Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 32:8/אבן עזרא על דברים ל״ב:ח׳
אבהנחל עליון גוים. אמרו המפרשים על דור הפלגה שנפצה כל הארץ כי אז גזר השם להיות ארץ שבעה גוים לישראל והוא שתספיק למספרם על כן למספר בני ישראל:
1WHEN THE MOST HIGH GAVE TO THE NATIONS THEIR INHERITANCE. The commentaries83 say that the reference is to “the generation of the dispersion”84 when all the earth became inhabited.85 God at that time decreed that the land of the seven nations should belong to Israel, as this land would be large enough for them. Scripture therefore reads, According to the number of the children of Israel.86
ביצב. י״א שהוא שם הפועל כמו הנה לא ידעתי דבר. וי״א שהוא פועל עתיד תחת פועל עבר כמו יעשו עגל בחורב. והנכון בעיני כי שאל אביך רמז למביני' וכן זקניך והטעם כמו אשר חלק ה' אלהיך כי לכל חלק למטה חלק למעלה:
2HE SET. Some say that yatzev (he set) is an infinitive.87 appears to be a third person imperfect, meaning he will set. The verbs be-hanchel (When…gave the nations their inheritance) and be-hafrido (When He separated) which precede yatzev are infinitives. Hence this opinion that yatzev too is an infinitive. Compare the word dabber (speak)88 in behold, I cannot speak (Jer. 1:6). Others say that yatzev (he set) is a verb in the imperfect,89 employed as a perfect.90 is here to be rendered he set. It is like the word ya’asu (they made)91 (they made) is an imperfect employed as a perfect. in They made a calf in Horeb (Ps. 106:19). I believe that Ask thy father alludes to those “who understand.”92 means one who knows and understands the past history of Israel (Weiser). The same applies to “thy elders.” The meaning of the portion93. of the Lord is His people94and according to the number… is similar to which the Lord thy God hath allotted95. Deut. 4:19 reads: which the Lord thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven. (Deut. 4:19), for every portion96 below97 has a portion98 above.99
גוטעם למספר בני ישראל. כאשר אחז״ל כי צורת יעקב אבינו חקוקה בכסא הכבוד והוא סוד גדול והעד כי חלק ה' עמו וזו היא המעלה הגדולה שלא עשה כן לכל גוי על כן אמר הלה' תגמלו זאת עם נבל ולא חכם שנפל ממעלתו באולתו וזה טעם אביך קנך כי קנהו לכבודו וילמדהו כאשר יפרש כמעשה האב עם הבן:
3ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The rabbis, of blessed memory, say that the image of our father Jacob is engraved on the throne of glory.100. Hence I.E.’s comment. See Chullin 91b. Also see Bereshit Rabbah 68:18. The latter is a great secret.101 For the portion of the Lord is His people is proof of this.102 This is a very great status. God did not do this for any nation. Scripture therefore states, Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? (v. 6), that is, a people who have fallen from their status in their foolishness. Now, this God is your father, for he created you for His glory,103 and as Scripture goes on to explain,104 he taught you as a father teaches his son.