Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 13:22/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ג:כ״ב
אאמרו חז"ל כי טעם ויבא. על כלב בן יפנה כי כל אחד הלך לצד אחר:
1[AND CAME UNTO HEBRON.] Our sages of blessed memory said that and came refers to Caleb the son of Jephunneh,28 34b. Also see Rashi. And came (va-yavo) is in the singular. Hence the rabbinic interpretation. for each one of the men went to a different part of the country.29
בצען מצרים. שם מדינה סמוכה אל מצרים וכן מבית לחם יהודה ויש אומרים שפירושו מגזרת אהל בל יצען בדרך רחוקה:
2ZOAN IN EGYPT. Zoan is the name of a city in Egypt.30 literally, Zoan Egypt. Now a proper name does not come in the construct. Hence I.E. points out that here it does, contrary to the rule. According to I.E. tzo’an mitzrayim is short for tzo’an shel mitzrayim, Zoan of Egypt. Of Beth-lehem Judah31 (Ruth 1:1)32 is similar.33 Some say that the word tzo’an (Zoan) is connected to the word yitzan (be removed) in A tent that shall not be removed (Is. 33:20).34 as meaning the establishment of Egypt However, this is farfetched.
גוטעם להזכיר חברון להודיע שהיא קדמונית:
3Scripture mentions Hebron in order to tell us that Hebron came into being before Zoan.