Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 17:3/אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ז:ג׳
אאת מחתות החטאים. פי' המחתות:
1EVEN THE FIRE-PANS OF THESE MEN WHO HAVE SINNED. This explains the fire-pans (v. 2).1 in verse 2 refers to the fire-pans of these men who have sinned.
בועשו אותם. האומנים:
2AND LET THEM BE MADE.2 (literally, and they shall make them). The reference is to the workers.3
גרקועי פחים. כמו וירקעו את פחי הזהב:
3BEATEN PLATES. Compare, And they did beat (ve-yerakke’u) the gold into thin plates (Ex. 39:3).4 (beaten) in our verse is similar in meaning to va-yerakke’u (and they did beat).
דופי' כי קדשו כי הקריבום לפני ה':
4[FOR THEY ARE BECOME HOLY.] Because they were offered before the Lord explains for they are become holy.5 they are become holy. I.E. believes this should be interpreted as if written, for they are become holy because they were offered before the Lord.
הויהיו לאות. לזכר ולסימן:
5THAT THEY MAY BE A SIGN. A memorial and a mark.6