{"versions": [{"status": "locked", "priority": 3.0, "license": "CC-BY-NC", "versionNotes": "", "formatAsPoetry": "", "digitizedBySefaria": true, "method": "", "heversionSource": "", "versionUrl": "", "versionTitleInHebrew": "", "versionNotesInHebrew": "", "shortVersionTitle": "H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004", "shortVersionTitleInHebrew": "", "extendedNotes": "", "extendedNotesHebrew": "", "purchaseInformationImage": "", "purchaseInformationURL": "", "hasManuallyWrappedRefs": "", "language": "en", "versionSource": "https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001102376/NLI", "versionTitle": "Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004", "actualLanguage": "en", "languageFamilyName": "english", "isSource": false, "isPrimary": false, "direction": "ltr", "text": [["[BEGAN.] <i>Hechel</i> (began) is a <i>hifil</i>. It is a denominative of <i>techillah</i> (beginning).", "TO MULTIPLY. <i>La-rov</i> (to multiply) is an infinitive."], ["THE SONS OF GOD. The term <i>bene Elohim</i> (the sons of god) refers to the sons of the judges who dispensed God’s (<i>Elohim</i>) justice.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">1</sup><i class=\"footnote\">See I.E.’s comment on Gen. 1:1.</i> Others say that <i>Elohim</i> refers to God Himself and the sons of God are holy ones (saints) living on earth. They are called <i>sons of God</i> in the sense of <i>Ye are the children of the Lord your God</i> (Deut. 14:1). Others say that <i>the sons of God</i> refers to the children of Seth<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">2</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Concerning whom it is written that he was created in God’s image. See I.E.’s comment on Gen. 5:1.</i> and that <i>the daughters of man</i> refers to women of Cain’s family.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">3</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Concerning whom it was not written that he was created in the image of God. See previous note.</i> However, it appears to me that <i>the sons of God</i> refers to those who know the will of the most High. These men chose women who matched them astrologically and physically. Hence they produced mighty men. It is possible that they took women even against their will.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">4</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>And they took them wives</i> implies they took women against their will. If, according to astrology, a given women was fit for a man, he took her even against her will (Krinsky).</i>"], ["MY SPIRIT SHALL NOT ABIDE. Some say that <i>yadon</i> (shall abide) is like the word <i>nedanah</i> (sheath thereof), as in <i>and he put up his sword back into the sheath thereof</i> (nedanah) (I Chron. 21:27), for the body serves as a sheath for the spirit.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">5</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The meaning of the phrase is: my spirit will not forever be in its sheath (the human body); i.e., man will die (Kimchi).</i> Proof of this is found in <i>my spirit was pained in the midst of my body</i> (nidneh) (Dan. 7:15). Nevertheless, <i>nadan</i> and <i>yadon</i> come from different roots.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">6</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Yadon</i> (shall abide) comes from the root <i>dalet, vav, nun</i>. <i>Nadan</i> comes from the root <i>nun, dalet, nun</i>.</i> We find the same with the words <i>nasah</i> (lifted) and <i>si’o</i> (his excellency). We read, <i>Though his excellency</i> (si’o) <i>mount up to the heavens</i> (Job 20:6). The root of <i>si’o</i> is <i>sin, vav, alef</i>. Nevertheless, a word derived from <i>nasah</i> (lifted) (whose root is <i>nun, sin, alef</i>) would have a similar meaning. There are many examples of this. Others say that <i>yadon</i> follows the paradigm of <i>ve-yashov</i> (returneth), as in <i>And the dust returneth</i> (ve-yashov) <i>to the earth as it was</i> (Eccles. 12:7).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">7</sup><i class=\"footnote\">An <i>ayin, vav</i> is usually vocalized with a <i>shuruk</i>, as in <i>yakum</i> (he will arise). <i>Yadon</i> is vocalized with a <i>cholam</i>. I.E. points out that the same is true with <i>returneth</i>. It, too, is vocalized <i>ve-yashov</i>, rather than <i>ve-yashuv</i>. <i>Ve-yashov</i> comes from the root <i>shin, vav, bet</i>. It, too, is an <i>ayin, vav</i>.</i> They say that <i>yadon</i> comes from the same root as <i>din</i> (to judge) because the spirit judges the body.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">8</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Man’s spirit (<i>ru’ach</i>) ultimately determines how man will act. God said that this “judge” will not remain united with the body; i.e., man would die. Krinsky explains it differently. He says the meaning of the verse is: my spirit (the spirit which I placed in man) will not judge man; i.e., man follows his evil inclinations. He acts without discernment. He follows the way of the flesh rather than that of the spirit. It appears that he will continually do so, therefore… Cherez explains, God’s spirit judges man. The meaning of the verse is: my spirit will not judge men forever; i.e., I have decided on their punishment.