Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 7:5/אבן עזרא על שמות ז׳:ה׳
אוידעו. כבר הזכיר ר' יהודה המדקדק הראשון ההפרש שיש בין וְיָדְעו ובין וְיֵדְעו, כי הקמץ בקמץ גדול הוא פועל עבר כמו שׁׂמְעו והוי"ו השיבו לעתיד כמשפט, והקמוץ בקמץ קטן, והיו"ד סימן לעתיד כמו וְיִשְׁמְרו, והנח הנעלם בין היו"ד והדלת תחת היו"ד שהוא שרש, והנה הזכיר למה הביא המכות על המצריים, כדי שיודע שמו הנכבד בעולם:
1SHALL KNOW. Rabbi Judah, the first grammarian, has already noted the difference between ve-yade’u (shall know) and ve-yede’u (shall know). The word ve-yade’u, which is vocalized with a long kamatz, is a verb in the perfect. Compare, shame’u (they heard).23 and shame’u are third person perfect forms. The vav prefixed to yade’u changes it24 to an imperfect as per the grammatical rules.25. On the other hand, the yod of the word ve-yede’u, which is vocalized with a tzere,26 which literally means a small kamatz. is a future prefix. Compare, ve-yishmeru (they shall keep).27 in ve-yishmeru (root, shin, mem, resh) is a future prefix. Similarly the yod of ve-yede’u. The silent yod between the yod and the dalet 28 has the yod sound in it. is in place of the root yod. 29 comes from the root yod, dalet, ayin. Since the yod in ve-yede’u is a prefix the root yod is dropped. However, it is compensated by the tzere, which has the yod sound. Thus the word is sounded ve-yede’u, not ve-yide’u as it ordinarily would be. Compare, ve-yishmeru, ve-yishme’u, and ve-yikhtivu. Behold, God noted30 why He brought the plagues upon the Egyptians. He brought them so that His glorious name would be known in the world.31