Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 31:26/אבן עזרא על במדבר ל״א:כ״ו
אשא את ראש. פירשתיו:
1TAKE THE SUM. I have already explained the meaning of sa et rosh (take the sum).39
במלקוח. הבהמה:
2OF THE PREY. Malko’ach (the prey) refers to the cattle.
גהשבי. האדם ותחסר מלת ו' כמו שמש ירח:
3THAT WAS TAKEN. Ha-shevi (that was taken) refers to humans. A vav is missing,40 (the prey that was taken). I.E. says that this should be read as if written malko’ach ve-ha-shevi (the cattle and human captives). as in shemesh yare’ach (sun moon)41 (the sun and the moon). (Hab. 3:11).
דוראשי אבות העדה. הם הנשיאים:
4AND THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS’ HOUSES OF THE CONGREGATION. The reference is to the princes.42