Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 10/אבן עזרא על שמות י׳

אזרע איש תם אל הושיעו, וביד עבדו חק הידיעו הנה מצות החדש, היא סוד פרשת בא אל פרעה:
בא אל פרעה. בא אליו זאת הפעם, ואל תשתומם בעבור שחזק לבו עד עתה, כי אני הכבדתי את לבו ואת לב עבדיו, הזכיר לב עבדיו בעבור שירך לבם בבוא מכת הארבה:

1GO IN UNTO PHARAOH. Go in unto him this time⁴ and do not be astonished that he has hardened his heart until now,⁵ For I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants. God mentioned the heart of his servants because their hearts⁶ would mellow with the coming of the plague of the locusts.⁷

בוטעם שהכבדתי את לבו, למען שתי אותותי אלה בקרבו ואין דעת חכמי ספרד שוה, כי י"א כי שיתו, כמו בינו, שימו, והדומה להם, וככה ישית, ישים, יבין, והדומה להם בכל הסימנים, וי"א שהוא מבנין הפעיל, והוא הבנין חסר, בעבור שמצאו, או מי ישום אלם (למעלה ד יא), לשוש עליך לטוב כאשר שש על אבותיך (דבר' ל ט) שהוא מבנין הקל, וי"א ישיש כמו ישוש, ושיתי כמו שומי והכל מבנין הקל:

2[FOR I HAVE HARDENED HIS HEART.] Its meaning is: I have hardened his heart that I might show these My signs in the midst of them. The Spanish scholars differ with regard to the word shiti (I might show).⁸ Some say that shiti is similar to binu⁹ (consider) (Deut. 32:7), simu (set)¹⁰ (Gen. 43:21), and other such words.¹¹ as their middle root letter. In other words, shiti is a kal from the root shin, yod, tav. The same is the case¹² having a yod as their middle root letter. with yashit (he will put), yasim (he will place), yavin (he will understand), and comparable words¹³ in all of their¹⁴ forms. Others hold that shiti is a hifil minus the sign of the form,¹⁵ Because it is a hifil the word should read hashiti. because they found the words yasum¹⁶ is a kal from the root sin, vav, mem. Now if shiti was a kal it should read yashut (like yasum), rather than yashit, in the third person imperfect form. Hence the form yashit must be a hifil. Similarly, if shiti were a kal it would read shuti. It should be noted that these grammarians assume that the root of shiti is shin, vav, tav (Weiser). (maketh) and la-sus (rejoice)¹⁷ is a kal infinitive from the root sin, vav, sin. Here too we see that such roots are vocalized in the kal with a shuruk, not with a chirik as shiti is. Hence shiti cannot be a kal. The point of these grammarians is that when we come across forms such as yasis, yashit and the like, we are dealing with hifils having a vav as a middle root letter. When we come across forms such as yasus, yashut, we are dealing with kals having a vav as a middle root letter. Hence the word shiti must be a hifil (Weiser). in who maketh a man dumb (Ex. 4:11) and for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers (Deut. 30:9), all of which are kals. Others say that yasis is similar to yasus (he will rejoice)¹⁸ is not a hifil; it is a kal. The reason it is pronounced yasis and not yasus is that yasis comes from the root sin, yod, sin, and yasus comes from the root yod, vav, sin (Weiser). and shiti to sumi (set).¹⁹, and one from the root sin, vav, mem. Compare, som tasim (thou shalt in any wise set) (Deut. 17:15). Som comes from the root sin, vav, mem, and tasim from the root sin, yod, mem. Both som and tasim are kals. It is the same with the words for put/set. One word comes from the root shin, vav, vav, and the other from the root shin, yod, tav. Shiti comes from the latter root, hence its vocalization. They are all kals. In Ex. 12:9 we find: “Behold, I the writer add to the words of this sage as I heard from his mouth.”

