Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 14/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ד

אאת קולם. פעול למלת ותשא גם ויתנו:

1THEIR VOICE. Et kolam (their voice) is the object of va-tissa (lifted up) and also of va-yittenu¹ (and cried).²

אוילונו. מבנין נפעל מהפעלים השניים הנראים לנפעל שלם:

1MURMURED. Va-yillonu (murmured) is a nifal. It is an ayin vav.³. When conjugated in the nifal it looks like a whole root.

אשוב מצרימה. שם הפועל כמו לא אוכל קום ומלך אלקום עמו:

1TO RETURN INTO EGYPT. Shuv (to return) is an infinitive.⁴ can also be an imperative. Hence I.E.’s comment. It is like the word kum (to stand)⁵ can also be an imperative. in I am not able to stand (Lam. 1:14) and kum (rising up) in And the king, against whom there is no rising up (Prov. 30:31).

אויפל משה. ברצונו:

1THEN MOSES…FELL. By his own will.⁶

אויהושע בן נון. הזכירו משה בתחלה לגודל מעלתו:

1AND JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN. Moses mentions Joshua first⁷ out of regard for Joshua’s elevated status.

אכי לחמנו הם. נאכלם כלחם וכן אוכלי עמי אכלו לחם:

1FOR THEY ARE BREAD. We will eat them like bread. Who eat up My people as they eat bread (Ps. 14:4) is similar.

בסר צלם. כי הגבור אם אין לו מגן שיגן עליו ויהיה צל לו לבו ירא:

2THEIR DEFENSE IS REMOVED FROM OVER THEM.⁸ For the heart of a warrior frets when he does not have a shield to protect him and to serve as a shade for him.⁹

אלרגום אתם. יהושע וכלב:

1BADE STONE THEM. Joshua and Caleb.

אינאצוני. כמו יכעסוני ורבים חביריו:

1DESPISE ME. Yena’atzuni (despise me) means anger me. It has many cognates in Scripture.¹⁰

בוטעם בקרבו. לשון שהיו בתחלה לב אחד לטוב:

2Scripture employs the singular be-kirbo (among them)¹¹ (among them) literally means among him. because at first they were united to do good.

אושמעו מצרים כי העלית. טעמו ואשר העלית ואחר שאמר ושמעו ואמרו אל יושב הארץ הזאת היא ארץ כנען פירש מה שמעו על כן פעם אחרת שמעו כי אתה ה' כבודך בקרב העם הזה:

1WHEN THE EGYPTIANS SHALL HEAR–FOR THOU BROUGHTEST UP THIS PEOPLE. The meaning of ki he’elita (for thou broughtest up) is: that you brought up.¹² is to be interpreted as if written asher he’elita. In other words, the ki (for) in our verse is to be rendered asher (that). After Scripture states, When the Egyptians shall hear (ve-shame’u)…they will say to the inhabitants of this land, the reference being to the land of Canaan, it goes on to explain¹³ what the Egyptians heard. Scripture therefore repeats the word shame’u (have heard) and states they have heard (shame’u) that Thou Lord [Thy glory] art in the midst of this people (v. 14).¹⁴ in verse 14 picks up the thought which was interrupted by they will say to the inhabitants of the land.

אאשר עין בעין. על הכבוד שראו הזקנים או על מראה כבוד ה' לעיני בני ישראל והוא הנכון:

1ART SEEN FACE TO FACE. The reference is to the glory which the elders saw (Ex. 24:9,10), or to the appearance of the glory of the Lord…in the eyes of the children of Israel (Ex. 24:17). The latter is correct.

בנראה. פעל עבר וטעמו נראת אתה ה' וכן ונאשאר אני וכן כי אומלל אני בעבור היות הלמ"ד בפת"ח גדול:

2ART SEEN. The word nirah (seen) is a verb in the perfect.¹⁵ The meaning of attah Adonai nirah is, Thou Lord were seen.¹⁶) is combined with the third person perfect (nirah) we follow the pronoun. Ve-nishar¹⁷ is a third person perfect. ani (and I was left) (Ezek. 9: 8) is similar.¹⁸ So is ki umlal¹⁹ is a third person perfect. ani²⁰ is a first person pronoun. (for I languish away) (Ps. 6:3), because the lamed of umlal is vocalized with a pattach.²¹ indicates that umlal is a third person perfect. However, see I.E. on Psalms 6:3.

געמד עליהם. בשבתם:

3STANDETH OVER THEM. When they camp.

