## Ibn Ezra on Genesis Chapter 30

###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:1:1)

**הבה לי בנים.** שתתפלל לשם כאשר עשה אביך:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
GIVE ME CHILDREN. Pray to God as your father did.¹

footnotes:
¹ Pray to God as your father did when your mother could not conceive. Cf. Gen. 25:21. This is what Rachel meant by give me children. Rashi explains similarly.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:2:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:2:1)

**התחת אלהים אנכי.** כאילו אני במקום השם ויתכן שהתפלל ולא הגיע עת שמוע תפלתו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AM I IN GOD’S STEAD. Am I in God’s place. It is possible that Jacob prayed on behalf of Rachel but the time for the acceptance of his prayer on her behalf had not yet arrived.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:3:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:3:1)

**ואבנה.** מפורש בדברי שרה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND I ALSO MAY BE BUILDED UP. I have explained the word *ve-ibbaneh* (and I also may be builded up) in my comments on Sarah’s use of the same term.²

footnotes:
² See I.E.’s commentary on Gen. 16:2.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:6:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:6:1)

**דנני.** דגושה הנו"ן לחסרון הנו"ן הנוסף:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
JUDGED ME. The second *nun* of *dananni* (judged me) has a *dagesh* to compensate for a missing suffixal *nun*.³). To make up for this missing *nun* a *dagesh* is placed in the suffix *ni* (Filwarg).

footnotes:
³ The suffix “me” is sometimes written with two nuns (nni


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:8:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:8:1)

**נפתולי.** שם מבנין נפעל, וטעמו כאדם שיאבק עם אחר ויפתל לנצח אותו כדי להפילו, וכן "תתפל" (ש"ב כב כז), וטעם זכר אלהים כי לכבוד השם נתתי שפחתי, או השם עזרני בהאבקי:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WRESTLINGS. *Naftule* (wrestlings) is a noun in the *nifal*.⁴ following a *nifal* paradigm. From this root we get the verb *niftalti* (I wrestled). The same is the case with the proper name Naphtali (Weiser). Krinsky and Cherez maintain that what I.E. means is that *naphtali* is an infinitive. Its meaning is I strove, as a man who, when wrestling⁵ thus means twistings of (Weiser). I.E. uses twistings in a specific sense, twisting while fighting. with another, twists (*yiftol*) in his effort to overpower his opponent in order to throw him to the ground.⁶ is twistings (wrestlings). The word *tittappal* (Thou dost deal tortuously) (II Sam. 22:27) is similar.⁷ (ikkesh) *Thou dost deal tortuously* (tittappal). In the latter verse *tittappal* (tortuously) is parallel to *ikkesh* (twisted). Hence *tittappal* implies crookedness or twisting. *Tittappal* is a variation of *titpattal* (Kimchi), and Ps. 18:27 which has the identical theme reads *titpattal*. Thus it seems that the root *peh, tav, lamed* and its variation *tav, peh, lamed* mean to twist (Weiser). The reason Rachel mentioned God, (*naftule Elohim*),⁸, wrestlings of God. is either that out of respect for the Lord she had given her handmaiden to her husband,⁹ (with mighty wrestlings) is to be rendered: Godly wrestlings. or that God helped her in her struggle.¹⁰ means wrestlings with God’s help.

footnotes:
⁴ It is a noun from the root peh, tav, lamed
⁵ Naftulai
⁶ The point is that Rachel did not actually wrestle with her sister. She strove with her with the determination of a person trying to overpower his opponent. However, the literal meaning of naftule
⁷ The point of the verse is that God deals with a person measure for measure, viz., With the pure Thou dost show thyself pure, And with the twisted
⁸ Naftule Elohim
⁹ Naftule Elohim
¹⁰ According to this interpretation naftule Elohim


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:11:1)

**בגד.** שתי מלות והאל"ף חסר, וכן בכל, וכן במה (יחז' כ כט), כאשר מפורש ביחזקאל,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FORTUNE IS COME. *Bagad* (fortune is come) is really two words¹¹ (spelled *bet, alef*) and *gad* (Weiser). Thus, *bagad* is spelled *bet, gimel, doled*. Hence the *alef* of *ba* has been dropped. with the *alef* missing. Similarly, *bavel*.¹². 38 and many of the printed editions. Some editions read *ba-kol*. The latter is incorrect (Filwarg, Weiser). See I.E.’s comments on Gen. 11:9. Also, *bamah* as is clearly explained in Ezekiel (20:29).

