י״ד
ח׳אִם־חָפֵ֥ץ בָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָ֑נוּ אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֛וא זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
8If pleased with us, GOD will bring us into that land, a land that flows with milk and honey, and give it to us;
ט׳אַ֣ךְ בַּיהֹוָה֮ אַל־תִּמְרֹ֒דוּ֒ וְאַתֶּ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י לַחְמֵ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם סָ֣ר צִלָּ֧ם מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם וַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אִתָּ֖נוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻֽם׃
9only you must not rebel against GOD. Have no fear then of the people of the country, for they are our prey:bprey Lit. “food (or, bread).” their protection has departed from them, but GOD is with us. Have no fear of them!”
אל תמרדו. וְשׁוּב ואתם אל תראו:
אל תמרדו [ONLY] REBEL NOT YE [AGAINST THE LORD], and consequently ואתם אל תיראו YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO FEAR [THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND].
כי לחמנו הם. נֹאכְלֵם כַּלֶּחֶם:
כי לחמנו הם FOR THEY ARE BREAD FOR US — i.e. we shall consume them as bread.
סר צלם. מְגִנָּם וְחָזְקָם, כְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם מֵתוּ — אִיּוֹב שֶׁהָיָה מֵגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם (סוטה ל"ה); (דָּ"אַ, צִלּוֹ שֶׁל הַמָּקוֹם סָר עֲלֵיהֶם):
סר צלם THEIR DEFENSE (lit., shade) IS DEPARTED [FROM THEM] — i.e. their shield and their strength is departed from them: the virtuous among them are dead; one of them was Job, who had protected them by his righteousness (Sotah 35a; cf. Bava Batra 15a). [Another explanation is: the shade (protection) of the Omnipresent is departed from them]. (Cf. Psalms 121:5).
י׳וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִרְגּ֥וֹם אֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וּכְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֗ה נִרְאָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֶֽל־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
10As the whole community threatened to pelt them with stones, the Presence of GOD appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.
לרגום אתם. אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב:
לרגום אתם [BUT ALL THE CONGREGATION BADE] TO OVERWHELM THEM WITH STONES — them viz., Joshua and Caleb.
וכבוד ה'. הֶעָנָן יָרַד שָׁם:
וכבוד ה׳ AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD [APPEARED IN THE APPOINTED TENT] — i.e. the cloud descended there (Sotah 35a).
י״אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַד־אָ֥נָה יְנַאֲצֻ֖נִי הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַד־אָ֙נָה֙ לֹא־יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ בִ֔י בְּכֹל֙ הָֽאֹת֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
11And GOD said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me, and how long will they have no faith in Me despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst?
עד אנה. עַד הֵיכָן:
עד אנה means HOW LONG (while אנה is used of place — “where”, עד אנה denotes time - "until when").
ינאצני. יַרְגִּיזוּנִי:
ינאצני means [HOW LONG] WILL THEY PROVOKE ME TO ANGER.
בכל האתות. בִּשְׁבִיל כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי לָהֶם, הָיָה לָהֶם לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁהַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לְקַיֵּם הַבְטָחָתִי:
בכל האתות FOR ALL THE SIGNS — This means: On account of all the signs which I have done for them they ought to have believed that I possess the ability to fulfill My promise.
י״באַכֶּ֥נּוּ בַדֶּ֖בֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁ֑נּוּ וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ אֹֽתְךָ֔ לְגוֹי־גָּד֥וֹל וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
12I will strike them with pestilence and disown them, and I will make of you a nation far more numerous than they!”
ואורישנו. לְשׁוֹן תֵּרוּכִין, וְאִ"תֹּ מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לִשְׁבוּעַת אָבוֹת?
ואורישנו is an expression for “driving out” (here, driving out from the world, destroying). — And if you ask what I will do regarding the oath I have sworn to the Patriarchs (viz., to give the Land to their children; cf. Exodus 6:3—4), then I reply:
ואעשה אתך לגוי גדול. שֶׁאַתָּה מִזַּרְעָם:
ואעשה אתך לגוי גדול I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION — [whereby My oath will be fulfilled] since you are one of their descendants (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Sh'lach 13).