</i>", "FOR THAT HE IS ALSO. In the word <i>be-shaggam</i> (for that also) the <i>shin</i> placed before <i>gam</i> (also) has the same meaning as the <i>shin</i> placed before <i>kakhah</i> (thus).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">9</sup><i class=\"footnote\">It means that. The <i>shin</i> of <i>be-shaggam</i> is a particle of relation, short for <i>asher</i>. In other words, there is no such word as <i>shaggam</i>. I.E. makes this point because the <i>shin</i> which means <i>that</i> is usually vocalized with a <i>segol</i>, while the <i>shin</i> of <i>shaggam</i> is vocalized with a <i>pattach</i>.</i> The term <i>My spirit refers to God’s spirit, for man’s spirit comes from God</i>. Similarly, <i>And the spirit returneth unto God who gave it</i> (Eccles. 12:7). The spirit spoken of by Ecclesiastes refers only to the spirit in man. The meaning of the verse is: My spirit shall not abide in man because of his violent ways and because he is (<i>be-shaggem</i>) made of flesh, grows until he achieves maturity, and then due to his sexual activity begins his decline.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">10</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Krinsky and Weiser. This is the second time I.E. has noted that the man begins his decline with sexual maturity (cf. Gen. 3:8). Perhaps I.E. held to the medieval belief that emission of semen weakens the body.</i>", "THEREFORE SHALL HIS DAYS BE A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS. Some explain that this refers to man’s life span.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">11</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Henceforth man’s life span will be limited to 120 years.</i> If we find some living longer than this,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">12</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Chap. 11 lists the descendants of Noah. All of them lived more than 120 years and were born subsequent to this decree (Cherez).</i> they are but a few. Our verse speaks of most people. However, this interpretation is not correct. Behold, Shem lived for six hundred years. Also, the generations that followed him lived many, many years beyond a hundred and twenty. It was only in the days of Peleg (Gen. 10:25) that the life span was shortened. From the days of King David onward it has been limited to seventy or eighty years. The correct meaning of <i>therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years</i> is as Onkelos explained, namely, that God set a time for mankind to repent. We see the same idea in <i>Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown</i> (Jonah 3:4). God gave them one hundred and twenty years in which to repent and save themselves, or to remain unrepentant and perish. Scripture’s statement, <i>And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham and Japheth</i> (Gen. 5:32), should not disturb you,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">13</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Gen. 5:32 tells us that Noah was 500 years old when he had his children. Gen. 6:3 tells us, according to I.E., that man has 120 years in which to repent. Gen. 7:6 tells us that the flood came in the 600th year of Noah’s life. Thus between the statement in Gen. 6:3 and the flood there is at the very most 100 years (cf. Rashi), hence I.E.’s interpretation that Gen. 6:3 occurred before Gen. 5:32.</i> because the Bible is not in chronological sequence.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">14</sup><i class=\"footnote\">In other words, Gen. 6:3 deals with events that came before those dealt with in Gen. 5:32.</i> Note, the Torah states, <i>and Terah died in Haran</i> (Gen. 11:32), then goes on to say, <i>Now the Lord said unto Abram: Get thee out of thy country</i> (Gen. 12:1). However, we know that Terah did not die until Isaac was thirty-five years old.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">15</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Many years after Abraham left his country. Terah, who lived to be 205 years, was 70 when Abraham was born (Gen. 11:26). Abraham was a hundred when Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5). Thus Terah was 170 when Isaac was born, and 205 when Isaac was 35.</i> There are many other similar instances in Scripture."], ["[THE NEPHILIM.] They were so named because anyone who saw them lost heart at their huge stature.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">16</sup><i class=\"footnote\">From the root <i>nun, feh, lamed</i>, meaning to fall.</i>", "[AFTER THAT.] After the flood. Behold, the sons of Anak (Num. 13:33) were originally from the family of <i>the sons of God</i>.