במדבר י״ד

כל העדה. סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת (תנחומא יב):

The entire community The Sanhedrin members.

לו מתנו. הַלְוַאי וָמַתְנוּ:

Would we had died. Would that we had died.

נתנה ראש. כְּתַרְגוּמוֹ "נְמַנֵּי רֵישָׁא" — נָשִׂים עָלֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵרְשׁוּ, לְשׁוֹן עֲ"זָ (סנהדרין ק"ז):

Let us appoint (lit. place) a head. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, “Let us appoint a head,” ‘Let us appoint a king over us.’ The Rabbis, of blessed memory, interpret this as referring to idolatry.

אל תמרדו. וְשׁוּב ואתם אל תראו:

Do not rebel. Consequently, “and you do not be afraid, etc.

כי לחמנו הם. נֹאכְלֵם כַּלֶּחֶם:

For they are [as] our bread. We will consume them like bread.

סר צלם. מְגִנָּם וְחָזְקָם, כְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם מֵתוּ — אִיּוֹב שֶׁהָיָה מֵגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם (סוטה ל"ה); (דָּ"אַ, צִלּוֹ שֶׁל הַמָּקוֹם סָר עֲלֵיהֶם):

Their protection (lit. shade) is removed from them. Their shield and strength. The righteous among them have died — Iyov, who shielded them with his merit. (Another interpretation: The Omnipresent’s shield has been removed from them.)

לרגום אתם. אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב:

They should be stoned. Yehoshua and Caleiv.

וכבוד ה'. הֶעָנָן יָרַד שָׁם:

When the glory of Adonoy. The Cloud descended there.

עד אנה. עַד הֵיכָן:

Until where. To what degree.

ינאצני. יַרְגִּיזוּנִי:

Will . . . provoke me. [יְנַאֲצוּנִי means] will they anger me.

בכל האתות. בִּשְׁבִיל כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי לָהֶם, הָיָה לָהֶם לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁהַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לְקַיֵּם הַבְטָחָתִי:

Despite all the signs. Because of all the miracles I performed for them, they should have believed that I am capable of fulfilling my promise.

ואורישנו. לְשׁוֹן תֵּרוּכִין, וְאִ"תֹּ מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לִשְׁבוּעַת אָבוֹת?

And [I will] annihilate them. As Targum [Onkelos] renders it, meaning annihilation. Perhaps you will ask, ‘what will I do about the oath to the patriarchs’?

ואעשה אתך לגוי גדול. שֶׁאַתָּה מִזַּרְעָם:

I shall make you into a greater nation. As you are descended from them.

ושמעו מצרים. וְשָׁמְעוּ אֶת אֲשֶׁר תַּהַרְגֵם:

But Egypt will hear. They will hear that You killed them.

כי העלית. כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, וְהֵם רָאוּ אֶת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלִיתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל אוֹתָם מִקִּרְבָּם, וּכְשֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹרְגָם לֹא יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁחָטְאוּ לְךָ, אֶלָּא יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָּם יָכֹלְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵם אֲבָל כְּנֶגֶד יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ לֹא יָכֹלְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵם, וְזוֹ הִיא:

That You . . . brought up. כִּי is used to denote “that.” And they saw that You brought them up, with Your great power, from among them. When they hear that You killed them, they will not say that they sinned against You. Rather, they will say that, against them, You were able to wage war, but against the inhabitants of the land, You were not able to wage war. This is [the meaning of the following]:

ואמרו אל יושב הארץ הזאת. כְּמוֹ עַל יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת — וּמַה יֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם? מַה שֶּׁאָמוּר בְּסוֹף הָעִנְיָן:

They will say, concerning (lit. to) the inhabitants of this land. Like עַל, “concerning” the inhabitants of this land. What will they say about them? What is said at the end of the subject, because of Hashem’s inability. Since they have heard that You, God, dwell in their midst, and You, Hashem, are revealed to them before their eyes, all in a loving way, and they are not aware that Your love for them was removed from them, until now.

המתה את העם הזה כאיש אחד. פִּתְאֹם, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ וְגוֹ':

If You kill this nation like a single man. Suddenly. As a result, the nations who have heard etc.

