Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 32:28/אבן עזרא על דברים ל״ב:כ״ח
אכי גוי אובד עצות. הנכון שזה הגוי הם צרי ישראל ומלת אבד שם התאר והיא סמוכה על כן נפתח הבי״ת וידוע כי מלת אבד מהפעלי' העומדי' רק פי' עצות שב אל אבד כמו נובלת עליה וכן ותאבדו דרך שהוא סמוך אל דרך והנה השכיל המתרגם שאמר מאבדי עצה:
1FOR THEY ARE A NATION VOID OF COUNSEL. The reference is to the enemies of Israel. This is its correct interpretation.289 quotes Rabbi Judah as interpreting this verse as referring to Israel. Rabbi Nehemiah explains it as referring to Israel’s enemies. Hence I.E.’s comment. The word ovad (void) is an adjective.290 It is in the construct.291 (counsel). It is therefore vocalized with a pattach beneath the bet.292 in place of oved. It is known that the word ovad is an intransitive verb.293 (counsel). Ovad etzot (void of counsel) is not to be rendered, voids counsel. The correct interpretation of ovad etzot is that etzot (counsel) reverts to ovad (void).294 is to be rendered, void of counsel. It is similar to novelet aleha (whose leaf fadeth)295 is to be rendered, whose leaf fadeth, rather than fadeth its leaves, for novelet is an intransitive verb. (Is. 1:30). The same is true of ve-tovedu derekh (and ye perish in the way) (Ps. 2:12)296 (and ye perish in the way) is to be rendered, and you perish with regard to the way, not and you perish the way. wherein tovedu is connected to derekh. The Aramaic translator who rendered ovad etzot as me’abbede etzah (void of counsel) understood this.