אולמען תספר. למשה ידבר שהוא כנגד כל ישראל, וככה וידעתם כי אני ה', שידעו כל ישראל זה, ודברה תורה כלשון בני אדם לומר התעללתי, כאדם משנה התולדות להנקם מאחר:

1AND THAT THOU MAYEST TELL. God spoke to Moses, who is equivalent to all of Israel.²⁰ doesn’t only refer to Moses, to whom God was speaking, but to all of Israel. The point is that Israel might tell their children and grandchildren all that God did to Egypt. Similarly, that ye may know that I am the Lord ²¹ means that all Israel shall know the aforementioned. The Torah speaks in human terms when it says, I have wrought, for it pictures God as acting as a human being who arranges events in order to avenge himself upon another.

אויבא. ידענו כי לא יבא משה אל פרעה בלא אהרן עמו, כי הוא המליץ, והזכיר עתה משה ואהרן בעבור שהושבו שניהם וגרשם באחרונה שלא עשה כן בכל המכות:

1AND MOSES AND AARON WENT IN. We know that Moses would not come in unto Pharaoh unless Aaron was with him,²² as Aaron was his spokesman.²³ Scripture here mentions Moses and Aaron because now, unlike any of the other instances of the plagues, they were both returned to and finally expelled from the presence of Pharaoh.

בלענות. מבנין נפעל מגזרת עני:

2TO HUMBLE. Le’anot (to humble) is a nifal.²⁴ It comes from the same root as ani (humble).²⁵.

אארבה. שם מין אולי נקרא כן בעבור שהוא יותר רב מהמינים האחרים, וכתוב יתר הגזם אכל הארבה (יואל א ד), ועליו כתיב חילי הגדול (שם ב כה), ואם כן יהי האלף נוסף:

1LOCUSTS. Arbeh (locusts) is the name of a type of locust.²⁶ Perhaps it is so called because it is more numerous than other kinds of locusts.²⁷, meaning numerous. Scripture states, That which the palmer-worm (gazam)²⁸ hath left hath the locust (arbeh) eaten (Joel 1:4).²⁹, and chasil. We thus see that arbeh is a type of locust. Concerning it, Scripture states, My great army which I sent among you (Joel 2:25). If this be the case then the alef of arbeh is superfluous.³⁰

אוכסה. דרך משל:

1AND THEY SHALL COVER. Metaphorically speaking.

בולא יוכל לראות. תחסר מלת איש, אמר יפת, כי ימים רבים בין מכת הברד למכת הארבה, בעבור הצומח לכם מן השדה:

2THAT ONE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE.³¹ The word ish (a man) has been omitted.³² Yefet says that many days passed between the plague of hail and the plague of locusts, for Scripture states: which groweth for you out of the field.³³ (Ex. 9:25).

אומלאו. זו המלה משונה בלשון הקדש כי טעם ומלאו, שהבתים היו מלאים מהן והנה מצאנו "מלאו ארבעה כדים מים" (מ"א יח לד) שהוא פועל יוצא כאילו הוא כתוב בפתחות המ"ם ודגשות הלמד מהבנין הדגוש:

1SHALL BE FILLED. This word³⁴ (filled) is a third person kal perfect plural. The vav changes it into an imperfect. is irregularly used in the Hebrew language.³⁵. The meaning of u-male’u (shall be filled) is that the houses were full of locusts.³⁶ is intransitive. However, mile’u is transitive. Both are kal forms. However, we also find mile’u (fill) in Fill four jars with water (I Kings 18:34) wherein mile’u is a transitive verb. It is as if it were vocalized with a pattach beneath the mem and a dagesh in the lamed³⁷. and belonged to the conjugational form that receives a dagesh.³⁸ is always transitive.

