉืื ืืฉื ืืืืื {ืืืดื ืคืจืื 3512: ืชืืืง, ืืืดื ืคืจืื 2057: ืชืืืช} ืืืืืชื. ืืฉืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืื ืืฆื ืื ืื ืงืจืืื ืื ืขื ืื, ืืืชืืณ ืืกืคืจ ืืืืฉืข: ืืกืฃ ืื ืืฉืจืื ืฉืืื, ืืืกืืฃ ืืคืจืฉื ืืชืณ ืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืงืืฉ ืืณ ืืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืื. ืจืืื ื ืฉืืืื.... ืืดื ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืคืืณ ืืขืดืค ืฉืชืชืืืง ืืืืืชื ืขืืืื ืืฉืืื ืขื ืงืืืฅ ืขืืื ืฉืืฉืืจ ืืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื, ืืดื. ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ โ ืคืืณ ืื ืืคืจื ืืื ืกืืจื ืืคื ื ืืจืืณ ืฉืื ืืงืื ืืืคืจื ืืืืืช ืืดื ืขื ืื ืืฉืงืข ืฉืืฉื ืฉื ืขืืจ ืฉืืื ืืชืืจื ืืืืชืื ืืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื, ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืืณ ืขื ืืืืืจ ืืขืืืื ืขื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืช ืืืืืงืง ืืฉืื ืืืืื ืืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืืฉืื, ืืืจืืืื ืฉ. ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืกืจ ืืืืืืช ืืืืืื, ืืืืืงืง ืืื ืฉืืืื ืืืกืืจ ืืืืืื ืืืืืื ืฉื ื ืืืฉืชืื ืืืื ืจืืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืืฉืื, ืืื ืืืืณ ืื ืืืจืื ืืขืืื, ืฉืืขืชื.
ืจืืื
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืื ืขื ืื ื ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืืขืืื, ืื ืืชืื: ืืืื ืืดืื ืืืชื ืืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืชืงืื ืขืืื ืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืขืช ืืชื ืืืืืชืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ืืดื), ืืื ื ืื ืืืืื ืืืืื, ืืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉื ืืื ืืฉืจืื, ืืืืื ืจืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืฉืจืื, ืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืช ืืฉืจืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืฉืื ืืฉืื ืขืืืื ืืขืืืจ ืฉืืืืื ืขืืืื ืืืืื. ืืื ืขื ืื ื: ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืื, ืื ืืืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืืืฉื ืขืืืื ืืื ื ืืืื, ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืื ืืืืื ืขืืื. ืืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื, ืฉืื ืืืืงืง ืืืฉืจืื ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืืขืช ืืืื ืืื ื ืืืื, ืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืฆืื ืืื ืืฉืจืื, ืืื ืืืชื ืืืืืืช, ืขื ืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืื ืืงืืช ืื ืืขืืื โ ืืขืฉืืช ืืืืื ืืจืฆืื ื, ืืืื ืืืฉืื, ืื ืืฉืื ืืจืืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืฉืื ืืืืืช, ืืฉืืื ืืื ืื ื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื. ืืื ืืชืื ืืืืจ ืจืณ ืืืจืื, ืฉืืืื ืฉืืื ืืื, ืื ืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืฉืื ืงืืื ืืื, ืื ืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืฉืืื ื ืืื ืื ืืกืข ืืชืืื, ืืื ืฉืื ืจืง ืืืื ืืืืฉื, ืืืืชืื: ืฉืื ืืืฉืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืชื (ืชืืืื ืืดื:ืืณ), ืฉืื ืืืฉืืื (ืืฉืขืืื ืืดื:ืืณ), ืฉืื ืืืฉืื (ืืืืงืื ืืดื:ืืดื). ืืืืชืื ืืื ืจืืื ืื ืืขืงื ืืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืขื ืืืื, ืืืืจืืฉ ืืืืืื ืืืืฉืื ืขื ืืฉืจืื, ืืืื ืื ืฉืืืจ ืืื:ื ืื ืืืืืื ืืืจ ืื ืืื ืืืืืช ืืืืื ืืืช ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืื ืื [ืจืฆื ืืืืืื ืขื ืื ืืฉืจืื (ืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืืืจ ืื ืืกืืจ ืืจืืื ืื ืืืืื ืฉืื ืืืจ ืขื ืืฉืจืื, ืืื ืืขืช ืฉืืื ืืืืืช ืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืืช, ืื ืืกืืจ ืืื ื ืื ืฉืื ืืืจ. ืืืื ืฉื ืืืจ: ืื ืืดื ืืืื ืืฉืจืื ื ืชื ืืืืื ืืืื ืขื ืืฉืจืื {ืืขืืื} ืื ืืืื ืื ืืจืืช ืืื (ืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืืขื ืื ืฉืืื ืืื, ืื ืืขืืืจ ืฉืืืจ ืฉืืืช ืืืืืืช ืืขืช ืืืื ื ืชืขื ืืฆื ืืงืืดื, ืื ืจืฆื ืืืืืื ืขืืืื ืื ืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืืืืช ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืืื ื ืืขืืืืื, ืื ืชื ืืื ืืืืืช ืฉืขื. ืืืื ืจืื ืืืชืื ืฉืืืจ: ืืชื ืื ืืื ืืืคื ืืืงื ืืขืืจืชื (ืืืฉืข ืืดื:ืืดื), ืฉืื ื ืชื ื ืื ืืจืฆืื ื, ืืืื ืืงืื ืืขืืจืชื, ืฉื ืืจื ืืื ืืื ืื ืื ืคืกืง ืืื ื ืืืืืืช. ืืืื ืื ืื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ืฉืืืื ืฉืืคื ืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืืชืืื ืขื ืคื ืืดื ืืืืฉืืข ืืืชื, ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืื, ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืื: ืืืดื ืืืืืื ืืืืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืดื). ืืืฉื ืืืจ ืื: ืื ืืืชื ืืืกื ืื ืืืชื ืืืกื ืืืืื ืขืืืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืืณ:ืืณ), ืืืคืืื ืื ื ืชื ืืื ืืืืืช ืฉื ืงืืืื. ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืชืื: ื ืกืืืช ืื ืฉืืจืช ืืช ืืฆืืช ืืดื ืื ืขืชื ืืืื ืืดื ืืืืืชื ืื ืืฉืจืื ืขื ืขืืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืดื), ืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืจืขื ืืืืืช ืืืฉืจืื, ืื ืขื ืืื, ืืื ืืขื: ืื ืืฉืจืื, ืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืขื ืฉืืื ืืื, ืขื ืื ืืืื ืืืคืจืื ืืื ืฉื, ืื ืืืืื ืืืคืจืื ืืฉื ื ืขืืืื ื ืืฉืืื ืืืฉืจืื, ืื ืืื ืืื ืชืืช ืืื ืืืืื.]ื ืืืคื ืืขืชื, ืืื ืืืืืื ืืืืืืื ืขื ืืฉืจืื ืืฉืืจ ืืฉืืืื ืืืจื ืืืื ืขืืืจืื ืขื ืืขืช ืืืืื ืืืขืืืจืื ื ืืื, ืืื ืืื ืกืืืืื ืืื ืขื ืืืจ ืืืื ืื ืืื ืฉืืฉื ืืืจืืขื ืืืืจ: ืืืขื ื ืืช ืืจืข ืืื ืืืขื ืืืช ืื ืื ืื ืืืืื (ืืืืื ื ืืดื:ืืดื), ืืืืฉืจ ืืืจืืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืื ืขืืืื ืืฉืืจ ืืฉืืืื ืืื ืืืจ ืืื, [ืืื ืืื ืืืืจืื ืื ืืืืืช ืืืืื,]ื ืขืืจื ืขื ืฆืืืช ืืืงื ืื ืขื ืฉื ืืื, ืืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืฉืข: ืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืื ื (ืืืฉืข ืืณ:ืืณ). ืืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉ ืืืฉืืื ืื ืฉืืืื ืืืืช ืฉื ื, ืื ืืื ืืกืืื ืขืืืื, ืืืืืื ืื ื ืฉืชืืื ืชืืจื ืืืฆืืช ืืืฉืจืื, ืืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืื ื ืขื ืฉื ืขืื ืฉ ืืืื, ืื ืืจืืขืช ืื ื ืืฉืืื ืื ืืืงื ืืืกืื ืืืืืืื ืื ืืืจ ืื, ืขื ืื ืืืืจืชื ืืืฆืืืชื, ื ืคืื ืืื ืืืืืืื ืืืจื, ืืืืืข ืืขืื ืฉ ืืกืืฃ ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืดื: ืื ืืืืจ ืืืืช ืืฉืืื ืื ืงื ืืชืื ื ืขืืื ืืื (ืืืื ืืื ืืชืจื ืืณ.), ืฉื ืืจืชื ืืืื ืืขืื ืืื. ืืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืืื ืืืจืข ืฉืืขืื ืขืื ืฉ ืื ืืฆืืืงืื, ืืื ืื ืืจืข ืืชืชืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืืฆืืืง ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืขืืืจ ืืื ืฉืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืจืข ืืืืื ืืืืืช ืืื, [ืืืกืืจื ืืฉืื ืืืืืืงืง ืืืืจื,]ืื ืืืื ืขืื ืฉื ืืื ืื ืื ืืื, ืฉืืืฉืื ืืงืืดื ืขืืืื ืืช ืขืืืืื ืืื ืืืจืืชืื. ืืืืคืฉืจ ืื ืื ืฉืืื ืขืืืื ืืื ืืืืืืชื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ืืื ืื, ืื ืฆืืื: ืชืฉืืจื ืืช ืืืื ืชืื ืืื ืืืจ ืืืืื ืืืืืืช ืืคืจืืช ืืขืืืชื ืขืืืืช ืืชื ื ืืชื ืืช ืืืื ืชืื (ืืืืืจ ืืดื:ืืณ), ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืจืง ืืขืืื ืืช ืขืืืืช ืืดื. [ืืจืืืชื ืืืจืืฉืืื ืืืกืืช ืืืจืืืช (ืืจืืฉืืื ืืืจืืืช ืืณ:ืืณ): ืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืื. ืจืณ ืืืืืืื ืขื ืชืืจืื ืขื ืฉื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื. ืืืจ ืจืื ืืืื ืืจืณ ืืืื ืืืขื ืืืจืื ืืืื ืขื ืืืืืชื ืืื ืืื ืื ืืงืจื ืืฉืจืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ืืณ), ืื ืืชืื ืืชืจืื ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ืืณ). ืื ื, ืฉื ื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืื ื ืืืจื.