Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 2:15/אבן עזרא על שמות ב׳:ט״ו
אוישמע. ארץ מדין סרים היו אל משמעת פרעה, על כן הוצרך להיות רועה צאן שלא יעמוד בישוב אולי יכירוהו, וכאשר אמר לו השם שמת פרעה ועבדיו שברח מפניהם, ונולד לו בימים ההם בנו הקטן אז אמר ויצילני מחרב פרעה (למטה יח ד) כי כל ימי חייו היה ירא ממנו, ואחר שהזכיר וישב בארץ מדין שב לפרש למה ישב, כי בתחלה ישב לפני הבאר הידועה, כדרך "ויצא יעקב וגו' וילך" (ברא' כח י) ושב למר "ויפגע במקום" (שם פ' יא):
1HEARD. The land of Midian was subservient to Pharaoh; hence Moses had to herd sheep and not live among people and be recognized.140 It was at the time that his youngest son was born that God told Moses that Pharaoh and his servants from whom he had fled were dead. Upon hearing this Moses said, and (God) delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh (Ex. 18:4), as Moses feared Pharaoh as long as Pharaoh lived.141 (God) and ezer (help). Moses so named his son because, he said, For the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh (Ex. 18:4). According to I.E., Moses gave this name to his son after learning that Pharaoh was dead and could no longer harm him. After noting and (Moses) dwelt in the land of Midian, Scripture goes back and explains why Moses dwelt in Midian.142 Moses first sat down before the specified well.143. J.P.S. renders, and he sat down by a well. It is like And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba and went to Haran (Gen. 28:10). After stating the aforementioned the Pentateuch backsteps and states, And he lighted upon the place, etc. (Gen. 28:11).144