1)

Who are the six men?

1.

Rashi citing Shabbos 55a: They are Ketzef, Af, Chemah, Mashchis, Meshaber and Mechaleh (angels of wrath and destruction).

2.

Radak: This is a Mashal for six curtains [around the Shechinah]; the seventh was dressed in Badim (ironed linen garments; refer to 9:2:5:1).

3.

Malbim: They were appointed over the city. They come via Sha'ar ha'Elyon, where Beis ha'Melech was.

4.

Malbim according to the metaphor: The six appointees over the city used to see the king's face. They corrupted the nation and killed many [via their command] at the end of the siege, like six angels of destruction armed to destroy.

2)

What is "Sha'ar ha'Elyon"?

1.

Radak citing Yerushalmi Eruvin 5:1: It is the eastern gate. It is called Elyon because it is above Ezras Yisrael.

3)

What is the meaning of "Asher Mafnah Tzafonah"?

1.

Radak: It was northeast. Bavel is northeast of Eretz Yisrael. Mafnah is Pa'ul conjugation, like "Asher Atah Mar'eh ba'Har" (Shemos 25:40).

4)

What is "Mapatzo"?

1.

Rashi: It is [a weapon] that breaks everything, like "v'Nipetz Es Olalayich" (Tehilim 137:9).

2.

Radak: This is like Mashcheso. It is a Kli used to break rocks. This is like "Mapatz Atah Li" (Yirmeyah 51:20).

5)

Who was "Lavush Badim"?

1.

Radak: He is the great scribe and leader of the city. He shoots fire in the city.

2.

Radak (from Eichah Rabah 2:3): This is Gavriel, the angel of fire. He shoots fire in the city. Also Daniel saw that he was "Lavush Badim", and his face was "k'Mar'e Varak v'Einav k'Lapidei Esh" (10:5-6).

3.

Malbim: He is the advocating angel. He has Keses ha'Sofer, in order to write their merits in a Sefer Zikaron.

4.

Malbim according to the metaphor: This was Yirmeyah. He was a Kohen wearing linen garments to serve in the Mikdash. Keses ha'Sofer hung from his loins, to write his Nevu'os in a Sefer, like Hashem commanded him to write in a Sefer the consolations that he saw (Yirmeyah Perek 30). He engaged in quieting the nation and giving to them counsel of Shalom and Emes.

6)

What is "Keses ha'Sofer"?

1.

Rashi: It is a tablet covered with wax. They engrave on it with a pen.

2.

Radak: It is a Kli that holds ink.

3.

Targum Yonasan: Pinkas Safra. Radak - it is paper or a tablet 1 .


1

Radak: The verse discusses ink (or a Kli for it), and not the tablet, for it says (4) that he will mark people's foreheads! Perhaps because the paper or tablet was suspended from the scribe's loins, with the Kli for ink, everything is included in the tablet.

7)

What is "Mizbe'ach ha'Nechoshes"?

1.

Shabbos 55a: [Hashem told them to start killing] where they sing Shirah [with copper instruments].

2.

Rashi: It is the stone Mizbe'ach that Shlomo made in place of the copper Mizbe'ach that Moshe made 1 in the Midbar. Radak - the men stood there, for this is where [the Resha'im] bowed to the east, to the sun. Since they disgraced Hashem's honor, the honor rose above the Keruv (3).


1

I.e. Moshe commanded about it like Hashem said, and supervised the building. (PF)

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