Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 11:8/אבן עזרא על בראשית י״א:ח׳
אוטעם ויחדלו לבנות העיר. להשלימה כי כבר בנו קצת העיר וקצת המגדל כי כן כתוב אשר בנו בני האדם, או יהיה פי' אשר בנו בני האדם במחשבתם, וכן "וילחם בישראל" (יהושע כד, ט) על בלק והראשון נכון בעיני:
1[AND THEY LEFT OFF TO BUILD THE CITY.] Its meaning is: they left off from completing the city because part of the city and the tower had by this time been built. This is so for Scripture reads, the city and the tower, which the children of men builded (v. 5).40. This indicates that some part of the tower and city had already been completed. It is also possible that the meaning of which the children of men builded is: which the children of men intended to build.41 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel (Josh. 24:9)42 is similar. The first of these interpretations appeals to me.