Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 31:16/רמב"ן על דברים ל״א:ט״ז
אאֱלֹהֵי נֵכַר הָאָרֶץ, גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים ל"א:ט"ז). וְאֵינֶנּוּ כֵן, אֲבָל הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא נֵכָר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, כִּי הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד נִקְרָא אֱלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב יז כו) כִּי לֹא יָדְעוּ אֶת מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ, וְכֵן וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֶל אֱלֹהֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם כְּעַל אֱלֹהֵי עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ (דברי הימים ב לב יט), וּכְתִיב (הושע ט ג) לֹא יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ ה'. וְהִזְכִּיר זֶה רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם, וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּיו (ויקרא יח כה):
1THE GODS OF ‘NEICHAR’ OF THE LAND — “the gods of the [foreign] peoples of the Land.” This is Rashi’s language. But it is not correct.23 (foreign) applies to the peoples — “the gods of the foreign peoples.” Ramban contends that the term “foreign” applies to the gods, as will be explained. Rather, it means “the gods that are foreign to this Land,” for the Glorious Name24 is called the G-d of the Land, similar to what is stated, because they know not the manner of the G-d of the Land.25 Similarly, And they spoke of the G-d of Jerusalem, as concerning the gods of the peoples of the earth26 and it is further written, They shall not dwell in the Eternal’s Land.27 Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra mentioned this [here], and I have already explained it.28
בוְטַעַם אֲשֶׁר הוּא בָא שָׁמָּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בָּא בְּקֶרֶב עַמּוֹ וַעֲבָדָיו, אוֹ בְּקִרְבּוֹ, בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ וְלֹא נָשָׂא אוֹתָם הָאָרֶץ (בראשית יג ו), נֶעְתַּם אָרֶץ (ישעיהו ט יח), כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על דברים ל"א:ט"ז):
2WHITHER HE GOETH TO BE ‘B’KIRBO’ (AMONG THEM). This means “whither he [the foreign god] goes to be among His people and His servants.” Or b’kirbo may mean “in the midst of the Land,” as in the expressions: and the land was not able to bear them;29 (land) is feminine, Scripture sometimes uses it as the subject of a masculine verb, as in this verse, where the verb nasa (able to bear) is used in connection with ha’aretz instead of the feminine verb nasah. Here, too, b’kirbo [literally: “in the midst of him”] is used with reference to “the Land” instead of the feminine b’kirboh. the land burnt up,30 (burnt up) instead of the feminine ne’tmah. in accordance with the words of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra.