The Birth of John the Baptist
2 And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him.
Rashi’s Commentary
At the time of which he had spoken—Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Chama dispute. Rabbi Yudan says: This teaches us that he was born after nine months, so that it should not be said that he was conceived in Abimelek’s household, and Rabbi Chama says: After seven months.—from Gen. Rabbah 53:6
In his old age—That his Isaac’s facial features were similar to his.
57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. GEN 21:2-3
God is not a man, that he should lie [he has sworn to give them the land, and you expect to kill them in the desert],
nor a son of man, that he should retract.
Would he speak and not act?
[Would he] promise and not fulfill? NUM 23:19
Rashi’s Commentary
God is not a man, that he should lie—He has already sworn to them that he will bring them to and give them as a possession the land of the seven nations, and you expect to kill them in the wilderness? (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 13)
Would he speak . . .—Heb. הַהוּא. This is in the form of a question. And the Targum [Onkelos] renders, “who later retract.” They reconsider and change their minds.
58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they were rejoicing with her.
Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me, so that everyone who hears will laugh with me.” GEN 21:6
Rashi’s Commentary
Will laugh with me means will rejoice on my account. The Midrashic statement is (Bereishit Rabbah 53:8): Many barren women were remembered together with her, many sick were healed in that day, many prayers were answered with hers and there was great rejoicing in the world.
He seats the childless woman to keep house [Zion, which is like a childless woman]
and to be a happy mother of children.
Hallelujah! PSA 113:9
Rashi’s Commentary
The childless woman to keep house—Zion, which is like a childless woman he will seat her.
9 “Will I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Am I not he who causes to give birth, now should I close up the womb?” says your God.
Rashi’s Commentary
Will I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery—Will I bring a woman to the moment of birth and not open her womb to bring out her fetus?
That is to say, Shall I commence a thing and not be able to complete it? Am I not the one who causes every woman in confinement to give birth, and now will I close up the womb? This is a question.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice for joy with her,
all you who mourn over her. ISA 66:9-10
59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father . . .
And every male among you who is eight days old throughout your generations must be circumcised, a servant that is born in the house [of your maidservant] or bought with money [after he was born] from any foreigner, who is not of your seed. GEN 17:12
Rashi’s Commentary
A servant that is born in the house—One to whom a handmaid gave birth in the house.
Bought with money—One whom a person bought after his birth.
60 but his mother answered and said, “Not so; he shall be called John.”
. . . and he sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord. 2SA 12:25
Rashi’s Commentary
Because of the Lord—Who loved him.
62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he would have him called.
61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”
63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.
Now go, write it on a tablet with them,
and inscribe it on a scroll,
that it shall be for the time to come
as a witness forever. ISA 30:8
Rashi’s Commentary
Inscribe it—(חֻקָּהּ) inscribe it, this prophecy.
The sin of Judah is written with a tool of iron,
and with a flint point it is engraved
on the tablet of their heart
and on the horns of your altars. JER 17:1
Rashi’s Commentary
Engraved—Engraved like one who plows deeply.
On the tablet of their heart—That they do not forget their idolatry.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the revelation and explain it on tablets so that one may run who reads it.” HAB 2:2
Rashi’s Commentary
Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write”—For yourself the revelation that will be revealed to you, and explain it well on tablets so that one may run who reads it. And this is the revelation that you shall write.
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.
16 And he will speak for you to the people, and he will be, even he will be your mouth [in that you are “heavy of speech”], and you will be a God to him. EXO 4:15-16
Rashi’s Commentary
Will be your mouth—He will be your spokesman because you have a speech impediment (Shemot Rabbah 3:17).
God means a superior and chief (cf. Onkelos).
O Lord, open my lips [by forgiving me],
and my mouth will declare your praise. PSA 51:17
Rashi’s Commentary
O Lord, open my lips—Forgive me so that I will be able to open my lips to declare your praise.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely [in exile (so that all of my sins be expiated)],
but he has not delivered me to death.
Rashi’s Commentary
The Lord has chastened me—In exile, and there all my iniquities were expiated, and you did not deliver me to death.
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter them, and I will praise the Lord. PSA 118:18-19
Rashi’s Commentary
Open for me the gates of righteousness—And these are the gates of righteousness.
You will say in that day:
“I will praise you, O Lord,
for you were angry with me,
may your anger turn away
and may you comfort me.” ISA 12:1
Rashi’s Commentary
You will say—When you see the nations being sentenced to disgrace and abhorrence.
