Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 11:4/אבן עזרא על בראשית י״א:ד׳
אומלת הבה כמו תנה ושרשו יהב והעד "השלך על ד' יהבך" (תהלים נה כג) ובעבור שידברו בה הרבה תמצא כן לשון רבים, "הבה נתחכמה" (שמות א, י) גם לנקבה "הבה נא אבוא אליך" (בראשית, לח, טז),
1The word havah (come) means give;18 means give. Cf. Rashi on Gen. 38:16: “The expression havah denotes preparation except where it is to be rendered giving, and even in those instances where havah denotes preparation it is close in meaning to giving.” its root is yod, heh, bet, as is clear from Cast thy burden (yehavecha) upon the Lord (Ps. 55:23). Because haveh is used often, it remains the same in both the feminine and the plural. Compare, come (havah),19 should be used. let us deal wisely with them (Ex. 1:10), and Come (havah),20 should be used. I pray thee, let me come in unto thee (Gen. 38:16).
בואל תתמה על מלת "וראשו בשמים",, כי הנה כן דבר משה "ערים גדולות ובצורות בשמים" (דבר' א כח) ואלה הבונים ראו בעצתם שלא יפרדו והשם לא יעץ כן, והם לא ידעו:
2Do not be surprised at the phrase with its top in heaven. Moses similarly said, the cities are great and fortified up to heaven (Deut. 1:28).21. The builders of the tower hoped that their city and tower would prevent them from dispersing, but this was not God’s will. However, they did not know this.22