Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 17:5/אבן עזרא על דברים י״ז:ה׳
אוסקלתם באבנים. זה או זאת כמו באש ישרפו אותו ואתהן ובעבור שאמר והוגד לך בסתר ושמעת הדבר בגלוי הוצרך לפרש אע״פ שהוגד לך ושמעת לא יומתו רק ע״פ שנים עדים:
1AND THOU SHALT STONE THEM. The man or the woman.8 cannot refer to both of them, for Scripture speaks of a man or a woman. It is similar to they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they (Lev. 20:14).9 (ethen) can’t refer to both women, for what sin did the first woman commit? It is only the second woman taken who is put to death. If he first takes the mother, then it is the daughter who is put to death. If he first takes the daughter, then it is the mother who is put to death. The meaning of ethen (they) thus is, one of them. Since Scripture says, and it be told thee (v. 4) in secret,10 and thou hear it (Ibid.) in public,11 it had to explain that even though it was told to you, and you heard, they shall not be put to death except upon the testimony of two witnesses.12