ืื ืืคืืจืฉื ืชืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืื ืืืืื, ืฉืืื ืืฉืจืจื ืกืจื ืื ืืฉืื ืืืื. ืืคืืื, ืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืืฉืจืื ืืงืืืื ืขืืืื ืืื ืืฉืืจ ืืฉืืืื ืืคื ืฆืืจืืื ืืฉืขื, ืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืืชื ืฉืื ืืืื ืขืืืื ืืื ืืืืืช ืืื ืืื ืฉืืคืืื ืืฉืืืจืื ืืืื. ืืืืืืจื ืืืื ืื, ืฉืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืื ืืขืฆืื ืจืืืืื ืืืฉืืื, ืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืืชื ืืฉื ืืืืืช, ืืื ืฉืื ืฉืืจ ืืฉืืืื, ืืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืืจื (ืืืื ืืืจืืืช ืืดื:) ืฉืืื ืืืฉืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืช ืืื. ืืจืื ืืืื ืืจ ืืื ืคืืจืฉ, ืฉืืื ืื ืืข ืืืื ืืชืืจื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืืืื ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืง ืื ืืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื:ืืณ) ืืืืืืช, ืืืื ืืืจ ืจืืื ืืืืื.]ืื ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืืกืืคืช ืืขืืื, ืฉื ืืืจ: ืืืื ืืืื ืืืจืืฉื (ืืฉืขืืื ืืดื:ืืณ), ืืืืื ืื: ืขืื ืชืืขื ืืื ืืชืืื ืืืงืืช ืื (ืืฉืื ืืณ:ืืดื), ืืงืืืฅ ืงืืืื ืฉืืคื ืื ืืคื ื ืืงื ืชื. ืืืชืืืื: ืืืงืื ืงืืืืชื ืืฉืืงื ืื ืืจืืขื (ืืืื ืืืืืช ืงืดื:). ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืงืืืืช ืขืืื, ืืฉืื ืจืืื ื ืฉืืื. ืืืื ื ื ืจืื ืืคืจืฉ ืืืงืืช ืื ืืกืืคืช ืื. ืืืฉืื: ืืงืื ืงืืืืชื ืืื ื ืืื ืืฉืื ืคืจืืืช ืืงืืฉืืืช ืฉืืื ืืงืฉืื ืืืคืจืืื ืื ืงืืฉืืืช ืืจืื, ืื ืืืชืงืฉื ืืืืจ ืืงืจื ืงืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืืื, ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืืจืฉ ืืืืช (ืฉืืจ ืืฉืืจืื ืจืื ืืณ:ืืณ): ืืืื ืืืืื ืืจื (ืฉืืจ ืืฉืืจืื ืืณ:ืืณ) โ ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืื ืืืื ืืืจื, ืฉืื ืื ืืขืฉื ืขื ืืืืื ืื ืชืื ืืืื ืงืืื ืืื, ืืื ืขืื ืฉื ืจืืื. ืืืื ื ืืืจื ืืืืจื: ืจืณ ืืืืฉืข ืงืืื ืืืืืจ (ืืืื ื ืืืจ ืกืดื:), ืฉืืงืฉื ืื ืืืจืื ืจืืื ืืฉืืจ ืื ืืืจื ืืืืืืื ืขื ืฉืืืืจืื ืืืืจื. ืืื ืืฆืื ื ืื ืืกืืืืช ืืฉื ืืช ืืืืจื ืืืื ืืฆืืขื: ืืื ืืงืืื ืืืืื ืืืงืจื ื ืคืฉ ืจืขื (ืืืื ืืื ืืฆืืขื ื ืดื.), ืฉืืืงืืง ืื ืืืชืงืฉื ืืงืื ืืืชื ืืืืจื. ืืืขืื ืืืงืืืง (ืจืณ ืืื ื ืืื ืืณื ืื, ืจืืดืง) ืืืืจืื ืืืงืืช ืฉืฉืจืฉื ืืงื, ืืคืืจืฉื ืื ืืฉืื ืืฉืืขืช ืืงืืื ืืืฆืื, ืืงืืช ืขืืื โ ืฉืืฉืืขื ืืขืืื ืืืื ืืืขืฉื ืื ืืฉืจ ืืฆืื ืขืืืื, ืชืืื ืืืงืืช ืื (ืืฉืื ืืณ:ืืดื) โ ืืงืื ืืฆืืชื. ืืื ืืื ืืขืื ื, ืฉืืื ืืืฉืื: ืืืืื ืืืืกืจ ืชืงืืื ื ืฉื ืื (ืืจืืืื ืืดื:ืืดื), ืืฉืจืฉื ืงืื, ืืืืืดื ืื ืืืืดื ืืฆืืจ, ืืขื ืื ืืืื ืืืืืฉื ืืืฉืืืจื. ืืืืจ ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ื ืืืฉ ืืืืืื, ืขื ืฉืืื ืื ื ืืฉืจ ืื ืึปืืฉืช ืืขืืื ืืฉืืืจืชื, ืฉืืืืืฉ ืืช ืืืื ืืคื ืืจื. ืืื: ืื ืงืื ืืืจืื (ืงืืืช ืืณ:ืืณ), ืฉื ืืืฉ ืืืื ื ืืืื ืืืจืืช, ืืกืืื ืฉืขืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืืื (ืืืื ืืืฆื ืืดื:), ืื ืฉื ืฉืืจ ืงืฆืช ืื ืขืฉื ืื ืคืืืืืช. ืืื ืืฆืืชื ืขืื ืฉื ืืืืจืฉ ืืืืช: ืืืคืืข ืขืืืื ืืงืืดื ืจืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืื ืขืื, ืืืืชื ื ืคืฉื ืงืืื ืืืืื, ืืืจื ืื: ืจืืื ื ืืฉื ืชื ืื ื ืื ื ืืื! ืืืจ ืืื: ืื ืืืจ ืื ืืงืืดื ืื ืื ื ืืจ ืื ืืืื ืื (ืฉืืืช ืืดื:ืืดื), ืขืืื ืืืคืจืืฉื ืื ืืจืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืชื ื ืคืฉื ืงืืื ืืืืื ืืืืณ (ืฉืืจ ืืฉืืจืื ืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื). ืืืขื ืื, ืฉืืืชื ื ืคืฉื ื ืืืฉืช ืืืฉืชืืจืช ืืืืคื ืืจืื ืชืืืชื ืืืืื ืื ืืคืกื, ืฉื ืืืง ืื ืื ืืจืื ืืืื. ืืื: ืื ืชืื ืืืื ืงืืื ืืื โ ื ืืืฉืช ืืจืืคืคืช ืืืื. ืืืงืื ืงืืืืชื (ืืืื ืืืืืช ืงืดื:) โ ืืงืฉืื ืงืืฉืืืช ืืืืืฉืืช ืื ืคืฉ ืืจืื ืืฆืขืจ ืืืขืืื, ืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืฉืืืจื ืฉืืฉืืจืื ืืืคืจืืื, ืืืฉืื (ืืืื ืงืืืืฉืื ืืดื:): ืดืคืจืื ืจื ืืืืืด. ืืื ืืืจื: ืืฃ ืืชื ืืงืื ืืช ืฉื ืื (ืืืืืชื ืืจืื ืืฉืืขืื ืฉืืืช ืืดื:ืืดื) โ ืฉืืจ ืืืชื ืื ืชืืืืฉื ืืืืจืื, ืื ืืืืกืจ ืืืืืฉ ืืืื ื ืืฉืืจ, ืืื ืฉืืืืืฉืืช ืืืฉืืืจื ืขื ืื ืฉืื, ืืืงืืืื ืชืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืื.
English from alhatorah.org:
