לְהוֹרִ֗ישׁ גּוֹיִ֛ם גְּדֹלִ֧ים וַעֲצֻמִ֛ים מִמְּךָ֖ מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ לַהֲבִֽיאֲךָ֗ לָֽתֶת־לְךָ֧ אֶת־אַרְצָ֛ם נַחֲלָ֖ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
너보다 강대한 열국을 네 앞에서 쫓아내고 너를 그들의 땅으로 인도하여 들여서 그것을 네게 기업으로 주려 하심이 오늘날과 같으니라
Tur HaArokh
ונתתיך לגויים, “I shall make you into nations;” Rashi believes that the plural “nations” refers to the Jewish people on the one hand and to Edom (Rome) on the other. Seeing that Yishmael had already been born, Rashi does not consider this promise/prophecy as applying to the Arab nation. Nachmanides considers Rashi’s commentary as flawed, seeing that it is most unlikely that at the time when G’d was preoccupied with the circumcision He should prophesy to Avraham concerning an as yet unborn Esau. After all, Avraham was neither in charge of Esau nor did the duty to circumcise him devolve upon him instead of upon his father Yitzchok (if and when). . According to Nachmanides both Yishmael and Esau’s descendants are called גויים, whereas the Jewish people are referred to as עם. He quotes Deut. 33,3 אף חובב עמים as proof. There are other verses of the same kind. [however, there are numerous occasions when the Jewish people are referred to as גוי, as in Exodus 33,13, Joshua 3,17, Genesis 25,23, Deut. 4,38 and numerous others. Ed.]
Ibn Ezra
It is like you shall be cut off. And similar [to this is], "to drive out (lehorish) nations" (Deuteronomy 4:38).
Ramban
AND HE SAID: BECAUSE I WILL BE WITH THEE; AND THIS SHALL BE THE TOKEN UNTO THEE, THAT I HAVE SENT THEE: WHEN THOU HAST BROUGHT FORTH THE PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT, YE SHALL SERVE G-D UPON THIS MOUNTAIN. Explanations of this verse are numerous. The correct interpretation in line with the simple meaning of Scripture is that the Holy One, blessed be He, had said two things to Moses. [First], He would come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.182Verse 8. This might mean that He will deliver them out of their hands while they will remain in the land of Goshen itself or in some place nearby. Therefore, He further promised to bring them up out of that entire land to the place of the Canaanite.182Verse 8.
But Moses was fearful of both [promises], saying, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?183Verse 11. I am but a humble person, a keeper of the flock, and he is a great king. If I will tell him to let the people go altogether, he will kill me.” This is similar in meaning to that which Samuel said. And if Saul hear it, he will kill me.184I Samuel 16:2. And Moses said further, “Who am I … that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt,183Verse 11. as Thou didst tell me to bring them up to the land of Canaan. Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people,185Deuteronomy 4:6. and they will not hold me in sufficient esteem to go after me to the land of nations greater and mightier than they,186See ibid., Verse 38. as Thou hadst said, to bring them up … unto a good and large land … unto the place of the Canaanite.182Verse 8. The delivery from the hand of Pharaoh — whether he will listen and lighten his yoke from upon them and thus deliver them [from bondage], or drive them out of his land against their will187Further, 6:1. See also Rashi there. — is not dependent on them. Besides, they themselves will listen to any one on this matter — for what man is there who would not want to go out from unparalleled cruel bondage — but they will not give heed to go up to the land of Canaan.” Such indeed was the case. The war against those nations [in the land of Canaan] was hard on them from beginning to end, and they feared it while still in Egypt and later when they were in the desert. This then was the fear of Moses our teacher, of Pharaoh, and his apprehension of the children of Israel.
And the Eternal answered him on both matters. He said to him: “Do not fear Pharaoh for I will be with thee to save thee. And this shall be the token unto thee for the people that I have sent thee to them, for when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve G-d upon this mountain. From then on, they will take upon themselves the worship of G-d and walk in His commandments,188See II Chronicles 17:4. and they will also believe in thee forever,189Further, 19:9. and they will run after thee190See Song of Songs 1:4. wherever thou shalt command them [to go]. Now I have revealed Myself to thee on this mountain in a flame of fire, for so it will be in front of all the people when they will serve Me on this mountain.”