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">17</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Thus we see that the descendants of the <i>nephilim</i> lived on after the flood.</i>"], [], ["AND IT REPENTED THE LORD. The Torah spoke in the language of men,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">18</sup><i class=\"footnote\">In other words, <i>And it repented</i> is an anthropomorphism.</i> for we know that God is not a man that he should repent. This term is used because if a human being acted in the way God did, destroying his creation, it would be said of him that he repented.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">19</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Maimonides terms this an attribute of action. Cf. <i>Guide To the Perplexed</i>, Part I, Chap. 52.</i>", "[AND IT GRIEVED HIM AT HIS HEART.] This verse is the opposite of <i>Let the Lord rejoice in His works</i> (Ps. 104:31). God is said to be happy when his creatures benefit from his acts of kindness.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">20</sup><i class=\"footnote\">And is described as being grieved when He must punish them. In other words, happy and sad are anthropomorphisms.</i> Others say that <i>va-yinnachem</i> (and it repented) should be rendered as set a time,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">21</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Ibn Ezra uses an Arabic term which Krinsky translates as setting a time. This eliminates the anthropomorphism in the verse. However, this interpretation is problematic. For the problems inherent in it see Weiser.</i> as in <i>doth comfort</i> (mitnachem) <i>himself, purposing to kill thee</i> (Gen. 27:42).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">22</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Which should be rendered: Esau has set a time to kill you. See I.E.’s comment on Gen. 27:42.</i> They also say that <i>His heart</i> does not refer to the heart of God but to the heart of the prophet.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">23</sup><i class=\"footnote\">They felt uncomfortable with a verse that speaks of God’s heart. Hence they interpreted this verse to mean God told the prophet that he wanted to destroy mankind and the prophet was grieved.</i> However, if this were the case Scripture should not have read: and it grieved “at” (<i>el</i>) His heart.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">24</sup><i class=\"footnote\">It should have read, and it grieved His heart, i.e., His prophet.</i> Secondly, where do we find a prophet called a heart?"], ["AND THE LORD SAID. In His heart, or to the angels; others say, to Noah. However, it appears to me that <i>And the Lord said</i> is connected to <i>His heart</i> of the previous verse.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">25</sup><i class=\"footnote\">I.E. argues that the meaning of <i>And the Lord said</i> is the Lord said in his heart. However, in his heart is missing in this verse, hence I.E.’s comment.</i>"], ["GRACE. <i>Chen</i> (grace) means mercy. From it we get the word <i>techinnah</i> (supplication).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">26</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The supplicant seeks mercy. Also, the word <i>techinnah</i> is used in the sense of mercy in Ezra 9:8. Grace usually implies beauty, hence I.E.’s comment.</i> <i>Chen</i> follows the paradigm of <i>ketz</i> (end); both have roots whose second and third letters are the same.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">27</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Ketz</i> (end) comes from a three letter double root (<i>kefulim</i>), <i>kaf, tzadi, tzadi</i>. <i>Chen</i> (grace) similarly comes from a double root, <i>chet, nun, nun</i>. Both <i>ketz</i> and <i>chen</i> drop the final letter of the root.</i> The meaning of <i>found grace (mercy or pity) in the eyes of the Lord</i> is like <i>No eye pitied thee</i> (Ezek. 16:5).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">28</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Finding grace in God’s eyes means that God took pity on a person (Filwarg). I.E. shows that the Bible connects mercy with the eye. The eye is said to take or not to take pity.</i>"], ["THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS. <i>Toledot</i> (generations) means the events that transpired during his lifetime, as in <i>what a day may bring forth</i> (yeled) (Prov. 27:1). <i>These are the generations of Jacob</i> (Gen. 37:2) is similar.", "A MAN RIGHTEOUS. In his deeds.", "AND WHOLE-HEARTED. In his heart. <i>Tamim</i> (wholehearted) is an adjective. It belongs to those roots whose second and third letters are the same. All three letters of the root remain in this word.