Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Numbers 24:18/רמב"ן על במדבר כ״ד:י״ח

אוְטַעַם וְהָיָה אֱדוֹם יְרֵשָׁה. מַפֶּלֶת אֱדוֹם בְּיַד הַמָּשִׁיחַ תִּהְיֶה, כִּי גָּלוּתֵינוּ הַיּוֹם בְּיַד רוֹמָה לֶאֱדוֹם תֵּחָשֵׁב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת צִיּוֹן לֹא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתֵךְ, פָּקַד עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת אֱדוֹם גִּלָּה עַל חַטֹּאתָיִךְ״, וְלֹא יִפְקֹד הַשֵּׁם עַל אֱדוֹם עַד תֹּם עֲוֹנוֹת צִיּוֹן בְּעֵת שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתָם. עַל כֵּן הִזְכִּיר בִּלְעָם אֱדוֹם, כִּי הוּא הַחוֹלֵק עַל מַלְכוּתֵינוּ, וּבוֹ נֶאֱמַר ״וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ״, יִתְנַבֵּא כִּי לֹא תִפֹּל אֱדוֹם לְגַמְרֵי עַד עֵת הַקֵּץ בְּיַד הַכּוֹכָב הַדּוֹרֵךְ. וְטַעַם וְהָיָה יְרֵשָׁה שֵׂעִיר אֹיְבָיו, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שֵׂעִיר יְרֵשָׁה לְאוֹיְבָיו, אוֹ "אוֹיְבָיו" הֵם אֱדוֹם וְשֵׂעִיר הַנִּזְכָּרִים שֶׁהֵם אוֹיְבֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיִהְיוּ יְרֵשָׁה:

1AND EDOM SHALL BE A POSSESSION, SEIR ALSO, EVEN HIS ENEMIES SHALL BE A POSSESSION. The downfall of Edom²⁵⁰ will be by the hand of the Messiah, because our present exile under the hand of Rome is considered Edom’s [exile], just as it is said: The punishment of thine iniquity is absolved, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O ‘daughter of Edom,’ He will uncover thy sins²⁵¹ — for G-d will not punish Edom until the sins of Zion are absolved, at the time when He will no more keep them in captivity.²⁵¹ Therefore Balaam mentioned Edom, for it is he who disputes our [right to] kingdom, and about him it has been said, and the one people shall be stronger than the other.²⁵²). Balaam was thus prophesying that Edom will not completely fall until the time of the end [of the exile] by the hand of ‘the star’ [i.e., the Messiah] who will step forth out of Jacob [as stated in the previous verse].Seir also, even his enemies shall be a possession. This means that Seir will become a possession of his enemies [i.e., of Israel].²⁵³ is to be interpreted as to his enemies. Or [the term] his enemies may refer to [Jacob’s enemies, i.e.,] Edom and Seir mentioned [previously in the verse], who are the enemies of Jacob, [and the meaning of the verse would thus be: “Edom, and Seir also, who are the enemies of Israel] will become a possession [of Israel].”²⁵⁴