Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 13:32/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ג:ל״ב
אויוציאו דבת הארץ. דבר שלא היה ואין כן ויבא יוסף כי ויבא הפך ויוציאו:
1AND THEY SPREAD AN EVIL REPORT OF THE LAND. Va-yotzi’u dibbat ha-aretz (and they spread an evil report) means: and they spread a lie. This is not the meaning of va-yave yosef et dibbatam ra (and Joseph brought evil report of them) (Gen. 37:2), for va-yave (brought) is the reverse of va-yotzi (and they spread).42 follows va- yave, it refers to the truth. When it follows va-yotzi, it refers to a lie.
בדבה מפעלי הכפל מגזרת דובב שפתי ישנים ובמקומו פירשתיו:
2EVIL REPORT. The word dibbah (evil report) comes from a double root.43, even though it is spelled dalet, bet, heh, which, prima facie, appears to be its root. It comes from the same root as the word dovev (moving gently) in Moving gently the lips of those that are asleep (Cant. 7:10). I have explained it in its place.44 means to speak. It is possible the word dibbah is similar.” In other words, both dovev and dibbah refer to speech.
גאכלת יושביה. שהאויר שלה רע:
3EATETH UP THE INHABITANTS THEREOF. For its air is bad.
דאנשי מדות. כל איש הוא איש מדה רק טעמו מדות גדולות יותר מהכל וכן אנשי לבב ורבים כמו הם:
4MEN OF GREAT STATURE.45 (literally, men of measurements). Hence I.E.’s comments. Every man is a man of measurements. Anshe middot means men of great measurement, men whose measurements are greater than everyone else’s. The same applies to the phrase anshe levav (men of heart)46 (Job. 34:34).47 There are many other instances similar to the above.