ישעיהו, פרק י״ד, פסוק ג׳

A profound message of comfort is directed at the people of Israel, specifically the exiles of Judah, anticipating the dramatic moment of their liberation. After enduring a lengthy period under the heavy yoke of the Babylonian empire, a time when they could neither lift their heads nor speak freely, a day will arrive when they can finally look back at their oppression, breathe a sigh of relief, and sing a new song celebrating the downfall of their oppressors [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that this profound rest will materialize immediately upon the destruction of Babylon and the collapse of its king. At that moment, God will grant the people absolute freedom and complete relief from their Babylonian suffering [רש״י, מצודת דוד].

This suffering is understood through three distinct dimensions of pain, agitation, and hard labor. There are different perspectives on how to categorize these hardships. One approach suggests that the pain refers to the physical wounds inflicted upon the body, while the agitation describes the emotional turmoil within the heart [אבן עזרא]. Conversely, others maintain that both of these concepts describe different psychological states caused by the sorrow of exile [רד״ק]. In this view, the pain is an internal grief mourning the good that was lost, whereas the agitation represents the constant anxiety and fear of new troubles waiting to strike [מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון]. Through this lens, the soul endured a double emotional trauma from active persecution and harassment [רד״ק, שד״ל], and the promise from God is one of complete mental tranquility.

Alongside this emotional healing, there is a promise of physical rest from the hard labor. This guarantees an end to the physical exhaustion and displacement of the body caused by the harsh reality of slavery [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, the people will be entirely freed from the crushing servitude that foreign oppressors forcefully imposed upon them [רד״ק, שד״ל].