Ibn Ezra, Psalm 2 & the Divine Messiah

I quote from Ibn Ezra’s exposition of Psalm 2, which can be accessed here:Ibn Ezra on Psalms 2:1.

All emphasis will be mine.

2:1

למה רגשו - הנכון בעיני: כי זה המזמור חברו אחד מהמשוררים על דוד ביום המשחו, על כן כתוב: אני היום ילדתיך, או על המשיח. 

Why do nations assemble (לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ - lamah ragshu): What seems correct in my eyes is that this psalm was composed by one of the poets concerning David on the day he was anointed. Therefore, it is written [later in verse 7], "This day I have begotten you." Or [alternatively, the psalm is] about the Messiah.

ורגשו - כמו חברו וכמוהו מרגשת פועלי און. 

And ragshu [translated here as "assemble," but can also mean rage/tumult] is like "joined together" (chavru). Similar to it is [the phrase in (Psalm 64:3)] "from the assembly/tumult (mirgeshet) of the workers of iniquity."

ולמ"ד לאמים – שורש כמו: ולאם מלאם יאמץ. 

And the Lamed [prefix] of le'umim (לְאֻמִּ֗ים - peoples): [This Lamed is part of the] root [of the word], as the singular form is le'om (people/nation). As in (Genesis 25:23): "and one people (u-le'om) shall be stronger than the other people (mi-le'om)."

יהגו ריק - בדיבור כמו: ולשוני אם יהגה רמיה והדבור ננתקה את מוסרותימו. 

Plot/utter vain things (יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק - yehgu rik): [This refers to plotting] through speech (be-dibur). Similar [usage of hagah for speech is found], as in [verses like (Psalm 35:28)] "And my tongue shall speak (tehgeh) Your righteousness." And the [specific vain] speech [they utter] is [revealed in verse 3]: "Let us break their bonds asunder."

2:2 

יתיצבו - עם הגוים המלכים והסגנים יחדו ונוסדו מגזרת סוד, והנה על דרך: ריבה ה' את יריבי שהוא מגזרת רב והוא מעלומי העי"ן, ריב וכן סוד מגזרת סיד.ויו"ד יריבי הפוך והוא תאר חסר, או הוא מטעם יסוד על דעת האומר שזה המזמור שאמר המשורר נאמר על דוד, או הוא התנבא על עצמו, הנה מצאנו גוים רבים היו תחת יד דוד. ואם על המשיח הדבר יותר ברור.  

They take their stand (יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ - yityatzvu): The kings and the regents (roznim - also nobles/rulers) [act] together with the nations [mentioned in v. 1]. And nosdu-yachad (נוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד - they intrigue/conspire together): [Nosdu] is from the root sod (סוֹד - secret, council, conspiracy). Behold, this follows the pattern of (Psalm 35:1) "Contend (Rivah), O LORD, with those who contend with me (yerivai)," where [yerivai] is from the root rav (רב - contend, strive), which is a hollow root (me-'alumei ha-ayin - i.e., middle root letter is Vav or Yod) related to the noun riv (רִיב - strife). [Ibn Ezra implies a similar relationship between the verb nosdu and the noun sod]. The yod in yerivai is transformed and it represents a defective adjectival form. Alternatively, [nosdu] is from the root yesod (יְסוֹד - foundation), [implying they establish a common foundation or plan together]. According to the opinion that this psalm, which the poet composed, was said about David (or that he [David] prophesied about himself)—behold, we find that many nations were under David's control [making such a rebellion historically plausible]. And if [the psalm is] about the Messiah, the matter [of widespread opposition] IS EVEN CLEARER.

וטעם על ה' - שיצאו מתחת יד שקול הדעת שנטע השם בלב כל אדם.  

And the meaning of "against the LORD" ('עַל־ה - al Ad-nai): Is that they have departed from the control of the sound judgment (sikul ha-da'at) which God implanted in the heart of every person.

ועל משיחו - שלא יכחישו לו ויסורו אל משמעתו לתת לו מס. 

And [the meaning of] "and against His anointed" (וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ - ve-al meshicho): Is that they should not deny him [or 'deal falsely with him'], but rather submit (yasuru el) to his authority/obedience (mishma'ato) to pay him tribute (mas).

2:3

ננתקה את מוסרותימו - מגזרת מוסר. 

Let us break their cords (nenattekah et mosroteimo): [The word mosroteimo - their cords/bonds] is from the root musar (מוּסָר - discipline, bond, instruction).

