Commentary for Numbers 21:11
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵאֹבֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֞וּ בְּעִיֵּ֣י הָֽעֲבָרִ֗ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב מִמִּזְרַ֖ח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is in front of Moab, toward the sun-rising.
Rashi on Numbers
בעיי העברים IN IJE-ABARIM (in the עיים of Abarim) — I do not know why the name (that of these places) was called עיים, for the term עי signifies ruins; it is a thing (spot) that has been swept as it were with a broom. Only the single letter ע in it belongs to the root; it is connected in meaning with יעים (Exodus 27:3) and (Isaiah 28:17) “And the hail shall sweep away (יעה).
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Rashbam on Numbers
בעיי העברים, a description of a very parched land as in Jeremiah 26,18 וירושלים עיים תהיה, Jerusalem will become totally dried out. The word occurs in a similar sense also in Michah 1,6.
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Siftei Chakhamim
I do not know. Meaning, I do not know why this place was called “the wasteland passes.” However I do know the meaning of עיי as Rashi explains.
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