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">29</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The root of wholehearted is <i>taf, mem, mem</i>. This root gives birth both to <i>tam</i> (wholehearted) and <i>tamim</i> (wholehearted). In the former, a <i>mem</i> is dropped. In the latter, the whole root is found in the word. I.E. employs a pun. He says <i>tamim</i> is <i>tamim</i>. According to I.E. <i>tamim</i> is an adjective modifying man (Filwarg, Krinsky and Cherez).</i>", "[IN HIS GENERATIONS.] At the time of the flood, and in the generations after the flood. For Noah lived till the fifty-eighth year of Abraham.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">30</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Seder Olam</i>, Chap. I. Noah was 600 at the time of the flood. Shem begat Arpachshad two years after the flood. From Arpachshad’s birth to Abraham’s birth was 290 years. Noah lived to be 950. Thus Abraham was 58 when Noah died.</i> Let this be a mnemonic device, our father Abraham was the age of Noah (58)<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">31</sup><i class=\"footnote\">A play on words. <i>Noah</i> (<i>nun, chet</i>) is numerically equivalant to 58. Hence <i>ben Noah</i> means 58 years old. Abraham was the age Noah (58) when Noah died.</i> when Noah died."], [], ["AND THE EARTH WAS CORRUPT. The people of the earth were corrupt. Similarly, <i>when a land sinneth against Me</i> (Ezek. 14:13), and <i>And all countries came into Egypt</i> (Gen. 41:57).", "[BEFORE GOD.] Some say this means they sinned in public. Others say it means people were privately corrupt with regard to secret affairs so that only God was aware of their sins. In my opinion, the Torah speaks the language of men so that people will understand what is being said. The meaning of <i>before God</i> is that they acted like a servant, who in the presence of his master, disobeys him and thereby shows that he does not fear him. Those who say that <i>Elohim</i> (God) does not refer to the Almighty are speaking nonsense.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">32</sup><i class=\"footnote\">They say that Elohim refers to judges.</i>", "VIOLENCE. Theft, oppression and taking women against their will. "], ["Our sages are correct in interpreting <i>for all flesh had corrupted their way</i> to mean that all flesh engaged in unnatural and perverted sexual acts. Indeed, how precious is their interpretation to the effect that they corrupted with water<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">33</sup><i class=\"footnote\">An allusion to semen. Cf. <i>Sanhedrin</i> 108b.</i> and were punished by God with water. Just as they placed their waters above and below,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">34</sup><i class=\"footnote\">An allusion to homosexuality (Krinsky).</i> so God punished them by a flood whose waters came from above and below."], ["AND GOD SAID UNTO NOAH: THE END OF ALL FLESH. All bodies.", "[IS COME BEFORE ME.] The time of their calamity has arrived.", "WITH THE EARTH. <i>Et ha’aretz</i> (with the earth) means from the earth. Similarly, <i>As soon as I am gone out of the city</i> (et ha’ir) (Ex. 9:29). It may also be rendered, with the earth, as in <i>with Jacob</i> (et Yaakov) <i>every man came with his household</i> (Ex. 1:1).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">35</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Et</i> is usually the sign of the accusative. Thus this clause should be rendered: I will destroy them, the earth. This translation is impossible, hence I.E.’s comment.</i> It appears to me that <i>mashchitam</i> (I will destroy them) stands for two words. Similarly, the word <i>God</i> in <i>O God of hosts</i> (Ps. 80:8) and <i>thy throne</i> in <i>thy throne God</i> (Ps. 45:7).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">36</sup><i class=\"footnote\">See above, Gen. 2:19, <i>mosekh atzmo</i>, etc. Ps. 80:8 reads, <i>Elohim Tzeva’ot</i> (literally, God hosts). It should read, <i>Elohe Tzeva’ot</i> (God of hosts). Hence <i>Elohim</i> is to be read as if written twice, <i>Elohim Elohe Tzeva’ot</i> (God, God of hosts). Similarly <i>kisakha Elohim</i> (Ps. 45:7) is ungrammatical. It must be read, <i>kisakhakha kisse Elohim</i> (Thy throne, God’s throne).</i> The meaning of our verse is: And, behold, I will destroy them and destroy the earth."], ["GOPHER. Gopher is the name of a wood that rides lightly upon the water. It is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture.", "ROOMS. So that each animal, cattle and fowl would be alone with its mate.", "[ARK.] The Bible uses the term ark and not ship, for it did not have the shape of a ship nor did it have oars.", "AND SHALT PITCH IT. Some say that <i>ve-khafarta</i> (and shalt pitch) comes from the same root as <i>kapporet</i> (cover) (Ex. 25:17), the meaning of <i>and shalt pitch it</i> being you shall cover it by coating it. [PITCH.] Some say that <i>kofer</i> is a pitch-like substance. Others say that a certain clay with pitch-like qualities is found in the ground and is to be identified with the <i>kofer</i> in our verse. Others identify it with a substance similarly called in Arabic while noting that in Arabic it is spelled with a <i>kof</i> rather than a <i>caf</i>. In reality, <i>ve-khafarta</i> (and shalt pitch) is a denominative of <i>kofer</i>.