Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 34/אבן עזרא על דברים ל״ד
אויעל משה. לפי דעתי כי מזה הפסוק כתב יהושע כי אחר שעלה משה לא כתב ובדרך נבואה כתבו והעד ויראהו ה' גם ויאמר ה' אליו גם ויקבור:
1AND MOSES WENT UP. I believe that Joshua wrote from this verse onward,1 for Moses did not write2 after he ascended.3 Joshua wrote prophetically.4 And the Lord showed him; And the Lord said unto him (v. 4); and also, And he was buried (v. 6) are proof.5
אוימת שם משה עבד ה'. שאפי' במותו עשה מה שצוהו כעבד:
1SO MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD DIED THERE. Even in his death Moses, like a servant, did what God commanded him.
בעל פי ה'. כי הוא אמר לו עלה ומות וכן ' ' נכתב על אהרן על' פי ה' וכן על פי ה' יחנו:
2ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD.6 (literally, by God’s mouth). Hence I.E.’s comment. For God told him, Get thee up (Deut. 32:49) and die (Deut. 32:50). Scripture similarly writes with regard to the death of Aaron, at the commandment of the Lord7. (Num. 33:38). It similarly states, At the commandment of the Lord8. We thus see that al pi Adonai is not to be taken literally but is to be interpreted according to God’s command. I.E. comments thus because there is a midrash which takes al pi Adonai literally and tells us that Moses died by God’s kiss. See Mo’ed Katan 28a; Bava Batra 17a. Also see Rashi. they encamped (Num. 9:23).
אויקבר אותו. הוא קבר עצמו שנכנס במערה בגיא וכן וירעו הרועים אותם ויראו שוטרי בני ישראל אותם ודע כי הר העברים שהוא הר נבו שהוא צלם ככב הוא בעצמו הגיא שהוא ראש הפסג' שהוא מול בית פעור והעד שאמר הכתוב כי נסע ישראל מבמו' אל הגיא אשר בשדה מואב ראש הפסגה וכתיב ויעל משה מערבות מואב אל הר נבו ראש הפסגה ושם מת ושם קבורתו וכתיב ונשב בגיא מול בית פעור והנה אחר שישבו ישראל בגיא אמר הכתוב ויסעו בני ישראל ויחנו בערבות מואב וכתוב אחר ויחנו בהרי העברים לפני נבו ויסעו מהרי העברים ויחנו בערבות מואב והנה דבר ברור כי במקום שמת משה שם קבורתו:
1AND HE WAS BURIED.9 (literally, and he buried him). Moses buried himself.10 (and he buried him) is to be rendered, and he buried himself. I.E.’s point is that the pronoun oto (him) or otam (them) sometimes has the meaning of himself or themselves. He entered a cave in the valley. The same is true of but the shepherds fed them (otam),11 (them) is to be rendered themselves. Our clause thus reads, but the shepherds fed themselves. and fed not My sheep (Ezek. 34:8) and, And the officers of the children of Israel did see them12 (otam)13). (Ex. 5:19). Note,14); the valley (gai) which is over against Beth-peor (Deut. 34:6). I.E. goes on to explain that all of these terms refer to one and the same place. Mount Abarim is also known as Mount Nebo.15 Nebo is in the image of Mercury.16. According to I.E. the idol Nebo stood and was worshipped on Mount Abarim. Hence Mount Abarim was also known as Mount Nebo. Mount Abarim is also known as “the valley which is the top of Pisgah which is over against Beth-peor.”17 The fact that Scripture tells us that Israel journeyed from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, by the top of Pisgah (Num. 21:20) is proof of this.18) is to be identified with the top of Pisgah. Furthermore, Scripture writes, And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah (v. 1).19 Moses died there20 and his grave is there.21 Scripture states,22 So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor (Deut. 3:29). Now, Scripture tells us that after Israel dwelt in the valley…the children of Israel journeyed, and pitched in the plains of Moab (Num. 22:1). Another verse states, And [Israel] pitched in the mountains of Abarim, in front of Nebo. And they journeyed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab (Num. 33:47,48). Look, it is clear that Moses’ burial place was in the place where he died.23 and Sotah 13b.
בעד היום הזה. דברי יהושע. ויתכן שכתב זה באחרית ימיו:
2UNTO THIS DAY. These are the words of Joshua.24 15a: “The Holy One, blessed be He, dictated, and Moses wrote in tears.” He probably wrote this at the end of his days.25 indicates that some time had passed since the death of Moses.
אלחה. הה״א תחת וי״ו כמו בתוך אהלה מגזרת לח כי היבשות תתגבר על הזקן:
1HIS NATURAL FORCE. The heh of lechoh (his natural force) is in place of a vav.26. Here it is indicated by a heh. Hence I.E.’s comment. It is like the heh of oholoh (his tent) (Gen. 9:21).27. Lechoh is related to the word lach (moist, fresh).28 means his moistness. Scripture notes this29 because old people are overtaken by dryness.
בוטעם. נס. הפך מתח:
2The word nas (abated) is the reverse of diffused.30
אבני ישראל. ובאהרן כל בית ישראל בעבור כבוד משה:
1THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. However, when Aaron died, even all the house of Israel (Num. 20:29) mourned out of respect for Moses.31, Chapter 17.
בויתמו. וכאשר תמו ימי בכי אבל משה שמה שמעו בני ישראל אל יהושע:
2SO…WERE ENDED. When the days of weeping in the mourning of Moses were ended there,32 the children of Israel hearkened unto Joshua.
אמלא רוח חכמה. היא דוח ה' והעד כי סמך משה את ידיו עליו כי לא ימצא כמותו בישראל שישען עליו:
1WAS FULL OF THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM. The reference is to the spirit of the Lord.33 (Is. 11:2). It then goes on to explain that the spirit of the Lord is the spirit of wisdom and understanding (Ibid.). See I.E. on Ex. 31:3 (Vol. 2, pp. 645,646). For Moses had laid his hands upon him is proof of this,34. for there was not found in Israel one such as Joshua for Moses to lean on.35 to mean relied on him, i.e., took him for a disciple. Be that as it may, according to I.E, For Moses had laid his hands upon him does not mean that the placing of Moses’ hand on Joshua caused Joshua to be full of the spirit of wisdom but rather that Moses placed his hands on Joshua because Joshua was full of the spirit of God.
בויעשו כאשר צוה ה' את משה. שישמעו אל יהושע:
2AND DID AS THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES. That they hearken unto Joshua.
אפנים אל פנים. פירשתיו:
1FACE TO FACE. I have previously explained this.36
אהיד החזקה. פליאות הים:
1THE MIGHTY HAND. The wonders at the sea.37 (literal translation).
בהמורא הגדול. מעמד הר סיני:
2THE GREAT TERROR. When Israel stood before Mount Sinai.38