גם עבותימו – חבלים עבותים. והטעם אחד במלות שונות, כי כן דרך צחות, כמו: מה אקוב ומה אזעום.  

Also their ropes (גַּם עֲבֹתֵימוֹ - gam avoteimo): Means thick ropes (chavalim avotim). The meaning [of mosrot and avot] is one and the same, [expressed] with different words. For this is a manner of rhetorical elegance (derekh tzachut), like [in (Numbers 23:8)]: "How shall I curse (mah ekov)... and how shall I denounce (umah ez'om)." [Using synonyms in parallel clauses].

יושב - בעבור שהזכיר יתיצבו מלכי ארץ אמר כנגדם יושב בשמים שהם למעלה על האדם. אמר הגאון: כי טעם ישחק שישימם לשחוק וללעג. והנכון שהשם ברא הגשם שהוא העצם והצורות שהם מקרים כל אשר יעשה האדם או יצייר צורות חיות, ושמו נשגב לבדו מהיותו ביסוד ואף כי במקרה, רק בעבור שהמדבר אדם וככה השומע, דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם להבין השומע וככה עשו שהארץ כדמות אדם, ותפתח הארץ את פיה, מירכתי ארץ.  

He who sits (יוֹשֵׁב - yoshev) [referring to yoshev ba-shamayim - "He who sits in the heavens" in v. 4]: Because Scripture mentioned [in v. 2] "kings of the earth take their stand" (yityatzvu malkhei eretz), it states, in contrast to them, "He who sits in the heavens," which are above man. The [Rav Saadia] Gaon said: That the meaning of He will laugh (יִשְׂחָק - yischak) [v. 4] is that He will make them into an object of laughter and derision (sechok u-la'ag). And the correct [view] is: That HaShem created substance/matter (ha-geshem), which is the essence, and the forms (ha-tzurot), which are accidents/attributes. [These philosophical terms contrast with] whatever man does or the images of living things he forms [in his mind]. His Name [i.e., God Himself] alone is too exalted to be [described] in terms of substance/essence, let alone accident/attribute. However, because the speaker [of Scripture] is human, and likewise the hearer, the Torah spoke in the language of human beings (dibrah Torah ki-leshon bnei adam) so that the hearer may understand. And similarly, they treated the earth as if it had human form, [as in verses like]: "And the earth opened its mouth" (Numbers 16:32), [and phrases like] "from the recesses/ends (mi-yarketei) of the earth" (e.g., Jeremiah 6:22). [Thus, "laughing" is anthropomorphic language used for human understanding].

ולמו - כמו להם. 

And -lamo [in yil'ag lamo - "will mock them" in v. 4]: Is like lahem (לָהֶם - to/for them) [an archaic pronoun form]. 

ומלת לעג - לעולם עם אות למד, כמו ילעיגו לי על כן ואויבינו ילעגו למו, דרך כינוי כאשר אפרש. 

And the word la'ag (לַעַג - scorn, derision): Is always [found] with the letter Lamed [as a prefix to the object being scorned], like (Psalm 22:8) "they mock me" (yal'igu li) [and (Psalm 80:7)] "therefore our enemies mock them" (ve-oyveinu yil'agu lamo). [This is] a manner of expression (derekh kinuy - perhaps meaning 'idiomatic usage' or 'reference'), as I will explain [elsewhere, or referring perhaps to the specific usage here]. 

2:5

אז - יש אומרים: ידבר כמו יאבד, כמו ותדבר את כל זרע המלוכה שהוא לשון מות כמו אהי דברך מות, כמו: ותדבר את כל זרע המלוכה כי כתוב בספר אחר ותדבר מגזרת דבר כבד מאד. 

Some say (yesh omrim): [That the word] He will speak (yedaber) means "He will destroy" (ye'abed). [They compare it to] (II Kings 11:1) "and she destroyed (va-tedaber) all the royal seed." This [verb dabar] is thus an expression of death (leshon mavet), similar to (Hosea 13:14) "O Death, where are your plagues/destruction (devarekha)". [They argue further] that it is written in another book [referring again to the account in Kings or a related source] that va-tedaber ("and she destroyed") is from the root [meaning] a very heavy plague/matter (davar kaved me'od).

אלימו - החזקים כמו ואת אילי הארץ לקח ואיננו נכון, כי אילי הארץ על דרך אבירי בשן, גם הוא ביו"ד כי הוא מגזרת אין איל. והנכון: כי ידבר כמשמעו ואלימו כמו אליהם ועלימו כמו עליהם, וככה ידבר אליהם למה רגשו גוים.  

