Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 3:3/אבן עזרא על במדבר ג׳:ג׳
אהמשחים. בשמן המשחה. שהיו כהנים גדולים:
1THE PRIESTS THAT WERE ANOINTED. With the anointing oil, for they were high priests.8) gave the sons of Aaron the status of high priests.
בולא הניחו בנים גדולים או קטנים על כן חסר ממספר הלוים כי הגדולים יתכן שיולידו:
2[AND THEY HAD NO CHILDREN.]9 appears in verse 4, but I.E. comments upon it here. They did not leave behind any grown or small children. Therefore the Levites were lacking in number,10 for it is possible for the grown children to beget children.11