## Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy Chapter 7

###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:1:1)

**ונשל.** הנו״‎ן שורש והוא מגזרת כי ישל זיתך:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND SHALL CAST OUT. The *nun* in *ve-nashal* (and shall cast out) is a root letter. It is related to the word *yishal* (shall drop off)¹. in for *thine olives shall drop off* (Deut. 28:40).

footnotes:
¹ Which comes from the root nun, shin, lamed


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:4:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:4:1)

**כי יסיר את בנך.** שב אל בנו הנזכר והוא שלא תתן בתך לבנו או לא תקח הבת הנזכרת:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
FOR HE WILL TURN AWAY THY SON. The reference². is to “his son” mentioned earlier.³ That is, do not give your daughter to his son⁴ or do not take the daughter⁵ mentioned.⁶

footnotes:
² That is, He will turn away
³ In the previous verse.
⁴ The son of the Canaanites mentioned in the previous verse will turn aside your son, that is, his brother-in-law, from following the Lord.
⁵ Of the Canaanite.
⁶ In the previous verse, for she too will turn your son away from Me. For other interpretations, see Krinsky, Meijler, and Filwarg.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:5:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:5:1)

**כי אם.** רק כה עשו להם כטעם כי עם קדוש אתה ולא תתגאל בדברי הכותיו' המצויירו' במצבות ואשרים:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
BUT THUS. *Ki im ko ta’asu la-ham* means but thus⁷, means but thus. *Ki* literally means but, for, when; *im* means if. Thus *ki im* literally means but if. Hence I.E.’s comment that *ki im* should be rendered but thus. shall ye deal with them⁸ because *thou art a holy people* (v. 6) and should not defile yourself with pagan images drawn on pillars, or with *asherim*.⁹

footnotes:
⁷ In other words, ki im
⁸ You shall destroy their images.
⁹ Sacred trees (Rashi).


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:6:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:6:1)

**סגלה.** פירשתיו והוא דבר נחמד לא ימצא בכל מקום כמוהו וכן וסגול' מלכים:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
HIS OWN TREASURE. I have already explained the meaning of the word *segullah* (treasure).¹⁰ It means a desirable thing to which nothing comparable is to be found any-where. *Segullat* (treasure)¹¹ in *and treasure such as kings…have as their own* (Eccles. 2:8) is similar.

footnotes:
¹⁰ See I.E. on Ex. 19:5 (Vol. 2, p. 375).
¹¹ Literally, treasure of.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:7:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:7:1)

**חשק ה' בכם ויבחר בכם.** ולא באחרים:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
SET HIS LOVE UPON YOU, NOR CHOOSE YOU. You and not anyone else.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:8:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:8:1)

**ומשמרו.** שם הפעל:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND BECAUSE HE WOULD KEEP. *U-mi-shomro* (and because he would keep) is an infinitive.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:9:1)

**הוא האלהים.** הטעם זה הוא האלהים באמת שיש לו כח והוא נאמן והטעם בעבור השבוע' כי יש נאמן ואין בו כח למלאו' שבועתו ויש בעל כח שאיננו נאמן:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
HE IS GOD. This means this is truly the God who has the power and is faithful. *And is faithful* refers to the oath which God took. Scripture says that God is powerful and faithful, because there are others who are faithful but lack the power to keep their oaths and others who are powerful but are unfaithful.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:9:2)

**שומר הברית והחסד לאוהביו.** אין למעלה מהם:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
WHO KEEPETH COVENANT AND MERCY WITH THEM THAT LOVE HIM. There are none higher then they.¹²

footnotes:
¹² That love God.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:3
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:9:3)

**ולשומרי מצותיו.** אחריהם. או פירושו אוהביו בלב הם שומרי מצותיו בפה ובפעל:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. After them.¹³ Or its meaning is, them that love Him in their hearts, they are the ones who keep His commandments verbally and in practice.