[Regarding] Eleimo (אֵלֵימוֹ - to them): [Some interpret this as referring to] the strong ones (ha-chazakim), comparing it to (Ezekiel 17:13) "and he took the mighty (eilei) of the land." However, this is not correct (ve-eineno nakhon). Because "the mighty (eilei) of the land" is used metaphorically [for leaders], in the same manner as "the strong bulls (abbirei) of Bashan" (Psalm 22:13). Also, [the word eil meaning mighty/ram] has a yod (איל) as it is derived from [a root related to] ayil (ram/strength). [Therefore, eleimo here, without the yod, is not referring to 'the mighty ones'].

2:6

ואני נסכתי - המלכתי והטעם שהוא נסיכי כמו חמשת מלכי מדין שהיו נסיכי סיחון. ודע כי הסמיכה פעם היא מהנכבד לנבזה והפך הדבר כמו אתה הוא מלכי אלהים. 

But I have installed (וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי - va'ani nasakhti): [This means] I have made king (himlakhti). And the meaning is that he is My prince (nesikhi). Similar [usage connecting this root to rulership is found] regarding "the five kings of Midian who were princes (nesikhei) of Sihon" (Joshua 13:21). And know that the construct state (semikhut - e.g., "king of X") sometimes proceeds from the honored [noun] to the less esteemed [noun], and sometimes the opposite, like [in (Psalm 44:5)] "You are my King, O God" (Atah hu Malki Elokim) [where "God" is the more honored noun].

ואני נסכתי מלכי - ה' הוא נחלתו והם עמך ונחלתך וכמוהו להשתחות למלך ה' צבאות - שהוא המשיח, כדרך וישתחוו לו כל מלכים, כי אילו היה על השם היה הלמד פתוח.  

"But I have installed My king" (va'ani nasakhti malki): [This relationship is like how Israel is God's portion, e.g.,] "Ad-nai is his inheritance" (Deuteronomy 10:9) and [conversely] "They are Your people and Your inheritance" (Deuteronomy 9:29). [The king is God's designated representative]. And similar to it [the concept of a designated king related to God] is [the phrase in (Zechariah 14:16-17)] "to bow down to the King, Ad-nai of hosts" (le-hishtachavot le-melekh Ad-nai tzeva'ot). [This title "King, Ad-nai of hosts" in Zechariah] refers to the Messiah. This is in the manner of (Psalm 72:11) "And all kings shall bow down to him" (ve-yishtachavu lo kol melakhim). For if [the phrase le-melekh ("to the King") in (Zechariah 14:16)] were referring [directly] to HaShem, the Lamed [prefix] would have a patach vowel [i.e., it would likely be לַמֶּלֶךְ - la-melekh].

2:7

אספרה - דברי דוד עם הנבואה שלו, או דברי המשורר מדבר בעדו.  

Let me tell (אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה - asapperah): These are the words of David along with his prophecy; or, the words of the poet [who composed the psalm] speaking on his [David's, or the Messiah's] behalf.

וטעם אל חק – זה שאספר אשים אותו לחק שיסופר והוא אמר אלי בני אתה לעבוד את השם, כבן יכבד אב. 

[Regarding] the decree (אֶֽ֫ל־חֹ֥ק - el chok): [The meaning is:] This which I will tell, I will establish it (asim oto) as a decree (le-chok) that should be related. And this [decree] is: He said to me, "You are My son" – [meaning] to serve HaShem, just as a son honors a father.

אני היום ילדתיך - כמו: צור ילדך תשי. 

I have fathered you this day (אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ - ani hayom yelidtíkha): This is similar to (Deuteronomy 32:18): "The Rock who fathered you (tzur yeladkha), you forgot."

2:8

שאל - מנהג האב להנחיל את הבן, על כן אמר: ואתנה גוים נחלתך. 

Ask (שְׁאַ֤ל - she'al): It is the custom (minhag) of a father to give an inheritance (le-hanchil) to the son; therefore He said, "and I will make the nations your inheritance (nachalatékha)."

אפסי ארץ - מגזרת: כי אפס כסף מקומות נגזרים מישוב. 

Ends of the earth (אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ - afsei-aretz): From the same root (mi-gizrat) as [in (Genesis 47:15)] "for the money is finished (ki afes kasef)." [It refers to] places cut off (negzarim) from settlement (mi-yishuv).