footnotes:
¹¹ It is a combination of two words ba
¹² This is the reading in Vat. Ebr


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:11:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:11:2)

וטעם גד גדוד כי יש לה גדוד בנים, וי"א שפי' גד מזל טוב כאשר הוא בלשון ישמעאל, וכמוהו "העורכים לגד שולחן" (ישעי' מה יא) והוא ככב גדק, והנכון להיותו כמו גדודי השמים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
The meaning of Gad is a troop. Leah said this because she now had a “troop” of sons.¹³ thus means: a troop has come. Others say that *gad* means good fortune as in the Arabic; and *that prepare a table for Fortune* (gad) (Is. 65:11), with the latter meaning Jupiter,¹⁴, Fortune has come. is similar. Actually, however, *gad* in the latter verse refers to the troops of heaven.¹⁵ means a troop has come.

footnotes:
¹³ Bagad
¹⁴ Jupiter was believed to control men’s fortune. Cf. I.E.’s commentary on Is. 65:11. This proves that Gad means Fortune, and bagad
¹⁵ The stars and planets. Therefore, Is. 65:11 does not contradict I.E.’s interpretation that bagad


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:13:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:13:1)

**באשרי.** בעבור אשרי:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HAPPY AM I. *Be-oshri* means, on account of my happiness.¹⁶ of *be-oshri* is the *bet ha-sibbah* (Weiser). Filwarg renders it: so that I may be called happy, the thought expressed by our verse being, this one was born so that the women may praise me by calling me happy (*for the daughters will call me happy*).

footnotes:
¹⁶ The bet


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:14:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:14:1)

**דודאים.** אמר המתרגם יברוחין וכן יקראו בלשון ישמעאל ויש להם ריח טוב, וכן כתוב "הדודאים נתנו ריח" (ש"ה ז יד), והם על צורת בן אדם, כי יש להם דמות ראש וידים, ואנכי לא ידעתי למה יועילו להריון בעבור שתולדתם קרה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
MANDRAKES. Onkelos renders *dudaim yavruchin* (Aramaic for mandrakes). They are similarly called in Arabic. Mandrakes give off a pleasant scent. Thus it is written, *The mandrakes give forth fragrance* (Cant. 7:14). The mandrakes are shaped like humans. They have the shape of a head and hands.¹⁷ I do not know how they can help a woman conceive since their nature is cold.¹⁸, Part I, Chap. 34.

footnotes:
¹⁷ The roots of the mandrakes have this shape (Nahmanides).
¹⁸ According to medieval medical theory there are four humors, hot, cold, moist and dry. The body was believed to function according to the balance of these four humors. The humor that was hot was thought to stimulate sexual activity and cold to depress it Cf. Maimonides, Guide To the Perplexed


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:15:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:15:1)

**תחת דודאי בנך.** חלף ושכר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FOR THY SON’S MANDRAKES. *Tachet* (for) is to be rendered: in place of and as a reward for.¹⁹ (for) is beneath. However, this translation does not fit here, hence I.E.’s comments: that *tachet* is here to be rendered in place of and as a reward for (thy son’s mandrakes).

footnotes:
¹⁹ The primary meaning of tachet


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:20:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:20:1)

**זבדני אלהים.** כטעם נתן לי חלק ואין לו אח במקרא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
GOD HATH ENDOWED ME. The meaning of *zevadani* (hath endowed me) is: has given me a portion. The word *zevadani* is not found elsewhere in Scripture.²⁰

footnotes:
²⁰ Hence its meaning can only be ascertained from the context.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:20:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:20:2)

**יזבלני.** יזבול עמי יהיה זבולו עמי תמיד, כמו "בנה בניתי בית זבול לך" (מ"א ח יג), "וכמוהו בני יצאוני" (ירמי' יו"ד כ) יצאו ממני, "ויבואני" (תהלים קיט מא) כלם הם פעלים עומדים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WILL DWELL WITH ME. *Yizbeleni* means will dwell with me;²¹ suffix at the end of a verse stands for *oti*. Hence *yizbeleni* should be translated: will dwell me, an impossible construction. Therefore I.E. points out that *ni* here does not have the meaning of *oti* (me) but *immi* (with me). Since the suffix *ni* means *oti* (me), it is usually combined only with a transitive verb, compare, *zevadani* (endowed me); *hikkani* (smite me), *yahargeni* (will kill me) and others (Weiser). i.e., his dwelling (*zevulo*) will always be with me. Compare, *I have surely built Thee a house of habitation* (bet zevul) (I Kings 8:13). *Yetza’uni* (are gone forth from me), in *banai yetza’uni* (my children are gone from me) (Jer. 10:20), and *vi-yevo’uni* (also come unto me) (Ps. 119:41) are similar. All of these are intransitive verbs with the pronominal suffix *ni*.

