On the great Day of Judgment, God will step forward to execute justice against the mighty world powers that have oppressed Israel and cast terror across the earth. This future reckoning is painted through the vivid imagery of terrifying sea monsters, representing the absolute collapse of immense physical and military might. God's watchful providence will actively judge and punish these forces [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא, שטיינזלץ].
The punishment will be delivered with a divine sword that is hard, great, and strong. These specific qualities mirror God's own attributes of being great, mighty, and awesome [שטיינזלץ], highlighting the unprecedented force of His strike [רד״ק]. The weapon's hard material ensures it will never break, its immense length reflects its greatness, and its heavy, crushing blow demonstrates its strength [מלבי״ם].
The primary approach among commentators is that the three monstrous creatures targeted by this strike serve as a metaphor for three distinct empires. However, a minority perspective suggests all three images actually describe a single kingdom—Babylon—which once dominated the far reaches of the earth like a terrifying beast [שד״ל].
The first creature is a straight, bar-like serpent. It is envisioned as a long water snake or crocodile with a rigid body, acting like a locking bar that stretches across the sea from one end to the other [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, שד״ל]. Symbolically, this represents Egypt, the first major power to oppress Israel [רש״י]. Others view it as a symbol of the Ishmaelite empire, which controls a vast expanse of land and spans the globe [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, רד״ק], or as a nation entrenched in fortified mountains, blocking the path of others [מלבי״ם].
The second creature is a twisting serpent, imagined as a snake of enormous length that coils and wraps around itself [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, שד״ל]. This coiled beast is identified with Assyria [רש״י], or with the kingdom of Edom, characterized by its crooked and twisted actions [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, it symbolizes an empire with sprawling territory and a massive population [מלבי״ם].
The third creature is a massive monster residing in the depths of the ocean [מלבי״ם, שד״ל]. Symbolically, this giant fish represents Edom [רש״י], or the various nations of the world situated on distant islands across the sea [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. It is also interpreted as the king of Egypt or Tyre [אבן עזרא], or as a nation that draws its strength from the mighty warriors and giants living within it [מלבי״ם].
Beyond these geopolitical interpretations, some commentators introduce a cosmic dimension. They explain that the serpent represents an ancient celestial body known as the "Teli," a snake-like entity that encircles the entire world [אבן עזרא, רד״ק].