מבלתי יכלת ה'. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה ה' שׁוֹכֵן בְּקִרְבָּם וְעַיִן בְּעַיִן אַתָּה נִרְאֶה לָהֶם, וְהַכֹּל בְּדֶרֶךְ חִבָּה וְלֹא הִכִּירוּ בְךָ שֶׁנִּתְּקָה אַהֲבָתְךָ מֵהֶם עַד הֵנָּה:

מבלתי יכלת וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ חֲזָקִים וְגִבּוֹרִים, וְאֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה פַרְעֹה לִשְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים, זֹאת יֹאמְרוּ עַל יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת — מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹא הָיָה יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לַהֲבִיאָם — שְׁחָטָם:

Because of [Adonoy’s] inability. Because the inhabitants of the land are strong and valorous, and Pharaoh is not the same as thirty-one kings. This is what they will say about the inhabitants of this land. Because of inability. Since He was not able to bring them, He slaughtered them.

יכלת. שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא:

[In]ability. This is an abstract noun.

(יגדל נא כח ה'. לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּבּוּרְךָ:)

Let my Master’s power be enhanced. By fulfilling Your word.

כאשר דברת לאמר. וּמַהוּ הַדִּבּוּר?

As You spoke, saying: What is the statement?

ה' ארך אפים. לַצַּדִּיקִים וְלָרְשָׁעִים; כְּשֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לַמָּרוֹם מְצָאוֹ לְהַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְכוֹתֵב ה' אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, אָמַר לוֹ, לַצַּדִּיקִים? אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה אַף לָרְשָׁעִים, אָמַר לוֹ רְשָׁעִים יֹאבֵדוּ, אָמַר לוֹ חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁתִּצְטָרֵךְ לַדָּבָר; כְּשֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵגֶל וּבַמְּרַגְּלִים הִתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה לְפָנָיו בְּאֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה וַהֲלֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי לַצַּדִּיקִים? אָמַר לוֹ וַהֲלֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי אַף לָרְשָׁעִים, יגדל נא כח ה' לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּבּוּרְךָ (סנהדרין קי"א):

Adonoy, slow to anger. At the righteous and at the wicked. When Moshe ascended on high, he found the Holy One, Blessed is He, sitting and writing, “Hashem is slow to anger.” He (Moshe) said to Him, ‘to the righteous’? The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, ‘even to the wicked’! He (Moshe) said to Him, ‘let the wicked perish’! He said to him ‘by your life, you will need this thing.’ When the Israelites sinned with the [golden] calf and the spies, Moshe prayed before Him with “slow to anger.” The Holy One, Blessed is He, said: “But you said to Me ‘to the righteous”’? He (Moshe) said to Him: “But You said to me, ‘Even to the wicked’.”

ונקה. לַשָּׁבִים:

Acquit. Those who repent.

לא ינקה. לְשֶׁאֵינָן שָׁבִים (יומא פ"ו):

[He] does not acquit. Those who do not repent.

כדברך. בִּשְׁבִיל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ "פֶּן יֹאמְרוּ מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה'":

As you spoke. Because of your statement, ”lest they say, ‘because of Hashem’s inability’.”

ואולם. כְּמוֹ אֲבָל זֹאת אֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם:

However. Like, ‘However, I will do the following to them.

חי אני. לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי חַי וּכְבוֹדִי יִמָּלֵא אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ, כָּךְ אֲקַיֵּם לָהֶם כִּי כָל הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרֹאִים וְגוֹ', (אם יראו את הארץ. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא מְסֹרָס — חַי אָנִי כִּי כָל הָאֲנָשִׁים אִם יִרְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּכְבוֹדִי יִמָּלֵא אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְחַלֵּל שְׁמִי בַמַּגֵפָה הַזֹּאת לֵאמֹר מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה' לַהֲבִיאָם, שֶׁלֹּא אֲמִיתֵם פִּתְאֹם כְּאִיש אֶ' אֶלָּא בְּאִחוּר מ' שָׁנָה מְעַט מְעַט):

As I Live. This denotes an oath. Just as I live and My glory will fill all the earth, so shall I fulfill to them, “for, all the people who see, etc. . . . If they will see the land.”

וינסו. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:

Have tested Me. Like its plain meaning.

