Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 36/אבן עזרא על בראשית ל״ו
אהוא אדום. הוא אבי אדום ואל תתמה על עדה ובשמת שיש לה ב' שמות כי כן שם אֵם אַבִיָה, גם שם "אביה" בד"ה איננו כמו בס' מלכים, כי שני שמות הי' לה גם לאביה,
1THE SAME IS EDOM. He is the father of Edom.1, which I.E., based on verse 9, interprets as, he is the father of Edom (Krinsky). Filwarg interprets it as, both Esau and his descendants are called Edom. Our verse teaches that Esau is Edom and verse 9 (which reads, Esau the father of the Edomites) that Esau’s descendants are called Edom. Do not be surprised that Scripture here calls the daughter of Elon the Hittite whom Esau married Adah, while earlier it refers to her by the name of Basemath (Gen. 26:34), for she had two names.2 We find the same with the mother of Abijah.3 Indeed, Abijah himself (II Chron. 11:20) is called Abijam in the Book of Kings (I Kings 15:1) and Abijah in Chronicles (II Chron. 11:20).4 The Bible refers to them by two different names because both Abijah and his mother had two names each.
בוטעם אלה שמות בני עשו על בני בניו:
2These are the names of Esau’s sons (v. 10) refers to his grandchildren.5, must refer to his grandchildren. Krinsky suggests that there is a scribal error and that the reference is to And these are the generations of Esau in verse 9.
אבת ענה בת צבעון. והנה מצאנו כי יש ענה אחי צבעון גם שם בנו ענה, על כן יאמר כי האב והבן או שני האחים, שכבו אשה אחת, והנולדים לא נודעו בן מי הם, ויתכן להיות זאת אהליבמה בת ענה שהוא בן צבעון ויחסה הכתוב לשם אביה ואבי אביה להפריש בין ענה ובין ענה, וי"א כי יש קרח בן עדה ויש קרח בן אהליבמה והקרוב אלי שהוא בן אהליבמה והוא אחד והזכירו הכתוב עם אלופי אליפז שהיה דר עמהם גם יתכן שמתה אמו כי הוא הקטן מבני אהליבמה, וגדלה עדה את קרח עם בניה, ונכתב עליו שהוא מבניה כמו בני מיכל ויהי לה לבן, וכן נכתב על עמלק מבני עדה בעבור שהוא בן שפחת בעלה,
1AND OHOLIBAMAH THE DAUGHTER OF ANAH, THE DAUGHTER OF ZIBEON THE HIVITE. We find in our chapter a man called Anah who is the brother of Zibeon (v. 20). We further read that Zibeon had a son called Anah (v. 24). Our verse thus relates that Zibeon and his son Anah, or perhaps Zibeon and his brother Anah, slept with the same woman and the offspring did not know who their father was.6 However, it is also possible that Oholibamah was the daughter of Anah the son of Zibeon, and Scripture lists her as being the daughter of Anah and Zibeon in order to distinguish between Anah the son of Zibeon and Anah the brother of Zibeon.7 Some say that our chapter speaks of a Korah the son of Adah8. Thus Korah must be Adah’s son. and Korah the son of Oholibamah.9 However, I believe that both are one and the same person. Korah was the son of Oholibamah. The reason he is listed among the chiefs of Eliphaz10 is that he lived among them. It is also possible, since he was Oholibamah’s youngest son, that his mother died when he was still a child and that Adah raised him along with her own family and Scripture includes him with her children. Our case is similar to the five sons of Michal (II Sam. 21:8).11. 19b., “Michal bore these five children? Did not Merab give birth to them?” The Talmud answers, “Merab bore them but Michal raised them. Hence they are called her children.” Korah thus became Adah’s son. Scripture similarly says that Amalek was a son of Adah12. Thus Amalek was the son of Timna, not the son of Adah. because he was the son of the handmaid of her husband.13, read her son. Weiser suggests that I.E. had a tradition that Timna was first Esau’s concubine and then Eliphaz’s concubine, hence I.E.’s statement, “concubine of her husband.” The Bible lists Amalek among Adah’s children because Adah helped raise him (Weiser).