י״גוַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְשָׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּֽי־הֶעֱלִ֧יתָ בְכֹחֲךָ֛ אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה מִקִּרְבּֽוֹ׃
13But Moses said to GOD, “When the Egyptians, from whose midst You brought up this people in Your might, hear the news,
ושמעו מצרים. וְשָׁמְעוּ אֶת אֲשֶׁר תַּהַרְגֵם:
ושמעו מצרים WHEN THE EGYPTIANS SHALL HEAR IT — i.e. when they hear how you are killing them, [as stated in the previous verse].
כי העלית. כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, וְהֵם רָאוּ אֶת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלִיתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל אוֹתָם מִקִּרְבָּם, וּכְשֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹרְגָם לֹא יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁחָטְאוּ לְךָ, אֶלָּא יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָּם יָכֹלְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵם אֲבָל כְּנֶגֶד יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ לֹא יָכֹלְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵם, וְזוֹ הִיא:
כי העלית — The word כי here is used in the sense of אשר, “that”, and the meaning is: they have seen that Thou broughtest them forth in Thy great strength from their midst, and when they hear that Thou art killing them they will not say that it is because they have sinned against Thee, but they will say that against them Thou wast able to fight, but against the in habitants of the Land of Canaan, however, Thou wast unable to fight; and this is the meaning of —
י״דוְאָמְר֗וּ אֶל־יוֹשֵׁב֮ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּאת֒ שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּקֶ֖רֶב הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־עַ֨יִן בְּעַ֜יִן נִרְאָ֣ה ׀ אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה וַעֲנָֽנְךָ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עֲלֵהֶ֔ם וּבְעַמֻּ֣ד עָנָ֗ן אַתָּ֨ה הֹלֵ֤ךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וּבְעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לָֽיְלָה׃
14they will tell it to the inhabitants of that land. Now they have heard that You, O ETERNAL One, are in the midst of this people; that You, O ETERNAL One, appear in plain sight when Your cloud rests over them and when You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
ואמרו אל יושב הארץ הזאת. כְּמוֹ עַל יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת — וּמַה יֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם? מַה שֶּׁאָמוּר בְּסוֹף הָעִנְיָן:
ואמרו אל יושב הארץ which is the same as על יושב הארץ THEY WILL SAY CONCERNING THE INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND — What will they say concerning them? That which is stated at the end of the paragraph, (v. 16):
מבלתי יכלת ה'. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה ה' שׁוֹכֵן בְּקִרְבָּם וְעַיִן בְּעַיִן אַתָּה נִרְאֶה לָהֶם, וְהַכֹּל בְּדֶרֶךְ חִבָּה וְלֹא הִכִּירוּ בְךָ שֶׁנִּתְּקָה אַהֲבָתְךָ מֵהֶם עַד הֵנָּה:
'מבלתי יכולת ה “Because the Lord was unable etc. … [he hath slaughtered them in the wilderness]”. — The connection between that verse and what preceeds is as follows: Because they have heard that Thou, O Lord, dwellest in their midst and that Thou appearest to them face to face and all this is in an affectionate manner (i.e. all this is evidence of the affection in which Thou holdest them), and until now they had not realized that Your love for them had been withdrawn.