בויפן. אמר ר' ישועה, כי ויפן הוא שב אל משה, שהיה חולק כבוד למלכות, שפונה אל המלך בצאתו והוא הולך אחורנית ויפת אמר כשהשלים צרכו וככה, ופנית בבקר (דבר' טז ז) והנה מה יעשה במלת ויפן כה וכה (למעלה ב יב), והנה טעם ויפן מגזרת פנים, כאילו הוא וירא והנה משה יצא מאת פרעה בלא רשותו, והזכיר הכתוב זה בעבור שכעס פרעה וצוה לגרשם אחר שהושבו:

2[AND HE TURNED.] Rabbi Joshua says that va-yifen (and he turned) refers to Moses, who paid his respects to the throne by facing the king³⁹ means: and he faced. Compare, panim (face). and walking out backwards.⁴⁰ However, Yefet says that Moses finished his duties.⁴¹ means: and he was finished, i.e., finished his duties. Compare, panuy (unoccupied, disengaged). So too u-fanita (and thou shalt turn)⁴² means: and you will be finished. in and thou shalt turn in the morning (Deut. 16:7). However, what shall Yefet do with the word va-yifen (and he looked) in And he looked this way and that way (Ex. 2:12)?⁴³ Va-yifen is to be explained as coming from the same root as panim (face).⁴⁴. It should be noted that the same applies to the above interpretations. However, I.E. means that the word means to turn the face and look. According to I.E. the meaning of our verse is: and he looked (va-yifen); i.e., he turned his face and went out from Pharaoh. It has the same meaning as va-yar (and he saw). Now Moses left the presence of Pharaoh without his permission. Scripture notes this because Pharaoh asked that Moses and Aaron be brought back. After they were returned Pharaoh, in anger, commanded that they be driven out.⁴⁵

אויאמרו. פי' הטרם תדע, הטרם תרצה שיתברר לך כי אבדה מצרים:

1AND PHARAOH’S SERVANTS SAID. The meaning of ha-terem⁴⁶ means before. See I.E. on Ex. 10:30 and the notes thereto. teda (knowest thou not yet) is: do you first want it to become clear to you that Egypt is destroyed.

אויושב. מלת את כמו עצם הדבר וכאשר יאמר האדם אוהבי שהיו"ד סימן המדבר, או יאמר אוהב אותי, שהטעם עצמי הדבר שוה על כן אם אמר אומר כי ראובן הרג את שמעון. אז שמעון הרוג, אך באמור ראובן הרג שמעון הטעם שוה, כמו ורב יעבוד צעיר (ברא' כה כג) אשר ברא אלהים אדם (דבר' ד לב), ואל תחשוב כי מלת את לאות על הפעול בעבור שהוא נמצא כן ברבים, וימצא עם הפועל, ובא הארי ואת הדוב (ש"א יז לד) ואחרים ככה, ואמר ר' יהודה המדקדק, כי בעבור מלת את אמר ויושב ולא אמר ויושבו, ולפי דעתי כי אמר ויושב בעבור כי משה הוא העיקר, וככה ותדבר מרים ואהרן (במד' יב א) היא היתה עקר הדבור:

1WERE BROUGHT AGAIN. The word et indicates the thing itself.⁴⁷ because our text reads, va-yushav et moshe ve-et aharon, (and Moses and Aaron were brought again). Now whether one says ha-adam ohavi (the man loves me), in which the yod is a first person pronominal suffix, or he says ha-adam ohev oti (the man loves me),⁴⁸ is a form of et. the reference being to my very self,⁴⁹ refers to the very persona. the meaning is one and the same. Therefore, if someone says re’uven harag et shimon (Reuben killed Simeon) he is telling us that Simeon has been slain. However, the same is the case if he says, re’uven harag shimon (Reuben killed Simeon).⁵⁰ does not make a difference. Re’uven harag et shimon means the same as re’uven harag shimon. Ve-rav ya’avod tza’ir (and the elder shall serve the younger) (Gen. 25:23)⁵¹. and asher bara Elohim adam (that God created man) (Deut. 4:32)⁵². are similar. Do not think that et indicates the direct object because it is often found to be so used.⁵³ It is also found before the subject, as in u-va ha-ari ve-et ha-dov (and when there came a lion, or a bear) (I Sam. 17:34)⁵⁴ and many other similar cases. Rabbi Judah the grammarian says that Scripture reads, va-yushav (were brought again) rather than va-yushevu (were brought again)⁵⁵ is in the singular. Its literal meaning is, was brought again. Since Scripture speaks of Moses and Aaron we would expect the plural, va-yushevu. because of the word et.⁵⁶ is connected to the word et, which does not take on a different form before a plural, it too does not take on a plural form (Filwarg). However, I believe that Scripture reads, va-yushav because Moses was the most important one. Scripture similarly reads, va-tedabber miriam ve-aharon⁵⁷ is a feminine singular. Since Scripture speaks of Miriam and Aaron we would expect a plural masculine. (And Miriam and Aaron spoke) (Num. 12:1) because Miriam was the main speaker.