HE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH. Its purport is not that the sceptre of royalty shall never depart from Judah, for it is written, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers,1ย with the result that the people and their king will be in exile, devoid of royalty and nobility, and for a long time there has not been a king in Israel! The prophet Jacob did not assure Israel that they would not enter captivity under any circumstances because Judah would rule over them. Instead, the purport of the verse before us is that the sceptre shall not depart from Judah to any of his brothers, for the king of Israel, who will rule over them, will be from the tribe of Judah, and none of his brothers will rule over him. The same meaning applies to the expression, there shall not depart a lawgiver from between his feet, which means that every lawgiver in Israel who carries the king's signet shall be from Judah. It is he who will rule and command in all Israel, and he will have the seal of royalty until the coming of his son, who [will have] the obedience of all people, to do with all as he pleases, this being a reference to the Messiah. "The sceptre" is thus an allusion to David, who was the first king to have the sceptre of royalty, and "Shiloh"2ย is his son, who will have the obedience of the peoples.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra's assertion that "Shiloh" is a reference to David is impossible for Judah never possessed a royal sceptre prior to David. And even though the tribe of Judah was honored and marched first in the desert,3ย the word sheivetย (sceptre) applies only to a king or prince, as it is written: A sceptre ('sheivet') of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom;4ย the sceptre of the rulers;5ย a sceptre to rule.6
Now this verse before us alludes to the fact that Jacob made the tribe of Judah king over his brothers and bequeathed to Judah sovereignty over Israel. This is what David said: And the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever; for He has chosen Judah to be prince, and in the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.7
Jacob said, It shall not depart, in order to allude to the fact that another tribe8ย will rule over Israel, but once the sceptre of royalty comes to Judah it will not depart from him to another tribe. This is the intent of the verse, For the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons.9ย The reason for Saul [being appointed the first king over Israel] was that the request for royalty at that time was distasteful to the Holy One, blessed be He.10ย He did not wish to appoint a king over them from the tribe to whom royalty belonged and from whom it was never to depart. He therefore granted them a temporary royalty. It is this which Scripture alludes to when it says, I give thee a king in Mine anger, and take him away in My wrath.11ย Having given him unwillingly, He therefore removed him in His wrath, as he and his children were killed12ย and his royal line was interrupted. The reason for all this was that at this time Samuel was judge and prophet who was fighting their battles according to the word of G-d, saving them in times of trouble, and it was improper for them to request a king during his lifetime, even as Samuel said to them, And the Eternal your G-d is your king,13ย and Scripture further states, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them.14ย It was for this reason that He did not grant them permanent royalty. The verse stating, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the Eternal thy G-d, which He commanded thee; for now would the Eternal have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever,15ย means that had not Saul sinned, his descendants would have had sovereignty over some part of Israel, but not over all. This is the meaning of [the expression], upon Israel, [rather than "upon allย Israel]." Perhaps Saul would have reigned over the tribes that were descended from his mother,16ย namely, Benjamin, Ephraim and Menasheh, as Judah and Ephraim were considered as two nations in Israel.17ย Or again, Saul might have been king, subject to the king of Judah.