ט״ווְהֵמַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְע֥וּ אֶֽת־שִׁמְעֲךָ֖ לֵאמֹֽר׃
15If then You slay this people all at once, the nations who have heard Your fame will say,
המתה את העם הזה כאיש אחד. פִּתְאֹם, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ וְגוֹ':
והמתה את העם הזה כאיש אחד IF THOU PUTTEST TO DEATH ALL THIS PEOPLE AS ONE MAN — i.e. suddenly; then, because of this the nations who have heard the fame of Thee [will say as follows]:
ט״זמִבִּלְתִּ֞י יְכֹ֣לֶת יְהֹוָ֗ה לְהָבִיא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לָהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
16‘It must be because GOD was powerless to bring that people into the land promised them on oath that he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’
מבלתי יכלת וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ חֲזָקִים וְגִבּוֹרִים, וְאֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה פַרְעֹה לִשְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים, זֹאת יֹאמְרוּ עַל יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת — מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹא הָיָה יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לַהֲבִיאָם — שְׁחָטָם:
מבלתי יכלת וגו׳ BECAUSE THE LORD IS UNABLE etc., — “He is unable to bring them into the land on Canaan because the inhabitants of the land are strong and mighty; and besides, one king, Pharaoh, is not like thirty-one kings, who inhabit Canaan”. — This is what they will say concerning the inhabitants of this land (these kings): מבלתי יכלת because He had no power to bring them into the Land He hath slaughtered them (Midrash Tanchuma, Sh'lach 13).
יכלת. שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא:
יכלת is a noun form.
י״זוְעַתָּ֕ה יִגְדַּל־נָ֖א כֹּ֣חַ אֲדֹנָ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ לֵאמֹֽר׃
17Therefore, I pray, let my Sovereign’s forbearance be great, as You have declared, saying,csaying Cf. Exod. 34.6–7.
(יגדל נא כח ה'. לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּבּוּרְךָ:)
('יגדל נא כח ה — LET THE STRENGTH OF MY LORD BE GREAT — by fulfilling Your statement.)
כאשר דברת לאמר. וּמַהוּ הַדִּבּוּר?
כאשר דברת לאמר ACCORDING AS THOU HAST SPOKEN, SAYING — And what is the utterance which Thou hast spoken?
י״חיְהֹוָ֗ה אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֖ן וָפָ֑שַׁע וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֞ד עֲוֺ֤ן אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
18‘GOD! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children, upon the third and fourth generations.’
ה' ארך אפים. לַצַּדִּיקִים וְלָרְשָׁעִים; כְּשֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לַמָּרוֹם מְצָאוֹ לְהַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְכוֹתֵב ה' אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, אָמַר לוֹ, לַצַּדִּיקִים? אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה אַף לָרְשָׁעִים, אָמַר לוֹ רְשָׁעִים יֹאבֵדוּ, אָמַר לוֹ חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁתִּצְטָרֵךְ לַדָּבָר; כְּשֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵגֶל וּבַמְּרַגְּלִים הִתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה לְפָנָיו בְּאֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה וַהֲלֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי לַצַּדִּיקִים? אָמַר לוֹ וַהֲלֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי אַף לָרְשָׁעִים, יגדל נא כח ה' לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּבּוּרְךָ (סנהדרין קי"א):
ה' אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם “The Lord is long suffering” towards both the righteous and the wicked. When Moses ascended to Heaven to receive the Law he found the Holy One, blessed be He, engaged in writing: “The Lord is long-suffering”. He asked, “Surely only to the righteous?” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered him, “To the wicked also!” Whereupon Moses said: “The wicked — let them perish!” He (the Lord) replied to him: “I swear by your life that you shall eventually need this thing (the extension of My mercy also to the wicked)”. When the Israelites sinned at the incident of the Golden Calf and at that of the spies, Moses offered prayer before Him, with mention of God’s attribute of ארך אפים (of His being long suffering). The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him: Did you not say, “Surely only to the righteous!?” Whereupon Moses replied, “But did You not tell me, ‘To the wicked also’?” Let then — Moses added — the strength of My Lord be great [even as Thou didst say] — by fulfilling Thy statement and not mine! (Sanhedrin 111a).
ונקה. לַשָּׁבִים:
ונקה AND HE CLEARS those who repent,
לא ינקה. לְשֶׁאֵינָן שָׁבִים (יומא פ"ו):
לא ינקה BUT DOES NOT CLEAR those who do not repent (Yoma 86a; cf. Onkelos and Rashi on Exodus 34:7).