footnotes:
¹³ The future generations. God’s oath is conditional upon their keeping of His commandments.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:4
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:9:4)

**לאלף דור.** טעה האומר כי בשלשים אלף וששת אלפים ישוב גלגל המזלות כי הנה נמצא' המעל' בשבעים שנה וטעם אלף עד אין קץ:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS. The one who says that the sphere of the constellations¹⁴ completes its cycle at the end of thirty-six thousand years¹⁵ errs, for we find it moving one degree in seventy years.¹⁶ The meaning of a thousand is, endless.¹⁷

footnotes:
¹⁴ Which contains 360 degrees and moves one degree in 100 years.
¹⁵ After which this world ends (Krinsky). According to this interpretation God says that he will keep his oath until the end of time. This interpretation says that a generation lasts for 36 years and a thousand generations is 36,000 years.
¹⁶ Thus it completes its cycle once in 25,200 years.
¹⁷ A thousand generations means endless generations.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:10:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:10:1)

**ומשלם לשונאיו.** לכל א' משונאיו כמו וצדיקים ככפיר יבטח:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND REPAYETH THEM THAT HATE HIM…TO DESTROY THEM.¹⁸, (literally, to destroy him). To destroy each individual that hates Him.¹⁹ Compare, *But righteous people is secure as a young lion*²⁰ (Prov. 28:1).²¹

footnotes:
¹⁸ Hebrew, le-ha’avido
¹⁹ Hence the combination of the singular with the plural. See Vol. 1, p. XVII.
²⁰ Translated literally.
²¹ Each one of the righteous people is secure as a young lion. Here too we have a combination of the singular with the plural.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:10:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:10:2)

**אל פניו.** הטעם לעצמו. וי״‎א כמו בפניו בכעסו והטעם כי ישלם לשונאיו בעבור ששנאו האמת:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
TO THEIR FACE. *Be-fanav* (to their face) means to him.²² Others say that *el panav* (their face) has the meaning of *befanav*, that is, because of His anger.²³ is to be rendered His anger. See I.E. on Deut. 4:37. Its means that God will repay the wicked because they hated the truth.²⁴

footnotes:
²² To the previous person. Face is not to be taken literally.
²³ In other words, panav
²⁴ And thereby angered God.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:10:3
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:10:3)

**להאבידו לא יאחר לשונאו.** י״‎א כי הטעם ישלם לרשע גמול טוב שעשה בעוה״‎ז ולא יאחר לתת לו בעוה״‎ב והנכון בעיני שהוא כנגד אוהביו שהם עומדים לאלף דור שונאיו יאבדו והוסיף לא יאחר שיחשוב שיעמוד בנו או בן בנו כטעם על שלשים ועל רבעים:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
TO DESTROY THEM; HE WILL NOT BE SLACK TO HIM THAT HATETH HIM. Some say that the meaning of our verse is that God rewards the wicked for his good deeds in this world and does not wait to reward him in the world to come.²⁵, 22a; Onkelos and Rashi. However, it appears to me that our verse contrasts the righteous²⁶ who will exist²⁷ for a thousand generations with the wicked²⁸ who will be destroyed. Scripture reads, *He will not be slack* because the wicked person thinks that his son or grandson shall live,²⁹ as in [*visiting the iniquity of the fathers*] *upon the children, and upon the children’s children* (Ex. 33:7).³⁰

footnotes:
²⁵ See Erubin
²⁶ Literally, ones who love God.
²⁷ By living on through their children.
²⁸ Literally, ones who hate Him.
²⁹ And receive the punishment due him.
³⁰ Hence the Torah states that the wicked themselves shall receive the punishment due them.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:11:1)

**ושמרת.** הטעם כאשר השם שומר הברית שמור אתה מצותיו:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THOU SHALT THEREFORE KEEP. It means as God keeps the covenant so shall you keep His commandments.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:12:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:12:1)