Thus in that which he saw, there was a sign for Moses that he should not fear Pharaoh since G-d assured him his deliverance. For Israel it was to be a sign that they should not fear the nations upon their coming to Mount Sinai, for to go out from Egypt — with Pharaoh’s consent — to a nearby place a three days’ journey,191Further, Verse 18. See also Ramban further, 19:1. they would surely give heed and do so whether willingly or unwillingly.192In the Tur’s rendition of Ramban: “they will surely listen and not ask for a sign.”
By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], ‘V’zeh’ (And this) shall be the token unto thee, is like the verse, ‘Zeh li’ (I have now been) twenty years in thy house,193Genesis 31:41. Literally: “this to me is twenty years.” Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher here intimates that Ramban’s intent is to be understood in the light of the verse, ‘Zeh’ (This) is my G-d, and I will glorify Him (further, 15:2). See my Hebrew commentary here on Ramban, p. 290. thus alluding to the verses, Because I will be with thee, and behold there is a sign unto thee, the sign of the covenant that “I will be with thee always,” just as it is intimated in the verse, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee.194Genesis 17:4. “It is I who send you that you should serve G-d upon this mountain, and then I too will go up in the midst of this people into the place which I have prepared.”195Further, 23:20.
But Moses was fearful of both [promises], saying, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?183Verse 11. I am but a humble person, a keeper of the flock, and he is a great king. If I will tell him to let the people go altogether, he will kill me.” This is similar in meaning to that which Samuel said. And if Saul hear it, he will kill me.184I Samuel 16:2. And Moses said further, “Who am I … that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt,183Verse 11. as Thou didst tell me to bring them up to the land of Canaan. Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people,185Deuteronomy 4:6. and they will not hold me in sufficient esteem to go after me to the land of nations greater and mightier than they,186See ibid., Verse 38. as Thou hadst said, to bring them up … unto a good and large land … unto the place of the Canaanite.182Verse 8. The delivery from the hand of Pharaoh — whether he will listen and lighten his yoke from upon them and thus deliver them [from bondage], or drive them out of his land against their will187Further, 6:1. See also Rashi there. — is not dependent on them. Besides, they themselves will listen to any one on this matter — for what man is there who would not want to go out from unparalleled cruel bondage — but they will not give heed to go up to the land of Canaan.” Such indeed was the case. The war against those nations [in the land of Canaan] was hard on them from beginning to end, and they feared it while still in Egypt and later when they were in the desert. This then was the fear of Moses our teacher, of Pharaoh, and his apprehension of the children of Israel.
And the Eternal answered him on both matters. He said to him: “Do not fear Pharaoh for I will be with thee to save thee. And this shall be the token unto thee for the people that I have sent thee to them, for when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve G-d upon this mountain. From then on, they will take upon themselves the worship of G-d and walk in His commandments,188See II Chronicles 17:4. and they will also believe in thee forever,189Further, 19:9. and they will run after thee190See Song of Songs 1:4. wherever thou shalt command them [to go]. Now I have revealed Myself to thee on this mountain in a flame of fire, for so it will be in front of all the people when they will serve Me on this mountain.”
Thus in that which he saw, there was a sign for Moses that he should not fear Pharaoh since G-d assured him his deliverance. For Israel it was to be a sign that they should not fear the nations upon their coming to Mount Sinai, for to go out from Egypt — with Pharaoh’s consent — to a nearby place a three days’ journey,191Further, Verse 18. See also Ramban further, 19:1. they would surely give heed and do so whether willingly or unwillingly.192In the Tur’s rendition of Ramban: “they will surely listen and not ask for a sign.”
By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], ‘V’zeh’ (And this) shall be the token unto thee, is like the verse, ‘Zeh li’ (I have now been) twenty years in thy house,193Genesis 31:41. Literally: “this to me is twenty years.” Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher here intimates that Ramban’s intent is to be understood in the light of the verse, ‘Zeh’ (This) is my G-d, and I will glorify Him (further, 15:2). See my Hebrew commentary here on Ramban, p. 290. thus alluding to the verses, Because I will be with thee, and behold there is a sign unto thee, the sign of the covenant that “I will be with thee always,” just as it is intimated in the verse, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee.194Genesis 17:4. “It is I who send you that you should serve G-d upon this mountain, and then I too will go up in the midst of this people into the place which I have prepared.”195Further, 23:20.