Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 4:35/אבן עזרא על דברים ד׳:ל״ה
אהראת. מבנין שלא נקרא שם פועלו והטעם כי כל אלה הראך האלהים עד אשר תדע כי הוא האלהים לבדו:
1IT WAS SHOWN. Horeta (it was shown) is a hofal. The meaning of our clause is, God showed you all this so that you will know that He alone is God.
בוטעם אין עוד. כאשר רמזתי בפירוש קהלת בפסוק וגבוהים עליהם על כן מלת אין עוד:
2[THERE IS NONE ELSE.] This is to be understood according to the hint which I gave in my commentary on Koheleth on the verse that reads, for one higher than the high (Eccles. 5:7).76 Hence Scripture reads, There is none else.77
גומלת אלהים פירשתיה בפרשת וישמע יתרו כתוב וידבר אלהים והאלהים יעננו בקול בא האלהים אשר שם האלהים כי המדבר הוא אלהים כי יש מי שלא יבין דרך קצרה והוא סוד עמוק:
3[GOD.] I have explained the meaning of Elohim (God) in the Torah portion And Jethro Heard.78 Scripture states, And God (Elohim) spoke (Ex. 20:1); and God (Elohim) answered him by a voice (Ex. 19:19); God (Elohim) is come (Ex. 20:17); where God (Elohim) was (Ex. 20:18); for Elohim (God) was the speaker.79 [I quoted these verses] because there are some who do not understand when one is being brief.80 It is a deep secret.81. I.E. on Gen. 1:1 (Vol. 1, p. 26) explains that Elohim means angels and that God is referred to as Elohim because God works through the angels. I.E. seems to imply that God revealed himself on Sinai through angels rather than through His own essence.