Commentaire sur La Genèse 11:2
וַֽיְהִ֖י בְּנָסְעָ֣ם מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַֽיִּמְצְא֥וּ בִקְעָ֛ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃
Or, en émigrant de l’Orient, les hommes avaient trouvé une vallée dans le pays de Sennaar, et s’y étaient arrêtés.
Rashi on Genesis
בנסעם מקדם AS THEY JOURNEYED FROM THE EAST where they were then dwelling, as it is written above, (Genesis 10:30) “And their dwelling place was … the mountain of the East”. From there they journeyed to search out for themselves a place that would accommodate them all, but they found none except Shinar (Genesis Rabbah 38:7).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Ramban on Genesis
AS THEY JOURNEYED FROM THE EAST. Rashi comments: “They journeyed from where they were then dwelling, as it is written above, And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest toward Sephar, unto the mountain of the east.333Above, 10:30. From there they journeyed to search out for themselves a place that would accomodate them all, but they found none except Shinar.” But this is not correct for this is the account of the children of Shem only, concerning whom it was so said [that they dwelled at “the mountain of the east”], and why should Scripture attribute the dispersion to the descendants of Shem when the children of Japheth and of Ham were more numerous than they? Besides, their habitation in their countries was from Mesha to the mountain of the east,333Above, 10:30. and the dispersion of the nations took place before they settled there, for the children of Japheth surely did not come from the isles of the sea334Ibid., Verse 5. to the land of Shinar; rather, it was during the dispersion that G-d scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth,335Verse 9 here. and at that time they were settled in their lands, after their nations.336Above, 10:31.
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that the mountains of Ararat are in the east. [Thus the verse before us which states, as they journeyed from the east, means as they journeyed from the mountains of Ararat.] That which he said is correct for the mountains of Ararat are in the east near Assyria, as it is said, And they escaped into the land of Ararat.337II Kings 19:37. The reference there is to the sons of Sennacherib of Assyria, who slew their father and fled to the nearby land of Ararat. And when Noah came down from the mountain [upon which the ark had rested],338Above 8:4. he and his sons settled in those lands, and when they increased they journeyed from there to this valley called Shinar.
According to our Rabbis,339Sanhedrin 109a. the men of the dispersion rebelled against their Creator. But those who pursue the plain meaning of Scripture say340This opinion is found in R’dak. that their idea was only to be closely united, for Scripture declares their intention, lest we be scattered,341Verse 4 here. and does not relate any other matter [motive] concerning them. But if it be as those commentators say, then the men of the dispersion were fools for how could one city and one tower suffice for all people of the world? Or perhaps they thought that they would not be fruitful and multiply, as it is written, and the seed of the wicked will be cut off.342Psalms 37:28.
However, he who knows the meaning of the word “name” — as they said, and we will make for us a name341Verse 4 here. — will understand their intent and will know the extent of their evil intention in constructing the tower. And then he will understand the whole subject, namely, that theirs was an evil thought, and the punishment that came over them — to be dispersed in their languages and countries — was meted out measure for measure for “they mutilated the shoots” [of faith by seeking to undermine the principle of the Unity]. Thus their sin was comparable to that of their father Adam.343See Ramban above, 3:22. Perhaps on account of this the Sages expounded:344Bereshith Rabbah 38:12. “And the Eternal came down to see… which the children of men had built.345Verse 5 here. Said Rabbi Berachyah, ‘[Whose children could they have been but the children of men?] Perhaps the children of donkeys or camels? Rather it means the children of the first man, etc.’” Contemplate further that in the entire subject of the flood, Scripture mentions Elokim (G-d), while in the entire matter of the dispersion it mentions the Tetragrammaton; the flood came on account of the corruption of the land, and the dispersion came because “they mutilated the shoots” of faith and therefore their punishment was meted out by His Great Name. This explains the “coming down”345Verse 5 here. and also the Divine measure meted out in Sodom.346See Ramban further, 19:24. The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand.
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that the mountains of Ararat are in the east. [Thus the verse before us which states, as they journeyed from the east, means as they journeyed from the mountains of Ararat.] That which he said is correct for the mountains of Ararat are in the east near Assyria, as it is said, And they escaped into the land of Ararat.337II Kings 19:37. The reference there is to the sons of Sennacherib of Assyria, who slew their father and fled to the nearby land of Ararat. And when Noah came down from the mountain [upon which the ark had rested],338Above 8:4. he and his sons settled in those lands, and when they increased they journeyed from there to this valley called Shinar.
According to our Rabbis,339Sanhedrin 109a. the men of the dispersion rebelled against their Creator. But those who pursue the plain meaning of Scripture say340This opinion is found in R’dak. that their idea was only to be closely united, for Scripture declares their intention, lest we be scattered,341Verse 4 here. and does not relate any other matter [motive] concerning them. But if it be as those commentators say, then the men of the dispersion were fools for how could one city and one tower suffice for all people of the world? Or perhaps they thought that they would not be fruitful and multiply, as it is written, and the seed of the wicked will be cut off.342Psalms 37:28.
However, he who knows the meaning of the word “name” — as they said, and we will make for us a name341Verse 4 here. — will understand their intent and will know the extent of their evil intention in constructing the tower. And then he will understand the whole subject, namely, that theirs was an evil thought, and the punishment that came over them — to be dispersed in their languages and countries — was meted out measure for measure for “they mutilated the shoots” [of faith by seeking to undermine the principle of the Unity]. Thus their sin was comparable to that of their father Adam.343See Ramban above, 3:22. Perhaps on account of this the Sages expounded:344Bereshith Rabbah 38:12. “And the Eternal came down to see… which the children of men had built.345Verse 5 here. Said Rabbi Berachyah, ‘[Whose children could they have been but the children of men?] Perhaps the children of donkeys or camels? Rather it means the children of the first man, etc.’” Contemplate further that in the entire subject of the flood, Scripture mentions Elokim (G-d), while in the entire matter of the dispersion it mentions the Tetragrammaton; the flood came on account of the corruption of the land, and the dispersion came because “they mutilated the shoots” of faith and therefore their punishment was meted out by His Great Name. This explains the “coming down”345Verse 5 here. and also the Divine measure meted out in Sodom.346See Ramban further, 19:24. The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Sforno on Genesis
בנסעם מקדם, they were leading the lives of nomads, much like shepherds who move to wherever there was good grazing land for their flocks.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy