וַיֵּרְד֥וּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים לִ֠לְטוֹשׁ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־מַחֲרַשְׁתּ֤וֹ וְאֶת־אֵתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־קַרְדֻּמּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת מַחֲרֵשָׁתֽוֹ׃
Tutto Israele scendeva presso i Filistei per affilare, ciascuno, il proprio vomere, il proprio coltro, la propria scure e la propria zappa.
Ramban
ASSHURIM, AND LETUSHIM, AND LEUMMIM. Rashi comments: “These were the names of clan chieftains. But I cannot reconcile Onkelos’ translation with the language of the text.”150Onkelos translates Asshurim as meaning “camps,” Letushim as “owners of tents who spread about in all directions,” and Leumim as “islands” or “sea-districts.” Upon this Rashi comments that he cannot make Onkelos’ translation fit in exactly with the words of the text. Ramban now proceeds to explain Onkelos’ understanding on the verse and also the reason why he was forced to make this translation.
It appears to me that Onkelos was of the opinion that Asshurim means camps, companies that travel the roads from city to city, just as it says, a company of Ishmaelites.151Further, 37:25. Onkelos thus considered Asshurim as being derived from the expressions, To His steps (‘ba’ashuro’) hath my foot held fast;152Job 23:11. His steps (‘ashurav’) do not slide.153Psalms 37:31. And Onkelos’ opinion of Letushim is that they are the ones who dwell in tents that are scattered over the face of the earth, resting today in one place and tomorrow in another, for the letter lamed and nun interchange in many places, [thus Letushim would be like Netushim (scattered ones)] just like lishchah and nishchah,154Nehemiah 13:7. [both of which mean “chamber”]; And on that day men were appointed over ‘haneshachoth’ (the chambers).155Ibid., 12:44. From this root is derived the expression, a sword ‘netushah,’156Isaiah 21:15. which is the same as letushah (sharpened). And of the word Le’ummim Onkelos said ulenagvon, [which is Aramaic for the Hebrew word] iyim (islands).157See Isaiah 41:1 and Targum.
Onkelos was stirred to this translation by the word hayu [and the children of Dedan ‘hayu’ (were) Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim], when it would have been proper to express it similarly to the verse, And Mitzraim begot Ludim, and Ananim, and Lehabim, and Naphtihim.158Above, 10:13.
And in Bereshith Rabbah we find:15961:4. “Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rav Nachman said that even though we translate these names and say, ‘Merchants, flaming ones, and heads of peoples,’ all of them were heads of peoples.” The matter is as I have explained. The translators rendered Asshurim as “merchants, those who walk the road.” From the word Letushim (sharp, shiny) they derived “men of wickedness,” their faces are faces of flame,160Isaiah 13:8. burning as torches, from the roots: to sharpen ( liltosh ) his plowshare, and his coulter;161I Samuel 13:20. He sharpened ( yiltosh ) his eyes upon me.162Job 16:9. But Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rav Nachman said that even though they are accustomed to thus translate these names, they are still only the proper names of the heads of people, there being no descriptive name among them at all. And such is the case.
It appears to me that Onkelos was of the opinion that Asshurim means camps, companies that travel the roads from city to city, just as it says, a company of Ishmaelites.151Further, 37:25. Onkelos thus considered Asshurim as being derived from the expressions, To His steps (‘ba’ashuro’) hath my foot held fast;152Job 23:11. His steps (‘ashurav’) do not slide.153Psalms 37:31. And Onkelos’ opinion of Letushim is that they are the ones who dwell in tents that are scattered over the face of the earth, resting today in one place and tomorrow in another, for the letter lamed and nun interchange in many places, [thus Letushim would be like Netushim (scattered ones)] just like lishchah and nishchah,154Nehemiah 13:7. [both of which mean “chamber”]; And on that day men were appointed over ‘haneshachoth’ (the chambers).155Ibid., 12:44. From this root is derived the expression, a sword ‘netushah,’156Isaiah 21:15. which is the same as letushah (sharpened). And of the word Le’ummim Onkelos said ulenagvon, [which is Aramaic for the Hebrew word] iyim (islands).157See Isaiah 41:1 and Targum.
Onkelos was stirred to this translation by the word hayu [and the children of Dedan ‘hayu’ (were) Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim], when it would have been proper to express it similarly to the verse, And Mitzraim begot Ludim, and Ananim, and Lehabim, and Naphtihim.158Above, 10:13.
And in Bereshith Rabbah we find:15961:4. “Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rav Nachman said that even though we translate these names and say, ‘Merchants, flaming ones, and heads of peoples,’ all of them were heads of peoples.” The matter is as I have explained. The translators rendered Asshurim as “merchants, those who walk the road.” From the word Letushim (sharp, shiny) they derived “men of wickedness,” their faces are faces of flame,160Isaiah 13:8. burning as torches, from the roots: to sharpen ( liltosh ) his plowshare, and his coulter;161I Samuel 13:20. He sharpened ( yiltosh ) his eyes upon me.162Job 16:9. But Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rav Nachman said that even though they are accustomed to thus translate these names, they are still only the proper names of the heads of people, there being no descriptive name among them at all. And such is the case.
Ibn Ezra
לְאִתִּים Into plowshares. Comp. אֵתוֹ his plowshare (1 Sam. 13:20); the Dagesh of the ת compensates for the omitted silent letter י; the same purpose is served by the long vowel Zere under א in the word 6Long vowels are either really or virtually followed by one of the silent letters אהוי ; namely, Kamez by א or ה, Zere and Hirek by י, Holem and Shurek by ו..אֵתוֹ
Radak
לוטש כל חרש נחשת וברזל, sharpener of copper and ironcraft; this description by the Torah, as opposed to the previous introduction of artisans as אבי, “father of, i.e. inventor of or discoverer of, maybe that his predecessors had already worked with these metals and had fashioned tools and vessels out of them. Tuval Kayin’s contribution may have been that he learned how to sharpen these tools so that they did not have to be replaced by new ones all the time. The word לטישה in this sense occurs in Samuel I 13,20. During the period described in Samuel, the Israelites had to travel to the land of the Philistines to have their agricultural tools sharpened, as they were not allowed to have weapons made of metal. The word חרש אבן is found in Exodus 31,6 where it describes the parallel art of working with stone. (compare Samuel I 15,15 and Joshua 8,7 where the word תפש appears in a related manner)