Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 4:13/אבן עזרא על שמות ד׳:י״ג
אויאמר. כבר פירשתי כי כל נא במקרא כמו עתה, וככה דבר נא באזני העם (למטה יא ב) שמע נא יהושע (זכרי' ג ח) יומת נא את האיש הזה (ירמי' לח ד) אוי נא לנו כי חטאנו (איכה ה טז):
1AND HE SAID. I have already explained50 that the word na (I pray) always means now in Scripture.51 (send, I pray) means send now. See, Speak now (na) in the ears of the people (Ex. 11:2); Hear now (na), O Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3:8); Let this man, now (na)52. be put to death (Jer. 38:4); Woe now (na)53 i.e., it does not translates na. unto us! for we have sinned (Lam. 5:16).
בביד תשלח. חסר אשר כאילו הוא כתוב ביד אשר תשלח, כמו "עם לבבם שלם" (דה"ב טז ט) והטעם שישלח זה השליחות ביד אהרן אחיו שהוא איש דברים, כי איננו כבד לשון, והוא רגיל להנבא לישראל, וכתוב ביחזקאל כי השם שלח נביא בישראל לפני בא משה אדונינו וכתיב ויאמר ד' אל אהרן לך לקראת משה המדברה (למטה כ כז), ועוד כי הוא גדול ממנו בשנים, אולי יחר לו שיהיה משה שליח אל פרעה, על כן אמר השם "וראך ושמח בלבו" (פ' יד):
2WHOM THOU WILT SEND. The word asher (whom) has been omitted.54 (send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send). Its literal meaning is: send, I pray Thee (or now) by the hand of Thou wilt send, hence I.E.’s comment that the word asher (whom, i.e., he whom) has to be added to the text. The word asher can mean which, that, who, or in order to. Our verse is to be read as if written be-yad asher tishlach.55 Im levavam shalem (whose heart is whole) (II Chron. 16:9) is similar.56 has to be added to the clause which is to be read as if written, asher im levavam shalem (of them whose heart is whole). Its meaning is, send this message by the hand of Aaron my brother57 who is a man of words, for he is not of slow speech and he is in the habit of prophesying to Israel. Indeed, it is written in the book of Ezekiel that God sent a prophet to Israel before he sent our master Moses.58 Scripture also states, And the Lord said to Aaron: Go into the wilderness to meet Moses (Ex. 4:27).59 Furthermore, since Aaron was older than Moses, he might be angry if Moses was appointed God’s messenger to Pharaoh.60 It is for this reason that God told Moses, and when he (Aaron) seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart (Ex. 4:14).61 Now Moses did not refuse to go.62
גוהנה משה איננו ממאן ללכת רק בתחלה אמר "לא איש דברים אנכי", כי קשה הוא לדבר לפני המלך מי שהוא כבד פה, וחשב כי השם יחדש לו אות להסיר כובד פה, וכאשר השיבו השם והוריתיך ידע כי כובד לשונו לא יסור, הנה תמה משה למה לא ישלח השם אהרן אל פרעה, ובעבור זה אמר "שלח נא ביד תשלח" ומתשובת השם "הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי" יתברר לנו כל זה:
3What happened was that Moses first replied, I am not a man of words (v. 10), and it is difficult for one who is slow of speech to speak before the king. Moses thought that God63. would miraculously remove his slowness of speech. However, when God answered him, and (I) will teach thee what thou shalt speak (v. 12), Moses knew that his slowness of speech would not be removed. Moses thus wondered why God did not send Aaron to Pharaoh. It is for this reason that he said, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send. All of this can be clearly derived from God’s answer, Is not Aaron thy brother… (v. 14).64 implies that Moses suggested that Aaron be chosen in his place. When he (Aaron) seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart implies that Aaron is not angry for not being chosen. He (Aaron) can speak well implies that Moses was concerned with not being able to speak before the king.