י״טסְלַֽח־נָ֗א לַעֲוֺ֛ן הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּגֹ֣דֶל חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם וְעַד־הֵֽנָּה׃
19Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt.”
כ׳וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃
20And GOD said, “I pardon, as you have asked.
כדברך. בִּשְׁבִיל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ "פֶּן יֹאמְרוּ מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה'":
כדברך [I HAVE FORGIVEN] ACCORDING TO THY WORD — i.e. because of what you have said, “Lest they say: ‘Because the Lord was unable, etc.’”.
כ״אוְאוּלָ֖ם חַי־אָ֑נִי וְיִמָּלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
21Nevertheless, as I live and as GOD’s Presence fills the whole world,
ואולם. כְּמוֹ אֲבָל זֹאת אֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם:
ואולם BUT, means , (I will not slay them), but this will I do unto them (what is mentioned in v. 22 ff.).
חי אני. לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי חַי וּכְבוֹדִי יִמָּלֵא אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ, כָּךְ אֲקַיֵּם לָהֶם כִּי כָל הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרֹאִים וְגוֹ', (אם יראו את הארץ. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא מְסֹרָס — חַי אָנִי כִּי כָל הָאֲנָשִׁים אִם יִרְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּכְבוֹדִי יִמָּלֵא אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְחַלֵּל שְׁמִי בַמַּגֵפָה הַזֹּאת לֵאמֹר מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה' לַהֲבִיאָם, שֶׁלֹּא אֲמִיתֵם פִּתְאֹם כְּאִיש אֶ' אֶלָּא בְּאִחוּר מ' שָׁנָה מְעַט מְעַט):
חי אני AS TRULY AS I LIVE — This is the formula of an oath: Just as it is true that I live and that all the earth is filled with My glory, so, indeed, will I fulfil regarding them My threat “that all the men who have seen etc.”. [אם יראו את הארץ — This verse is out of order: Its connection with what precedes it is as follows: As truly as I live, I swear that all the men who have seen My glory etc. shall not see the Land, “and yet My Glory shall fill the earth”, since My Name will not become profaned through this plague which I proposed to bring upon them by people stating: “Because the Lord is unable to bring them into the Land etc.” since I shall not then be killing them suddenly, as one man (v. 15), but during a prolonged period of forty years — little by little].
כ״בכִּ֣י כׇל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָרֹאִ֤ים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣תֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתִי בְמִצְרַ֖יִם וּבַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֹתִ֗י זֶ֚ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּעָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃
22none of those involved—who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who have tried Me these manydmany Lit. “ten”; cf. note at Gen. 31.41. times and have disobeyed Me—
וינסו. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
וינסו— Take the passage as what it literally implies: AND THEY HAVE TESTED [ME].
זה עשר פעמים. שְׁנַיִם בַּיָּם וּשְׁנַיִם בַּמָּן וּשְׁנַיִם בַּשְּׂלָו וכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת עֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו):
זה עשר פעמים TEN TIMES — twice at the Red Sea, twice in the case of the “Manna”, twice in the case of the “quails” etc., as is to be found in the Treatise Arakhin 15a.
כ״גאִם־יִרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָ֑ם וְכׇל־מְנַאֲצַ֖י לֹ֥א יִרְאֽוּהָ׃
23shall see the land that I promised on oath to their fathers;efathers See note at Exod. 13.5. none of those who spurn Me shall see it.
אם יראו. לֹא יִרְאוּ:
אם יראו means THAT THEY SHALL NOT SEE.
לא יראהו. לֹא יִרְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ:
לא יראוה THEY SHALL NOT SEE IT — i. e. they shall not see the land.
כ״דוְעַבְדִּ֣י כָלֵ֗ב עֵ֣קֶב הָֽיְתָ֞ה ר֤וּחַ אַחֶ֙רֶת֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַיְמַלֵּ֖א אַחֲרָ֑י וַהֲבִֽיאֹתִ֗יו אֶל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣א שָׁ֔מָּה וְזַרְע֖וֹ יוֹרִשֶֽׁנָּה׃
24But My servant Caleb, because he was imbued with a different spirit and remained loyal to Me—him will I bring into the land that he entered, and his offspring shall hold it as a possession.