אכי חג ה' לנו. לזבח והיא מצוה על כולנו:

1FOR WE MUST HOLD A FEAST UNTO THE LORD. All of us are obligated to sacrifice unto the Lord.⁵⁸ (feast) means a sacrifice, and our clause is to be translated: for we must sacrifice unto the Lord.

אויאמר. יהי כן ה' עמכם, שאתם אומרים עמכם:

1SO BE THE LORD WITH YOU. Whom you say is with you.⁵⁹

בוטעם ראו כי רעה נגד פניכם, כי הרעה קרובה מכם, ונגד פניכם היא, ועם זה הטעם דבק, כי אותה אתם מבקשים כי דין שאעשה ככה, ועתה חשב פרעה שהם רוצים לברוח, ודע כי משה אדונינו לא אמר לפרעה שישובו עד שיכזב, רק אמר שירחיקו דרך שלשת ימים, ודעת המצריים היתה שישיבו על כי השאילום, ובעבור דבר אחר, שאילו נתן להם פרעה רשות ללכת ולא ישובו לא היה רודף אחריהם, והשם צוה לעשות כן, עד שירדוף אחריהם ויטבע, והנה זה מפורש, וישובו ויחנו לפני פי החירות (יד ב), ואין להרהר אחרי מעשה השם שהכל עשה בחכמה, אעפ"י שהיא נעלמת מעיני החכמים, והנה בדברי דוד "כשמעך את קול הצעדה בראשי הבכאים, אז תחרץ, כי אז יצא ה' לפניך להכות במחנה פלשתים" (ש"ב ה' כד):

2[SEE YE THAT EVIL IS BEFORE YOUR FACE.] The evil is close to you and is before your face. This meaning is also to be connected to for that is what ye desire (v. 11).⁶⁰ refers to the evil mentioned in our verse; i.e., the clause is to be understood: for it is evil that you desire. Hence it is only right that I so act. At this point Pharaoh surmised that they wanted to flee.⁶¹ Note that our Master Moses did not go so far as to lie and say that Israel would return. He merely said that they would travel a three days’ journey (Ex. 9:23). However, the Egyptians thought that they would return. Hence they let them have what they asked.⁶² (Ex. 12:35). They would not have given these objects to Israel if they had not believed that Israel would return. Moses had another reason for acting in this manner.⁶³ Had Pharaoh given Israel permission to go⁶⁴ and Israel did not return, Pharaoh would not have pursued them. However, God commanded Moses to act in this manner so that Pharaoh would chase after them and drown. Behold, this is clearly stated, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth (Ex. 14:2).⁶⁵ (Ex. 14:3, 4). One should not question the acts of God,⁶⁶ as He does everything with wisdom, though it be hidden from the eyes even of wise men. We find a similarity in the account of David, viz., And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is the Lord gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines (II Sam. 5:24).⁶⁷ (II Sam. 5:23, 24). Here too God instructed David to lead the Philistines into a trap so that God would destroy them. The Lord acted in this manner even though He could have destroyed them without employing this strategy.

אלא כן לכו נא הגברים. מלת גבר בכל המקרא הם הזכרים ולא כן מלת אדם:

1NOT SO; GO NOW YE THAT ARE MEN. The word gever (man), unlike the word adam (man),⁶⁸ can refer to both a male or a female. Compare, Gen. 1:27. always refers to a man in Scripture.

