Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 12:4/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ב:ד׳
אפתאום. המ"ם נוסף כמ"ם שלשום והוא מגזרת פתי דבר שלא עלה על לב:
1SUDDENLY. The mem of pitom (suddenly) is superfluous. It is like the mem of shilshom (three days ago).30 of which is superfluous. Pitom is related to peti (a thoughtless one) (Prov. 9:4). It refers to something that one did not think of.31 is a person who does not anticipate the consequences of his acts. Similarly, the word pitom (suddenly) means unanticipated.
בצאו שלשתכם ויצאו שלשתם. כל אחד מאהלו והנה דרך כלל ואחר כן פרט וירד ה' בעמוד ענן ויקרא אהרן ומרים ומשה שומע:
2COME OUT YE THREE UNTO THE TENT OF MEETING. Each one from his tent. Scripture first speaks generally.32 is a general statement. It then goes into detail, namely, And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud…and called Aaron and Miriam (v. 5), and Moses heard.33