Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 32:33/אבן עזרא על שמות ל״ב:ל״ג
אויאמר. אמר הגאון זהו וינחם ד' (פ' יד) כי אמר להשמיד הכל והטעם הנה לא אמחה מספרי רק אשר חטא לי במחשבתו על דרך למען תפוש את בית ישראל בלבם (יחז' יד, ה) ולא נהרגו כי לא עבדו וזהו ויגוף ד' את העם בעבור שנעשה העגל ובא ספק לאנשים בסתר:
1AND THE LORD SAID. Saadiah Gaon says that this is what And the Lord repented (v. 14) refers to, for God had said that He would destroy all.156 The meaning of our verse is: Look. I will blot out of My book only those who sinned against Me in their minds.157 The aforementioned is to be understood after the manner of that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart (Ezek. 14:5).158 They were not killed159 because they did not actually worship the calf. This is the meaning of: And the Lord smote the people, because the calf was made and doubt160 came to people privately.161