Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 5:14/אבן עזרא על שמות ה׳:י״ד
אויכו. עליהם. על בני ישראל, וטעם להוסיף גם פירשתיו:
1AND THE OFFICERS…OVER THEM. Over the Israelites.
בוהנה תמול הוא היום שעשה משה האותות לעיני העם ולא התעסקו בעבודתם גם היום שבא משה ואהרן אל פרעה וכן כתוב "ויצו פרעה ביום ההוא" (למעלה פ' ו):
2[BOTH YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY.] I have previously explained88 the use of the additional gam (both).89, literally, both (or also) yesterday and both (or also) today. The second gam appears to be redundant; indeed, J.P.S. omits it. Now, both yesterday refers to the day that Moses did the signs before the eyes of the people and they consequently were not occupied with their work. To-day refers to the day that Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh.90 (v. 1). And thus it is written, And the same day91 Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people (v. 6).92