זה עשר פעמים. שְׁנַיִם בַּיָּם וּשְׁנַיִם בַּמָּן וּשְׁנַיִם בַּשְּׂלָו וכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת עֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו):

These ten times. Twice at the [splitting of the] sea, twice with the manna, twice with the quail, etc., as stated in Maseches Arachin.

אם יראו. לֹא יִרְאוּ:

If they will see. They will not see. (If they will see the land. This passage should be rearranged [as follows]: As I live, for all the men, if they will see the land and yet My glory will fill all the earth, so that My Name will not be desecrated through this plague [by those] saying ‘Because of Hashem’s inability to bring them.’ for, I will not kill them suddenly, like a single man, but over forty years, little by little.)

לא יראהו. לֹא יִרְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ:

[They] will not see it. They will not see the land.

רוח אחרת. שְׁתֵּי רוּחוֹת, אַ' בַּפֶה וְאַ' בְּלֵב, לַמְּרַגְּלִים אָמַר אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בָּעֵצָה, וּבְלִבּוֹ הָיָה לוֹמַר הָאֱמֶת, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵן הָיָה בוֹ כֹּחַ לְהַשְׁתִּיקָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י"ג), "וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב", שֶׁהָיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁיֹּאמַר כְּמוֹתָם, זֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסֵ' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ "וָאָשֵׁב אֹתוֹ דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבִי" (יהושע י"ד) — וְלֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר עִם פִּי (תנחומא):

A different spirit. Two spirits, one verbal, and one in his heart. To the spies he said, ‘I am with you in your plan,’ but in his heart he intended to tell the truth. Because of this, he was able to silence them, as it is said, “Caleiv silenced [the people],” since they thought he would speak as they did. Thus it is said in the book of Yehoshua, “I (Caleiv) brought back word to him (Moshe) according to what was in my heart — but not according to what was in my mouth.

וימלא אחרי. וַיְמַלֵּא אֶת לִבּוֹ אַחֲרַי, וְזֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר:

And followed Me fully. He followed Me full-heartedly. This is a shortened passage.

אשר בא שמה. חֶבְרוֹן תִּנָּתֵן לוֹ:

To which he came. Chevron will be given to m.

יורשנה. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "יְתַרְכֻנַּהּ", יוֹרִישׁוּ אֶת הָעֲנָקִים וְאֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ, וְאֵין לְתַרְגְּמוֹ "יַרְתִּינַהּ" אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם יִירָשֶׁנָּה:

Will cast out [the inhabitants] from it. As Targum [Onkelos] renders it, “they will cast out from it.” They will cast out the giants and the people who are in it. But it should not be translated “will inherit it,” unless the text reads יִירָשֶׁנָּה .

והעמלקי וגו'. אִם תֵּלְכוּ שָׁם יַהַרְגוּ אֶתְכֶם, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינִי עִמָּכֶם:

The Amaleki, etc. If you go there they will kill you, since I am not with you.

מחר פנו. לַאֲחוֹרֵיכֶם, וסעו לכם וגו':

Tomorrow, turn. Back and travel, etc.

לעדה הרעה וגו'. אֵלּוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים, מִכָּאן לָעֵדָה שֶׁהִיא עֲשָׂרָה (מגילה כ"ג):

Wicked congregation, etc. These are the spies. From here [we derive] that a congregation is ten.

אשר המה מלינים. אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלַי:

Those who provoke. The Israelites against me.

את תלנות בני ישראל אשר המה. הַמְרַגְּלִים מלינים אוֹתָם עלי, שמעתי:

The complaints of Bnei Yisroel which they, the spies provoked them into complaining against me, I have heard.

חי אני. לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה, אִם לֹא כֵן אֶעֱשֶׂה — כִּבְיָכוֹל אֵינִי חַי:

As I live. This denotes an oath. ‘If [I do] not, etc., so I shall do, if it were possible to say, I do not live.

כאשר דברתם. שֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתֶּם מִמֶּנִּי "אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לוּ מָתְנוּ" (פסוק ב'):

As you have spoken. You requested from Me, “Or would that we had died in this desert.”

