Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 34:9/אבן עזרא על שמות ל״ד:ט׳
אויאמר, טעם ילך נא ד' בקרבנו. כאשר יסעו, כמו והתהלכתי בתוככם (ויקרא כו יב):
1AND HE SAID. The meaning of let the Lord, I pray Thee, go in the midst of us is, when we journey,145 is, let the Lord, I pray Thee, go in the midst of us in all of our journeys; i.e., may God always be with us. as in And I will walk among you (Lev. 26:12).146 is, I will be with you even when you are in exile. See I.E. on Lev. 26:11.
בכי עם קשה עורף. על דעת רבי מרינוס אעפ"י שעם קשה עורף הוא, וכן רפאה נפשי כי חטאתי לך (תה' מא ה) אעפ"י שחטאתי לך, ולפי דעתי רפאני כי אני מודה שחטאתי לך, ובעבור חטאי החליתני, וככה זה, אני מודה כי עם קשה עורף הוא ואתה תסלח:
2FOR IT IS A STIFF NECKED PEOPLE. According to Rabbi Merinus, ki am kesheh oref hu (for it is a stiffnecked people) should be rendered, even though it is a stiffnecked people.147 here has the meaning of even though. The word ki usually has the meaning of because. However, let the Lord, I pray Thee, go in the midst of us; for it is a stiff necked people makes no sense. Hence Rabbi Marinus’ comment. Similarly, refa’ah nafshi ki chatati lakh (heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee) (Ps. 41:5) should be rendered, heal my soul; even though I have sinned against Thee.148 makes no sense. Hence his comment. However, I believe that the meaning of refa’ah nafshi ki chatati lakh is, heal my soul because I confess149 (for) is to be interpreted, for I confess. that I have sinned against Thee and I have become ill because of my sins. The meaning of our verse similarly is: I confess that it is a stiff necked people but pardon150. [our iniquity and our sin].151