Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 11:5/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״א:ה׳
אהדגה. שם המין:
1THE FISH. The word dagah (fish) is a general term.17
בחנם. בזול כאילו היא חנם:
2FOR NOUGHT. Cheaply, as if we got it for nothing.
גהקשואים. באל"ף תחת ה"א מקשה כמו ועמי תלואים ורבים כן:
3THE CUCUMBERS. An alef has been substituted for a heh in the word kishu’im (cucumbers), for kishu’im is related to the word mikshah (cucumber) (Is. 1:8).18 is spelled with a heh. Compare, telu’im (suspense) in And My people are in suspense about returning to Me (Hos. 11:7).19 is spelled with an alef. However, it comes from the root tav, lamed, heh, and should read teluyim. Thus here too an alef has been substituted for a heh. There are many such instances.
דאבטיחים. ידוע מלשון קדר ואין לו ריע במקרא:
4MELONS. We can ascertain the meaning of avatichim (melons) from Arabic.20. It has no cognate in Scripture.21
החציר. הירקות שהם עשב השדה וכן המצמיח הרים חציר והנה הוא שם כלל והמתרגם ארמי אמר שהוא שם פרט גם הוא נכון:
5AND THE LEEKS. The word chatzir (leeks) refers to vegetables,22 (literally, greens). which are the grass of the field.23 means grass. However, people do not eat grass. Hence I.E.’s comment. Compare, Who maketh the mountains to spring with grass (chatzir) (Ps. 147:8). Chatzir is thus an all-inclusive noun.24 However, the Aramaic translation25 says that it refers to a specific kind.26 by the term kerate (leeks). It too is correct.
והבצלים והשומים. ידועים והם קרובים בלשון קדר:
6AND THE ONIONS, AND THE GARLIC. The meaning be-tzalim (onions) and shumim (garlic) is known.27 They have similar names in Arabic.28 and tumeh.