וכל פקדיכם לכל מספרכם. כָּל הַנִּמְנֶה לְכָל מִסְפָּר שֶׁאַתֶּם נִמְנִים בּוֹ, כְּגוֹן לָצֵאת וְלָבֹא לַצָּבָא וְלָתֵת שְׁקָלִים, כָּל הַמְּנוּיִים לְכָל אוֹתָן מִסְפָּרוֹת יָמוּתוּ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן מבן עשרים שנה וגו'; לְהוֹצִיא שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי שֶׁאֵין פְּקוּדֵיהֶם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים:

All of you who were counted according to your numbers. All those counted in every census in which you were counted. For example, going and coming with the army, and contributing the shekolim. Everyone counted in all those tallies will die. They are the following: From the age of twenty, etc. This excludes the tribe of Levi, who were not counted from the age of twenty.

ופגריכם אתם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁדִּבֵּר עַל הַבָּנִים לְהַכְנִיסָם לָאָרֶץ וּבִקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר וְאַתֶּם תָּמוּתוּ, נוֹפֵל לָשׁוֹן זֶה כָּאן לוֹמַר "אתם":

Your corpses — yours. As Targum [Onkelos] renders [(דִי לְכוֹן) “yours”]. Since He discussed bringing the children into the land, and He now wants to say ‘but you will die,’ it is appropriate, here, to say “yours.”

ארבעים שנה. לֹא מֵת אֶחָד מֵהֶם פָּחוּת מִבֶּן שִׁשִּׁים, לְכָךְ נִגְזַר אַרְבָּעִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אוֹתָם שֶׁל בְּנֵי עֶשְׂרִים מַגִּיעִין לִכְלַל שִׁשִּׁים; שָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הָיְתָה בִכְלָל, וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁקָּדְמָה לְשִׁלּוּחַ הַמְרַגְּלִים, לְפִי שֶׁמִּשֶּׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֶגֶל עָלְתָה גְזֵרָה זוֹ בְמַחֲשָׁבָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִמְתִּין לָהֶם עַד שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא סְאָתָם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְיוֹם פָּקְדִי" — בַּמְרַגְּלִים — "וּפָקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם חַטָּאתָם" (שמות ל"ב); וְאַף כָּאן נֶאֱמַר "תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת עֲוֹנֹתֵיכֶם" — שְׁתֵּי עֲוֹנוֹת, שֶׁל עֵגֶל וְשֶׁל תְּלוּנָה, וְחָשַׁב לָהֶם בְּמִנְיַן חַיֵּיהֶם מִקְצָת שָׁנָה כְּכֻלָּהּ, וּכְשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לִשְׁנַת שִׁשִּׁים מֵתוּ אוֹתָם שֶׁל בְּנֵי עֶשְׂרִים:

Forty years. Not one of them died before the age of sixty. This is why the decree was for forty [years], so that those who were twenty years old would reach the age of sixty. The first year was included, although it preceded the sending of the spies, because, from the time that they made the golden calf, the plan for this decree was formulated, But He waited until their measure was filled. This is [the meaning of] what is said, “on my day of reckoning — with the spies — I will take their sin into account.” Here, too, it is said, “you must bear your sins,” [plural] two sins, that of the calf, and that of the complaint. In calculating their ages, He considered part of the year as the whole, so that when they entered their sixtieth year, those who had been twenty years old died.

ונשאו את זנותיכם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וִיקַבְּלוּן יָת חוֹבֵיכוֹן":

They will bear [the burden of] your dissoluteness. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, “they will receive [punishment for] your sins.”

את תנואתי. שֶׁהֲנִיאוֹתֶם אֶת לְבַבְכֶם מֵאַחֲרַי, תנואה לְשׁוֹן הֲסָרָה, כְּמוֹ "כִּי הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ" (במדבר ל):

My displeasure. You diverted your hearts from following Me. תְּנוּאָה denotes turning away, like, “for her father restrained her [from her vow].”

וישבו וילינו עליו. וּכְשֶׁשָּׁבוּ מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ הִרְעִימוּ עָלָיו אֶת כָּל הָעֵדָה בְּהוֹצָאַת דִּבָּה, אוֹתָם אֲנָשִׁים וימתו; כָּל הוֹצָאַת דִּבָּה לְשׁוֹן חִנּוּךְ דְּבָרִים, שֶׁמַּלְקִיחִים לְשׁוֹנָם לְאָדָם לְדַבֵּר בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ "דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים" (שיר השירים ז'), וְיֶשְׁנָהּ לְטוֹבָה וְיֶשְׁנָהּ לְרָעָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר כָּאן מוצאי דבת הארץ רעה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ דִּבָּה שֶׁהִיא טוֹבָה:

Who returned and provoked [the] complaints against him. When they returned from spying on the land, they incited the entire congregation against him by issuing a derogatory report — those men died. הוֹצָאַת דִּבָּה always denotes directed speech, where the tongue is plied to report about someone, like, “causing the lips of sleepers to murmur.” It may be either good or bad. This is why it says here “who spread evil slander against the land,” since דִּבָּה may be good.