**עקב.** כמו לעולם עקב שכר באחרונה וטעם הפסוק הראשון שומר הברית ששמר ברית אברהם ואתם אם תהיו מאוהביו ישמור עוד הברית ואם היית מאוהביו ואהבך וברכך והרבך זה פירוש הברית והחסד:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
BECAUSE. *Ekev* (because) has the same meaning as *ekev* (reward) in *For ever, reward*³¹ (Ps. 119:112). It means the reward which will be given at the end. The meaning of *who keepeth covenant* in the previous verse (v. 9) is that God kept the covenant with Abraham. If you will be among those that love Him, then He will continue to keep the covenant.³² in our verse is, God will continue to keep the covenant if you love him. If you will be among those who love Him, then *He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee* (v. 13). This is the meaning of *the covenant and the mercy* (v. 12).

footnotes:
³¹ Translated according to I.E.
³² In other words, the meaning of that the Lord thy God shall keep with thee the covenant


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:13:1)

**פרי בטנך.** הבנים ובטן רמז:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THY BODY. Thy children.³³ means your children. *Bitnekha* (thy body)³⁴ is a euphemism.³⁵

footnotes:
³³ That is, the fruit of thy body
³⁴ Literally, your belly.
³⁵ For the sexual organ.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:13:2)

**ופרי אדמתך.** הזכיר דגן תירוש ויצהר שהם עיקר:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND THE FRUIT OF THY LAND. Scripture mentions com, wine, and oil because they are the most important foods.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:3
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:13:3)

**שגר.** פירשתיו:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THE INCREASE. I have already explained the meaning of *shegar* (the increase of).³⁶

footnotes:
³⁶ I.E. renders it as flock in his short commentary on Ex. 13:12. See also his long commentary on Ex. 13:12 (Vol. 2, p. 263).


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:4
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:13:4)

**אלפיך.** כמו אלופינו מסובלים:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THY KINE. The word *alafekha* (thy kine) is similar to the word *alufenu* (oxen) in *Whose oxen are well laden* (Ps. 144:14).


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:5
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:13:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:13:5)

**ועשתרות.** כמו עדרים ומפרש גדול היה בספרד והוציא טעם למה קראו העברים הבקר בשם אלף והצאן בעשתרות וכן היה מפרש הבעלים ועשתרות בעל המזל הצומח והעשירי ועוד לא די שיברך פרי בטנך כי לא יהיה בך עקר שאין זרעו מוליד וכן בבהמתך כי עוד תהיה בריא מכל מין חולי ידוע להיות כמנהג העולם **וכל מדוי.** שהיו חוץ המנהג:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND THE YOUNG OF. *Ashterot* (and the young of) means and the flocks of. There was a great commentator in Spain³⁷ who explained why the Hebrews referred to cattle as *alef*³⁸ (thy kine) and in *alufenu* (oxen). and to sheep and goats as *ashterot*. He similarly explained the *ba’alim* and the *ashtaroth* (Jud. 10:6) as referring to the lord of the flowering constellation³⁹, p. 202). This constellation is the first (*alef*) in the sky and its ruling planet, its lord (*ba’al*) was believed to have a powerful affect on fertility. and that of the tenth.⁴⁰, and *adar* when most of the sheep and cattle are born. Scripture goes on to say God will not only bless the fruit of your body but there will not be a barren male, that is, one whose seed is infertile, among you or among your cattle. Furthermore, you will be healthy and avoid all sorts of well-known illnesses which normally befall people. You will similarly avoid abnormal, evil diseases.⁴¹

footnotes:
³⁷ I.E. does not identify the commentator.
³⁸ As in alafekha
³⁹ The planet which rules over “the ascent, the zodiacal sign appearing on the eastern horizon at a certain moment” (I. Efros, Studies in Medieval Jewish Philosophy
⁴⁰ The tenth constellation, Capricorn, which rules during the months of tevet, shevat
⁴¹ Hence the mention of the diseases of Egypt.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:16:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:16:1)

