Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 44:29/רמב"ן על בראשית מ״ד:כ״ט
אוְקָרָהוּ אָסוֹן וְהוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת שֵׂיבָתִי אִם יִקְרָאֵהוּ אָסוֹן כְּאָחִיו תּוֹרִידוּ אֶת שֵׂיבָתִי בְּרָעָה שְׁאֹלָה, אוֹ "וְקָרָהוּ אָסוֹן", שֶׁיִּקְרֶנּוּ כֵן מִפְּנֵי הֱיוֹתוֹ נַעַר וָרַךְ וְלֹא נִסָּה לָלֶכֶת בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה (מב ד) "פֶּן יִקְרָאֶנּוּ אָסוֹן", כִּי פֵּרוּשׁ אָסוֹן – מָוֶת מִקְרִית, כְּמֵתִים בִּידֵי אָדָם וְחַיָּה רָעָה אוֹ בְּשִׁנּוּי הָאֲוִיר בַּדֶּרֶךְ:
1AND ‘ASON’ (HARM) BEFALL HIM, YE WILL BRING DOWN MY GRAY HAIRS. That is, “if harm befall him as it did to his brother Joseph, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.” Perhaps the expression, and ‘ason’ (harm) befall him, means that it will so happen to him on account of his being young and tender and not accustomed to travel on the road, this being analogous to what Jacob said above, Lest ‘ason’ (harm) should befall him,28, 42:4. for the meaning of the word ason is accidental death, such as those killed by a human or a wild beast or the change of air on the road.