Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 24:5/אבן עזרא על בראשית כ״ד:ה׳
אאולי. ימצא על טעמים רבים, וכן "אולי יעשה זרים" (הושע ח ז)
1PERADVENTURE. Ulai (peradventure) has many meanings in Scripture.8 If so (ulai) be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up (Hos. 8:7), is similar.
בנפתח ה"א הֶהָשֵב בפתח קטן בעבור שיש ה"א הבנין קמוץ, ואילו נפתח בפתח גדול היה כבד על הלשון:
2The heh of he-hashev (must I needs bring back) is vocalized with a segol9 interrogative (heh ha-she’elah) is generally vocalized with a chataf pattach, a furtive pattach. Before heh, alef, chet, ayin it is vocalzed with a pattach. However, here in he-hashev it is vocalized with a segol, hence I.E.’s comment. because the heh 10 vocalized with a long kamatz, the heh interrrogative is vocalized with a segol, hence the vocalization he-hashev. of the hifil which follows it is vocalized with a kamatz.11 comes from the root shin, vav, bet. The heh of hashev is the sign of the hifil. If the first heh of he-hashev were vocalized with a pattach, it would be difficult to pronounce both hehs in succession.12 preceding heh, alef, chet, ayin vocalized with a long kamatz were to be vocalized with a pattach, it would be hard to pronounce both hehs in succession. Therefore it is vocalized with a segol.