Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 29:9/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ט:ט׳
אאתם נצבים לפני ה' אלהיכם. סביבו' הארון:
1YE ARE STANDING THIS DAY. Around the ark.
בראשיכם. כמו האלה' שרה אמו והנבוא' עודד הנביא וכן הוא ראשיכ' שהם ראשי שבטיכ' כמו ונירם. והטעם כי הנשיאי' סמוכים ואחריה' הזקני' ואחריה' השוטרים ואחריה' כל איש ישראל הזכרי' ואחריה' הטף בזכרי' ואחריה' הנשים ואחריה' הגרים:
2YOUR HEADS. Roshekhem (your heads) is similar to haohelah (the tent) in into the tent Sarah his mother (Gen. 24:67)17 is short for into the tent, the tent of Sarah his mother. Similarly, your heads is short for your heads the heads of. See I.E. on Gen. 24:67 (Vol. 1, p. 243). and even the prophecy, Odad the prophet18 (II Chron. 15:8).19 is short for even the prophecy, the prophecy of Odad the prophet. See I.E. on Gen. 24:67 (Vol. 1, p. 243). Roshekhem shivtekhem (your heads, your tribes) is to be interpreted as your heads, who are the heads of your tribes.20 is short for roshekhem roshe shivtekhem. Roshekhem (your heads) is like the word va-niram (we have shot at them) (Num. 21:30).21 (we have shot at them, Heshbon is destroyed). According to I.E. this is to be interpreted as And their king, the king of Heshbon was destroyed. See I.E. on Num. 21:30 (Vol. 4, p. 175). The word is to be so interpreted for the princes22 were closest to the ark.23 After them came the elders, followed by the officers, after whom came all the men of Israel, that is, the males, followed by the male little ones, after whom came the women, followed by the strangers.