בכי אותה אתם מבקשים. על הרעה הנזכרת למעלה:

2FOR THAT IS WHAT YE DESIRE. The above-noted evil.⁶⁹

אבארבה. אמר ר' משה הכהן, כי טעם בארבה, שארבה שם במטה, ואין זה נכון רק הטעם בארבה, בעבור שיבא:

1FOR THE LOCUSTS. Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen says that ba-arbeh (for the locusts) indicates that Moses placed a locust on the rod.⁷⁰ of ba-arbeh to mean with. Compare, the bet in be-tuppim u-vimcholot (with timbrels and with dances) (Jud. 11:34). Rabbi Moses interprets our verse as follows: Stretch out thy hand with the locust over the land of Egypt. However, this is incorrect. The correct interpretation of ba-arbeh is: so that the locusts would come.⁷¹ has the meaning of because. Compare, ish be-chet’o (each because of his own sin) (Deut. 24:16).

אקדים. שם התואר, כי קדמה מזרחה שם, ונקרא קדים בעבור שהוא נקדם בפאות כי משם תחל השמש לזרוח, על כן נקרא מערב אחור, כמו הן קדם אהלך ואיננו, ואחור ולא אבין לו (איוב כג ח):

1AN EAST WIND. Kadim (east) is an adjective, since kedemah mizrachah (the east side) is a noun.⁷² is a noun and kadim an adjective. Kadim⁷³ is so called because it is the first of the sides⁷⁴ because the sun begins to shine there. Hence the west is termed achor (hinder side).⁷⁵ Compare, Behold, I go forward (kedem), but He is not there, And backward (achor), but I cannot perceive Him (Job 23:8).

בנשא את הארבה. ממקומו, והניחו בכל ממלכות מצרים

2BROUGHT THE LOCUSTS. From its place and deposited them in all the kingdom of Egypt.

אויעל. אמר ואחריו לא יהיה כן, נכתב עפ"י הנבואה:

1WENT UP. Neither after them shall be such was prophetically written.⁷⁶

אויכס. טעם ותחשך הארץ, כי הארבה הבדיל בין השמש ובין הארץ, כי לעולם הארץ חשך היא:

1FOR THEY COVERED THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. The meaning of so the land was darkened is that the locusts intervened between the sun and the land. The land is always dark.⁷⁷

אוימהר פרעה לקרא. על יד שלוחיו, והוסיף לומר להם חטאתי, בעבור שגרש אותם בקלון מאת פניו:

1THEN PHARAOH CALLED FOR MOSES AND AARON IN HASTE. Via his messengers.⁷⁸ Pharaoh added, I have sinned, because he drove them away from his presence in disgrace.

אועתה שׂא נא. מלת שא נא אפרשנה בפרשת כי תשא:

1NOW THEREFORE FORGIVE, I PRAY THEE. I will explain the term sa na (forgive, I pray thee) in the Torah portion Ki Tissa.⁷⁹

בוטעם אך הפעם, כי לא אחטא עוד למרוד פי ד' ובעבור שהיה כעוס משה לא אמר לו שישלח העם, ויצא חוץ לעיר כמשפטו ויעתר:

2[ONLY THIS ONCE.] Because I will not sin again by rebelling against the Lord. Pharaoh did not promise to free the people because Moses was angry.⁸⁰ Moses went out of the city as was his wont⁸¹ and prayed.⁸²

אויהפך ד' רוח ים. נקרא מערב ים בלשון הקדש, בעבור ים הגדול היוצא מספרד ועובר על ארץ מצרים, אל ארץ ישראל, והוא לפאת מערב ואיננו ים אוקינוס כי ישראל לא ירשו כל כך, ונקרא ים ספרד הים הגדול בעבור שרחבו ג' מאות פרסאות, ושאר הימים שבארץ ישראל כים סוף וים כנרת וים המלח אין בהם שיהיה רחב שלשים פרסה:

1AND THE LORD TURNED AN EXCEEDING STRONG WEST WIND. West is termed yam⁸³ in the holy tongue because the great sea⁸⁴ which goes out from Spain and passes by the land of Egypt and goes on to the Land of Israel lies in the west. This sea is not to be identified with the Atlantic Ocean because Israel did not inherit that much territory.⁸⁵ The Spanish Sea is called the great sea because it is three hundred Persian miles wide, whereas none of the seas in the Land of Israel such as the Sea of Reeds, the Kineret, and the Salt Sea is even thirty Persian miles wide.