**ואכלת.** מצוה הוא לכלותם כאוכל לחם והעד לא תחוס עינך:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND THOU SHALT CONSUME. This is a commandment to consume them as one consumes bread, as *thine eye shall not pity them* proves.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:16:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:16:2)

**כי מוקש הוא לך.** כל אחד מאלהיהם:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
FOR THAT WILL BE A SNARE UNTO THEE. The reference is to each one of their gods.⁴²

footnotes:
⁴² Our verse literally reads, “Neither shalt thou serve their gods; for he will be a snare unto thee.” To be consistent, our verse should have read, neither shalt thou serve their gods; for they will be a snare unto thee. Hence I. E.’s interpretation.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:20:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:20:1)

**הצרעה.** חולי בגוף מגזרת צרעת:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THE HORNET. *Ha-tzirah* (the hornet) refers to an illness which afflicts the body. It is related to the word *tzara’at* (leprosy).


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:21:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:21:1)

**לא תערוץ מפניהם.** רק תערוץ מהשם שהוא אל גדול ונורא:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THOU SHALT NOT BE AFFRIGHTED AT THEM. Only fear the Lord, who is great and awful.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:22:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:22:1)

אמר הגאון כי **פן תרבה עליך** סי' לזמן שינצחום ואין צורך וכבר פירשתיו:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
LEST THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD INCREASE UPON THEE. The Gaon says that this is a sign regarding the time that they shall be victorious over them.⁴³ There is no need for the Gaon’s interpretation.⁴⁴ I have already explained it.

footnotes:
⁴³ When Israel will so increase that there will be no danger that the beasts of the field will overwhelm them, then they will know that it is time to drive out the Canaanites. See I.E. on Ex. 23:29 (Vol. 2, p. 519).
⁴⁴ For the meaning of our verse is that God will not drive out the Cananites in one year because the Land of Israel was too large for those who left Egypt to settle all of it. See I.E. on Ex. 23:29 (Vol. 2, p. 519).


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:24:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:24:1)

**השמדך.** שם הפעל ואם הוא בחירק יתכן היות כמוהו השאיר לו שריד והעד אותם שהוא הפעול:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THOU HAST DESTROYED THEM. *Hishmidekha* (thou has destroyed them) is an infinitive even though it is vocalized with a *chirik*.⁴⁵ beneath the *heh. Hishmidekha* is a *hifil*. In such cases the *heh* is normally vocalized with a *pattach* in the infinitive. Compare, *hashmid*. The word *hishir*⁴⁶ (left him remaining) in *until there was none left him remaining* (Num. 22:35) is most likely similar to it. The word *otam* (them), which is the object,⁴⁷. proves that *hishmidekha* is an infinitive.⁴⁸ is a third person (*hishmid*) plus the second person pronoun. Its meaning is, he destroyed you. However, with the word *otam* following, it is an infinitive, meaning you destroy them.

footnotes:
⁴⁵ Rather than with a pattach
⁴⁶ Which is a hifil.
⁴⁷ Of hishmidekha
⁴⁸ Hishmidekha


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:25:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:25:1)

**כסף וזהב** שעליהם או ממון תקח לעזבם:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THE SILVER OR THE GOLD THAT IS ON THEM. *Alehem* is to be rendered, that is on them. Or the meaning of our clause is, you shall not take money to leave them.⁴⁹ means for them, and the meaning of our clause is, you shall not take a bribe of money to leave them alone.

footnotes:
⁴⁹ In this case, alehem


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:25:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 7:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/7:25:2)

**תוקש.** הוי״‎ו תחת יו״‎ד יקושתי לך:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
SNARED. The *vav* in *tivvakesh* (snared) is in place of a *yod*.⁵⁰ is *yod, kof, shin*. Compare, *yakoshti*⁵¹ is *yod, kof, shin*. *lakh* (I have laid a snare for thee).

footnotes:
⁵⁰ The root of tivvakesh
⁵¹ The root of yakoshti