Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Genesis 22:16/אבן עזרא על בראשית כ״ב:ט״ז

אבי נשבעתי. זו היא השבועה הגדולה העומדת. לעד

1BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN. By Myself indicates a great and eternal oath.²⁷

ביען מטעם ענה, זה המעשה יענה ויעיד:

2BECAUSE. Ya’an (because) is similar in meaning to anah (testify or bear witness).²⁸ is spelled yod, ayin, nun ; anah is spelled alef, nun, heh. Anah means to respond, answer, bear witness. The meaning of the term is: this act will testify and bear witness.²⁹ is, what is going to happen will bear witness that, etc. Cf. I.E.’s comments on Is. 7:15 and Friedlander’s comment thereto.