What does "Lifnei Katzir" refer to?
Rashi: The ripening of the harvest of Amalek and Gog, before he fulfills his lust and intent to eradicate his brother (Yakov).
Radak: It is before the harvest finishes; its time is [the latter] half of Nisan, Iyar and [the first] half of Sivan. It is one of the four 1 seasons.
Malbim: This returns to the metaphor in the previous Perek, that they grafted onto it an inferior species, and a flooding river will wash away all the harvest (17:10-11). Before they were able to harvest, Machaneh Ashur inundated them.
This is like R. Meir (Bava Metzi'a 106b). According to every Tana, each season is two months, and there are six seasons in a year (Bereishis 8:22)! Perhaps 'four' is a printing mistake. (PF)
What is "k'Sam Perach..."?
Rashi: When its flower is finished, and soon its grain will ripen in its ears, and the bud of its vine will become big like white beans.
Radak: In [the first] half of Sivan, most grapes in Eretz Yisrael are unripe. The verse depicts Gog and Magog and the Goyim who will come with him to Yerushalayim, after the salvation, as a sprouting vine. When the flower is cast off, it will bud. The bud will become Boser (unripe grapes), and they will grow gradually until they are ripe grapes. This is a metaphor for Gog and Magog, who will come with a great multitude - horses, cavalry, people in majestic garments, all with shields and swords. They will increase every day - "Paras v'Lud u'Fut Itam Kulam Magen v'Chova" (Yechezkel 38:5). Just like Boser ripens and gets close to full growth, so Gog and Magog, and when they are close to completing their success and conquering Yerushalayim, and half the city will be exiled, then Hashem will fight those nations.
What is the grammatical form of "Nitzah"?
Radak #1: The Hei is soft (without a Dagesh), even though it is a feminine pronoun (its Netz).
Radak #2: The Hei is because the word is feminine, like we find "v'Yashlech ka'Zayis Nitzaso" (Iyov 15:33).
What are "Zalzalim" and "Netishos", and what is the significance of cutting them?
Rashi: They are the vine branches and roots, respectively. This represents killing the officers and rulers among Gog, his soldiers and helpers.
Radak: Zalzalim are young tender vines that are easily ruined. Netishos are branches that spread; they are called Sheluchos - "Sheluchoseha Niteshu Avru Yam" (16:8).
Malbim: Zalzalim are the foreign branches grafted onto the Kadosh sapling vine, i.e. the nations that Yisrael relied on and joined to them; they cut Yisrael with pruning hooks. Netishos are the branches of the tree itself that spread greatly, i.e. the 10 tribes, which mixed with the Goyim.
What is "v'Hesaz"?
Radak: It is cutting. Its root is Tazaz, with a doubled Zayin - "Ru'ach Tazazis" (Yerushalmi Yuma 8:5).
Malbim: [The 10 tribes were "removed from their place,] and cut off" [to another land, and exiled].