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">37</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Hebrew has many such verbs. According to I.E., <i>ve-khafarta</i> does not mean to merely cover (as claimed by the earlier opinion who connected it to <i>kappore</i> t) but to cover with <i>kofer</i>, whatever it is.</i>", "WITHIN. On the inside."], ["AND THIS IS HOW THOU SHALT MAKE IT. These are the dimensions which you shall make it. Its height was a tenth of its length, so that it would be able to float on the water and not be overturned by the wind."], ["A LIGHT. <i>Tzohar</i> (a light) means an opening through which light would enter. It comes from the same root as <i>tzohorayim</i> (noon).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">38</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The time of the day when light is at its fullest.</i> The opening was made in the usual place, on top of the ark.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">39</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Hence Scripture does not tell us where it was placed.</i> Scripture tells us that the top of the ark was a cubit in length.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">40</sup><i class=\"footnote\">According to I.E. <i>and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward</i> applies to the top of the roof of the ark. See Rashi.</i> We gather from this that it was a sixth of a cubit wide.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">41</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The width of the ark was one-sixth the length.</i> The ark was triangular in shape.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">42</sup><i class=\"footnote\">According to Luzzato, this applies only to the roof of the ark. See Luzzato’s commentary on the Pentateuch, p. 42. However, a literal reading of I.E. does not support this view.</i> Its top came to a point, and so did its corners. Therefore it did not overturn. The door was on one side<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">43</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Unlike other ships which are entered through the deck (Krinsky).</i> and was reached by climbing a ladder.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">44</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The door was on the third top of the ark (Krinsky).</i> Now, we know that the ark was very large.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">45</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Hence it was able to contain representatives of all species.</i> Furthermore, it is possible that Noah was much taller than we, for the cubits mentioned with regard to the ark are Noah’s cubits.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">46</sup><i class=\"footnote\">A cubit is the span from shoulder to fingertips. Since Noah was taller than we, his cubits were longer. The ark was thus even larger than a superficial reading of Scripture indicates.</i> It is also possible, since the ark was divided into three stories, that the bottom story was ten cubits high.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">47</sup><i class=\"footnote\">And similarly each of the other two stories (Weiser).</i> Some say that the ark had many stories and that Scripture abridged the number.", "LOWER, SECOND AND THIRD. These are all adjectives. Those who ask why <i>shelishim</i> (third) is not written <i>selishiyyim</i> have eyes but do not see.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">48</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Tachtiyyim</i> (lower) and <i>sheniyyim</i> (second) are written with a <i>dagesh</i> in the <i>yod</i>; <i>shelishim</i> is not. The question arises, why not? The <i>dagesh forte</i> doubles the letter.</i> Can’t they see that forgiving, archer and thief are adjectives,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">49</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Sallach</i> (forgiving), <i>kashat</i> (archer) and <i>gannav</i> (thief) follow the paradigm of <i>pattach, kamatz</i>. For a comment on I.E.’s grammatical usage, see Chap. 1, note 33.</i> as are prince, deputy, pious,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">50</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Nagid</i> (prince), <i>pakid</i> (deputy) and <i>chasid</i> (pious) follow the paradigm of <i>kamatz, chirik</i>.</i> wise<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">51</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Chacham</i> (wise) follows the paradigm of <i>kamatz, kamatz</i>.</i> and understanding?<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">52</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Navon</i> (understanding) follows the paradigm of <i>kamatz, cholam</i>.