Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 14:25/אבן עזרא על שמות י״ד:כ״ה
אויסר. מהבנין הכבד הנוסף והיה לו להיותו ויסר בפתח קטן תחת סמ"ך, וכבר הזכרתי דקדוקו:
1AND HE TOOK OFF. Va-yasar (and He took off) is a hifil.114. It should have been vocalized va-yaser with a segol beneath the samekh. I have already noted its grammatical explanation.115
בוי"א כי טעם ויסר את אפן מרכבותיו, שהתירו קשר האופן מהסוסים לברוח להיותם קלים ומהומת השם הכתובה למעלה נפלה עליהם ועל סוסיהם ולא יכלו לנהגם רק בכבדות, ואחרים אמרו כי הוא מגזרת סורר (דבר' כא יח) שרצה ההולך לפניהם להפוך המרכבה:
2[AND HE TOOK OFF THEIR CHARIOT WHEELS.]116 Some say its meaning is that they117 untied the knot of the wheel118 from the horses119 so that, being lighter,120 they could flee more easily. However, the above-mentioned divine discomfit fell upon them and their horses, and they could only drive them with great difficulty.121 Others say that va-yasar comes from the root of sorer (rebellious) (Deut. 21:18).122, meaning to rebel. Thus va-yasar (and he took off) means: and he rebelled. He who went before them wanted to turn the chariot around.123
גנלחם להם במצרים. בעבורם, והתברר דבר השם שאמר וידעו מצרים כי אני ה' (למעלה פ' ד) לפני מותם:
3FOR THE LORD FIGHTETH FOR THEM AGAINST THE EGYPTIANS. Lahem124 means for them.125 it means on behalf (see Weiser). It now becomes clear that God’s word, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord (v. 4), which He spoke earlier meant: and the Egyptians shall know before their deaths.