Commentary for Exodus 3:22
וְשָׁאֲלָ֨ה אִשָּׁ֤ה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙ וּמִגָּרַ֣ת בֵּיתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֛סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּשְׂמָלֹ֑ת וְשַׂמְתֶּ֗ם עַל־בְּנֵיכֶם֙ וְעַל־בְּנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְנִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.’
Rashi on Exodus
ומגרת ביתה means from that woman with whom she sojourneth in one house.
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Rashbam on Exodus
ושאלה אשה משכנתה, as an outright gift. After all, G’d had encouraged the people to ask for these gifts, the Torah telling us in verse 21 that G’d would make the people favourably disposed towards the Israelites so that they would not refuse such requests. The expression שאל in the same sense as here occurs also in Psalms 2,8 שאל ממני ואתנה גוים נחלתך, “Ask it of me, and I will make the nations your domain.” This is the principal meaning of the verse and it effectively silences the heretics who speak of the Jews borrowing and not giving back these trinkets.
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Sforno on Exodus
ונצלתם את מצרים. Even though all that they will give you will be on loan and you will be obligated to return these items. The status of these “borrowed” articles underwent a legal change when these same Egyptians turned into pursuers of the departing Israelites with intent to kill them. From that moment on what had previously been on loan now became legitimate booty of war. Not only that, but the previous owners had died in a war fought against them by G’d Himself when the pursuers had become the pursued, something which happens in many wars.
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