Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 36:40/אבן עזרא על בראשית ל״ו:מ׳
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