In my opinion, the kings from other tribes, who ruled over Israel after David, went against the wish of their father Jacob by diverting the inheritance of Judah to another tribe. Now they relied on the word of Achiyah the Shilonite, the prophet who anointed18ย Jeroboam, who said, And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever.19ย But when [the ten tribes of] Israel continued to crown kings one after another of the rest of the tribes, and they did not revert to the kingdom of Judah, they transgressed the testament of the ancestor, and they were accordingly punished, just as Hosea said, They have set up kings, but not from Me.20
This was also the reason for the punishment of the Hasmoneans, who reigned during the Second Temple. They were saints of the Most High, without whom the learning of Torah and the observance of Commandments would have been forgotten in Israel, and despite this, they suffered such great punishment. The four sons21ย of the old Hasmonean Matithyahu, saintly men who ruled one after another, in spite of all their prowess and success, fell by the sword of their enemies. And ultimately the punishment reached the stage where our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said:22ย "He who says, 'I come from the house of the Hasmoneans,' is a slave," as they were all destroyed on account of this sin.23ย Now although among the children of Shimon, there was cause for punishment on account of the Sadducees,24ย all the children of the righteous Matithyahu the Hasmonean were deposed for this only: they ruled even though they were not of the seed of Judah and of the house of David, and thus they completely removed "the sceptre" and "the lawgiver" from Judah. And their punishment was measure for measure, as the Holy One, blessed be He, caused their slaves25ย to rule over them, and it is they who destroyed them.
It is also possible that, [in addition to the Hasmoneans having sinned for assuming royalty when they were not of the tribe of Judah], they sinned in ruling on account of their being priests, who have been commanded: Guard your priesthood in everything that pertaineth to the altar, and to within the veil; and ye shall serve; I give you the priesthood as a service of gift.26ย Thus it was not for them to rule, but only to perform the Service of G-d.
In Tractate Horayoth of the Jerusalem Talmud27ย I have seen the following text: "We do not anoint priests as kings. Rabbi Yehudah Anturya said that this is on account of the verse, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah. Rabbi Chiya the son of Rabbi Abba said [that Scripture states concerning the king], To the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.28ย Now what is written afterwards? The priests the Levites โฆ shall have no portion."29ย Thus the Sages have taught here that kings are not to be anointed from among the priests, the sons of Aaron. Now at first the above text explains that this is out of respect for the tribe of Judah since sovereignty is not to depart from that tribe. Therefore, even if Israel, out of temporary necessity, raises a king over itself from the other tribes, he is not to be anointed so that the glory of royalty should not be upon him. Instead, such kings are to be merely as judges or officers. The reason for mentioning "priests" [when the same stricture applies to all tribes other than Judah] is that even though the priests as such are suited for anointment,30ย we are not to anoint them as kings, and the moreso the rest of the tribes. It is as the Rabbis said in the Gemara:31ย we are to anoint only the kings of the house of David.32ย And Rabbi Chiya the son of Rabbi Abba, [who in the above text from the Jerusalem Talmud based the law upon a verse in the book of Deuteronomy], explained that anointing priests as kings is forbidden by a law of the Torah, which says that the priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance33ย in royalty. This comment is a matter which is fitting and proper.
AND UNTO HIM SHALL BE AN ASSEMBLAGE ('YIKHATH') OF PEOPLES. Yikhath amimย means an assemblage of peoples, as it is said with reference to the Messiah, Unto him shall the nations seek.34ย Of similar meaning is the verse, The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth 'likhath eim,'35ย meaning "the gathering of wrinkles in his mother's face due to her old age." In the Talmud36ย we find a similar expression: "They gathered assemblies (d'makhu k'hiatha) in the streets of Nehardea." It could also have said here in the verse, kehiyath amim, instead of yikhath amim. This is the language of Rashi.
Now it does not appear to me to be correct to explain, as Rashi does, likhath eimย to mean the gathering of wrinkles in the mother's face. And the expression, makhu k'hiatha, is nothing but a phrase to express disputes and questions, suggesting that the matter was disputed with many questions and interrogations, for in the language of the Sages, one who finds difficulty with a certain point of law is referred to as kohah. Such an example is found in the Midrash Chazit:37ย "They all handle the sword,38ย as they all study the Law with minds sharpened as a sword, so that if any problem comes before them, the law should not be moot (kohah) to them." There are many other similar examples of the usage of this word there in the Midrash Chazit. This is also the origin of the expression in the Gemara:39ย "Rabbi Yehoshua kihahย and declared it to be clean," meaning that he asked many questions and refuted all arguments of those who held it to be unclean until he was compelled to pronounce it to be clean. In many old texts in the Gemara Baba Metzia40ย we also find the saying: "He who d'kohiย on coins is called a malevolent soul," meaning that he who is strict and causes difficulty in accepting a coin from another [on the grounds that it is slightly worn shows himself to be stingy in his dealings].
Grammarians41ย have said concerning yikhathย that its root is yakah, thus explaining it in the sense of obedience and acceptance of a command. Hence yikhath amimย would mean that the peoples would listen to him and do whatever he commands them to do; and despiseth 'likhath eim'42ย means "despising accepting her command."