אואמרו הגוים אשר שמעו את שמעך. מצרים גם כנענים גם אחרים:

1THEN THE NATIONS WHICH HAVE HEARD THE FAME OF THEE. The reference is to Egypt. Also to the Canaanites and other nations.²²

איכלת. שם כמו עד יבושת המים ואיננו לשון מדה כדרך הדרש:

1ABLE. The word yekholet (able) is a noun. It is similar to the word yevoshet (dried up) in until the waters were dried up (Gen. 8:7). It does not mean a measure as in the midrashic interpretation.²³ to the word yakhil (held a measure). See Kings I 7:26. According to Krinsky the reference is to Midrash Tanhumah on our verse.

בוישחטם במדבר. הטעם ויהרגם ואמר וישחטם בעבור המדבר כי שם ירעו הצאן:

2THEREFORE HE HATH SLAIN THEM IN THE WILDERNESS. The meaning of va-yishchatem is, He hath slain them. Scripture employs the term va-yishchatem²⁴ because sheep graze in the wilderness.

איגדל נא. קרוב מאריכות אפים כי כל מי שהוא ארך אפים יש לו כח גדול לשבור כעסו והעד כאשר דברת שאתה ארך אפים ואלה המדות פירשתים בפרשת כי תשא:

1LET THE POWER OF THE LORD BE GREAT. Let the power…be great connotes being slow to anger, for all who are long-suffering have the great power to break their anger. As Thou hast spoken, that you are slow to anger²⁵ (v. 17): The Lord is slow to anger (v. 18). is proof of this. I have explained these attributes²⁶ in the Torah portion Ki Tissa.

אסלח נא. אחר שמצאנו שאמר אם יראו את הארץ אחר סלחתי כדברך ידענו כי מלת סלח נא אריכות אף וכן ונסלח לו עד שיעשה תשובה שלימה:

1PARDON, I PRAY THEE. Since we find Scripture saying surely they shall not see the land (v. 23) after salachti ke-devarekha (I have pardoned according to thy word) (v. 20), we learn that the term salach (pardon) refers to being slow to anger.²⁷ meant full pardon, then (he people would have been permitted to enter the land. Similarly, the meaning of ve-nislach lo (and he shall be forgiven) (Num 15:28) is [the punishment shall be held in abeyance] until he fully repents.²⁸ in all cases means that punishment is not meted out immediately but is delayed. In the case of Num. 15:28, a sacrifice delays punishment and the person is pardoned if he truly repents.

בכגודל חסדך. בעבור חסדך הגדול:

2ACCORDING UNTO THE GREATNESS OF THY LOVINGKINDNESS. The meaning of ke-godel chasdekha (according to the greatness of Thy lovingkindness) is: because of Thy great lovingkindness.²⁹ usually has the meaning of like or according. Hence I.E.’s comment that here it means because of.

גוכאשר נשאתה. כטעם נושא עון:

3AND ACCORDING AS THOU HAST FORGIVEN. The word nasata (Thou hast forgiven) is similar to the word nose (forgiving) in forgiving sin (Ex. 34:7).

דועד הנה. עד המקום הזה או מיום שיצאו ממצרים ועד זה היום כי יש הנה שם המקום כמו באו הנה הלילה גם סימן זמן כמו ולא ראיתיו עד הנה וכבר פירשתיו:

4EVEN UNTIL NOW. Until this place or from the day that they left Egypt until this very day, for the word hennah (now) can refer to a place or to a specific time. Compare, there came men in hither (hennah) (Josh. 2:2) and, and I have not seen him until now (hennah) (Gen. 44:28).³⁰ I have already explained this term.³¹ in Gen 44:28 refers to time.

אחי אני. טעמו כאשר אני חי כן יהיה דברי קיים:

1AS I LIVE. It means as I live, so shall My word come to pass.³² is short for, As I live, so shall my word come to pass.

בוימלא. וכאשר מלא כבודי את כל הארץ והקרוב שהוא לעתיד וטעמו זה אעשה כדי שיודע כבודי בעולם:

2SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE GLORY. As My glory fills the earth.³³ (shall be filled) is to be taken as a present. Thus the meaning of our clause is, and all the earth is filled with the glory of the Lord. However, it most probably refers to the future.³⁴ is an imperfect. Its meaning is, I shall do this so that my glory shall be known in the world.³⁵

אזה עשר פעמים. הטעם רבים והזכיר עשר בעבור היותו סך חשבון כי הוא סוף האחדים וראש העשרות שהם במחברת השנית:

