Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 4:13/אבן עזרא על בראשית ד׳:י״ג
אגדול עוני מנשוא. ופי' על דעת כל המפרשים שהודה חטאו, ופי' נשוא כטעם סלוח כמו נושא עון (שמות לד ז), ולפי דעתי שהעברים יקראו העקב שכר והעונש הרע הבא בעבור העון חטאת, וכן כי לא שלם עון האמורי (בראשית טו טז) "אם יקרך עון" (ש"א, כח, י), "ויגדל עון בת עמי" (איכה ד ו), והטעם כי זה העונש גדול לא אוכל לסבלו ויורה על אמיתת זה הפי' הפסוק הבא אחריו
1[MY PUNISHMENT23 (my sin). IS GREATER THAN I CAN BEAR.] All the commentaries explain this to mean that Cain confessed his sin. They say that the meaning of neso (bear) is forgiveness, as in forgiving iniquity (noseh avon) (Ex. 34:7).24 literally and render our clause as: my iniquity (avon) is beyond (gadol) forgiveness (mi-neso). However, I disagree. In Hebrew reward is called ekev (heel), and the harsh punishment which comes as a result of iniquity is occasionally referred to as “sin.” Similarly we find, for the iniquity (avon) of the Amorite is not yet full25 (Gen. 15:16); there shall no punishment (avon) happen to thee (I Sam. 28:10); For the iniquity (avon) of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom (Lamentations 4:6).26 (iniquity) should be rendered punishment. The verse thus means: the punishment of my people is severer than the punishment of Sodom (Krinsky). The meaning of our verse thus is: my punishment (avon) is greater than I can bear (mi-neso). The next verse substantiates this interpretation.27
בופי' פצתה, פתחה, וכן הבל יפצה פיהו (איוב לה טז):
2Patzetah (v.11) is to be rendered opened. Yiftzeh (doth open) in But Job doth open (yiftzeh) his mouth in vanity (Job 35:16) is similar.