2:9

תרועם - תשברם, והיה העי"ן ראוי להדגש לולי היותו מהגרון כמו תשוכם תסובם:  

You will break them (תְּרֹעֵם - tero'em): [This means] You will shatter them (teshabberem). The [letter] Ayin (ע) [the second root letter of ר-ע-ע] would properly have a dagesh (doubling dot) [in this verb stem], were it not for the fact that it is a guttural letter ("from the throat"). [This absence of an expected dagesh is] similar to [forms like] tesokhem (תְּשׂוֹכֵם) and tesovem (תְּסוֹבֵם), [where the middle root letter also lacks a dagesh].

בשבט ברזל - החרב תנפצם הפך רגשו גוים.  

With a rod of iron (בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל - be-shevet barzel): [This refers metaphorically to] the sword (ha-cherev). You will shatter them (תְּנַפְּצֵֽם - tenappetzem): [This outcome is] the opposite of (hefekh) [what the nations intended when] "nations assemble (ragshu goyim)" [in verse 1].

2:10

ועתה מלכים - הם מלכי ארץ. 

And now, O kings (וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים - ve-attah melakhim): These are the "kings of the earth" [mentioned in verse 2].

והשכילו - הפך על ה'  

Be prudent (הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ - haskílu): [This is] the opposite of [acting] "against Ad-nai" [which they did in verse 2].

והוסרו - הפך מוסרותימו. 

Accept discipline (הִוָּסְר֗וּ - hivvaseru): [This is] the opposite of [saying in verse 3] "[Let us break] their cords (mosroteimo)."

ושפטי ארץ - הם רוזנים.  

You rulers/judges of the earth (שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ - shoftei aretz): These are the "regents" (roznim) [mentioned in verse 2]. 

2:11

עבדו - הפך דבריהם ננתקה ועבודת השם ליראה ממנו ולא יעברו פיו. 

Serve (עִבְדוּ - ivdu): [This command is] the opposite of their words [in verse 3], "Let us break (nenattekah) [their cords]." And the service of HaShem [should be] out of fear (le-yir'ah) of Him, and [so as] not to transgress His command (lit. His mouth). 

וגילו - אם בא גיל אל תשכחו שתרעדו מפחד השם.  

And rejoice (וְגִילוּ - ve-gilu): If joy (gil) comes, do not forget that you should tremble (tir'adu) out of fear of HaShem. [Explaining the combination "rejoice with trembling"]. 

ויש אומרים: וגילו - כמו תגילו על דרך: עלה ומות בהר, פרו ורבו שהוא ברכה על דגי הים. והטעם: שתגילו אם רעדתם מהשם. 

And some say (v'yesh omrim): [That the imperative form] rejoice (gilu) is like [the future/imperfect form] "you will rejoice" (tagilu). [This follows] the pattern of [sequences where imperatives imply a consequence or condition, like (Deuteronomy 32:50)] "Ascend (aleh) ... and die (u-mut) on the mountain," or [like the blessing in (Genesis 1:22)] "Be fruitful (p'ru) and multiply (u-rvu)," which is a blessing upon the fish of the sea. And the meaning [according to this second view] is: That you will rejoice (tagilu) if you have [first] trembled (ra'adtem) out of [fear of] HaShem.

2:12 

נשקו בר - הנה עבדו את ה' כנגד על ה'. 

Kiss the son (נַשְּׁקוּ־בַר - nashku var): Behold, "Serve Ad-nai" [from v. 11] corresponds to [the rebellion] "against Ad-nai" [in v. 2]. And "Kiss the son" [nashku var] corresponds to [the rebellion] "against His anointed" [in v. 2].

ונשקו בר – כנגד על משיחו. והנה פירוש בר, כמו: מה ברי ומה בר בטני. וכן כתוב: בני אתה ומנהג גוים בעולם לשום ידיהם תחת יד המלך כאחי שלמה, או העבד תחת ירך אדוניו, או לנשק את המלך, וזה המנהג עד היום בארץ הודו.  

And behold, the interpretation of bar is "son," as in (Proverbs 31:2): "What, my son (beri), and what, O son (bar) of my womb?" And so it is written [in verse 7], "You are My son (b'ni atah)." And the custom of nations in the world is to place their hands under the hand of the king (like the brothers of Solomon [showing submission, cf. (I Chronicles 29:24)]), or [for] the servant [to place his hand] under the thigh of his master [for an oath, cf. (Genesis 24:2)], or to kiss the king. And this custom [of kissing the ruler] exists until today in the land of India.

ופן יאנף - שב אל השם הנזכר בפסוק הראשון ואם הוא רחוק כמו תבלעמו ארץ איננו שב אל מלת מי כמוכה באלים רק אל אמר אויב, וככה והקימו את המשכן עד בואם.  

