Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 21:30/אבן עזרא על במדבר כ״א:ל׳
אונירם. דברי משה והמ"ם סימן מלך אמורי וגדודיו ולו שני פירושים. האחד מגזירת ניר ותהיה מלת ונירם מושכת עצמה ואחרת עמה כמו והנבואה עודד הנביא וכן הוא ונירם אבד ניר חשבון ותהיה מלת ונירם כמו בתוך האהלי הערכך וכן הוא והניר שלהם אבד שהוא ניר חשבון. והפירוש השני שתהיה מלת ונירם מגזרת ירה ויור אשר יריתי והטעם כאשר ירינו אותם אבד חשבון:
1WE HAVE SHOT THEM. These are the words of Moses.87 The mem of va-niram88 (we shot at them) refers to the king of the Amorites and his troops. It has two interpretations. One, that va-niram is related to the word nir (kingship). It89. is to be read as if written twice.90 (we have shot at them—Heshbon is perished), is to be read, va-niram avad nir cheshbon (and their king, the king of Heshbon, was destroyed). It is like even the prophecy, Oded the prophet (II Chron. 15:8).91 Our verse means, and their king the king of Heshbon was destroyed. Va-niram is similar to the word ha-oholi (my tent) in in the midst of my tent (Josh. 7:21), and to ha-erkekha (thy valuation) (Lev. 27:23).92 beneath the vav is the sign of the direct object. In other words, va-niram is short for ve-ha-niram. Thus va-niram is similar to ha-oholi and ha-erkekha in that both words are written with the direct object even though they have suffixes. Words with suffixes usually do not come with the direct object. Hence I.E.’s comment. Va-niram avad cheshbon (we have shot at them—Heshbon is perished) means, their king, that is, the king of Heshbon, perished. Second, that va-niram is related to yereh va-yor (shoot; and he shot) (II Kings 13:17) and yariti (cast)93 (Gen. 31:51). It means,94 (we have shot at them–Heshbon is perished). when we shot them Heshbon was destroyed.
בונשים. מפעלי הכפל והחיר"ק תחת קמ"ץ קטן כמו ויסב אלהים את העם ויאמר רבי משה הכהן כי הדגשות לחסרון האל"ף כאל"ף מלפנו מבהמות ארץ מגזרת תאשם שומרון וי"א כי חשבון היתה עיר סיחון לעולם וטעם בואו חשבון דברי המושלים למואבים הבאים בשבי אל חשבון כי אש יצאה מחשבון משל למחנות סיחון וכאשר ירינום דברי המושלים על לשון המואבים חשבנו כי תאבד חשבון ונעשה שממה כל הארץ עד נופח או הם דברי משה הדרשן:
2AND WE HAVE LAID WASTE. Va-nashim comes from a double root.95. It comes from the root shin, mem, mem. The chirik is in place of a short kamatz.96. In other words, the word should have been vocalized va-nashem. Compare, va-yasev (led about) in But God led the people about (Ex. 13:18).97. Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen says that the dagesh in the shin of va-nashim compensates for a missing alef.98 comes from the root alef, shin, mem (guilty). Compare, Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth (Job. 35:11) wherein an alef is missing in the word mallefenu (teacheth us).99. The word va-nashim is related to the word tesham100. (shall bear her guilt) in Samaria shall bear her guilt (Hos. 14:1). Some say that Heshbon was always the city of Sihon.101 In this case, Come ye to Heshbon (v. 27) is the line that the poets directed at the Moabites who came as captive to Heshbon. And for a fire is gone out of Heshbon is a metaphor for the army of Sihon. When the poets speak on behalf of the Moabites, they say, we thought that Heshbon will be destroyed102 and the entire land will be laid waste even unto Nophah. Or these103 (v. 30). are the words of Moses.