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the word yikhathย is similar in expression to the verse, He that eateth the sour grapes his teeth 'tikhenah' (shall be set on edge),43ย and its root is kahah, with the letter yudย in the word yikhathย being similar to the yudย in the word yitzhar. The purport of all words having the root kahahย is weakness and collapse. The verse before us is thus stating that the rod of the oppressor will not be removed from Judah until his son, who will bring about the meakness of the peoples and their collapse, will come, as he will weaken them all by sword. Similarly, the verse, If the iron be 'keihah,'44ย means "if the iron be dull and unable to cut" โ similar to [the expression] in the language of the Sages, sakin she'amda,45ย (a knife which has become dull) "or has been partly broken and contains notches."
Again I found a similar use of the word kohahย there in Midrash Chazit,46ย [with reference to the period of the Exodus when Israel was to eat of the Passover-offering]: "The Holy One, blessed be He, directed at them a most pleasant odor from the Garden of Eden, and their souls were koheh, to eat. They said to Moses: 'Our master Moses, give us something to eat.' He answered them: 'So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to me: There shall no alien eat thereof.'47ย So the Israelites arose and separated the aliens from among them. Now their souls were kohehย to eat, etc." The purport of the word kohehย here is that their souls were weakened and their bodies overcome on account of their desire to eat of the Passover-offering to which there had been attached this good odor from the Garden of Eden. In a similar vein are the expressions mentioned above: "The Law should not be kohahย to them,"48ย meaning "faint and deficient in their hand"; the expression, makhu k'hiatha,49ย means that they were asking questions which induce a weakening of the soul from the great pressure and concentration. It may be that it is an expression of disproof and smashing refutation, such as, "Parichย Rav Acha."50ย They similarly use the expression [in connection with the question of the wicked son in the Passover Hagaddah]: "You too hakheihย his teeth,"51ย meaning "break them or weaken them by your words," for with respect to the flesh you can only use the term "weaken" but not "break" although the intent of weakening and breaking is alike, and the word kehiyahย includes both.
Hadar Zekenim
ืืืจ ืืงื ืื
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืจืฉ. ืื ืืคืจื ืืื ืกืืจื ืืืคื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืืคื. ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืขื ืฉืืืจื ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืจืื ืืื ืืืชื ืชืื ืื ืืืืชืื ืืฉืืื ืืืื ืื ืืจืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืืชื ืืื ืืื ืืฉืืฉ ืืืืจ. ืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉืืฉื. ืืคืชืจืื ื ืื ืืคืจื ืืื ืืฆืืฅ ืืื ืืืืืื ืขื ืื ืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื. ืืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืืืณ ืืกืืื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื. ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืจ ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืืืช ืืืืช ืืื ืืืชื ื ืืืืจ ืืื ืฉืกืจ ืื ืฉืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืดืฉ ืืืืจ ืืืืช ืืื ืืืฉืื ืฉืืจื ืืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืื ื ืืฆื ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืืขืืื.
ืืขืช ืืงื ืื
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื โ ืืืจืฉ ืืืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืื ืืคืจื ืืื ืกืืจื ืืืคื ื ืืจืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืืคื. ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื โ ืขื ืฉืืืจื ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืจืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉืืฉื ืืืดืค ืื ืืคืจื ืืื ืื ืฅ ืืื ืืืืืื ืขื ืื ืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืกืืื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืขืืื. ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืืืช ืืืืช ืืื ืืืชื ื ืืืืจ ืืื ืฉืกืจ ืืฉืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืดืฉ ืืฉืืื ืืฉืื ืฉืืจื ืืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืืฆื ืฉืื ืืกืืจ ืืขืืื ืืืืดื ืื ืืื ืืืชื ืืืืืื ืขื ืขืืื ืืืชืื ืืืกืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืขืื ืืืฉืจ ืืกืืจืืชื ืืขื ืฉืืื ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืขื ืื ืืฉืจืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืืณ ืืฉืื ืฉื ืชืืืงื ืฉื ืืืืืืช ืืฉืืื ืืฉืื ืืื ืงืจืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืชืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ื ืงื ืฉืืื ืืืดื ืืื ืืงืืช ืขืืื ืืืืจ ืฉื ืชืืืงื ืืืืืืช. ืืดื ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืืืืืงืง ืืืื ืจืืืื ืขื ืืืืืจ ืืขืืืื ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืจื ืืื ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืฉืืื. ืืืจื ืจืณ ืืฆืืง.
