Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 41:2/אבן עזרא על בראשית מ״א:ב׳
אבאחו. י"א עמק שבו צמחים. וי"א שהוא שם צמח, הבי"ת נוסף כבי"ת השביעני, במרורים (איכה ג' טו) ועל שני הפירושים, כי הוא בין אחים יפריא (הושע יג טו) הוא אחיו בן אמו:
1IN THE REED-GRASS. Some say that achu (reed-grass) means a valley with plants.4 Others say that achu is the name of a certain type of plant and5. 38. the bet of ba-achu is superfluous.6 as valley then the bet of ba-achu serves a purpose; it stands for “in the.” Thus ba-achu means in the growth covered valley. However, if achu is the name of a plant then the bet is superfluous, for one cannot say they fed in the plant (whatever plant achu might be). According to the latter interpretation our verse is to be translated: and they fed upon achu. It is similar to the bet of va-merorim in, He hath filled me with bitterness (va-merorim) (Lam. 3:15).7 rather than va-merorim. According to both of these interpretations achu here and achim in For though he be fruitful among the reed-plants (achim) (Hos. 13:15) are related and come from one root.8 in Hosea) is its brother (achiv) the son of his mother.” I.E. plays with achim (valley or plant) and ach (brother). His point is that both come from the same root, that our word is in the singular, and that in Hosea it is in the plural (Cherez).