</i> Nevertheless, each of these words is vocalized according to its own pattern and form. <i>Shelishim</i> (third) follows the paradigm of <i>negidim</i> (princes) and <i>chasidim</i> (pious). This is so because the singular of <i>shelishim</i> is <i>shalish</i>, as the singular of <i>chasidim</i> is <i>chasid</i>.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">53</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Thus <i>shalish</i> belongs to the same group as <i>chasid</i> and <i>nagid</i> and its plural takes their form. Hence <i>shalish</i> follows a different paradigm than does <i>tachat</i> and <i>sheni</i> and this is why it does not have a <i>dagesh</i> in the <i>yod</i>.</i> It is also possible that the <i>dagesh</i> in the <i>yod</i> of <i>sheniyyim</i> (second) also<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">54</sup><i class=\"footnote\">See above note 48.</i> applies to the <i>yod</i> of <i>shelishim</i> (third).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">55</sup><i class=\"footnote\">It now has a <i>dagesh</i>. It is thus to be pronounced <i>shelishiyyim</i>.</i> Perhaps this will satisfy those who raised the question."], ["AND I. Some say that the <i>dagesh</i> in <i>mabbul</i> (flood) is in place of a missing <i>nun</i>,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">56</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The root of <i>mabbul</i> is <i>nun, bet, lamed</i>. The <i>nun</i> is thus missing.</i> as in the word <i>mabbua</i> (fountain).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">57</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The root of <i>mabbu’a</i> (fountain) is <i>nun, bet, ayn</i>. The <i>dagesh</i> is in place of the missing <i>nun</i>.</i> They note that the word <i>mabbul</i> comes from the same root as <i>navelah</i> (fadeth)<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">58</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Naval</i> means to fade, wither or fall. According to this, <i>mabbul</i> comes from the root <i>nun, bet, lamed</i> and means a destruction.</i> in <i>The earth fainteth and fadeth</i> (navelah) <i>away</i> (Is. 24:4). Others say that <i>mabbul</i> comes from the same root as <i>balul</i> (mingled) in <i>mingled</i> (belulah) <i>with oil</i>,<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">59</sup><i class=\"footnote\">In other words the root of flood is <i>bet, lamed, lamed</i>. The word <i>mabbul</i> thus means a mixing or confounding.</i> and that it should have followed the paradigm of <i>maslul</i> (highway) (Is. 35:8).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">60</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The root of <i>maslul</i> (highway) is <i>samekh, lamed, lamed</i>. Similarly the word for flood should be <i>mavlul</i>.</i> The word <i>massor</i> (saw) (Is. 10:15)<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">61</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Which comes from the root <i>sin, resh, resh</i> (cf. Is. 15:10) and does not follow the paradigm of <i>maslul</i>. Hence <i>mabbul</i> is similar to <i>massor</i> (Cherez). For alternate interpretations see Weiser and Krinsky.</i> with a <i>shuruk</i> and a <i>cholam</i><sup class=\"footnote-marker\">62</sup><i class=\"footnote\">If <i>mabbul</i> and <i>massor</i> are alike then both should be vocalized either with a <i>cholam</i> or a <i>shuruk</i>.</i> interchanging is analogous.", "[THE FLOOD OF WATERS.] This is an abridged phrase. It should be read as follows: The flood, a flood of waters.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">63</sup><i class=\"footnote\">The Hebrew reads <i>ha-mabbul mayim</i>. <i>Ha-mabbul</i> cannot be in the construct with waters because a word with a definite article cannot be in the construct, hence I.E.’s comment.</i> Similarly the meaning of <i>since the day it was founded</i> (Ex. 9:18) is: since the day, the day it was founded.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">64</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Here, too, <i>ha-yom</i> (the day), which has a definite article, cannot be in the construct with <i>hivvasedah</i> (it was founded).</i>"], ["BUT I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT. This indicates, although not previously mentioned, that God had sworn earlier to Noah that he and his children would not die in the flood.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">65</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>But I will establish my covenant</i> means I will keep my promise. Hence a promise was already made.</i> We find a similar instance in Deuteronomy, viz., <i>Let us send men before us, that they may search the land for us</i> (Deut. 1:22).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">66</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Of Scripture omitting a fact and then mentioning it later, see Num. 13:2.</i> <i>But I will establish</i> means I will keep my oath. However, it appears to me that the covenant alludes to the covenant that would be made at the time God set the rainbow in the sky.