English from alhatorah.org
ืื ืืกืืจ ืฉืื ืืืืืื, according to a Midrash this line is to be understood as in Jeremiah 2,21: "it will not blossom;" the word appears in this sense there ืกืืจื ืืืคื ื ืืจืื, "the vine blossomed into an alien vine." In other words: Yaakov cautions that the rod of Yehudah as a ruler will not blossom forth ืขื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื, "not until the Tabernacle in Shiloh will be ruined. The word ืืื in this line does not mean "he will come," but is an expression denoting ruin, just as in Isaiah 60,20: ืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉืืฉื, "your sun will never set again;" An alternate interpretation of this verse: instead of referring to Yehudah's ascent to the throne being still a long way off, Yaakov promises that once on the throne of the Kingdom of Yehudah, the rod symbolising the power of the holder of it will not be usurped per by another tribe, as it had been done after Saul's dynasty collapsed until the coming of the Messiah, symbolised by the word ืฉืืื, in other words, not ever. Gโd confirmed Yaakov's promise to David in Samuel II 7,16: through the prophet Natan. A third possible interpretation of our verse; David will not lose the throne of all of Israel until after the fateful assembly in Sh'chem,- very close to Shiloh- when ten tribes crowned Jerobam as their king, and Rechavam, Solomon's son retained the loyalty only of his own tribe and that of the tribe of Binyamin. Still another interpretation of our verse: in spite of many revolutions, exiles etc. that will occur after the first King from the tribe of Yehudah, David will ascend the throne, when the Messiah will arrive who will be from the tribe of Yehudah, and he will rule without anyone disputing his right to do so. (Attributed to Rav Rachmiel? Yitzchok)
Tur long commentaryย (1269 - 1343)
Tur short commentaryย (1269 - 1343)
ืืื ืืกืคื
ืจืืืดื
(ื-ืื) โฆืืื ืจืืื ืืืื ืฉืืงื ืืื ืฉืืชืืจ ืืืืื ืืชืช ืื ืื ืฉืืืื ืขื ืืืืื ืืชืชื. ืืื ืชืจืื ืื ืืื ืืฉื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืื ืืขืฉืืช ืืืืฉ ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืคืฅ ืืืงืจื (ืืกืชืจ ืืณ:ืืณ) ืืงืฉื ืืฉืืื ืืืืคื ืฉื ืชืคืขื ืืื ืืืื ืืฉืขืจื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืฉื ืฉืืฉืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืคื ื ืืคืฆื ืืืงืจ ืืื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืื ืฉืฉืื ืืืจื ืฉืื ืืืกืจ ืื ืจืง ืืืกื ืื ืฉืื ืืืืฉืช ืืืืฉ ืืืืืช ืืฉืจ ืืืฉ ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืืืฉ ืฉืืืฉ ืืขืช ืืืืื ืืืจืืืื ืขื ืืกืืก ืืฉืจ ืจืื ืขืืื ืืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืืืืช ืืฉืจ ื ืชื ืืจืืฉื ืืฉืืืื ื ืชืื ืืืืืฉ ืืืกืืก ืขื ืื ืืืฉ ืืฉืจื ืืืื ืืคืจืชืืื ืืขืื ืื ืื ืืืืืื1 ืืืื ืื ืฉืืืจ ืฉืืงืจืื ืืคื ืื ืืื ืืขืฉื ืืืืฉ ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืคืฅ ืืืงืจื ืืื ื ืืืืช ืืกืื ืืชืคืขื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืื ืืืฉืื ืงืื ืืืจ ืฉืืขืฉื ืื ืืืจืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืคื ืืืจ ืืื ืื ืื ืืืชื ืกืืช ืฉื ืงืจื ืืื ืื ืืฉืชื ืืกืชืจ ืืืจื ืงืื ืืืจ ืืืื ืืืจื ืืืจื ืืช ืืื (ืืกืชืจ ืืณ:ืืณ) ืืื ืื ืืฉืชื ืืกืชืจ ืืฆืืจืฃ ืืื ืื ืฉืืืฉ ืืืื ืืืงื ืื ืื ืืื ืขื ืืืจ ืฉืืืช ืืกืชืจ ืคืขืืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืฉืชื ืืฉืจ (ืืกืชืจ ืืณ:ืืณ,ืืณ) ืชืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉืงืื.
โฆBecause he asked for the wearing of royal clothing that the king wore, and it is the clothing that he wore at the time of his assumption of the kingship, and the riding of the horse that the king rode on, and the royal crown that he put on his head, and that the clothing and the horse should be given by one of the king's ministers, the advisors, and all that remains for him is the kingship, were it not for what he said that they should call out before him โThus shall be done for the man that the king desires his honor.โ...
Mizrachi
Abarbanelย (1437-1508)
R. Ovadyah Sfornoย (~1470-~1550)
R. Yitzchak Shemuel Reggioย (1784 - 1855)
ืจ ืืดืฉ ืจืืืืื
DING B: โhis headโ refers to the head of the king, on his coronation day.
The added temporal element reinforces this reading.
[1]ย Alhatorh.org: 1. and the rod | ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืงย โ See Shadal, viewing the word as synonymous with "ืฉึตืืึถื" (staff). See similar usage in Bemidbar 21:18. Both terms might be metaphors for kingship or other authority. Alternatively: "scribe" or "legislator" (Ibn Ezra and R"Y Bekhor Shor, reading "ืึฐืึนืงึตืง" as related to the word "ืืืง", a law).
[2]ย Alhatorah.org: 2. from between his legs | ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืืย โ This can be understood literally; the ruler's staff was positioned between his legs. Alternatively, it might refer to descendants.
[3]ย Alhatorah.org: 3. until he comes to Shiloh | ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนืย โ See Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, R"Y Bekhor Shor and others that Shiloh refers to the city or region of Shiloh. Alternatively: "until Shiloh comes", reading Shiloh as a proper name, perhaps referring to the Mashiach (Bavli Sanhedrin 98b). Others revocalize the word, rendering it as either "ืฉึถืืืึน", to him (Targumim, Rashi) or: "ืฉื ืื", tribute to him (Bereshit Rabbah 98:7-8). The clause would read "until the one to whom tribute (or alternatively: kingship) belongs comes", referring to the Mashiach. Similarly, but without references to the Mashiach: "until tribute comes to him" (modern translations). The meaning of the phrase is difficult and much debated. For discussion see Yehuda's Blessing.