רוח אחרת. שְׁתֵּי רוּחוֹת, אַ' בַּפֶה וְאַ' בְּלֵב, לַמְּרַגְּלִים אָמַר אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בָּעֵצָה, וּבְלִבּוֹ הָיָה לוֹמַר הָאֱמֶת, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵן הָיָה בוֹ כֹּחַ לְהַשְׁתִּיקָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י"ג), "וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב", שֶׁהָיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁיֹּאמַר כְּמוֹתָם, זֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסֵ' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ "וָאָשֵׁב אֹתוֹ דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבִי" (יהושע י"ד) — וְלֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר עִם פִּי (תנחומא):
רוח אחרת [BUT MY SERVANT CALEB, BECAUSE HE HAD] ANOTHER SPIRIT [WITH HIM] — The word “another’ suggests that he was filled with a twofold spirit — the one to which he gave utterance (lit., one in his mouth), and another which he concealed in his heart. To the spies he said, “I am with you in your counsel”, whilst in his heart he had the intention to tell the truth, and it was only on this account that he possessed the power to silence them (the people), as it is said, (Numbers 13:30) “And Caleb silenced [the people concerning Moses]” (cf. Rashi on that verse), for they thought that he would say the same as themselves (as the spies). It is this that is alluded to in the Book of Joshua (Joshua 14:7) where it states that Caleb said “And I brought him (Moses) word again as it was in my heart” — but not as it was in my mouth (i.e. not what I had said to the spies) (Midrash Tanchuma, Sh'lach 10).
וימלא אחרי. וַיְמַלֵּא אֶת לִבּוֹ אַחֲרַי, וְזֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר:
וימלא אחרי AND HE HATH FOLLOWED ME FULLY (lit., he hath filled to go after Me) — i.e. he hath filled his heart with the intention to follow Me; — this is an elliptical sentence (the word “his heart” is omitted).
אשר בא שמה. חֶבְרוֹן תִּנָּתֵן לוֹ:
אשר בא שמה [HIM WILL I BRING UNTO THE LAND] WHEREUNTO HE WENT — Hebron shall be given to him (cf. Rashi on v. 22).
יורשנה. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "יְתַרְכֻנַּהּ", יוֹרִישׁוּ אֶת הָעֲנָקִים וְאֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ, וְאֵין לְתַרְגְּמוֹ "יַרְתִּינַהּ" אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם יִירָשֶׁנָּה:
יורשנה — Understand this as the Targum does: “and his seed shall drive it (the population of the land) out” i. e. shall drive out the Anakim and the other people that are in it. — One should not give the rendering ירתינה, “they will possess it”, in the Targum except in place of the Hebrew יִירָשֶׁנָּה (in the Kal, whilst the Hiphil, as here, denotes to drive out).
כ״הוְהָעֲמָלֵקִ֥י וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּעֵ֑מֶק מָחָ֗ר פְּנ֨וּ וּסְע֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר דֶּ֥רֶךְ יַם־סֽוּף׃ {פ}
25Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites occupy the valleys. Start out, then, tomorrow and march into the wilderness by way of the Sea of Reeds.”fSea of Reeds See note at Exod. 10.19.
והעמלקי וגו'. אִם תֵּלְכוּ שָׁם יַהַרְגוּ אֶתְכֶם, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינִי עִמָּכֶם:
והעמלקי וגו׳ AND THE AMALEKITES [AND THE CANAANITES DWELL IN THE VALLEY] — This is not a mere statement that they dwell there; it is a warning: If you go there they will kill you, since I shall not be with you.
מחר פנו. לַאֲחוֹרֵיכֶם, וסעו לכם וגו':
מחר פנו TOMORROW TURN YOU — i.e. turn backwards, וסעו לכם AND JOURNEY [INTO THE DESERT etc.].