אויחזק. על דרך שאז"ל, בא ליטמא פותחין לו:

1BUT THE LORD HARDENED. This is to be understood à la the words of our sages of blessed memory who said, “The door is opened for one who comes to defile himself.”⁸⁶ 104a; Yoma 38b.

אויאמר. מדרך הסברא כי המטה היה בידו, אף על פי שאיננו כתוב:

1AND THE LORD SAID. We may logically assume although it is not so stated that Moses’ staff was in his hand.⁸⁷

בוימש חשך. אמר יפת כי וימש חשך, כמו וימיש, והטעם כי ימיש כל חשך שהיה להם וידע ויבא אחר עב ממנו, וי"א כי הוא חסר אל"ף ומלת אמש בלה"ק הלילה שעבר כמו, אמש אמר אלי (בראשית לא כט) ובלשון ערבי "אמס" כי השי"ן יתחלף בסמ"ך ברוב המלות, כמו שמש שמס, והנה אין טעם לפירושם, ולפי דעתי כי וימש מגזרת ימשש (דבר' כח) ואין טענה בעבור שהוא מפעלי הכפל כי כמוהו בזה הענין ידיהם ולא ימישון (תה' קטו ז) ושב על מצרים כי מצרים לשון יחיד כמו, ויאמר מצרים אנוסה (למטה יד כה), והנה הטעם שימששו בידם החשך שכל כך יהיה עב כי האור של אש לא ידלק, ולא הנר, והעד, לא ראו איש את אחיו, לא באור היום ולא באור הנרות:

2EVEN DARKNESS WHICH MAY BE FELT. Yefet says that ve-yamesh (which may be felt) is like ve-yamish (and it shall depart);⁸⁸, meaning to depart or remove. Compare, lo yamish amud he-anan, (the pillar of cloud by day departed not) (Ex. 13:22). its meaning is: that the darkness to which they have become accustomed shall depart and another type of darkness, thicker than it, shall come. Others say that ve-yamesh is missing an alef.⁸⁹, spelled vav, yod, mem, shin, is a form of emesh. According to him ve-yamesh choshekh (even darkness which may be felt) means: and the darkness of the night shall be even more dark (Cohen). Now the word emesh in the holy tongue refers to the previous night, like emesh (yesternight) in spoke unto me yesternight (Gen. 31:29). It is the same case with the Arabic ams, as the shin and samekh interchange in most of the words.⁹⁰ Now their interpretation makes no sense.⁹¹ means yesternight. Thus ve-yamesh choshekh has to be translated: and yesterday shall be dark. This makes no sense. I believe that ve-yamesh comes from the same root as yemashesh (gropeth) (Deut. 28:29).⁹², meaning to feel, to grope. One cannot argue that yemashesh comes from a double root⁹³, which has one shin, at first glance does not. because with regard to something very similar Scripture uses the term yemishun (handle)⁹⁴ in They have hands but handle not (Ps. 115:7).⁹⁵, yet its meaning is to feel. As to the root of ve-yamesh and yemishun, they either come from the root mem, vav, shin, which is a variant of the root mem, shin, shin, or they come from the root mem, shin, shin and are conjugated with only one of the double letters. There are a number of other such words. Compare, asev (I will turn around) (root, samekh, bet, bet) and achel (I will begin) (root chet, lamed, lamed). Cf. Weiser. Ve-yamesh refers to Egypt, Egypt being in the singular,⁹⁶ is a singular. If ve-yamesh refers to Egypt the plural form should have been used, hence I.E.’s comment. as in so Egypt said I will flee⁹⁷ (I will flee) is in the singular. (Ex. 14:25). Now the meaning of ve-yamesh choshekh (even darkness which may be felt) is that the Egyptians will feel the darkness with their hands,⁹⁸ means: and he shall feel. Thus ve-yamesh choshekh means: and he (Egypt) shall feel the darkness. for the darkness shall be so thick that neither a candle nor a fire shall give off light. They saw not one another (v. 23) neither by the light of day nor by candlelight is proof of the aforementioned.⁹⁹.