בופי' אלוף נשיא וגדול ואינו כן "ככבש אלוף" (ירמי' יא יט) רק הכ"ף ישרת עצמו ואחר עמו, וכן הוא ככבש כאלוף כי משפט לשון הקדש לדבר כן, כמו "כריע כאח לי" אמר המתרגם גבורים (תהלים לה יד):
2[CHIEF.] The meaning of alluf is a prince or chief. However, this is not the meaning of alluf (docile)14 as ox. Ke-kheves alluf does not mean like a great sheep, but rather like a lamb or like an ox. in ke-kheves alluf (like a docile lamb) (Jer. 11:19). In the latter verse the caf prefixed to keves (lamb) also pertains to alluf; i.e., the verse is to be read as if written ke-kheves ke-alluf (like a lamb, like an ox). The latter is normal Hebrew usage,15 in succession, meaning like this or like that. as can be seen in I went about as though it had been my friend (ke-re’a) or my brother (ke-ach) (Ps. 35:14).
אשעיר. לא ידענו יחוסו, והזכירם הכתוב להפריש יחוסי שעיר ועשו כי ישראל יצוו על בני עשו
1SEIR. We do not know his pedigree. Scripture lists the children of Seir to inform us that they were of a different lineage from the children of Esau. The Bible notes this because Israel was prohibited from contending with the children of Esau.16
בהחורי, כמו חורי יהודה (ירמי' כז, כ) וטעמו גדולה ויתכן להיות מגזרת "ואורנים חורי" (ישעי, יט ט) שהוא לובן וכן אמר התרגום, ונמשלו הסגנים בלובן בעבור שאין בעינים כמוהו והוא כאור והפך זה "בל יתיצב לפני חשוכים" (משלי כב כט):
2THE HORITE. Chori (Horite) means nobles. It is similar to chore (nobles) in the nobles (chore) of Judah (Jer. 27:20).17 (ha-chori) should be translated: These are the sons of Seir the noble (the chief). It is possible that chori (Horites) comes from the same root as chorai in And they that weave cotton (chorai) (Is. 19:9), in which chorai means white stuff. Onkelos similarly renders white by chivvar.18 to mean nobles. Nobles are called chorim (the white ones) because they are metaphorically speaking, like the color white,19 a color which resembles light.20 In contrast to chorim, mean men are called chashukkim (dark ones), as we read in He shall not stand before mean men (chashukkim) (Prov. 22:29).21 is the antithesis of kings. Chashukkim comes from the word choshekh (black or dark). We thus see that white is a symbol of nobility, and black of poverty (Cherez) or of non-nobility, of meanness (Weiser).
אואיה ענה. פי' הוי"ו כפ"א רפה בלשון ישמעאל ובר"ה איננו:
1AIAH AND ANAH. The vav prefixed to Aiah has the same meaning as the Arabic fa.22 before Aiah. If this vav is a connective vav we should translate: And these are the children of Zibeon and Aiah and Anah. I.E. points out that the vav before Aiah is not to be translated. It is superfluous and is placed for emphasis (Weiser). We have a similar clause without a vav prefixed to Aiah23. in Chronicles (I Chron. 1:40).