footnotes:
²¹ The ni


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:21:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:21:1)

**ואחר ילדה בת.** י"א כי עם זבולון היתה בבטן אחת:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND AFTERWARDS SHE BORE A DAUGHTER. Some say that Dinah was Zebulun’s twin.²²

footnotes:
²² The Bible omits “and she conceived” with regard to Dinah (Weiser). “And afterwards she bore a daughter” implies one birth (Kimchi).


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:23:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:23:1)

**אסף אלהים את חרפתי.** כטעם כרת, וכן "ונאסף שמחה וגיל" (ישעי' טז י) ואחרים אמרו כי השם ראה החרפות שהי' הנשים מחרפות אותי בעבור היותי עקרה וכאילו נאספו ונתחברו אצל השם, והנה נולדו ליעקב י"ב בנים בז' שנים וכאשר ספרום הקדמונים מצאום בני ששה חדשים וימים במספר, ויתכן שנתנה לאה שפחתה ליעקב קודם שנולד נפתלי, גם הרתה רחל קודם שנולד זבלון, וגם דינה לא ידענו מתי נולדה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
GOD HATH TAKEN AWAY MY REPROACH. *Asaf* (taken away) is to be rendered cut off. Compare, *And gladness and joy are taken away* (ve-ne’esaf) (Is. 16:10). Others interpret what Rachel said as, God saw the insults which the women hurled at me because I was barren and by giving me a son He, as it were, gathered (*asaf*) and collected the insults.²³ means gathered rather than cut off. It is clear from Scripture that Jacob’s twelve children were born in seven years.²⁴ 2, “Jacob spent 20 years in Laban’s house. Seven before marrying the matriarchs, and seven after marrying them and six years after the birth of the eleven tribes and Dinah. We thus find that the tribes with the exception of Benjamin were born in seven years, each one every seven months.” That is, six months and some days (Weiser). The point is that Jacob had acquired eleven sons and Dinah by the time he had finished serving his 14 years for his wives (v. 25). The first seven years he had no wife (v. 20). Hence all his children, with the exception of Benjamin who was born after he had left Laban, were born during seven years. When the ancients numbered them they could only explain how this was possible by saying that each was born six months and some days after conception.²⁵, Chap. 36). The *Seder Olam* quoted above employs a round number (Cherez). However, this was not necessarily so. It is posssible that Leah gave her handmaiden to Jacob before Naphtali was born, that Rachel conceived before the birth of Zebulun,²⁶ and that we do not know when Dinah was born.

footnotes:
²³ According to this interpretation asaf
²⁴ Cf. Seder Olam
²⁵ Scripture tells us that Jacob’s children were born in sequence; Reuben, Simon, Levi, etc. Since Jacob had twelve children in seven years, he had to have had a child every seven months since there are 84 months in seven years and 84 divided by 12 is 7. The reason I.E. says that Jacob’s sons were born six months and some days following conception is to allow for the days of “uncleanliness” following childbirth during which Jacob abstained from intercourse with those wives who conceived twice in one year (cf. Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer
²⁶ Zilpah could have conceived Gad while Bilhah was pregnant with Naphtali, and Rachel could have conceived before Zebulun was born. The fact that Scripture tells us that Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob after Naphtali was born does not mean that that was the sequence of events. Cf. Cherez and Weiser. The point is there is no reason to assume that Jacob’s children were born seven months apart.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:26:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:26:1)

**אשר עבדתי אותך כהן.** שב אל נשי לא אל ילדי, כמו "וישם דמי מלחמה בשלום" (מ"א ב ה):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FOR WHOM I HAVE SERVED THEE. This refers to *my wives*, not *my children*.²⁷ can conceivably apply to *my children*, hence I.E.’s comment. It is similar to *and shed the blood of war in peace* (I Kings 2:5).²⁸

footnotes:
²⁷ The verse reads, Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served thee. For whom I have served thee
²⁸ See notes to I.E.’s comments on Gen. 20:17.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:27:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:27:1)