[4]ย Alhatorah.org: 4. obedience | ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืชย โ See Ibn Ezra, Radak, and Shadal, pointing to its usage in Mishlei 30:17. Alternatively: "gathering" (Rashi, Rashbam, and Hoil Moshe who relates it to the words "ืืืงื"and "ืงืืืช").
[5]ย Alhatorh.org: 1. and the rod | ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืงย โ See Shadal, viewing the word as synonymous with "ืฉึตืืึถื" (staff). See similar usage in Bemidbar 21:18. Both terms might be metaphors for kingship or other authority. Alternatively: "scribe" or "legislator" (Ibn Ezra and R"Y Bekhor Shor, reading "ืึฐืึนืงึตืง" as related to the word "ืืืง", a law).
[6]ย Alhatorah.org: 2. from between his legs | ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืืย โ This can be understood literally; the ruler's staff was positioned between his legs. Alternatively, it might refer to descendants.
[7]ย Alhatorah.org: 3. until he comes to Shiloh | ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนืย โ See Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, R"Y Bekhor Shor and others that Shiloh refers to the city or region of Shiloh. Alternatively: "until Shiloh comes", reading Shiloh as a proper name, perhaps referring to the Mashiach (Bavli Sanhedrin 98b). Others revocalize the word, rendering it as either "ืฉึถืืืึน", to him (Targumim, Rashi) or: "ืฉื ืื", tribute to him (Bereshit Rabbah 98:7-8). The clause would read "until the one to whom tribute (or alternatively: kingship) belongs comes", referring to the Mashiach. Similarly, but without references to the Mashiach: "until tribute comes to him" (modern translations). The meaning of the phrase is difficult and much debated. For discussion see Yehuda's Blessing.
[8]ย Alhatorah.org: 4. obedience | ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืชย โ See Ibn Ezra, Radak, and Shadal, pointing to its usage in Mishlei 30:17. Alternatively: "gathering" (Rashi, Rashbam, and Hoil Moshe who relates it to the words "ืืืงื"and "ืงืืืช").
[9]ย Alhatorh.org: 1. and the rod | ืึผืึฐืึนืงึตืงย โ See Shadal, viewing the word as synonymous with "ืฉึตืืึถื" (staff). See similar usage in Bemidbar 21:18. Both terms might be metaphors for kingship or other authority. Alternatively: "scribe" or "legislator" (Ibn Ezra and R"Y Bekhor Shor, reading "ืึฐืึนืงึตืง" as related to the word "ืืืง", a law).
[10]ย Alhatorah.org: 2. from between his legs | ืึดืึตึผืื ืจึทืึฐืึธืืย โ This can be understood literally; the ruler's staff was positioned between his legs. Alternatively, it might refer to descendants.
[11]ย Alhatorah.org: 3. until he comes to Shiloh | ืขึทื ืึดึผื ืึธืึนื ืฉึดืืืึนืย โ See Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, R"Y Bekhor Shor and others that Shiloh refers to the city or region of Shiloh. Alternatively: "until Shiloh comes", reading Shiloh as a proper name, perhaps referring to the Mashiach (Bavli Sanhedrin 98b). Others revocalize the word, rendering it as either "ืฉึถืืืึน", to him (Targumim, Rashi) or: "ืฉื ืื", tribute to him (Bereshit Rabbah 98:7-8). The clause would read "until the one to whom tribute (or alternatively: kingship) belongs comes", referring to the Mashiach. Similarly, but without references to the Mashiach: "until tribute comes to him" (modern translations). The meaning of the phrase is difficult and much debated. For discussion see Yehuda's Blessing.
[12]ย Alhatorah.org: 4. obedience | ืึดืงึฐึผืึทืชย โ See Ibn Ezra, Radak, and Shadal, pointing to its usage in Mishlei 30:17. Alternatively: "gathering" (Rashi, Rashbam, and Hoil Moshe who relates it to the words "ืืืงื"and "ืงืืืช").
[13]ย Grossfield: * โfor evermoreโ: โThis insertion, meant to further emphasize theย permanentย nature of Judahโs pre-eminence, may have been designed to counter Christian polemics against the Jews, which repeatedly stressed that the Law had been superseded, and the that Jews has been deprived of their exalted status as the chosen people. Cf. L. Smolar and M. Aberbach, โThe Golden Calf in Post-Biblical Literature,โ HUCA 39 (1968: 91ff.โ
[14]ย Bernard Grossfeld, The Targum Onqelos to Genesis: Translated, with Apparatus and Notes. The Aramaic Bible. Vol. 6.. T & T Clark, 1988, p. 57. His notes address the Targumโs interpretative translation of ืฉืื, ืืืืื, ืืืืงืง, ืืืื ืจืืืื, ืฉืืื, to support its understanding of the verse as a description of eternal Davidic rule up to, and including,ย the messianic era. Grossfield refers to bYoma 53b; bSan 5a; Gen Rab 98 (99:8), p. 1259.
[15]ย Martin McNamara, Targum Neofiti 1:Genesis, Translated, with Apparatus and Notesย The Aramaic Bible. ย Vol. 1A, 1992