Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 28:59/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ח:נ״ט
אמכתך. לשון יחיד עם רבים מורכבת וכן ועדותי זו אלמדם:
1THY PLAGUES. Makkotekha (thy plagues) is a compound of a singular92 and the plural.93 is a plural. We would thus expect a yod to follow the tav and the tav to be vocalized with a segol in makkotekha. However, the tav in makkotekha is vocalized with a sheva, and makkotekha has no yod in it. The latter is the spelling and vocalization of the singular. Compare, the word edoti (my testimony)94 is a plural. Thus the word should read edotai, for “i” is a singular suffix. Thus edoti is a compound of a plural with a singular pronominal suffix. in And My testimony that I shall teach them (Ps. 132:12).
בטעם והפלא. להיות דבר מופלא שלא נראה ולא נשמע כמוהו:
2The meaning of ve-hifla (will make wonderful) is, it will be an extraordinary thing, for nothing like it was ever seen or heard of.
גונאמנים. שלא יסורו:
3OF LONG CONTINUANCE.95. Literally, and faithful. They will not be removed.96