Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 4:37/אבן עזרא על דברים ד׳:ל״ז
אויבחר בזרעו. רמז ליעקב כי אם אמר בזרעם יכנסו עמנו שמנה גוים:
1AND CHOSE THEIR SEED. Be-zaro (their seed)85 alludes to Jacob. If Scripture had read be-zaram (their seed), then the eight nations86 would have been included with us.
בויוציאך בפניו. בכעס שכעס על מצרים וי״א כמו ומלאך פניו הושיעם ולפי דעתי שהוא כמו ופניך הולכי' בקרב:
2AND BROUGHT THEE OUT WITH HIS PRESENCE. Befanav (with His presence)87 means with His anger.88 He was angry at Egypt. Others say that panav (presence) here is similar to panav (presence) in And the angel of His presence saved them (Is. 63:9).89 However, I believe that panav (presence) here is similar to panekha (thine own person) in and thou go to battle in thy own person (Josh. 17:11).90 is to be rendered presence. See I.E. on Ex. 33:14 (Vol. 2, p. 688).