Commentary for Joshua 24:3
וָ֠אֶקַּח אֶת־אֲבִיכֶ֤ם אֶת־אַבְרָהָם֙ מֵעֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֔ר וָאוֹלֵ֥ךְ אוֹת֖וֹ בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וארב [וָאַרְבֶּה֙] אֶת־זַרְע֔וֹ וָֽאֶתֶּן־ל֖וֹ אֶת־יִצְחָֽק׃
And I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
Rashi on Joshua
I multiplied his descendants. The word אַרְבֶּ in the text lacks the letter ה,1The word should have been written אַרְבֶּה. [from which we infer:]2 The root of ארב would be רִיב which means to quarrel. “How many troubles and tests3Avrohom was tested a total of 10 times, the tenth being the binding of Yitchok on the altar. did I bring upon him before I gave him a descendant.”
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Metzudat David on Joshua
1. With my kindness I turned his heart away from that of his father's and brother's, and I took him from within this, so he want be drawn to their false ideology.
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Metzudat David on Joshua
2.
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Metzudat David on Joshua
3. It means to say, even though I multiplied his seed from Yishmael, like it says "And also the son of the maidservant, etc." Because he is you child and he only asked for him (one son) like it says "Yishmaels will live before you" Still, I also gave you Yitzchak, like I promised you.
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