**נחשתי.** כמו נסיתי כי הולך היה לקראת נחשים ויש לו תרפים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
I HAVE OBSERVED THE SIGNS. *Nichashti* (I have observed the signs) means I have divined,²⁹ for Laban was an enchanter and had teraphim.³⁰

footnotes:
²⁹ So according to Weiser.
³⁰ Instruments of sorcery. Cf. Gen. 31:34.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:28:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:28:1)

**נקבה לשון צווי** במשקל "זכרה לי אלהי לטובה" (נחמי' יג יד) ופי' פרש, וכן "אשר פי ד' יקבנו" (ישעי' בב ב), ודגשות הקו"ף להתבלע הנו"ן בו כמו "אשר ידבנו לבו" (שמות כה ב):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
APPOINT. *Nokvah* (appoint) is an imperative.³¹ is an elongated form. It follows the paradigm of *zokhrah* (remember) in *Remember* (zokhrah) *me, O my God, for good* (Neh. 13:31). The meaning of *nokvah* (appoint) is, clearly state, as we see from *Which the mouth of the Lord shall mark out*³² (yikkovennu) (Is. 62:2). The *dagesh* of *yikkovennu* (shall mark out) compensates for the missing *nun*.³³ and *yikkovennu* have the same root, *nun, kof, bet* and mean the same, viz., clearly state. We find the same with the word *yiddevennu* (make them willing) in *whose heart maketh him willing* (yiddevennu) (Ex. 25:2).³⁴ has a *dagesh* in the *dalet* to make up for the missing *nun*. Thus *yikkovennu* and *yiddevenu* are similar. Both have a *nun* as a first root letter and the *nun* drops out in the imperfect and is replaced by a *dagesh*.

footnotes:
³¹ The usual imperative form is nekov. Nokvah
³² Or clearly state.
³³ Thus nokvah
³⁴ Yiddevennu


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:30:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:30:1)

**לרגלי.** בעבור רגלי, כי דרך בני אדם לומר רגל טובה יש לפלוני, והטעם כי התברכת משעה שבאתי לביתך, ה"א מאומה נוסף, ונמצא חסר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WITHERSOEVER I TURNED. *Le-ragli* (withersoever I turned) is to be rendered: because of my foot.³⁵ literally means my foot. The *lamed* prefixed to it is a causal *lamed*, in Hebrew, *lamed ha-sibbah* (Weiser). It is the custom of people to say so and so has a good foot.³⁶ What Jacob was saying was: you have been blessed ever since I came to your house. The *heh* of *me’umah* (aught in v. 31) is superfluous.³⁷ The word is also found spelled without the *heh*.³⁸ in Job 31:7.

footnotes:
³⁵ Ragli
³⁶ So and so brings good fortune (Weiser).
³⁷ Hence it is penultimately accented.
³⁸ Mum


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:32:1)

**עקדים.** ברגל והטעם שומה שעקדה הרגל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
STREAKED.³⁹ are found in Gen. 31:10. I.E. inserted it here because he wanted to clarify the type of marks that the Bible refers to before proceeding to comment on the account of Jacob’s hire. The streak was on the animal’s foot. *Akuddim* (streaked) refers to a cord-like mark that bound the foot⁴⁰ means to bind. *Akuddim* is a mark resembling a cord going around the foot of the animal at the place where it is normally bound. This is what I.E. means by “a mark that bound the foot.”

footnotes:
³⁹ The words upon which I.E. comments, i.e., akuddim, nekuddim, beruddim
⁴⁰ The root ayin, kof, dalet


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:32:2)

**ונקדים.** שיש בו נקדות נקדות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SPECKLED. *Nekuddim* means speckled.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:32:3)

**וברודים.** מגזרת ברד שיש לו שומות לבנות,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
GRIZZLED. *Beruddim* (grizzled) comes from the same root as *barad* (hail). It means having white spots.⁴¹

footnotes:
⁴¹ Like hail.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:4
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:32:4)