I will praise you, O Lord, for you were angry with me—And you exiled me, and my exile atoned for me, and now, amends have been made for my iniquity. May your anger turn away and may you comfort me. Jonathan renders: I will confess before you, O Lord, that I sinned before you, and, therefore, you were angry with me, and were it not for your mercy, I would not be worthy to have your anger turn away and comfort me, and behold, your anger has turned away from me.
Then the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.” JER 1:9
Rashi’s Commentary
Then the Lord stretched forth his hand—Every sending mentioned concerning a hand is an expression of stretching forth. Another explanation is like the Targum: And the Lord sent the words of his prophecy.
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” He who listens will listen, and he who refuses will refuse; for they are a rebellious house. EZE 3:27
Rashi’s Commentary
But when I speak with you—When I shall wish to speak with you, I shall send you to them.
And you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God”—All the words of my message.
He who listens, let him listen—This is not part of the mission. Rather, the Holy Spirit told the prophet, “You tell them my message, and as for them, he who listens will listen, and he who refuses will refuse; for I know that not all of them will listen, for they are a rebellious house.”
On that day I will make the horn of the house of Israel to blossom out, and I will give you free speech in their midst. Then they will know that I am the Lord. EZE 29:21
Rashi’s Commentary
And I will give you free speech in their midst—You, Ezekiel, will have free speech when they see your prophecy being fulfilled.
65 Fear came on all their neighbors, and all these things were being talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
So Joshua subdued all the country (of) the hills and the Negev and the lowland and the slopes and all their kings. He left no survivor, but he totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. JOS 10:40
Rashi’s Commentary
And the slopes—The place where the water of the hills rush down.
66 All who heard them kept them in their hearts, asking, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
24 Then the woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. And the child grew and the Lord blessed him,
25 and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. JDG 13:24-25
Rashi’s Commentary
לְפַעֲמוֹ—To stir within him.
But Samuel was ministering before the Lord, even as a boy wearing a linen robe. 1SA 2:18
Rashi’s Commentary
Robe—(Hebrew ephod) kardut of linen (Jonathan), meaning a robe, for Targum Yonoson renders “m’ilim” in the passage, “for such so (m’ilim) were worn by the maidens . . . ,” as kardutin.
And one of the servants answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and prudent in affairs, and a handsome man. And the Lord is with him.” 1SA 16:18
Rashi’s Commentary
One of the servants—The special one of the servants, i.e., Doeg the Edomite.
Who is skillful in playing—His entire intention was to induce Saul’s evil eye into David, that he envy him.
And the power from the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his cloak and ran before Ahab until coming to Jezreel. 1KI 18:46
Rashi’s Commentary
And the power from the Lord—Power from before the Lord. He became invested with power to run before the chariot on foot, so that Ahab would not go alone, for he paid regards to royalty.
And he gathered up his cloak—Heb. וישנס, like ויאזר, yet there is no similar word in the Bible, and even this one came only to teach us an expression of quickness, i.e., he was as quick as a strong man.
Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand [upon Esau, slated for vengeance with your right hand],
[and] upon the son of man whom you strengthened [(Jacob) to establish his habitation in the fat of the land] for yourself. PSA 80:18
Rashi’s Commentary
Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand—Deliver your blows upon the man viz. Esau who is destined to receive retribution from your right hand.
Upon the son of man—Whom you strengthened for yourself that his habitation should be the fat places of the earth.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways,
And of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her [and is being returned],
and he will establish her” [over all the cities]. PSA 87:5
Rashi’s Commentary
And of Zion it will be said, “This one, etc.”—And this praise that is now directed to Rahab and Babylon will be turned around to Zion, and concerning it they will say, “So-and-so and so-and-so were born in her.”
And of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her”—And when they bring them as a tribute to the Lord, it will be said to Zion concerning each one, “This is one of those who were exiled from you,” or “from their generations.” Another explanation: The Psalmist says, “I will mention to my people and to my beloved ones the greatness of Egypt and Babylon, whose greatness they now see. Behold Philistia and Tyre with Cush, because they are near Rahab and Babylon, all the nations exalt them the Israelites and say about them, ‘This one was born there,’ in Egypt or Babylon.”
And he will establish her—And the Holy One, blessed be he, will establish her above all the cities.
This work, "The Birth of John the Baptist," is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0