Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 14:13/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ד:י״ג

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.