The term kam (he rose) is a homonym. In one of its significations it is
the opposite of “to sit,” as “He did not rise (kam) nor move for him”
(Esth. v. 9). It further denotes the confirmation and verification of a
thing, e.g.: “The Lord will verify (yakem) His promise” (1 Sam. i. 23);
“The field of Ephron was made sure (va-yakom) as the property of
Abraham” (Gen. xxiii. 17). “The house that is in the walled city shall
be established (ve-kam)” (Lev. xxv. 30); “And the kingdom of Israel
shall be firmly established (ve-kamah) in thy hand” (1 Sam. xxiv. 20).
It is always in this sense that the verb is employed with reference to
the Almighty; as “Now shall I rise (akum), saith the Lord” (Ps. xii.
7), which is the same as saying, “Now shall I verify my word and my
dispensation for good or evil.” “Thou shalt arise (takum) and have
mercy upon Zion” (Ps. cii. 13), which means: Thou wilt establish what
thou hast promised, viz., that thou wouldst pity Zion.
Generally a person who resolves to set about a matter, accompanies his
resolve by rising, hence the verb is employed to express “to resolve”
to do a certain thing; as, “That my son hath stirred up my servant
against me” (1 Sam. xxii. 8). The word is figuratively used to signify
the execution of a divine decree against a people sentenced to
extermination, as “And I will rise against the house of Jeroboam” (Amos
vii. 9); “but he will arise against the house of the evildoers” (Isa.
xxxi. 2). Possibly in Psalm xii. 7 the verb has this latter sense, as
also in Psalm cii. 13, namely: Thou wilt rise up against her enemies.
There are many passages to be interpreted in this manner, but in no way
should it be understood that He rises or sits—far be such a notion! Our
Sages expressed this idea in the formula, “In the world above there is
neither sitting nor standing (ʻamidah)”; for the two verbs ʻamad and
kam are synonyms [and what is said about the former is also applicable
to the latter].