Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 49:27/אבן עזרא על בראשית מ״ט:כ״ז
אבנימין. דמהו לזאב כי גבור היה והאות אנשי הגבעה,
1BENJAMIN. Jacob compared Benjamin to a wolf because Benjamin was mighty. The men of Gibeah are proof of this.188
בעד, תרגום שלל וכן "אז חלק עד שלל", (ישעי לג כג), ליום קומי לעד (צפניה ג ח) "בגד עדים" (ישעי' סד ה),
2THE PREY. Ad (the prey) has the same meaning as the Aramaic word for spoil (ada).189 as in Vat. Ebr. 38 rather than targum shalal as in the printed manuscripts. Also cf. Kimchi’s commentary on Is. 33:23. Similarly, ad in Then is the prey (ad) of a great spoil divided (Is. 33:23) and in Until the day that I rise up to the prey (ad) (Zeph. 3:8); and iddim (a polluted garment) (Is. 64:5).190 and ed are similar. I.E. interprets ed (prey) to mean spoil..
גולערב, יחלק הטרף ששלל לבניו, וישועה אמר רמז לשאול שנצח את עמלק, וטעם בבקר בתחלת המלכות ולערב בגלותם על דבר מרדכי וזהו דרך דרש, ודעת המתרגם ארמית ידוע:
3[AND AT EVEN HE DIVIDETH.] At even he divideth among his children the prey that he has taken as spoil. Joshua says191 that our verse alludes to King Saul who defeated the Amalekites.192 He explains In the morning as alluding to the beginning of Israel’s kingdom193. and at even as referring to the period of Israel’s exile with regard to Mordecai. However, this interpretation is the way of the Midrash.194 99:3 and Tanchuma 1:14; 2:15. It is hard to understand why I.E. quotes this interpretation in the name of a Karaite when it is found in the Midrash. Onkelos’ interpretation of our verse is well known.195