Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 14:45/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ד:מ״ה
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.