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">67</sup><i class=\"footnote\">In contradistinction to what I.E. had just noted, he now suggests that the covenant does not refer to a previous covenant but to one yet to be made.</i> Covenant means an agreement and a thing which two sides choose. It comes from the same root as <i>beru</i> (choose) in <i>choose</i> (beru) <i>you a man for you</i> (I Sam. 17:8).<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">68</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Brit</i> (covenant) comes from the root <i>bet, resh, resh</i>, meaning to choose.</i> The word for covenant (<i>brit</i>) has this form and vocalization both in the absolute and in the construct. We find the same thing with the word <i>shevit</i> (captivity). We thus read, <i>Thou hast turned the captivity of Jacob</i> (shevit Yaakov) (Ps. 85:2), and <i>And his daughters into captivity</i> (ba-shevit) (Num. 21:29). Others say that a <i>brit</i> (covenant) is a cut boundary.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">69</sup><i class=\"footnote\">A <i>brit</i> is an agreement with conditions (boundaries) which cannot be violated. <i>Brit</i> has the letters <i>bet, resh, tav</i>. These letters can be rearranged <i>bet, tav, resh</i>, meaning to cut (see Gen. 15:10) (Weiser). Others say it comes from <i>bara</i> (to cut), the <i>tav</i> taking the place of the <i>ale</i> f (Cherez). According to this opinion <i>brit</i> comes from the word cut and not from choose.</i> "], ["[TWO OF EVERY SORT.] After stating two, Scripture goes on to explain that this refers to male and female.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">70</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Two of every sort</i> can be taken to mean any two of every sort, two males or two females.</i> After stating generally, <i>And of every living thing of all flesh</i>, the Bible then explains that this refers to <i>Of the fowl after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind</i> (v. 20). This includes<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">71</sup><i class=\"footnote\">A general statement followed by particulars is qualified by the particulars. Thus fish cannot be included in <i>And of every living thing of all flesh</i> because the particulars include only land animals.</i> all animals of the field and all large and small animals that are born via sexual intercourse. It excludes living things not born<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">72</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Medieval man believed that certain animals are born through spontaneous generation; i.e., they do not couple. Noah did not have to bring these types of animals to the ark because the verse tells us that that he was to bring <i>male and female</i>, that is, animals that couple.</i> by coupling, and marine animals. Fish are excluded although they are considered “flesh.”<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">73</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Since fish are considered “flesh” the command <i>And of every living thing of all flesh</i> would apply to them. However, since the Bible goes on to say, of <i>every creeping thing of the ground</i>, fish are excluded.</i> Proof of this can be seen in the words of Moses: <i>and yet Thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. If flocks and herds be slain for them…or if all the fish of the sea be gathered for them, will they suffice them</i> (Num. 11:21,22).", "[SHALT THOU BRING INTO THE ARK.] This is a command to Noah not to desert these creatures but to bring them into the ark with him in order to preserve the seed of each species."], ["[SHALL COME UNTO THEE.] They will come by themselves. Noah therefore did not have to search for them on islands; neither did he have to hunt for all sorts of fowl. God commanded Noah to prepare food for all the animals in the ark. Foolish ones ask, what did birds of prey eat? What did carnivorous animals such as lions who live on meat eat? Their questions are invalid. One who cannot find meat will eat grass or fruit when hungry. The saying found in Rabbinic literature that there exists a large animal that consumes the grazing of one thousand mountains daily is a good story.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">74</sup><i class=\"footnote\">Cf. <i>Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer</i>, Chap. 11. The problem is, where did Noah get food for this beast? I.E. answers that the statement concerning this beast is not to be taken literally.</i> Similarly the tradition concerning a bird that blocks out the sun with its wings has a secret meaning to it and is not to be taken literally.<sup class=\"footnote-marker\">75</sup><i class=\"footnote\"><i>Va-yikra Rabbah</i>, Chap. 22.</i> God commanded Noah to make the ark many years before the flood. When the flood approached, God the glorious commanded Noah and his family to go to the ark. 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