1THESE TEN TIMES. The meaning is, these many times. Scripture mentions ten because it is most important. It is the end of the one numbers and the first of the ten numbers in the second series of numbers.³⁶

אוכל מנאצי. מבניהם:

1ANY OF THEM THAT DESPISED ME. From among their children.³⁷

אועבדי כלב. הזכירו לבדו בעבור ויהס כלב והלוים והכהנים אינם בכלל השבועה כי לא הלך מהם נשיא מרגל ועוד לכל פקודיכם לכל מספרכם אף על פי שלא היו הכהנים גם הלוים הם רבים:

1BUT MY SERVANT CALEB. Caleb alone³⁸, and Levites are not mentioned in this verse even though they entered the land. is mentioned because he stilled the people (Num. 13:30). The Levites and the kohanim are not included in the oath,³⁹ for no prince from among them went to spy out the land. Furthermore, Scripture states, all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number (v. 29).⁴⁰ and the Levites were not among those numbered (Num. 1:49), God’s decree did not apply to them. Now even though there were no kohanim there,⁴¹ I.E. means few kohanim, for Aaron and his sons were there. there were in reality many Levites there.⁴²

ברוח אחרת. כנגד התרים:

2ANOTHER SPIRIT. In contrast to the spies.

גוימלא אחרי. רדף אחרי דברי ומלא אותו שהארץ טובה מאד ואין דבה:

3AND HATH FOLLOWED ME FULLY. He did not he but pursued my word and confirmed it by saying that the land is very good.

אוהעמלקי והכנעני. הוא האמורי כי כל אמורי הוא כנעני ולא חשש הכתוב להפרישו בעבור העמלקי שהוא מבני שם וכנען שהוא אבי האמורי מבני חם וכן וירד העמלקי והכנעני והעד ויצא האמורי ולא הזכיר העמלקי כי האמורי הוא העיקר:

1NOW THE AMALEKITE AND THE CANAANITE. The Canaanite refers to the Amorite, for every Amorite is a Canaanite.⁴³ Scripture does not bother to mention the Amorite by name because the other nation mentioned is the Amalekite, who is of the children of Shem.⁴⁴. However, when it speaks of one of the Canaanite nations along with a non-Canaanite nation, it does not mention its specific name but uses its general name. On the other hand, Canaan, who is the father of the Amorite,⁴⁵ is of the children of Ham.⁴⁶ Then the Amalekite and the Canaanite…came down (Num. 14:45) is similar.⁴⁷ And the Amorites…came out (Deut. 1:44)⁴⁸ is proof of this. Scripture does not mention the Amalekite in the aforementioned verse, as the Amorite was the more important.⁴⁹

ביושב בעמק. לארוב לכם ויש אומר אף על פי שהעמלקי והכנעני יושבים בעמק פנו דרך ים סוף ולא תפחדו והנה ישראל לא עשו תשובה על כן דבר השם:

2DWELT IN THE VALE. To ambush you. Others say that the meaning of our verse is, even though the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley, turn toward the way of the Red Sea and do not fear.⁵⁰ Now the Israelites did not repent, hence God’s word.⁵¹

אפגריכם. הגופות:

1YOUR CARCASSES. The meaning of pigrekhem is your dead bodies.

בהלינותם. מגזרת וילונו על משה:

2HAVE MURMURED. Halinotem (have murmured) is related to the word va-yallinu (murmured) in and…murmured against Moses (v. 2).

אנשאתי את ידי. כלשון בני אדם כי השמים למעלה:

1CONCERNING WHICH I LIFTED UP MY HAND. Scripture speaks as humans do, for the sky is above.⁵²

בכי אם כלב. הקדים כלב כי הוא הקדים ויהס:

2Caleb is mentioned first⁵³ because he acted before anyone else to quiet the people.

אופגריכם. שהם אתם:

1YOUR CARCASSES.⁵⁴. Literally, and your carcasses, you. Hence I.E.’s comment that the aforementioned is to be interpreted, and your carcasses, namely, you. In other words, Scripture is being explicit. Namely, you.

איהיו רועים. כי מנהג הרועה שלא יעמוד וינוח במקום והעד כאהל רעי:

1SHALL BE WANDERERS.⁵⁵. Literally, will shepherd. Hence I.E.’s comment. For it is the way of shepherds not to remain and rest in one place.⁵⁶ My habitation is plucked up and carried away from me As a shepherd’s tent (Is. 38:12) is proof of this.

בזנותיכם. שזנו מאחרי ואמרו נתנה ראש:

2YOUR STRAYINGS. For you turned away from me and said, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt (Num. 14:4).

