"מְהָרְסַיִךְ וּמַחֲרִיבַיִךְ מִמֵּךְ יֵצֵאוּ"/2

"מְהָרְסַיִךְ וּמַחֲרִיבַיִךְ מִמֵּךְ יֵצֵאוּ"

Exegetical Approaches

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External Foes Ousted

Yeshayahu comforts the nation, promising that when they return to Israel, their foreign enemies will depart from their midst.

Sources:Ibn EzraYeshayahu 49:17About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Eliezer of BeaugencyYeshayahu 49:17About R. Eliezer of Beaugency, Ibn KaspiYeshayahu 49:17About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi

Meaning of "יֵצֵאוּ" – This position understands the word "יֵצֵאוּ" in line with its common usage in Tanakh, to  mean "depart".

"מִהֲרוּ בָּנָיִךְ" – These sources read this phrase as if it concluded: "לשוב אלייך".  As such, the two halves of the verse speak of two complementary events.  Hashem says that the nation will quickly return to Israel, and that, as they do, their enemies will leave.

Relationship to rest of prophecy – The two ideas expressed in the verse are elaborated upon in the rest of the prophecy.  Verses 18-22 detail the in-gathering of exiles (matching "מִהֲרוּ בָּנָיִךְ")  while verse 20 speaks of the distancing of Israel's enemies (matching "מְהָרְסַיִךְ וּמַחֲרִיבַיִךְ מִמֵּךְ יֵצֵאוּ").

Historical Backdrop – According to this approach, the chapter might be speaking either of the return from Babylonia, or of the future redemption. As such, there are several possibilities as to the  identity of the enemies to be ousted:

• Ibn Kaspi asserts that the verse refers to the Babylonians who had moved into Israel upon its conquest.
• It is possible that the enemies spoken of refer to "צרי יהודה ובנימין" in the time of Ezra and Nechemyah who had tried to prevent the nation from building the city's walls.
• During both exiles, people from neighboring countries had moved into Israel, occupying lands previously belonging to Israel.1¹ Hashem promises that these will be ousted.

Internal Foes Eliminated

Yeshayahu promises that with the coming of the redemption all the sinners within Israel will be destroyed.

Sources:Radak, Rid,

Internal Foes Sprouted

Yeshayahu rebukes the people, telling them that they are the source of their own destruction.  Those who have harmed them came from within.

¹ See Tehillim 137:7 and Ovadiah 1:10-14 which allude to the happiness of the Edomites upon Israel's destruction at the hands of Babylonia.  It is likely that their reaction related, at least in part, to their desire to infiltrate and occupy the deserted land.