Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 31:12/אבן עזרא על שמות ל״א:י״ב

אויאמר. כל לאמר עם וידבר לאמור לו רק זה לאמר לישראל:

1SAYING. Every time the word lemor (saying) is used with va-yedabber³⁵ (he spoke),³⁶ (spoke) as in our verse. its meaning is, saying to him.³⁷ (he spoke to him saying), its meaning is, he spoke to Moses, saying to him. Here³⁸ (and the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying). According to I.E. this should be interpreted: And the Lord told Moses to tell the [following to the] children of Israel. [He told him] Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying to them (lemor), Verily ye shall keep My sabbaths. So Zarza, Weiser, Krinsky, Netter, and Sarim. However, this interpretation is very difficult. its meaning is, to tell Israel.³⁹, not va-yeddaber. However, I.E. considers va-yomer and va-yedabber as synonyms.