Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 1:10/אבן עזרא על שמות א׳:י׳
אהבה. הבה את אשתי (ברא' כט כא) לשון זכר, והוא הנכון כמו לכה נא עמנו ולנקבה הבי המטפחת (רות ג' טו), לכי ובאי (מ"א א יג), בעבור שידברו במלות האלה הרבה, יאמרו הבה נרדה (ברא' יא) ולנקבה הבה נא אבוא אליך (שם לח טז) כמו "לכה נשקה את אבינו יין" (שם יט לב):
1COME (HAVAH). The word havah (give) in Give me my wife (Gen. 29:21) is in the masculine and as such is properly used there.95, which is a masculine singular imperative, is properly used. J.P.S. in our verse translates havah as come. It is similar to the word lekhah (come) in come, I pray thee with us.96. I.E.’s point is that both havah and lekhah come from stems that have a yod as their first letter and a heh added to their roots in the masculine singular imperative form; i.e., at times we say havah and lekhah in place of hav and lekh. In the feminine we say havi, as in Bring (havi) the mantle that is upon thee (Ruth 3:15), and lekhi (go), as in Go and get thee in (I Kings 1:23). Now because these words are used often the masculine form is employed both as a plural and as a feminine singular.97 is a masculine singular form. Nevertheless, it is also used when the rules of grammar call for havu (in the plural) or havi (in the feminine singular). Scripture thus reads, Come (havah), let us go down (Gen. 11:7);98 is used as a plural. Come (havah) I Pray thee, let me come in unto thee (Gen. 38:16).99 is here employed as a feminine. It is like Come (lekhah), let us make our father drink wine (Gen. 19:32).100 is used as a feminine. The usual feminine form of this word is lekhi. Lekhah is ordinarily masculine.
בנתחכמה. נבקש דרך חכמה שלא ירבה:
2LET US DEAL WISELY. Let us search for a wise way to prevent them from multiplying.101 (let us deal wisely) is a hitpa’el. Hence I.E.’s comment. Cf. Rashi, “Let us consider wisely what to do with them.”
גלו. בעבורו, כמו "אמרי לי" (שם כ יג), דע, כי כל הפעלים עוברים או עתידים שם הפועל בכחם, פי' שם דבר הנגזר מן הפועל שהוא חסר הוא נשמע מכח הפעלים כמו "והנה ברכת ברך" (במד' כג יא) "וברך ולא אשיבנה" (שם שם כ) והטעם וברך ברכה, וככה "וברוב יועצים תקום" (משלי טו כב), והשלם יועצים עצה תקום, וככה כי תקראנה קורות מלחמה, א"ר מרינוס, כי טעם ועלה מן הארץ, כמו ועלינו, ודבר ככה שלא יכשיל השטן פיהו, ולפי דעתי אין צורך.
3WITH THEM. The word lo (with them) is to be rendered, because of them.102 (with them) is, to him. Hence I.E.’s comment. It is similar to the word li (of me) in say of me (Gen. 20:13).103Note that all perfect and imperfect verbs imply a verbal noun.104. I.E. uses this term for both a noun and an infinitive (Weiser). I.E.’s point is that there are instances in which a noun or an infinitive should follow a verb but it does not. In other words, even though a noun derived from a verb is missing in the text it is implied in the verb. For example, ve-hinneh berakhta varekh (and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether) (Num. 23:11)105 (in this case the infinitive) barekh is stated in the text. and And when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back (Num. 23:20), the meaning of which is: And when he hath blessed a blessing, I cannot call it back.106 (blessing) is omitted from the text. However, it is implied by the verb u-verakh (and when he hath blessed). The same is true of But in the multitude of counsellors they are established (Prov. 15:22). The complete version of the latter is: But in the multitude of counsellors, counsel is established.107 (counsel) was stated rather than implied in the word yo’atzim (counsellors). Similarly, when there befalleth us any war (v. 10) is to be interpreted as, when there befalleth us any accidents of war.108 (there befalleth) is a plural. Milchamah (war) is a singular. Hence I.E. suggests that the verse be read as if the noun korot (accidents) were written between tikrenah and milchamah.Rabbi Merinus109 says that and get them out of the land means, and we will get us out of the land. He believes that Pharaoh said and get them out of the land so that Satan would not ensnare him in the utterances of his mouth.110 11a and Rashi on this verse. However, I see no need for this interpretation.111 means: Israel will leave Egypt and return to their homeland (Krinsky).