Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 36:12/אבן עזרא על שמות ל״ו:י״ב

אתי"ו הלולאות. סימן הנקבה, ואחת לולה, ובא תחת האל"ף ה"א, וי"א כי מזאת הגזרה הרה ללת (ש"א ד יט):

1[THE LOOPS.] The tav of ha-lula’ot (the loops)³⁶ is spelled lamed, vav, lamed, alef, vav, tav. indicates the feminine. The singular form of the word is lulah.³⁷ is spelled lamed, vav, lamed, heh. The heh [in lulah] takes the place of the alef.³⁸ (see notes 36 and 37). Hence I.E.’s comment. Some say that the word lalat (near to be delivered) in was with child, near to be delivered (I Sam. 4:19) comes from the same root.³⁹. According to I.E. we should render I Sam. 4:19: was with child, seized by labor pains.