Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 17:12/אבן עזרא על שמות י״ז:י״ב
אוידי משה. ידענו כי אין כח באדם להרים ידיו יום שלם, ואפילו שעות מועטות, ואף כי עד בא השמש, והנה הזכיר וידי משה כבדים יותר מידי שאר הזקנים, ע"כ לא היה יכול להרימם תמיד:
1BUT MOSES’ HANDS WERE HEAVY. We know that a human being does not have the strength to hold his hands up for an entire day. One cannot even hold them up for a few hours, certainly not until the going down of the sun.36? Now Scripture notes that Moses’ hands were heavier than the hands of other old people.37 Moses thus could not continually hold his hands up.
בוטעם וישימו שלא היה יכול לעמוד ושגבו מקומו:
2[AND PUT IT.] Its meaning is, they strengthened his place38 because he was not able to stand up.39
גואהרן וחור עמדו, ואמר הכתוב כבדים על לשון זכרים, וככה מזה אחד ומזה אחד, וכמוהו והנה יד שלוחה אלי והנה בו מגלת ספר (יחז' ב ט):
3AND AARON AND HUR. Stood. Scripture employs the masculine kevedim (heavy)40. Yad (hand) is a feminine, hence I.E.’s comment. and similarly reads, mi-zeh echad u-mi-zeh echad (the one on the one side, and the other on the other side).41 refers to the hands. However, since yad is feminine Scripture should have read mi-zot echad u-mi-zot echad. Ve-hinneh yad sheluchah elai, ve-hinneh vo megillat sefer (behold, a hand was put forth unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein) is similar (Ezek. 2:9).42 (therein) is masculine. However, yad is feminine. We thus see that Scripture occasionally combines feminine nouns with masculine pronouns or adjectives.
דויהי ידיו אמונה. כל אחד מידיו כמו בנות צעדה (ברא' מט כב) וכמו וצדיקים ככפיר יבטח (משלי כח):
4AND HIS HANDS WERE STEADY. Each one of his hands.43 (his hands) is plural; emunah (steady) is singular. Hence va-yehi yadav emunah (and his hands were steady) means: and his hands was steady. I.E. holds that when a verb or an adjective in the plural governs or modifies a noun in the singular, the verb or adjective refers to each one within the plural. Hence, “and his hands was steady” means: and each one of his hands was steady. See Vol. 1, Foreword, p. xvii. The phrase is grammatically similar to Its branches run over the wall (Gen. 49:22)44 (its branches) is plural; tza’adah (run) is singular. According to I.E., Gen. 49:22 should be translated: each one of its branches runs over the wall. See I.E. on Gen. 49:22 and the notes thereto. and But the righteous45 (righteous) is plural; kefir (young lion) is singular. According to I.E., Prov. 28:1 should be translated: but each one of the righteous is secure as a young lion. are secure as a young lion (Prov. 28:1).
הואמונה דבר עומד וקיים והוא שם דבר וי"א מגזרת ויהי אומן את הדסה (אסתר ב ז) כאלו אומנים הם שישאו ידיו:
5STEADY. Emunah (steady) is a noun meaning something lasting and permanent.46 Others say that emunah comes from the same root as the word omen (brought up)47 means a person who raises a child. Cf. Num. 11:12; II Kings 10:1; Is. 49:2. in And he brought up Hadassah (Esth. 2:7). Aaron and Hur were like nursemaids who lifted up his hands.48 (and his hands were steady) means: and his hands were nursed by nursemaids. For other interpretations and possible translations see Weiser and Krinsky.