אויט. ולא ידעו שהי' ג' ימים אלא על פי ישראל שהיה להם אור, והנה בים אוקינוס יבא חשך עב שלא יוכל אדם להפריש בין יום ובין לילה, ויעמוד זה לפעמים חמשה ימים, ואני הייתי שם פעמים רבות:

1AND MOSES STRETCHED FORTH. The Egyptians had no way of knowing that three days passed except through the Israelites, who had light. Now there are times when a thick darkness¹⁰⁰ comes over the Atlantic Ocean during which time it is impossible for a person to distinguish between day and night. The aforementioned occasionally lasts for as long as five days. I myself have been there many times.

אולא קמו איש מתחתיו. מביתו, כמו שבו איש תחתיו (טז כט) כי אנה ילכו בלא אור:

1NEITHER ROSE ANY FROM HIS PLACE. From his house, as in abide ye every man in his place (Ex. 16:29). For where could they go without light?

אויקרא. אחר ג' ימים שראו אור:

1AND PHARAOH CALLED. After three days when they saw light.

ברק צאנכם ובקרכם יצג. לדעת מה בלב משה אם דעתו לברוח, ואמר גם טפכם ילך, כמו שאמר לו משה בתחלה בנערינו ובזקנינו נלך (פ' ט):

2ONLY LET YOUR FLOCKS AND YOUR HERDS BE STAYED. Pharaoh wanted to know what was in Moses’ mind. He wanted to learn whether Moses planned to escape.¹⁰¹. If they intended to return they wouldn’t mind leaving the latter behind. Pharaoh said, let your little ones also go with you because Moses had earlier told him, We will go with our young and with our old (v. 9).

אגם אתה תתן בידינו זבחים ועולות. גם אתה חייב ליתן בידינו זבחים ועולות להקריב בעדך:

1THOU MUST ALSO GIVE INTO OUR HAND SACRIFICES AND BURNT-OFFERINGS. You are obligated to give into our hands sacrifices and burnt offerings to be brought on the altar on your behalf.

אוגם. לא תשאר פרסה מאיזה מין שיהיה ממקנינו, שלא נדע איזה מין נבחר, וכמה נקריב ממנו וזהו טעם מה נעבוד:

1THERE SHALL NOT A HOOF BE LEFT BEHIND. Of any kind that are among our cattle, as we do not know which kind we are to choose¹⁰² and how many of them we will sacrifice. This is the meaning of we know not with what we must serve.

אויחזק. כדרך כי הקשה ד' אלהיך את רוחו ואמץ את לבבו (דברי' ב ל):

1BUT THE LORD HARDENED PHARAOH’S HEART. In a manner similar to for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate (Deut. 2:30).

אתמות. אתה תהיה חייב מיתה שתמרוד במלכות:

1THOU SHALT DIE. You will deserve to be put to death for rebelling against the king.

אכן דברת. כמו, כן בנות צלפחד (במד' כז ז):

1THOU HAST SPOKEN WELL. Ken (well) here has the same meaning as ken (right) in The daughters of Zelophehad speak right (Num. 27:6).¹⁰³ as meaning true or correct. Our clause may thus be rendered: thou hast spoken truthfully; or, thou hast spoken correctly.

בלא אוסיף עוד ראות פניך שאני לא אבוא אליך עוד לעולם:

2I WILL SEE THY FACE AGAIN NO MORE. For I will never come to you again.