## Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy Chapter 9

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

**אתה עובר היום.** בזמן הזה או טעמו חשוב כי אתה עובר היום:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THOU ART TO PASS OVER THE JORDAN THIS DAY. At this time.¹ Or it means, imagine that you are passing over today.

footnotes:
¹ That is, soon. Israel did not pass over the Jordan the day that Moses spoke to them. Hence I.E.’s comment.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:3:1
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**אש אוכלה.** במהירות על כן אמר מהר:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AS A DEVOURING FIRE. Quickly.² Scripture therefore goes on to say *quickly*³..

footnotes:
² When God destroys his enemies he does so quickly.
³ Scripture therefore goes on to say, so shalt thou drive them out, and make them to perish quickly


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

למ״‎ד **למן היום** נוסף וכן רבים:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
The *lamed* prefixed to *le-min* (from)⁵ literally means “to from.” Hence I.E.’s comment. in *le-min ha-yom* (from the day) is superfluous. There are many such instances.⁶

footnotes:
⁵ Le-min
⁶ Of superfluous letters in Scripture. See Vol. 1, p. XVII.


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

**במדבר.** אחר שנסעו מחורב:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
IN THE WILDERNESS. After they journeyed from Horeb.⁴

footnotes:
⁴ For Moses goes on to castigate them in the next verse for the sins they committed in Horeb.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:10:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:10:1)

**באצבע.** מפורש:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
FINGER. This has already been explained.⁷ is an anthropomorphism.” The Torah employs such language so that those who hear its words will understand.

footnotes:
⁷ See I.E. on Ex. 31:18 (Vol. 2, p. 654), “Scripture’s statement, with the finger of God


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:11:1)

**מקץ.** סוף או תחלת ארבעים והנה הראיה כי ביום שנתנו הלוחות למשה נעשה העגל:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AT THE END.⁸. At the end or the beginning of the fortieth day.⁹ sometimes means at the beginning and sometimes at the end. See I.E. on Num. 13:25 (Vol. 4, pp. 104,105). Look. This verse shows that the golden calf was made on the day that the tablets were given to Moses.¹⁰

footnotes:
⁸ Hebrew, mi-ketz
⁹ According to I.E. the word mi-ketz
¹⁰ For God told Moses about the calf on the day He gave Moses the tablets. I.E. assumes that had the calf been made a few days earlier, God would then have told Moses to descend from the mountain.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:18:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:18:1)

**ואתנפל.** זהו שאמר ועתה אעלה אל ה':

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND I FELL DOWN. The reference is to Moses’ statement, *and now I will go up unto the Lord* (Ex. 32:30).¹¹.

footnotes:
¹¹ The full text of the clause (Ex. 32:30) is, and now I will go up unto the Lord, peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:18:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:18:2)

וטעם **ואתנפל.** נופל על פניו ארצה:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
The meaning of *and now I fell down* is, I fell with my face to the ground.¹²

footnotes:
¹² That is, I fell on my face in prayer.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:19:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:19:1)

**גם בפעם ההוא.** כי כבר התפלל בעדם בהיותם על הים והעד מה תצעק אלי ועוד ויצעק אל ה' ויורהו ה' עץ:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THAT TIME ALSO. For he had previously prayed for Israel when they were at the sea.¹³ *Wherefore criest thou unto me* (Ex. 14:15) is proof of the latter. Furthermore, Scripture states, *and he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree* (Ex. 15:25).

footnotes:
¹³ Hence Moses says that he also prayed for Israel when they made the golden calf.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:21:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:21:1)

**ואת חטאתכם.** נקרא העגל חטאת. על כן הוסיף לבאר ואמר את העגל:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND I TOOK YOUR SIN. The calf is referred to by the term sin. Hence Moses goes on to explain and says, *the calf*.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:21:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:21:2)

**ואכת.** **לעפר.** דק כעפר הארץ:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND BEAT IT. Into fine dust like the dust of the ground.¹⁴). I.E. explains that *le-afar* (to dust) should be interpreted as *ke-afar* (as dust) and our text interpreted, until it was as fine as dust (Weiser).

footnotes:
¹⁴ Our verse literally reads, until it was fine to dust (le-afar


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:22:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:22:1)