ומלת טלוא שם כלל והוא מגזרת "בלות ומטולאית" (יהושע ט ה), והטעם כמו שומית וטעם כל שה נקוד וטליא תיש, וכן כתוב "שה כשבים ושה עזים" (דברים יד ד) ואחר ששם טלוא כלל, הנה פי' כל תיש נקוד ועקוד וברוד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[SPOTTED.] *Talu* is a general term for all type of spots.⁴² It comes from the same root as *u-metulla’ot* (and clouted) in *and worn shoes and clouted* (u-metulla’ot) *upon their feet* (Josh. 9:5).⁴³. The meaning of *u-metulla’ot* is marked.⁴⁴ is a general term for spotted. The term *seh* (v. 32), refers to he-goats.⁴⁵ refers to he-goats because the sheep were not speckled and spotted but were *chum* (dark) and the she-goats are mentioned in the final part of the verse. Hence *seh* must refer to he-goats (Cherez). It is similarly written *the sheep* (seh kevasim) *and the goat* (seh izim) (Deut. 14:4).⁴⁶ can thus apply to both goats and sheep. In the first part of our verse it applies to he-goats. Now since *talu* (spotted) is a general term for all type of spots, the meaning of *every speckled and spotted* (talu) *one* is: every he-goat speckled, streaked and grizzled.⁴⁷ means speckled and *talu* includes the other types of spots, i.e., a mark around the ankle, *akuddim* (streaked), and hail like spots, *beruddim*.

footnotes:
⁴² At various places in the body (Weiser).
⁴³ Its root is tet, lamed, alef
⁴⁴ The patches (clouts) marked the shoes. We thus see that talu
⁴⁵ According to I.E. this clause should be translated: removing from thence every speckled and spotted he-goat. I.E. explains that seh
⁴⁶ The term seh
⁴⁷ I.E. explains that nakod


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:5
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:32:5)

**וכל שה חום.** הוא השחרות, ויתכן שנקרא השחרות כן מפני החום כי השחרות יותר חום מן הלבן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND EVERY DARK ONE AMONG THE SHEEP. *Chum* means black. It is possible that *chum* means black because it is affected by heat (*chom*), for a black object gets hotter than a white object.⁴⁸

footnotes:
⁴⁸ What I.E. probably means is that black objects absorb heat from the sun more than do white objects. This shows that heat causes blackness.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:6
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:32:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:32:6)

**וטלוא ונקוד בעזים.** עקוד וברוד ונקוד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THE SPOTTED AND SPECKLED AMONG THE GOATS. Streaked, grizzled and speckled.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:33:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:33:1)

**אשר איננו נקוד וטלוא.** נקוד וברוד ועקוד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
EVERY ONE THAT IS NOT SPECKLED AND SPOTTED AMONG THE GOATS. Speckled, grizzled and streaked.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:33:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:33:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:33:2)

**בעזים.** זכרים ונקבות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AMONG THE GOATS. He and she-goats.⁴⁹

footnotes:
⁴⁹ Since goats stand in contradistinction to sheep in our verse, it refers to all goats, both male and female.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:35:1)

**ויסר ביום ההוא את התישים העקודים והטלואים.** שפירש הנקודים והברודים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE REMOVED THAT DAY THE HE-GOATS THAT WERE STREAKED AND SPOTTED. Spotted (*telu’im*) means speckled and grizzled.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:35:2)

**הנקודות והטלואות.** פי' העקודות והברודות וזה טעם כל אשר לבן בו,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[AND ALL THE SHE-GOATS THAT WERE SPECKLED AND SPOTTED.] The interpretation of *telu’ot* (spotted) is streaked and grizzled.⁵⁰ (spotted) refers to the other types of marks. This is what Scripture means by *everyone that had white in it*.⁵¹

footnotes:
⁵⁰ Speckled is mentioned in the verse; hence telu’ot
⁵¹ The verse should be read as follows: speckled and spotted, that is, every one that had white in it (Weiser). The spots were white. “Every one that had white in it” explains speckled and spotted (Weiser).


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:35:3)

