Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 38:21/אבן עזרא על שמות ל״ח:כ״א
אתנה עוז אב המון לשם והודה, בהגיעך לראש אלה פקודי
1Give thanks to God and ascribe power to Him O “Father of a multitude,”20. Now that you have reached the opening of the Torah portion Ellah Pekude.
באלה פקודי. הטעם פקודי הכלים כי מלת משכן כוללת הכל, ופירש למה נקרא משכן, בעבור הארון ששם לוחות העדות, והנה אחז דרך קצרה וזה האמת בעבור מכתב אלהים:
2THESE ARE THE ACCOUNTS OF THE TABERNACLE. Its meaning is: these are the accounts of the vessels of the tabernacle, for the word tabernacle includes everything.21 Scripture goes on to explain why the structure was referred to as a mishkan (tabernacle).22 literally means a resting place. It was so called because the tablets of testimony were placed in it.23. Now Scripture was brief.24 is short for: even the tabernacle of the tablets of testimony. The tablets were truly a testimony, because God’s writing was inscribed upon them.
גוטעם עבודת הלוים. שהם נושאים את המשכן ואת כל כליו שהיה מפקיד עליהם איתמר כי הגרשונים והמררים הלוים על יד איתמר שהיה פוקד בשמות כל משאם:
3[THROUGH THE SERVICE OF THE LEVITES.] Its meaning is: through the service of the Levites who carry the tabernacle and all of its vessels which Ithamar appointed to them. For the Gershonites and the Merarites were the Levites under the direction of Ithamar, who listed all the objects they were assigned to carry.25