Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 8:8/אבן עזרא על במדבר ח׳:ח׳
אפר בן בקר. קטן:
1A YOUNG BULLOCK. The term ben bakar indicates a young bullock.30) ben bakar (the son of cattle). I.E. points out that this should be interpreted as a bull, a young bovine.
בסלת. שלשה עשרונים כמשפט:
2FINE FLOUR. Three-tenth parts (of an efah) as is the law.
גתקח לחטאת. בציווי כי הם יקחו והטעם יתנו כמו ויקחו לי תרומה או יקחו עמם כמו ויקחו להם איש שה לבית אבות:
3SHALT THOU TAKE. By issuing a command, for the Levites shall take.31 (the Levites) take a young bullock. Thus it is the Levites who do the taking. The meaning of Then let them take (ve-lakechu) is, then let them give.32 means shalt thou offer. Compare, ve-yikechu li terumah (that they take for Me an offering).33) to Me an offering. We thus see that the Hebrew word yikkach (to take) sometimes has the meaning of to give. On the other hand, the meaning of Then let them take might be that they shall take with them.34 (then let them take) has its usual meaning. Compare, they shall take (ve-yikechu) to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses (Ex. 12:3).