Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 5:19/אבן עזרא על שמות ה׳:י״ט

אויראו. זה הפסוק דבק בפסוקים הבאים אחריו, כי ראו נפשם בצרה בעבור שאמר להם פרעה לא תגרעו מלבניכם דבר יום ביומו, ופגעו משה ואהרן והתרעמו עליהם, ומלת "אותם" כמו נפשם ועצמם וכמוהו "וירעו הרועים אותם" (יחז' לח ח), "ויקבור אותו בגיא" (דבר' לד ו), ור' יהודה בן בלעם אמר כי כמוהו "יביא אותו אל פתח אוהל מועד" (במד' ו יג) ולפי דעתי שהכהן יצוה להביאו:

1DID SEE. This verse is connected to the verses that follow it.¹¹⁵ They saw themselves in dire straits¹¹⁶ (and the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were set on mischief) as: and the officers of the children of Israel did see themselves in dire straits. because Pharaoh had said to them, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily task.¹¹⁷ Then they met Moses and Aaron and complained to them.¹¹⁸ The word otam (they) means themselves,¹¹⁹ their very bodies.¹²⁰ usually means them, hence I.E.’s comment. Otam (themselves) in But the shepherds fed themselves (Ezek. 34:8) and oto (himself)¹²¹ usually means him. However, here it means himself. Otam is the plural of oto, hence I.E.’s comment. in and he¹²² buried himself in the valley (Deut. 34:6)¹²³. are similar. Rabbi Moses ben Balaam¹²⁴ says that oto (it)¹²⁵ in Num. 6:13 as, himself. in he shall bring it (oto) unto the door of the tent of meeting (Num. 6:13)¹²⁶ is also similar. However, in my opinion its meaning¹²⁷ is that the priest shall command to bring him.¹²⁸ in Num. 6:13 has its usual meaning, him. According to I.E. the meaning of the verse is: he (the priest) shall bring him (via a command) unto the door of the tent of meeting. See I.E. on Num. 6:13.