בהימים., כמו "האימים לפנים" (דבר' ב יוד), כי ימצא האל"ף שיתחלף ביו"ד כמו יתימרו, ויאמר הגאון שהם פרדים ופי' מצא הרכיב ויתכן להיות מצא שהוא מצא בתחלה זאת החכמה, כי מין אחד עם מין אחר לא יולידו, ויחזיק זה הפירוש שאמר הכתוב ברעותו את החמורים, ואילו היו הימים צמחים כאשר פי' רבים מה טעם להזכיר החמורים:
2THE HOT SPRINGS. Onkelos renders yemim (hot springs) mighty men as in The Emim dwelt therein aforetime, a people great, and many, and tall (Deut. 2:10).24 with them. It is possible to compare the two because we find the yod and alef interchanging25 equals emim. Nachmanides explains that Onkelos held that Anah was attacked by Emem, who wanted to rob his father’s asses, and overcame them. Thus he found the Emim in the wilderness as he fed the asses of Zibeon, his father. as with the word yityammeru (bear themselves loftily) (Ps. 94:4).26 (shall ye revel) (Is. 61:6). Either we have a scribal error (Krinsky) and what I.E. is saying is that tityammaru could have been written titammeru since Ps. 94:4 employs the term yitammeru (bear themselves loftily), or I.E. is saying that Ps. 94:4 could have read yityammeru since Is. 61:6 reads tityammaru (Weiser). Spelled with a yod or an alef it means to exalt. However, Saadiah Gaon translates yemim as mules. He interprets who found to mean who crossbred.27 8:5. It is also possible that who found means who first discovered the technique of crossbreeding, since two different species cannot produce offspring.28 The latter interpretation is substantiated by Scripture’s stating, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.29 If the meaning of yemim is plants, as is maintained by many commentators, why should Scripture mention as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father?30) in the desert, what need is there to tell us that he did this as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father?
אואלה בני ענה דישון ואהליבמה בת ענה. אין זה ענה הנזכר בראש הפסוק כי אילו היה הוא מה צורך להזכירו רק הוא ענה הנזכר בפסוק הראשון:
1AND THESE ARE THE CHILDREN OF ANAH: DISHON AND OHOLIBAMAH THE DAUGHTER OF ANAH. Anah the father of Oholibamah is not the same Anah mentioned in the first part of our verse,31 because if he is, there would be no need to mention him again. He is rather to be identified with the Anah mentioned in the preceding verse.32
אואלה המלכים. י"א כי בדרך נבואה נכתבה זאת הפרשה, ויצחקי אמר בספרו כי בימי יהושפט נכתבה זאת הפרשה, ופי' הדורות כרצונו, הכי קרא שמו יצחק, כל השומע יצחק לו כי אמר כי הדר הוא הדד האדומי, ואמר כי מהיטבאל אחות תחפנחס, וחלילה חלילה שהדבר כמו שדבר על ימי יהושפט, וספרו ראוי להשרף, ולמה תמה על שמונה מלכים שמלכו שהם רבים, והנה מלכי ישראל כפלים במספר, ושני אלה המלכים קרובים לשני מלכי ישראל גם מלכי יהודה רבים הם ממלכי אדום עד ימי משה והאמת שפי' לפני מלך מלך על משה מלך ישראל, וכן כתוב ויהי בישורון מלך (דבר' לג ה):
1AND THESE ARE THE KINGS. Some say that this chapter records a prophecy.33. Saul was Israel’s first king. Thus our chapter appears to deal with the post Mosaic period. These commentaries explain that Moses wrote our chapter as prophecy. However, Yitzchaki34 claims in his book that this chapter was composed during the reign of King Jehoshaphat.35 He explained the generations as he saw fit. Was he not rightly named Yitzchak?36 Everyone that heareth his interpretation will laugh at him.37 For he identified Hadar (v. 39) with Hadad the Edomite (I Kings 11:14)38 and also said that Mehetabel (v. 39) is to be identified with the sister of Tahpenes the queen of Egypt.39 Far be it for one to believe that our chapter was written in the days of Jehoshaphat as Yitzchaki maintains. Indeed his book is fit to be burned. Why did Yitzchaki maintain that it is impossible for eight Edomite kings to have reigned before Moses40 13a). We thus subtract 17 from 210 and we get 193 (Cherez). when we find double the number of kings in Israel in about the same number of years?41., v. 13). Thus Israel had 16 kings in 241 years. Why, then, is it so hard to believe that eight Edomite kings reigned in 193 years (Krinsky)? Cherez explains that the first 16 kings of Israel reigned 210 years. Thus Israel had 16 kings in 210 years. Furthermore, there were also proportionally many more kings of Judah in the same time period than the eight Edomite kings who reigned till the age of Moses.42 The truth is that king, in before there reigned any king over the children of Israel, refers to Moses who was king over Israel, and so it is written, And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5).
