Commentary for Deuteronomy 1:44
וַיֵּצֵ֨א הָאֱמֹרִ֜י הַיֹּשֵׁ֨ב בָּהָ֤ר הַהוּא֙ לִקְרַאתְכֶ֔ם וַיִּרְדְּפ֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ינָה הַדְּבֹרִ֑ים וַֽיַּכְּת֥וּ אֶתְכֶ֛ם בְּשֵׂעִ֖יר עַד־חָרְמָֽה׃
And the Amorites, that dwell in that hill-country, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, even unto Hormah.
Rashi on Deuteronomy
כאשר תעשינה הדברים [AND THEY PURSUED YOU] AS BEES DO — Just as a bee when it stings a person it dies immediately, similarly they (the Amorites): when they attacked you they died immediately (Numbers Rabbah 17:3).
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Rabbeinu Bahya
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Siftei Chakhamim
When it stings a person, it dies immediately, etc. I.e., the bee dies immediately. The word תעשינה is related to the word עשייה (do). We should not say that the verse means: A great number of Emorites will chase you, in the same manner that a great number of bees chase after a person. If so, the verse only should have said, “And chased you like bees.” Now that it is written, “As the bees do,” then it is comparing them only to the way that bees act, etc.
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