Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 14:28/רמב"ן על במדבר י״ד:כ״ח
אוְטַעַם אִם לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם בְּאָזְנָי – אִם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם כֵּן לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם, כְּטַעַם תְּמִיהָה. וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַלָּשׁוֹן: ״לֹא אֶל עַמִּים רַבִּים עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה וְכִבְדֵי לָשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵיהֶם, אִם לֹא אֲלֵיהֶם שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ הֵמָּה יִשְׁמְעוּ אֵלֶיךָ״ (יחזקאל ג ו), וְכֵן ״אִם לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּמִּיתִי כֵּן הָיָתָה״ (ישעיהו יד כד):
1IM LO’ (IF NOT) AS YE HAVE SPOKEN IN MINE EARS. The meaning thereof is as an expression of wonder: “Will I not do to you as ye have spoken?” Such is the way of the [Sacred] Language: [Thou art sent] not to many people of an unintelligible speech and of a slow tongue, whose words thou canst not understand. ‘Im lo’ (would they not) have hearkened unto thee if I sent thee to them?157 Similarly, ‘im lo’ (if not) as I have thought did it come to pass?158