Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 2:2/אבן עזרא על במדבר ב׳:ב׳
אבאתת. סימנים היו בכל דגל ודגל וקדמונינו אמרו שהיה בדגל ראובן צורת אדם מכח דרש דודאים ובדגל יהודה צורת אריה כי בו המשילו יעקב ובדגל אפרים צורת שור מטעם בכור שור ובדגל דן צורת נשר עד שידמו לכרובים שראה יחזקאל הנביא:
1ACCORDING TO THE ENSIGNS. There were signs upon each and every standard. The ancients3 said that the banner of Reuben had the form of a person on it.4 2:6. Their statement is based on a midrashic interpretation concerning the mandrakes found by Reuben.5 The ancients also tell us that there was an image of a lion on the standard of Judah, for Jacob had compared Judah to a lion.6 They also tell us that the banner of Ephraim7 had the image of an ox upon it, in keeping with the verse, His firstling bullock (Deut. 33:17). The flag of Dan had the image of an eagle. Thus the banners were similar to the cherubim which the prophet Ezekiel saw.8
במנגד. רחוק:
2A GOOD WAY OFF. The word mi-neged means a good way off.9 literally means opposite. Hence I.E.’s comment.