Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 14:19/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ד:י״ט
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.