זָקֵ֥ן וּנְשׂוּא־פָנִ֖ים ה֣וּא הָרֹ֑אשׁ וְנָבִ֥יא מֽוֹרֶה־שֶּׁ֖קֶר ה֥וּא הַזָּנָֽב׃
La tête ce sont les anciens et les notables, la queue ce sont les prophètes qui enseignent le mensonge.
Ramban
RASHEICHEM SHIVTEICHEM.’ In the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra this means rasheichem rashei shivteichem (“your heads, the heads of your tribes”),4Since a noun in the construct form cannot have a pronoun suffix, the term rasheichem cannot mean “your heads of.” Therefore Ibn Ezra adds the words rashei, interpreting the phrase as “your heads, ‘the heads of’ your tribes.” See Vol. IV, p. 115, Note 283 for the same principle as applied to another example. like and the prophecy of Oded the prophet5Chronicles 15:8. Here the point is that a noun in the construct form cannot have the prefix hei indicating the definite article. Hence the word v’hanevuah cannot mean “and the prophecy of.” We must therefore add the word nevuath, meaning: “and the prophecy, ‘a prophecy of’ Oded.” See Vol. IV, p. 115, Note 284 where the same example is mentioned. [which means “and the prophecy, the prophecy of Oded the prophet”].5Chronicles 15:8. Here the point is that a noun in the construct form cannot have the prefix hei indicating the definite article. Hence the word v’hanevuah cannot mean “and the prophecy of.” We must therefore add the word nevuath, meaning: “and the prophecy, ‘a prophecy of’ Oded.” See Vol. IV, p. 115, Note 284 where the same example is mentioned.
In my opinion the verse generalizes and then specifies. The generalization is: “your heads and all your tribes,” and then it specifies your elders, and your officers who are your heads, for the elder and the man of rank, he is the head.6Isaiah 9:14. Similarly, he stated Assemble unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers,7Further 31:28. for any person who has authority and appointive power over the public is called rosh (head). Thus it is said of the princes [of the tribes], they were ‘the heads of’ the thousands of Israel,8Numbers 1:16. for they were the highest rank of all the thousands of Israel. And it is stated of the spies, [all of them were] ‘heads of’ the children of Israel,9Ibid., 13:3. meaning they were “among” the heads of the children of Israel, not the heads of all the children of Israel — and they were all included in the term your heads. He then stated again even all the men of Israel who comprise your tribes.
Then he mentioned further the little children, the women, the strangers, the hewers of wood and drawers of water10Verse 10. whom they had from among the mixed multitude.11Exodus 12:38. He had made them bring the little ones, in order to include them in the covenant, for he made the covenant even with the future generations,12Verses 13-14. or [the children may have been brought] to make them [i.e., the parents] deserving of Divine reward for bringing them, like the reason the Rabbis gave regarding [the commandment of] the Assembly.13See Ramban further 31:13. And our Rabbis have said14So mentioned by Rashi. Ramban himself further on refers to a similar text from the Tanchuma. See further, Note 18. that some Canaanites [posing as proselytes] came in Moses’ days just as they came in Joshua’s days15Joshua 9:2-27. and Moses made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the Tabernacle of G-d.16Ibid., Verse 27. The verse there states: for ‘the altar of’ G-d. Now, the intent of the Rabbis is not to state that these Canaanites deceived Moses [as they misled Joshua]; instead, they came to him to make peace with him, for such is the law as we have explained.17See above, 20:11. Thus I found in Midrash Tanchuma:18Tanchuma, Nitzavim 2. “This teaches you that they [the Canaanites] came before Moses and he did not accept them.” That is to say, they could not deceive him into making a covenant with them, but he immediately made them hewers of wood and drawers of water.
In my opinion the verse generalizes and then specifies. The generalization is: “your heads and all your tribes,” and then it specifies your elders, and your officers who are your heads, for the elder and the man of rank, he is the head.6Isaiah 9:14. Similarly, he stated Assemble unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers,7Further 31:28. for any person who has authority and appointive power over the public is called rosh (head). Thus it is said of the princes [of the tribes], they were ‘the heads of’ the thousands of Israel,8Numbers 1:16. for they were the highest rank of all the thousands of Israel. And it is stated of the spies, [all of them were] ‘heads of’ the children of Israel,9Ibid., 13:3. meaning they were “among” the heads of the children of Israel, not the heads of all the children of Israel — and they were all included in the term your heads. He then stated again even all the men of Israel who comprise your tribes.
Then he mentioned further the little children, the women, the strangers, the hewers of wood and drawers of water10Verse 10. whom they had from among the mixed multitude.11Exodus 12:38. He had made them bring the little ones, in order to include them in the covenant, for he made the covenant even with the future generations,12Verses 13-14. or [the children may have been brought] to make them [i.e., the parents] deserving of Divine reward for bringing them, like the reason the Rabbis gave regarding [the commandment of] the Assembly.13See Ramban further 31:13. And our Rabbis have said14So mentioned by Rashi. Ramban himself further on refers to a similar text from the Tanchuma. See further, Note 18. that some Canaanites [posing as proselytes] came in Moses’ days just as they came in Joshua’s days15Joshua 9:2-27. and Moses made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the Tabernacle of G-d.16Ibid., Verse 27. The verse there states: for ‘the altar of’ G-d. Now, the intent of the Rabbis is not to state that these Canaanites deceived Moses [as they misled Joshua]; instead, they came to him to make peace with him, for such is the law as we have explained.17See above, 20:11. Thus I found in Midrash Tanchuma:18Tanchuma, Nitzavim 2. “This teaches you that they [the Canaanites] came before Moses and he did not accept them.” That is to say, they could not deceive him into making a covenant with them, but he immediately made them hewers of wood and drawers of water.
Ibn Ezra
Head or tail. Even a plant in its integrity, with head and tail, will not be left to them. Others take the phrase and explain it figuratively, They are wandering about and do not know what to begin; they can do neither the work of the head, of the old and noble (9:14), nor that of the tail, of the common people. In the same way the phrase, palm-tree and reed, is to be explained.