וכל שה חום, כבש שחור, והוא שם תואר, כמו פעול, ומשקלו "סוג לב" (משלי יד יד), ומלת הסר משם על דעת מדקדק גדול שם הפועל להסיר משם ואלה שכרי, ופי' ויתן ביד בניו של יעקב, רק וישם דרך שלשת ימים על לבן הוא, וזה הפי' איננו נכון, כי אין ליעקב בן גדול מראובן, ועוד אין לו ז' שנים, וכן פי' הפרשה, הסר משם כמשמעו לשון צווי, וטעם והיה שכרי כאלה אחר שתסירם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND ALL THE DARK ONES AMONG THE SHEEP. The black sheep. *Chum* (dark, black) is an adjective similar to a *pa’ul*. It follows the paradigm of *sug* (dissembler) in *The dissembler* (sug) *in heart* (Prov. 14:14).⁵² because only transitive verbs come in the *pa’ul. Chum* is intransitive. Nevertheless, it is similar to *pa’ul* in that it is an adjective. The same is true of *sug* (Cherez). Weiser translates: It is an adjective in the *pu’al*, following the paradigm of *sug*; that is, it is an *ayin, vav* in the *pu’al*. A great grammarian explained the word *haser* (removing)⁵³ can be either an infinitive or an imperative. The grammarian explained it as an infinitive because of the difficulty of coordinating *I will pass* with the imperative remove. in *removing* (haser) *from thence* (v. 32) as an infinitive, meaning to remove. The meaning of the aforementioned verse according to this scholar is: I will pass through all thy flock today to remove from thence every…and that which I remove will be my hire.⁵⁴ He further explained *And gave them into the hands of his sons* (v. 35) as referring to Jacob’s sons.⁵⁵; and *his sons* refers to Jacob’s sons. However, he said that *he set three days journey betwixt himself and Jacob* (v. 36) pertains to Laban.⁵⁶ This comment is wrong in view of the fact that Jacob had no son older than Reuben, and he was not yet seven years old.⁵⁷ This is the way our passage is to be explained: *haser* (v. 32) is, as its form indicates, an imperative meaning “remove” and the meaning of *and of such shall be my hire* (v. 32) is: such as these which you now remove will in the future be my hire.⁵⁸

footnotes:
⁵² I.E. calls it similar to pa’ul
⁵³ Haser
⁵⁴ This is the meaning of: and of such shall be my hire.
⁵⁵ Since according to this interpretation Jacob did the removing, he is the subject of verse 35 which reads: And he removed
⁵⁶ This is obvious.
⁵⁷ The events described in our passage took place after the close of Jacob’s 14 years of service to Laban. Reuben, his oldest, was then not yet seven years old. How, then, could Jacob give the sheep to his small children to keep?
⁵⁸ Verse 32 does not tell us that Jacob removed the sheep and kept them as his hire and then gave them to his children to keep (v. 35). Rather, it tells us that Jacob told Laban, “Remove the spotted…sheep and goats from your flock and keep them. However, in the future such as these shall be my hire.” Verse 35 tells us that Laban removed them and gave them to his (Laban’s sons) to keep.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:4
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:35:4)

**וענתה בי צדקתי.** לפניך היא תעיד כאשר תבא ותראה שכרי, והוא העדר שאפריד לנפשי, אם לא מצאת התישים והעזים עקודים נקודים וברודים, והכבשים שחורים גנוב הוא אתי, והנה אתה הסירות מן הצאן כל עקוד ונקוד וברוד בעזים וכל חום בכשבים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SO SHALL MY RIGHTEOUSNESS WITNESS AGAINST ME. My righteousness shall testify for me *before thee*,⁵⁹ with *so shall my righteousness witness against me*, rather than with *my hire*, which precedes it (Krinsky, Cherez). when you come and look over my hire, viz., the flock that I have separated for myself. If you find among the latter a he and she-goat that is not streaked, speckled and grizzled or a sheep that is not black, then it *shall be counted stolen*. Behold you have already removed from the flock all goats streaked, speckled and grizzled and all black sheep.⁶⁰

footnotes:
⁵⁹ I.E. connects before thee
⁶⁰ Hence all such animals found with me must be mine.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:5
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:35:5)

**ויאמר לבן הן.** כמו הנה כי הה"א נוסף כמו האלה האל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND LABAN SAID: BEHOLD. *Hen* (behold) is identical in meaning to *hinneh*, the *heh* being superfluous.⁶¹. It is similar in this regard to *ha-eleh* (these) and *ha-el* (these).⁶² and *ha-eleh* mean the same, the *heh* being superfluous.

footnotes:
⁶¹ I.E. makes this comment because the usual term for behold in Scripture is hinneh
⁶² See I.E.’s comment on Gen. 19:8. Both ha-el


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:6
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:35:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:35:6)

**ויסר ביום ההוא.** לבן הסיר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE REMOVED. Laban removed.⁶³ refers to Jacob.

footnotes:
⁶³ I.E. makes this point because according to the grammarian quoted above, And he removed


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:36:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:36:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:36:1)

**וישם.** גם הוא לבן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE SET. Here, too, Scripture speaks of Laban.⁶⁴ refers to Jacob and *And he set* refers to Laban. Hence I.E. points out that both refer to Laban.

footnotes:
⁶⁴ According to the grammarian quoted above, And he removed


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:37:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:37:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:37:1)

