poor. impoverished, reduced. Hebrew. dal. See note on "poverty" (Proverbs 6:11).
reprove. set right, or righten.
smite. Same word as in Isaiah 11:15.
the earth. Some codices read 'driz, "the oppressor", for erez
, "the earth". This reading is confirmed by the Structure of the clause (which is an Introversion): He shall smite the oppressor with the rod of His mouth and with the blast of His lips shall He slay the lawless one. This reading ("oppressor", for "the earth ") depends on whether the first letter is Aleph (= ') or Ayin (= '). If with the word is. erez, earth; and if with it is 'ariz, oppression. These two letters are often interchanged. See notes on Psalms 28:8 (their); Isa 35:15 (tear me). Micah 1:10 (at all). Hosea 7:6 (baker sleepeth). The word ga'al (to redeem) is spelled with Aleph ('), but it has been mistaken for ga'al (to pollute), and is actually so rendered in Ezra 2:62.Nehemiah 7:64. Neh 59:3. Neh 63:3.Lamentations 4:14.Daniel 1:8; Zephaniah 3:1. Mai. Isaiah 1:7. while ga'al is properly so rendered in Leviticus 26:11; Leviticus 26:15; Leviticus 26:30; Leviticus 26:43, Lev 26:44. 2 Samuel 1:21 (vilely. as polluted). Job 21:10 (faileth), Jeremiah 14:19 (lothed), Ezekiel 16:45. The word "power" is spelled 'a (with Aleph) in Psalms 76:7, but 'oz (with Ayin (') in Isa 90:11. See further note on Hosea 7:6 ("in their lying in wait"). The Massorah contains several lists of words in which these letters are interchanged. See Ginsburg's Massorah (Vol. I, p. 57, letter, 514 b, and Vol. II, p. 390, letter, 352-360, &c).
breath. Hebrew. ruach. blast, as in Exodus 15:8; Exodus 25:4. Exo 37:7. 2 Kings 19:7.
the wicked. the lawless one. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44. (sing, not plural) Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:8.