וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לוֹ֩ אֱמָר־נָ֨א שִׁבֹּ֜לֶת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר סִבֹּ֗לֶת וְלֹ֤א יָכִין֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר כֵּ֔ן וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ אוֹת֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁחָט֖וּהוּ אֶל־מַעְבְּר֣וֹת הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וַיִּפֹּ֞ל בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנַ֖יִם אָֽלֶף׃
ay sinasabi nila sa kanya, “Sabihin mo nga: Shibolet.” At sinasabi niya, “Sibolet,” sapagkat hindi niya magawang bigkasin ito nang wasto; at hinuhuli nila siya at pinapatay sa mga tawiran ng Jordan. At nabuwal nang panahong iyon mula sa Efraim ang apatnapu't dalawang libo.
Rabbeinu Bahya
אשר יושב בעשתרות באדרעי, “who was dwelling in Ashtarot at Edre-i.” We find that the Bible uses the term Ashtarot to describe three totally different phenomena. The term is used to describe 1) mountains, 2) flocks of sheep; 3) a form of idolatry. In this instance the Torah tells us that Og lived in mountainous country. The reason the Torah tells us this is that not only was Og, the giant, personally powerful and awe-inspiring, but the terrain in which he had his capital was easy to defend and most difficult to conquer. The same applied to a place called עשתרות קרנים which the Torah mentioned in Genesis 14,5 when it described Kedorlaomer defeating the giants residing there. The reason that place was called not just עשתרות, but עשתרות קרנים, is that the sheep which have horns קרנים, used to graze in those mountains just as did the mountain goats and gazelles.
The flocks, sheep, are referred to as Ashtarot in Deut. 7,13 where the Torah writes עשתרות צאנך, when referring to flocks of sheep and goats. The word’s root is עשר, “wealth,” i.e. these flocks provide wealth for their owners through their milk, their wool and their young. We have been told in Chulin 84 that one should make a practice of selling land (a field, but not ancestral land in the land of Israel) and buy עתודים, he-goats with the proceeds, based on Proverbs 27,26: ”the he-goats, the price of a field.” We also have a verse making a similar point in verse 27 of the same chapter, i.e. “the goat’s milk will be sufficient for the food of your house, and for the vital needs of your maids.”
The term Ashtarot is used to describe idolatry in Judges 12,6 ויעבדו את הבעלים ואת העשתרות, “they served the Baalim and the Ashtarot.” The reason this term is used is that the image representing the deity was a sheep (and the fertility it represents).
The flocks, sheep, are referred to as Ashtarot in Deut. 7,13 where the Torah writes עשתרות צאנך, when referring to flocks of sheep and goats. The word’s root is עשר, “wealth,” i.e. these flocks provide wealth for their owners through their milk, their wool and their young. We have been told in Chulin 84 that one should make a practice of selling land (a field, but not ancestral land in the land of Israel) and buy עתודים, he-goats with the proceeds, based on Proverbs 27,26: ”the he-goats, the price of a field.” We also have a verse making a similar point in verse 27 of the same chapter, i.e. “the goat’s milk will be sufficient for the food of your house, and for the vital needs of your maids.”
The term Ashtarot is used to describe idolatry in Judges 12,6 ויעבדו את הבעלים ואת העשתרות, “they served the Baalim and the Ashtarot.” The reason this term is used is that the image representing the deity was a sheep (and the fertility it represents).
Rashbam
וסחרוה, the letter ח in this word is the reason why the Torah did not need to write the word בה, i.e. תסחרו בה, “you may trade feely in it.” The vowel kametz under the letter ח instead of the semi vowel sheva we would have expected is what saved the Torah the word, or rather the extra letter ב by adding the word בה to the word וסחרו.
Ramban
BEHOLD, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAVE NOT HEARKENED UNTO ME because You have done nothing [for Israel] so that my words should be acceptable to them. AND HOW THEN SHALL PHARAOH HEAR ME? AND besides, I AM OF UNCIRCUMCISED LIPS, and I am not fit to speak before a great king.
It is possible to explain that Moses thought that due to his deficiency — for he was of uncircumcised lips — the children of Israel would not hearken to him, for he could not frame [words] to speak61Judges 12:6. kindly to them, words of good cheer and comfort, and all the more how could he speak to Pharaoh?
Now the reason that Moses again broached this argument [of his speech-impediment, when he had already mentioned it above in Chapter 4, Verse 10], is that G-d did not originally command him that he was to speak before Pharaoh. He merely said, And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him.62Above, 3:18. In that case it was possible that the elders should speak [before Pharaoh] and Moses would remain silent. Then Moses said that he was ashamed even to speak to the people, saying, I am not a man of words.63Ibid., 4:10. Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him, And he [Aaron] shall be thy spokesman unto the people.64Ibid., Verse 16. And so indeed Moses and Aaron did when they first came to the people, as it is said, And Aaron spoke all the words which the Eternal had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.65Ibid., Verse 30. But now Moses himself was commanded, Wherefore say unto the children of Israel: I am the Eternal,66Verse 6. and he did speak to them as He commanded him, but they did not hearken to him.67Verse 9. Now when He again commanded Moses to speak to Pharaoh,68Verse 11. Moses said, “How can I speak to him, I who am of uncircumcised lips.” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, associated Aaron with him, and gave both of them a charge unto the children of Israel,69Verse 13. that they should say to them whatever He will command them, and unto Pharaoh69Verse 13. to bring them forth out of his land. Now Rashi commented: “[And He gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt]. That is to say, He gave them a command with regard to the children of Israel and His mission on which He had sent them to Pharaoh.” But there is no need for this.70According to Rashi, the command of His mission to Pharaoh was the one with regard to Israel. But according to Ramban, there was also a command with regard to Israel, as explained in the text.
It is possible to explain that Moses thought that due to his deficiency — for he was of uncircumcised lips — the children of Israel would not hearken to him, for he could not frame [words] to speak61Judges 12:6. kindly to them, words of good cheer and comfort, and all the more how could he speak to Pharaoh?
Now the reason that Moses again broached this argument [of his speech-impediment, when he had already mentioned it above in Chapter 4, Verse 10], is that G-d did not originally command him that he was to speak before Pharaoh. He merely said, And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him.62Above, 3:18. In that case it was possible that the elders should speak [before Pharaoh] and Moses would remain silent. Then Moses said that he was ashamed even to speak to the people, saying, I am not a man of words.63Ibid., 4:10. Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him, And he [Aaron] shall be thy spokesman unto the people.64Ibid., Verse 16. And so indeed Moses and Aaron did when they first came to the people, as it is said, And Aaron spoke all the words which the Eternal had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.65Ibid., Verse 30. But now Moses himself was commanded, Wherefore say unto the children of Israel: I am the Eternal,66Verse 6. and he did speak to them as He commanded him, but they did not hearken to him.67Verse 9. Now when He again commanded Moses to speak to Pharaoh,68Verse 11. Moses said, “How can I speak to him, I who am of uncircumcised lips.” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, associated Aaron with him, and gave both of them a charge unto the children of Israel,69Verse 13. that they should say to them whatever He will command them, and unto Pharaoh69Verse 13. to bring them forth out of his land. Now Rashi commented: “[And He gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt]. That is to say, He gave them a command with regard to the children of Israel and His mission on which He had sent them to Pharaoh.” But there is no need for this.70According to Rashi, the command of His mission to Pharaoh was the one with regard to Israel. But according to Ramban, there was also a command with regard to Israel, as explained in the text.