אאשר תרתם. בציווי:

1WHICH YE SPIED OUT. By command.⁵⁷

באת תנואתי. אניא דברי או מי יניאני והטעם שישבור את שבועתי כמו ואם הניא:

2MY DISPLEASURE.⁵⁸. I.E. renders this as my breaking. Hence his comments. I will break my word.⁵⁹. 38 reads: If I will break My word. In this case, the reference is to God’s oath, which He took not to bring the generation that left Egypt into Canaan. In view of the belief of I.E. that God is unchangeable (see his comments on Gen. 6:6, Vol. 1, p. 96), the reading of Vat. Ebr. 38 appears correct. Or, it means⁶⁰, My breaking. who shall break Me; that is, who shall break My oath.⁶¹ Compare, But if her father break (heni) her (Num 30:6).

אהנועדים עלי. שאמרו לרגום באבנים עבדי השם בעבור שאמרו כבוד השם:

1THAT ARE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST ME. For they wanted to stone⁶² the servants of God⁶³ because they spoke of God’s glory.⁶⁴

בבמדבר הזה. יתום קץ כל אחד ששם קץ כל אחד:

2IN THIS WILDERNESS. The time set for each one shall come to an end, for God has set a specific time for everyone’s death.⁶⁵ (in this wilderness they shall be consumed). Ba-midbar ha-zeh yittamu literally means, in this wilderness they shall be finished. I.E. interprets this to mean their time shall be finished; that is, the time allotted for their lives shall come to an end.

גושם ימתו. כלם קרוב מהקץ:

3AND THERE THEY SHALL DIE. All of them, close to the time set by God.⁶⁶

אוילינו עליו פועל יוצא לשנים פעולים:

1And…MADE ALL THE CONGREGATION TO MURMUR AGAINST HIM. Va-yillonu (and made to murmur) is a hifil.

אוימתו. כמו מתו:

1DIED. Va-yamutu (died) is to interpreted as if written metu (died).⁶⁷ (died) means and they died. Like all verbs with a conversive vav, it usually opens a new clause. However, the context indicates that verse 37 does not open a new clause. Hence I.E.’s comment.

בבמגפה כלם יחד:

2BY THE PLAGUE. All together.⁶⁸

אויהושע בן נון. דברי משה קודם כלב:

1BUT JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN. These are the words of Moses. He⁶⁹ mentions Joshua before Caleb.

אוהיא לא תצלח. העליה אל ראש ההר לא תצלח או העברת פי השם אין בה הצלחה:

1SEEING IT SHALL NOT PROSPER. The ascent of the mountain will not prosper. Or, the violation of God’s command cannot prosper.

אכי על כן שבתם. הואיל ושבתם כמו כי על כן לא נתתיה:

1FORASMUCH AS YE ARE TURNED BACK. Ki al ken shavtem (forasmuch as ye are turned back) means, since you turned back.⁷⁰ means since. The literal meaning of ki al ken is “for on yes.” Hence I.E.’s comment. Compare, since (ki al ken) I gave her not (Gen. 38:26).

אויעפילו. מגזרת עפל ובחן והטעם שעלו אל העפל:

1BUT THEY PRESUMED TO GO UP. Va-yapilu (but they presumed) is related to the word ofel (mound) in the mound and the tower (Is. 32:14). The meaning of va-yapilu is, they went up the hill.

אויכתום. אמר רבי משה הכהן הספרדי ז"ל כי היה ראוי להיותו ויכיתום וכן וידביקו גם המה והנכון בעיני שהוא מפעלי הכפל והיא מלה זרה:

1AND BEAT THEM DOWN. Rabbi Moses the Spaniard, of blessed memory, says that our text⁷¹ (and beat them down). should have read va-yakkitum (and beat them down).⁷² from the root nun, kaf, tav. Rabbi Moses is only commenting on the irregularity of va-yakketum. The meaning remains the same. Va-yadbeku (followed hard) in even they also followed hard after them (I Sam. 14:22) is similar.⁷³ rather than va-yadbeku, for the word is in the hifil. However, I believe that va-yakketum (and beat them down) comes from a double root⁷⁴. and is an irregular word.⁷⁵.

בעד החרמה. שם מקום ויש אומרים עד שהחרימום:

2EVEN UNTO HORMAH. Hormah is the name of a place. Others say that the meaning of even unto Hormah is, until they destroyed them.⁷⁶ means destruction, and even unto Hormah means even unto destruction.