Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 3:32/אבן עזרא על במדבר ג׳:ל״ב
אונשיא נשיאי הלוי. שהם שלשה גם מלת נשיאי הלוי מושכת עצמה ואחרת עמה כמו לא רבים יחכמו וכן הוא נשיאי פקודת שומרי משמרת הקודש והטעם כי אלו שלשה פקידים על השומרים שהם הלוים:
1PRINCE OF THE PRINCES OF THE LEVITES. There were three princes of Levi.59 The term nesi’e (princes) in the phrase nesi’e ha-levi (princes of Levi) applies to the word levi and also to another word.60 (having the oversight of) in the second part of our verse. It is like the word lo (not) in It is not the great that are wise (Job 32:9).61. According to I.E. the word lo is carried over to the second half of the sentence, which is to interpreted, and the aged do not (lo) discern judgment. The second part of our verse is to be interpreted as if written the princes having the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.62 Its meaning is that these three princes had oversight over the keepers of the charge of the sanctuary, who were Levites.