**מקל.** בפתח הקו"ף בעבור שהוא סמוך:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
RODS OF. *Makkal* (rods of) is vocalized with a *pattach* because it is in the construct.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:37:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:37:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:37:2)

**לבנה לוז וערמון.** עצים הם, רק לח שם התואר, והגאון אמר כי לוז שקדים בעבור שנקרא כן בלשון ישמעאל, כי הב' לשונות והארמית ממשפחה אחת היו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
POPLAR…ALMOND…AND PLANE TREE. *Livneh* (poplar), *luz* (almond) and *armon* (plane tree) are names of trees. However, *lach* (fresh) is an adjective.⁶⁵. Conceivably *lach* could be taken to be the name of a tree. Hence I.E. points out that *lach* is an adjective modifying *livneh*, i.e., fresh Saadiah Gaon says that *luz* means almond since that is its meaning in Arabic, and Arabic, Hebrew and Aramaic belong to the same family.

footnotes:
⁶⁵ Scripture reads, livneh lach, ve-luz ve-armon


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:37:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:37:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:37:3)

**מחשף הלבן.** שחשף הקלף, כמו "חשף ד'" (ישעי' נב י):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
MAKING THE WHITE APPEAR. He peeled the bark. Compare, *The Lord hath made bare* (chasaf) *His holy arm* (Is. 52:10).⁶⁶ means to lay bare. Hence *machsof ha-lavan* means he laid bare the white (Weiser). He did this by peeling the bark. I.E. makes this point because the root *chet, sin, peh* can also mean to strip. Hence *machsof ha-laven* might be translated, stripping off the white.

footnotes:
⁶⁶ We thus see that the root chet, sin, peh


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:38:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:38:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:38:1)

**פצל.** הטעם כרת כריתות קטנות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
PEELED. The word *pitzel* (peeled) means he made small cuts.⁶⁷ is found in Scripture only in verses 37 and 38. According to I.E. it does not exactly mean to peel. See S.D. Luzzato’s commentary on this verse.

footnotes:
⁶⁷ The verb pitzel


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:38:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:38:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:38:2)

**ברהטים.** מקום חבור המים שישתו הצאן שם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IN THE GUTTERS. Pools containing water for the sheep to drink from.⁶⁸ (gutters) as being synonymous with *shikatot ha-mayim* (watering troughs) (Weiser).

footnotes:
⁶⁸ I.E. apparently interpreted rehatim


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:38:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:38:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:38:3)

**ויחמנה.** נתחברו פה לשון זכרים ונקבות כמו "וישרנה הפרות" (ש"א ו יב):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THEY CONCEIVED. *Va-yechamnah* (and they conceived) is a combination of masculine and feminine forms.⁶⁹. The *yod* is a masculine prefix. Hence *va-yechamnah* combines the masculine (the *yod*) with the feminine. We find the same in the word *va-yisharnah* (and took…the straight way) in *And the kine took the straightway* (va-yisharnah) (I Sam. 6:12).⁷⁰. See note 69. The feminine should have been used since *kine* is feminine.

footnotes:
⁶⁹ The feminine form third person plural is va-techamnah
⁷⁰ The correct feminine form is va-tisharnah


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:39:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:39:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:39:1)

**ויחמו.** נתעברו, ובאה זאת המלה משונה בנקוד בעבור אות הגרון, והיה ראוי להיות כמו "וישבו לאכל לחם" (בראשית לז כה), ואל תתמה בעבור שאמר על הצאן לשון וכרים כי משפט הלשון להפריש בין זכרים לנקבות בלשון יחיד, רק בלשון רבים לא יחושו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THE FLOCKS CONCEIVED. *Va-yechemu* means: and they conceived.⁷¹, meaning to be hot, that is, hot with sexual desire and by extension to conceive. This word is irregularly vocalized because of the *chet* which is a guttural. It should have been vocalized as *va-yeshevu* (and they sat down) in *And they sat down* (va-yeshevu) *to eat bread* (Gen. 37:25).⁷² is *yod, chet, mem*. Being a *peh yod* it should follow that paradigm. Thus the *yod* should be vocalized with a *tzere* as the *yod* of *va-yeshev*. However, since the *chet* is a guttural and is vocalized with a *chataf segol*, the *yad* is vocalized with a *segol* (Cherez). Don’t be surprised at Scripture’s use of the masculine⁷³. Females conceive, hence Scripture should have stated *va-techamna hatzon* rather than *va-yechemu hatzon*. when referring to female sheep. Hebrew is strict in differentiating between the masculine and feminine forms only in the singular and not in the plural.