Lest He be angered (פֶּן־יֶאֱנַף - pen ye'enaf): [The pronoun "He"] refers back to HaShem [God] mentioned in the previous verse ("Serve Ad-nai"). Even if the antecedent is distant, [this occurs elsewhere], like [in (Exodus 15:12)] "the earth swallowed them" – ["them"] does not refer back to the [immediately preceding] phrase "Who is like You among the gods?" [v. 11] but rather to [the more distant] "[the] enemy said" [v. 9].¹ And similarly [in (Exodus 40:17-19), the fulfillment of actions] "and they erected the Tabernacle" [refers back to commands given much earlier].

ויש אומרים: כי נשקו – מגזרת נשק. והטעם נשקו כלי בר והנה בר כמו ברי לבב והיה ראוי להיותו בור או יהיה תקנו הבר או כלי הבר. 

And some say (v'yesh omrim): That nashku is from the root neshek (נֶשֶׁק - arms, weaponry). And the meaning [would be]: Arm yourselves (nashku) with purity (var). And behold, bar [would then mean "pure"], like [in (Psalm 24:4)] "pure (b'rei) of heart." [However, Ibn Ezra notes grammatical issues:] It properly should have been [the noun] bor (בֹּר - purity), or [the phrase would be] "equip (tiknu) the purity (ha-bor)" or "[take up] the weapon/vessel (k'li) of purity (ha-bor)."

ותאבדו דרך - תהיו אובדים מפאת הדרך כמו נובלת עליה, כי היא בעצמה איננה נובלת רק עליה נובלים, כי היא מהפועלים העומדים. ורבי משה הכהן אמר: כי דרך כמו מדרך כף רגל. וזה רחוק כי אין לו טעם.  

And you perish [from the] way (וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ - ve-to'vdu derekh): [This means] you will be perishing because of the way (mi-pe'at ha-derekh). Similar [is the construction in (Isaiah 1:30)] "whose foliage fades" (novelet aleha, lit. 'fading its leaves') – for the [tree] itself does not fade, but its leaves fade. Because it [the verb avad - אבד, to perish] is one of the intransitive verbs (po'alim ha-omdim). And Rabbi Moshe Rabbi Moshe [ben Shmu'el Gikatilla] HaKohen said: That way (derekh) here is like "a foot's tread" (midrakh kaf regel) [from (Deuteronomy 2:5), meaning a place to stand]. And this is far-fetched (rachok) because it has no sense/reason (ta'am). [Ibn Ezra rejects this interpretation]. 

כי יבער כמעט אפו - פועל יוצא כאש תבער יער כדרך אש אוכלה והפעולה חסר, כי אין צורך כי חרי האף נמשל לאש. 

For His anger burns quickly (כִּי־יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפּוֹ - ki yiv'ar kim'at appo): [The verb b'r - בער, burn] is [often] transitive (po'el yotze), like [in (Isaiah 9:17)] "as fire burns (tiv'ar) the forest," in the manner of (Deuteronomy 4:24) "a consuming fire (esh okhlah)." And [here] the object (ha-pe'ulah) is missing [i.e., it doesn't say what the anger burns], because there is no need [to state it], for burning anger (chari ha-af) is [already inherently] compared to fire.

What makes Ibn Ezra’s exegesis so remarkable is that he not alone interprets the phrase nashku bar in v. 12 as kissing the Son, meaning that the nations must worship the King as God’s begotten Son, he even applies to him the worship which the prophet Zechariah states the nations will eventually give to YHWH himself!

Note the verse Ibn Ezra cited:

“Behold, a day is coming for Yahweh when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. Indeed, I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city will go forth in exile, but those left of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then Yahweh will go forth and fight against those nations, as the day when He fights on a day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; indeed, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then Yahweh, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!... And Yahweh will be king over all the earth; in that day Yahweh will be the only one, and His name one... Then it will be that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, there will be no rain on them.” Zechariah 14:1-5, 9, 16-17 Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)    

Contrary to Ibn Ezra’s objection, the context is explicit and unambiguous that the King that comes to dwell in Jerusalem and whom the nations must worship is not a mere human being. Rather, it is YHWH God Almighty himself!

Therefore, Ibn Ezra has ascribed to the Messianic King the unique, exclusive worship due to YHWH God!

Further Reading

Ibn Ezra, Isaiah & Messiah

INJIL, IBN ABBAS & Al-BUKHARI

MESSIAH IN THE ARAMAIC PSALMS

MESSIAH OF THE MIDRASHIC PSALMS