## Ibn Ezra on Genesis Chapter 45

###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:1:1)

**להתאפק.** לסבול:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
REFRAIN HIMSELF. *Le-hitappek* (refrain himself) means to bear.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:1:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:1:2)

**לכל הנצבים עליו.** טעמו, עד שיצאו כל הנצבים עליו, והוצרך לקרוא להוציאם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
BEFORE ALL THEM THAT STOOD BY HIM. Its meaning is, until all that stood by him left. Joseph was therefore compelled to call and have them withdrawn.¹

footnotes:
¹ Joseph could not bear to wait until all those in his presence left. He therefore had the hall cleared.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:2:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:2:1)

**בִבְכִי.** במקום הפסקא וכמוהו "ראה עֳנִי (איכה ג, א):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE WEPT ALOUD. The word reads *bi-vechi* (wept) even though it is a pausal.² beneath the first *bet* and a *segol* beneath the second *bet*. Our word is vocalized *chirik, sheva* (Weiser). *Oni* (affliction) in *I am the man that hath seen affliction* (oni) (Lam. 3:1) is similar.³ in Lam. 3:1 is vocalized with a *chataf kamatz* even though it is a pausal. At such times the word is usually vocalized with a *cholam*. Cf. Deut. 16:3. We thus see that Scripture occasionally vocalizes a pausal as a non pausal.

footnotes:
² In such cases the word is vocalized with a sheva
³ Oni


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:8:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:8:1)

**כי האלהים.** שלחני:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
BUT GOD. Sent me.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:8:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:8:2)

**לאב.** טעמו למורה וכן "אבי כל תופש" (בראשית ד כא):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
A FATHER. A teacher. Father in *he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe* (Gen. 4:21) is similar.⁴

footnotes:
⁴ Jubal obviously was not the biological father of all harp and pipe players.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:11:1)

**פן תורש.** כמו תכרת, וכן להוריש גוים (דבר' ד לה):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
LEST THOU COME TO POVERTY. *Tivvaresh* (come to poverty) means thou be cut off. *Le-horish* in *to drive out* (le-horish) *nations* (Deut. 4:38) is similar.⁵, which usually means to inherit, can also mean to cut off, to destroy. I.E. renders Deut. 4:38 to destroy nations. He renders our verse, lest thou be destroyed (cut off).

footnotes:
⁵ The point is that the root yod, resh, shin


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:12:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:12:1)

**כי פי.** ידוע, כי פה מוכרת וכאשר יהיה סמוך ישוב הה"א הנעלם ליו"ד נעלם, כמו "פי צדיק" (תהלים לז ל) גם כן לשון רבים, ופי רשעים (משלי יוד, יא) ובהתחבר זה היו"ד עם יו"ד סימן המדבר חסרו האחד, כמו "כי פי המדבר", והטעם שהיה מדבר בלשונם עמם בלא מליץ:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THAT IT IS MY MOUTH. It is well known that *peh* (mouth) spelled *peh, heh* is in the absolute. However, when it appears in the construct the silent *heh*⁶ in *peh* is not sounded. changes to a silent *yod*,⁷ becomes *pi* (my mouth) or *fi* when the rules of grammar call for the omission of the *dagesh*. I.E. refers to the *yod* following a *chirik* as a silent *yod*. as in *The mouth of* (pi) *the righteous* (Ps. 37:30). The same form (*pi*) is also used for the plural, as in *But the mouth* (pi) *of the wicked* (Prov. 10:11).⁸ (wicked) is in the plural. Thus the *mouth of the wicked* should be rendered, the mouths of the wicked men (Cherez). Now when the *yod* that takes the place of the *heh* comes together with the *yod* of the first person pronominal suffix, one of the *yods* is dropped,⁹, one *yod* serving as the first person pronominal suffix and the other substituting for the *heh*. However, one *yod* is dropped to simplify enunciation. Thus *pi* can mean either my mouth or mouth of. as in *my mouth* (fi) *that speaketh*. The meaning of *my mouth that speaketh unto you* is: I speak directly to you in Hebrew without the use of an interpreter.

footnotes:
⁶ The heh
⁷ Peh
⁸ Resha’im
⁹ My mouth should be written peh, yod, yod


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:14:1
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**צוארי.** ימצא לשון רבים ויחיד, ועם תוספות נו"ן אכן האל"ף לא נעדר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
NECK. Scripture employs both the plural and singular forms for the neck.¹⁰. Cf. Is. 8:8 and Jer. 28:10; *tzavvare* is a plural. However, the plural is occasionally also used for the singular when this noun is employed. We also find the word for neck spelled with a *nun*.¹¹ (thy neck) in Cant. 4:9. However, its *alef* is never dropped.¹² in *tzavveronayikh*. Filwarg suggests that in I.E.’s copy of the Bible *tzavveronayikh* had an *alef*. Also, Kimchi in his book of roots says that *tzavveronayikh* is spelled with an *alef*. Weiser suggests that what I.E. means is that *tzavveronayikh* should have been written with an *alef* but for some reason it was dropped.

footnotes:
¹⁰ The singular of neck is tzavvar
¹¹ Cf. tzavveronayikh
¹² According to Weiser. The problem is that there is no alef


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:17:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:17:1)