footnotes:
⁷¹ It comes from the root yod, chet, mem
⁷² According to I.E. the root of va-yechemu
⁷³ Va-yechemu


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:39:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:39:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:39:2)

**אל המקלות.** מן המקלות ורבים יתמהו, ויאמרו כי זה פלא, ואמת שהוא מפלאות התולדות וכן המשפט אפילו האשה שנבראה בצלם המלאכים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AT THE SIGHT OF THE RODS. *El ha-maklot* should be rendered at the sight of the rod. Many are amazed at what is reported in our verse⁷⁴ and say that it can only be described as an out of the ordinary phenomenon. Really, what Scripture describes is indeed one of the wonders of nature. However, it is a natural law. Even a woman who is created in the image of the angels affects her fetus by what she looks at while she is pregnant.⁷⁵

footnotes:
⁷⁴ That the sheep’s fetuses were influenced by what the sheep looked at.
⁷⁵ I.E. believed that it is a law that applies to all females. Hence what is described in our verse is not a supernatural phenomenon.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:39:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:39:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:39:3)

**וטלואים.** הם הברודים כי שם כלל הוא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND SPOTTED. Grizzled. This is so because *telu’im* (spotted) is a general term for all types of spots.⁷⁶ is a general term for speckled, streaked and grizzled, and speckled and streaked are specifically mentioned in our verse, *telu’im* can only refer to grizzled (Krinsky). The Bible sometimes uses a general term for the particular (Weiser).

footnotes:
⁷⁶ Since telu’im


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:40:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:40:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:40:1)

**והכשבים הפריד יעקב.** ועוד עשה דבר אחר שהפריד הכבשים ובחר מהם כל עקוד וכל חום, ושם פני הצאן אליהם עד שתלדנה כן והנה הי' לו עדרים לבדו ולא שתם על צאן לבן, וי"א כי וישת לו עדרים מאוחר כי הכשבים הפרידם מעדרים שלו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND JACOB SEPARATED THE LAMBS. Jacob also did one more thing.⁷⁷ He separated the lambs and chose the streaked and the dark ones and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and dark ones so that they would produce similar offspring. This resulted in his having his own droves⁷⁸ which he did not *put unto Laban’s flock*. Others say that Jacob separated the lambs from his own flock and that *and put his own droves apart* should have preceded *and Jacob separated the lambs*.⁷⁹ (in the flock of Laban) is, he did this to all of Laban’s flock. See Filwarg and Cherez.

footnotes:
⁷⁷ In addition to peeling the sticks and having the goats face them while coupling.
⁷⁸ Cherez.
⁷⁹ The verse should be read as if written: And (Jacob) put his own droves apart and put them not unto Laban’s flock, and Jacob separated the lambs (from his own droves) and set the faces of the flocks (of Laban) toward the streaked and all the dark (of Jacob’s flock), he did this to all the flocks of Laban. It should be noted that according to this interpretation the meaning of be-tzon lavan


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:41:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:41:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:41:1)

**הצאן המקושרות.** בימי ניסן וכל אשר תלדנה הי' חזקים ובריאים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WHENSOEVER THE STRONGER OF THE FLOCK DID CONCEIVE. In the month of Nisan,⁸⁰ so that all those born would be strong and healthy.⁸¹

footnotes:
⁸⁰ Those born in the month of Nisan (Krinsky, Weiser).
⁸¹ The sun is strong then and the sheep born in this month are healthier.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:42:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:42:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:42:1)

**ובהעטיף הצאן.** הם בימי תשרי, ולזה עשה יעקב שלא ירגיש לבן בדבר המקלות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
BUT WHEN THE FLOCK WERE FEEBLE. In the month of Tishri.⁸² Jacob did this so that Laban would not know that he was employing the sticks to produce spotted goats.⁸³

footnotes:
⁸² Born in Tishri.
⁸³ Had Jacob not done this, all the sheep would have been black and all the goats spotted and Laban would have known that something was wrong. Thus Jacob had to produce sheep for Laban. He did so when the offspring would be of inferior quality.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:42:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 30:42:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/30:42:2)

**העטופים.** שאין כח בהם כמו "נפשם בהם תתעטף" (תהלים קז ה):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FEEBLE. *Atufim* means feeble; compare, *Their soul fainted* (titattaf) *in them* (Ps. 107:5).