Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 19:2/אבן עזרא על שמות י״ט:ב׳
אויסעו. וכבר נסעו מרפידים, כאשר הראיתיך רבים כאלה:
1AND WHEN THEY WERE DEPARTED FROM REPHIDIM.20 Hence I.E.’s comment. Its meaning is, they had already departed from Rephidim.21 is out of place here, for Israel departed from Rephidim before they came to Sinai. Hence va-yisu is to be rendered: and they had already departed, rather than: and they departed. J.P.S. translates accordingly. I have pointed out to you many other such instances.22 is a pluperfect. See Vol. 1, page XVI.
בויחנו במדבר. הוא מדבר סיני הנזכר:
2THEY ENCAMPED IN THE WILDERNESS. The previously mentioned wilderness of Sinai.
גוטעם ויחן שם ישראל, אחר שאמר ויחנו במדבר, כי ראשי המטות והזקנים חנו נגד ההר בעבור כבודם, על כן הזכיר ויחן כי מועטים היו, כי כפי מעלתם עמדו ביום מתן תורה סביב הר סיני כאשר אפרש ורבינו שלמה אמר כי כנגד ההר מזרח והנה כתוב מנגד סביב לאהל מועד יחנו (במד' ב ב) שהוא מארבע הפאות, כי כאשר יסעו הדגלים כן יחנו:
3[AND THERE ISRAEL ENCAMPED.] Scripture reads, and there Israel encamped, after stating, they encamped in the wilderness, because the heads of the tribes and the elders camped before the mountain due to their respected positions.23 refers to the heads of the tribes. As I will explain,24 Israel stood around the mountain, in accordance with their status, on the day the Torah was given. Scripture uses the singular form va-yichan (encamped) because they25 were few in number. Rabbi Solomon26 says that before (mi-neged) the mount means on the eastern side of the mountain. However, Scripture states, a good way off (mineged) shall they pitch, round about27 (before) does not mean east, for Scripture goes on to say, round about (saviv). Hence the word neged can refer to any direction. the tent of meeting (Num. 2:2), namely, on all sides of the tent of meeting. For28 as the standards journeyed,29 so did they camp.30