**ובתבערה.** יתכן להיותו שם מקום ולא חנו שם כי אם יום א' על כן לא הזכירום באלה מסעי והוא א' משלשה מסעים שנסעו מהד סיני עד קברות התאו' כאשר פירשתי. וטעם לחבר תבערה עם מסה כי היו העם מתאוננים כמו מנסים לשם והזכיר תבערה קודם מסה כי במסה לא אירע להם כלום וי״‎א כי בא עמלק בעבור שנסו השם ועל כן הזכיר בעירת אש השם בהם וזנוב עמלק ומכת המתאוים הזכיר בתחלה הקשה וי״‎א כי תבערה היא מסה כמו מראש שניר וחרמון והנכון מה שפירשתי:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
AND AT TABERAH. Taberah is probably the name of a place. Israel camped there for but one day. Therefore Scripture does not mention it¹⁵. 38. The printed texts read “them,” in place of “it.” in the Torah portion *Elleh Mase* (These Are the Stages) (Num. 33:1).¹⁶ It is one of the thirty journeys that Israel traveled from Mount Sinai until they came to Kibroth-hattaavah (Num. 33:17),¹⁷ as I explained.¹⁸ The reason Scripture connects Taberah with Massah¹⁹ is that the people *were as murmurers* (Num. 11:1);²⁰ that is, they tested God.²¹ Scripture mentions Taberah before Massah²² because nothing happened to Israel at Massah.²³ Some say that Amalek came²⁴ because Israel tested God.²⁵ Scripture therefore mentions²⁶ the burning of God’s fire among them,²⁷ Amalek’s smiting of Israel’s hindmost,²⁸ and the smiting of those who lusted.²⁹ Scripture mentions the most severe punishments first.³⁰ Some say that Taberah and Massah are one and the same place.³¹ (These Are the Stages) (Num. 33:1). It is like *From the top of Senir and Hermon* (Cant. 4:8).³² However, my interpretation is correct.

footnotes:
¹⁵ So Vat. Ebr
¹⁶ Wherein the journeys of the children of Israel in the wilderness are recorded.
¹⁷ Which is located in Kadesh-barnea.
¹⁸ That Israel journeyed from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea (Sarim). See I.E. on Deut. 1:2.
¹⁹ Israel tested God at Massah after crossing the Red Sea. See Ex. 17:7. The incident at Taberah [where Israel murmured against God and God punished them by fire (Num. 11:3)] occurred more than a year later, after Israel had journeyed from Mount Sinai.
²⁰ In Taberah.
²¹ Which is what they did at Massah. Hence Taberah and Massah are mentioned back to back.
²² Even though Israel’s camping at Massah came before Taberah.
²³ Israel was not punished for testing God in Massah. They were punished at Taberah.
²⁴ To Rephidim and attacked Israel.
²⁵ In Rephidim. Thus Israel was punished for testing God at Massah. See Ex. 17:1-7.
²⁶ That is, mentions the places where the following punishments took place.
²⁷ At Taberah.
²⁸ At Massah.
²⁹ At Kibroth-hattaavah.
³⁰ Hence Taberah comes before Massah.
³¹ Hence Taberah is not mentioned among Israel’s journeys in the Torah portion Elleh Mase
³² Senir and Hermon are one and the same place. See Deut. 3:9.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:23:1
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**לא האמנתם.** בלב:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
YE BELIEVED HIM NOT. In your hearts.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:23:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:23:2)

**ולא שמעתם**במעשה ושב לבאר התפלה שהתפלל:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
NOR HEARKENED. In deed. Moses then goes back to describe the prayer which he offered.³³

footnotes:
³³ After mentioning the sins Israel committed following the making of the golden calf in verses 22-24 and castigating them in verse 24, Moses goes back to the incident of the golden calf which he mentioned earlier and describes the prayer which he offered on behalf of Israel.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:29:1
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:29:1)

**עמך ונחלתך.** בעבור אבותם:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
THY PEOPLE AND THINE INHERITANCE. Because of their fathers.³⁴

footnotes:
³⁴ The patriarchs.


###### Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:29:2
[Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 9:29:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:29:2)

וטעם **והם עמך.** ידוע כי הם עמך בעבור שהוצאתם **בכחך הגדול** שהראית בעולם:

**Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch; trans. by Jay F. Shachter:**
The meaning of *Thy people* is, it is well known that they are thy people, for You took them out³⁵ by Your great power, which You demonstrated to the world.

footnotes:
³⁵ Of Egypt.