וְרָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י דָנִיֵּ֔אל וְהִנֵּ֛ה שְׁנַ֥יִם אֲחֵרִ֖ים עֹמְדִ֑ים אֶחָ֥ד הֵ֙נָּה֙ לִשְׂפַ֣ת הַיְאֹ֔ר וְאֶחָ֥ד הֵ֖נָּה לִשְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃
나 다니엘이 본즉 다른 두 사람이 있어 하나는 강 이편 언덕에 섰고 하나는 강 저편 언덕에 섰더니
Ramban
BY THE ‘YE’OR’ (RIVER). With the exception of the Nile, none of the other rivers is called ye’or, a word signifying “canal,” because the entire country consists of artificially constructed canals, and the waters of the Nile1“Rain does not fall in Egypt, but the Nile rises and irrigates the land.” (Rashi, Exodus 7:17). flow into them. This is the language of Rashi.
Onkelos however did translate the word ye’or here as “river,” but in the book of Exodus he translated al ye’oreihem2Exodus 7:19. as “on their canals,” as he had to distinguish between nahar and ye’or since they are both mentioned in the same verse: ‘al naharotham ve’al ye’oreihem’ (on their rivers and on their canals). Thus, according to Onkelos, all rivers are called ye’orim, with the large ones being called both n’haroth and ye’orim while those canals constructed by man are also called ye’orim.3Thus the word nahar applies only to a natural river, while the word ye’or applies to both a natural river and a man-made canal. Thus we find that the Tigris, besides being called nahar, is also called ye’or, as it is written, I was by the side of the great ‘nahar’ (river), which is Tigris… and behold a man clothed in linen,4Daniel 10:4-5. and it is further written there: And, behold, there stood other two, the one on the bank of the ‘ye’or’ (river) on this side, and the other on the bank of the ‘ye’or’ on that side. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the ‘ye’or’ (river).5Ibid., 12:5-6. In my opinion the fact is as Onkelos said,6When he said that ye’or and nahar are both terms for rivers. as both ye’or and nahar convey the same concept, both being an expression for orah (light). The rain, likewise, is called or (light), as it is said: He spreadeth ‘oro’ (His light) upon it;7Job 36:30. He spreadeth abroad the cloud of ‘oro’ (His lighting);8Ibid., 37:11. and as Rabbi Yochanan said,9Bereshith Rabbah 26:18. “All verses in Elihu’s speech in the book of Job containing the word orah refer to the coming down of rain.” Perhaps this is because the rains are influenced by the luminaries,10“Luminaries.” In his commentary to Job 36:30, Ibn Ezra writes: “For the rain is called or (light) on account of the small luminary (the moon), since its movements, by command of the Creator, cause the rain.” An identical explanation is also found in R’dak’s Sefer Hashorashim, under the root or. and the rivers which are formed by the rains are thus related to their first cause,11This explains why rain is referred to in Elihu’s speech as or (light), since the rain is caused by the movement of the luminaries, as explained above. the luminaries.
Onkelos however did translate the word ye’or here as “river,” but in the book of Exodus he translated al ye’oreihem2Exodus 7:19. as “on their canals,” as he had to distinguish between nahar and ye’or since they are both mentioned in the same verse: ‘al naharotham ve’al ye’oreihem’ (on their rivers and on their canals). Thus, according to Onkelos, all rivers are called ye’orim, with the large ones being called both n’haroth and ye’orim while those canals constructed by man are also called ye’orim.3Thus the word nahar applies only to a natural river, while the word ye’or applies to both a natural river and a man-made canal. Thus we find that the Tigris, besides being called nahar, is also called ye’or, as it is written, I was by the side of the great ‘nahar’ (river), which is Tigris… and behold a man clothed in linen,4Daniel 10:4-5. and it is further written there: And, behold, there stood other two, the one on the bank of the ‘ye’or’ (river) on this side, and the other on the bank of the ‘ye’or’ on that side. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the ‘ye’or’ (river).5Ibid., 12:5-6. In my opinion the fact is as Onkelos said,6When he said that ye’or and nahar are both terms for rivers. as both ye’or and nahar convey the same concept, both being an expression for orah (light). The rain, likewise, is called or (light), as it is said: He spreadeth ‘oro’ (His light) upon it;7Job 36:30. He spreadeth abroad the cloud of ‘oro’ (His lighting);8Ibid., 37:11. and as Rabbi Yochanan said,9Bereshith Rabbah 26:18. “All verses in Elihu’s speech in the book of Job containing the word orah refer to the coming down of rain.” Perhaps this is because the rains are influenced by the luminaries,10“Luminaries.” In his commentary to Job 36:30, Ibn Ezra writes: “For the rain is called or (light) on account of the small luminary (the moon), since its movements, by command of the Creator, cause the rain.” An identical explanation is also found in R’dak’s Sefer Hashorashim, under the root or. and the rivers which are formed by the rains are thus related to their first cause,11This explains why rain is referred to in Elihu’s speech as or (light), since the rain is caused by the movement of the luminaries, as explained above. the luminaries.