**טענו.** שימו משא ומטעני חרב (ישעי' יד יט) קרוב ממנו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
LADE. *Ta’anu* means load. The word *meto’ane* in *thrust through* (meto’ane) *with the sword* (Is. 14:19) is close in meaning to it.¹³ to *meto’ane*; therefore he connects *meto’ane* with an Arabic word meaning pierced.

footnotes:
¹³ I.E. renders this, laden with wounds of the sword (Krinsky). It is noteworthy that in Isaiah, I.E. says that it is farfetched to connect ta’anu


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:17:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:17:2)

**בעירכם.** בהמתכם וכן "אנחנו ובעירנו" (במדבר כ, ד):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
BEASTS. *Be’irekhem* means your cattle. *Be’irenu* in *we and our cattle* (u-ve-irenu) (Num. 20:4) is similar.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:18:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:18:1)

**חלב הארץ.** כמו שומן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE FAT OF THE LAND. Its meaning is *shuman ha’aretz* (fat of the land).¹⁴ (fat), it follows that the *fat of the land* is a metaphor for the best of the land (Weiser).

footnotes:
¹⁴ What I.E. apparently intends to say is that since the choicest part of an animal is its shuman


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:22:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:22:1)

**חליפות שמלות.** מלבושים אין זה כמו זה והפחות שתים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
CHANGES OF RAIMENT. Two garments, each different from the other, two being the minimum for a plural.¹⁵ (changes of raiment) is in the plural. The minimum of the plural is two. Hence two garments are implied. Had Scripture intended more than two their number would have been listed, as in the case of Benjamin. *Chalifot* (changes) implies each garment was different from the other. He didn’t give them two identical garments (Cherez).

footnotes:
¹⁵ Chalifot semalot


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:23:1)

**וטעם כזאת.** מחליפות שמלות מהטובות שהיו במצרים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[IN LIKE MANNER.] That is, of the finest changes of raiment¹⁶ (in like manner) not only applies to what follows but also to what comes before, viz., garments (Weiser). Or *ke-zot* applies only to what comes before; i.e., the verse is to be understood: And to his father he sent in like manner ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, viz., the finest changes of raiment that were found in Egypt (Cherez). that were found in Egypt.

footnotes:
¹⁶ Ke-zot


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:23:2)

**בר.** דגן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
CORN. *Bar* (corn) means grain.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:23:3)

**ולחם.** כמשמעו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND BREAD. That is to be taken literally.¹⁷ (bread) can mean food, hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes:
¹⁷ Lechem


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:4
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:23:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:23:4)

**ומזון.** אפונים ופול ועדשים ודחן וכסמין ותאנים וצמוקים ותמרים, כי אלה לבדם הם מזון חוץ מדגן ושעורה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND VICTUAL. The term *mazon* (victual) refers to peas, beans, lentils, millet, spelt, figs, raisins and dates, for only these, excluding wheat¹⁸ (grain) but he means wheat (Weiser). and barley, are termed *mazon*.¹⁹ but *bar* (Krinsky, Filwarg).

footnotes:
¹⁸ I.E. reads dagan
¹⁹ Wheat and barley are not deemed mazon


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:24:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:24:1)

**וטעם אל תרגזו.** שיכעום איש על אחיו בעבור מכירתו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[SEE THAT YE FALL NOT OUT BY THE WAY.] Don’t be angry with each other because of my being sold into slavery.²⁰ (fall out) as be angry (Cherez); i.e., don’t be angry and thus quarrel with each other, the idea being, don’t be angry that you sold me and thus quarrel with each other about who was responsible. It should be noted that in Ps. 4:5 I.E. renders *rigzu* as fear.

footnotes:
²⁰ I.E. renders tirgizu


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:26:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/45:26:1)

**ויפג לבו.** מגזרת "אל תתני פוגת לך" (איכה ב יח) והטעם שעמד לבו ודמם, כטעם "וימת לבו" (ש"א כה לז), כי לא האמין, ויהי כראותו העגלות ותחי רוחו, ואל תתמה על מלת ויפג, כי כן דרך הנביאים לדבר, כמו "ונשמה לא נשארה בי" (דניאל יו"ד יז):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HIS HEART FAINTED. *Va-yafag* (fainted) comes from the same root as *fugat*²¹ in *Give thyself no respite* (fugat) (Lam. 2:18). It means his heart stopped and was still. It has the same meaning as *and his heart died within him* (I Sam. 25:37). Jacob reacted in this manner because he didn’t believe them.²² However, when he saw the wagons, his spirit revived. Do not be surprised at the term *his heart stopped* for it is the style of the prophets to speak in hyperbole. Compare, *neither was there breath left in me* (Dan. 10:17).

footnotes:
²¹ That is, stop.
²² Jacob reacted in this manner because what his sons said reminded him that Joseph was dead.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 45:28:1
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**רב עוד יוסף.** רב לי זאת השמחה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IT IS ENOUGH; JOSEPH MY SON IS YET ALIVE. This happiness is enough for me.²³. I.E. suggests that enough is short for “this happiness is enough for me” (Weiser). What Jacob was saying was, I am not concerned with the fact that he is a ruler over Egypt; the fact that he is alive is joy enough for me (Krinsky). Cherez suggests rendering I.E., I have great happiness since Joseph is yet alive.

footnotes:
²³ The Hebrew reads, Enough, Joseph my son is yet alive