אבלע בן בעור. איננו בלעם, גם בלעם איננו בן לבן הארמי ויתכן שדרך הדרש בעבור היותו מנחש כמוהו, כי לא יפול מדברי רבותינו ז"ל ארצה גם בלעם ארמי היה וזה בלע אדומי, גם יובב בן זרח איננו איוב כאשר אמר היצחקי המהביל:
1AND BELA THE SON OF BEOR. Bela is not to be identified with Balaam the son of Beor,43 to Bela spells Baalam. Because of this and their father having the same name, some consider them to be the same. Cf. Targum Jonathan on this verse. and neither is Baalam the son of Laban the Aramean.44 105a. The Midrash which states that Baalam is the son of Laban is probably based on the fact that both were sorcerers45 because “none of the words of our sages of blessed memory ever fall to the ground.”46 We cannot identify Baalam with Bela because Bela was an Edomite and Baalam an Aramean.47 We are also not to identify Jobab the son of Zerah (v. 33) with Job, as Yitzchaki48 the windbag does.
אמהיטבאל בת מטרד. כטעם בת ענה בת צבעון, או הזכיר הכתוב שם אביה ושם אמה:
1MEHETABEL THE DAUGHTER OF MATRED, THE DAUGHTER OF ME-ZAHAB. This is to be explained49 in the same manner as we interpret Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon (v. 2).50 On the other hand Scripture may be listing Mehetabel’s mother and father.51
במי זהב. כן שמו והגאון אמר צורף זהב, ואחרים אמרו רמז לעושים זהב מנחושת ואלה דברי רוח:
2ME-ZAHAB. This was his name.52 However, Saadiah Gaon says that Me-Zahab means a goldsmith.53 Others say Me-zahab alludes to those who make gold out of copper.54 However, the latter is sheer nonsense.55
אוטעם ואלה שמות אלפי עשו למקומתם. שיש להם היום מקומות ידועים, ואלה דברי משה, ואלה הנזכרים הם בני האלופים הכתובים למעלה, ולא הזכיר כי אם מי שיש לו מקום:
1[AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHIEFS THAT CAME OF ESAU…AFTER THEIR PLACES] This means that their territories are well-known today (in the days of Moses). These are the words of Moses.56 adds that the 11 chiefs of Edom (enumerated in verses 40-43) are now ruling each in his own territory. Those now mentioned are the offspring of the chiefs mentioned above.57 Only those that had their own territories are mentioned.58
בתמנע. במקום הזה זכר, כי יש לנו שמות רבים לזכר ולנקבה שוים, וכן אהליבמה, או יהיה הפי' להיות אלוף נוסף ויהיה אלוף תמנע שהיתה פילגש אליפז, אלה הם אלופיה עלוה גם יתת, והנה אלה נשיאי עמלק, ואלופי אהליבמה הי' שבעה בימי משה אנשי מקומות על כן הוסיף לבאר במושבותם:
2TIMNA. Here it refers to a male.59 was a male. Hence Timna can be either a male or female name. For we have many names which are used both for male and females. The same holds true for Oholibamah.60 was a male. It is also possible that the word chief is superfluous,61 refers to the word chief prefixed to Alvah and Jetheth. The verse should thus be read: the chief of Timna, Alvah and Jetheth. The same applies to Oholibamah (Krinsky) or the word chief prefixed to Timna is superfluous. The verse should be read: Timna, the chief of Alva, the chief of Jetheth. The same applies to Oholibamah (Weiser). the interpretation of the chief of Timna, the chief of Alvah, the chief Jetheth being, the following are the chiefs of Timna, Eliphaz’s concubine, Alvah and Jetheth. Alvah and Jetheth were chiefs of Amelek.62 (v. 12). Hence the chiefs of Timna, Alvah and Jetheth were chiefs of Amalek. There were seven chiefs of Oholibamah in the day of Moses. Each of these chiefs had his own territory. Hence Moses was explicit and added, according to their habitations.63