Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 31:49/אבן עזרא על בראשית ל״א:מ״ט
אוטעם יצף ד'. כמו ד' יראה, וכן "צופח נתתיך" (יחז' ג יז):
1[THE LORD WATCH.] The meaning of yitzef adonai is : the Lord will watch. I have appointed thee a watchman (tzofeh) (Ez. 3:17) is similar.
בכי נסתר אנחנו שיהיה כל אחר ממנו רחוק מחבירו ולא יראנו, השם רואהו,
2[WHEN WE ARE ABSENT.] Ki nissater (when we are absent) is to be read as if written: ki nissater anachnu.77. I.E. says that this should be read as if written: ki nissater “anachnu” ish me-re’ehu. The reason for inserting anachnu is that the context requires a first person plural pronoun (anachnu) following nissater (a verb in the first person plural imperfect) since what follows (ish me-re’ehu) is in the third person. We will be distant one from another and will not be able to see each other. Nevertheless, God will see each one of us.
גוטעם אשר אמר שב אל לבן, יעקב קראה מצפה בעבור שאמר לו יצף ד':
3[FOR HE SAID.] This refers to Laban. Jacob called it78 Mizpah because Laban said to him, the Lord will watch, etc.79 should be understood as follows: and Mizpah, i.e., Jacob called it (the stone) Mizpah because and he said, i.e., Laban said to him, the Lord watch, etc.