דבה. פרליר"ש בְּלַעַז:

Slander. Parlerie in Old French.

במגפה לפני ה'. בְּאוֹתָהּ מִיתָה הַהֲגוּנָה לָהֶם, מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, הֵם חָטְאוּ בַּלָּשׁוֹן, וְנִשְׁתַּרְבֵּב לְשׁוֹנָם עַד טַבּוּרָם וְתוֹלָעִים יוֹצְאִים מִלְּשׁוֹנָם וּבָאִין לְתוֹךְ טַבּוּרָם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "בַּמַּגֵּפָה" וְלֹא "בְמַגֵּפָה", וְזֶהוּ לפני ה' — בְּאוֹתָהּ הָרְאוּיָה לָהֶם עַ"פִּ מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֵד מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה (סוטה ל"ה):

In a plague, before Adonoy. By the particular death suited to them, measure for measure. They sinned with the tongue, so their tongues were distended until their navel, and maggots came from their tongues and entered their navel. This is why it says, בַּמַּגֵּפָה, and not בְּמַּגֵּפָה . And this is [the meaning of] “before Hashem” — as particularly suited to them, according to the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed is He, Who metes out measure for measure.

ויהושע וכלב … חיו וגו'. מַה תַּ"ל חיו מן האנשים ההם? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנָּטְלוּ חֶלְקָם שֶׁל מְרַגְּלִים בָּאָרֶץ וְקָמוּ תַחְתֵּיהֶם לַחַיִּים (בבא בתרא קי"ח):

Yehoshua . . . and Caleiv . . . lived, etc. What does the Torah teach by saying, “lived, from among those men”? It teaches that they took the spies’ portion in the land, replacing them in life.

אל ראש ההר. הוּא הַדֶּרֶךְ הָעוֹלֶה לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:

To the peak of the mountain. This was the route going up to Eretz Yisroel.

הננו ועלינו אל המקום. לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:

We are ready to go up to the place. To Eretz Yisroel.

אשר אמר ה'. לְתִתָּהּ לָנוּ, שָׁם נַעֲלֶה:

Of which Adonoy spoke. To give to us — let us go up there.

כי חטאנו. עַל אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ הֲלוֹא טוֹב לָנוּ שׁוּב מִצְרָיְמָה:

For we have sinned. Since we said, “Is it not better for us to return to Egypt.”

והוא לא תצלח. זוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים לֹא תִצְלָח:

It will not succeed. Your actions will not succeed.

כי על כן שבתם. כְּלוֹמַר, כִּי זֹאת תָּבֹא לָכֶם עַל אֲשֶׁר שַׁבְתֶּם וְגוֹ':

For, you turned. As if to say, ‘for this will befall you because you turned, etc.’

ויעפלו. לְשׁוֹן חֹזֶק, וְכֵן "הִנֵּה עֻפְּלָה" (חבקוק ב'), אינג"ריש בְּלַעַז, לְשׁוֹן עַזּוּת, וְכֵן "עֹפֶל בַּת צִיּוֹן" (מיכה ד'), "עֹפֶל וָבַחַן" (ישעיהו ל"ב), וּמִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא מְפָרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן אֹפֶל — הָלְכוּ חֲשֵׁכִים, שֶׁלֹא בִרְשׁוּת:

They defiantly. The word [וַיַעְפִּלוּ] denotes strength. Similarly, “behold, [the wicked] are towering.” Engres, in Old French, denoting willfulness. Similarly, “the fortress of the daughter of Zion,” “fortress and stronghold.” But Midrash Tanchuma explains it as denoting darkness — they went in darkness, without permission.

ויכתום. כְּמוֹ "וָאֶכֹּת אֹתוֹ טָחוֹן" (דברים ט') — מַכָּה אַחַר מַכָּה:

And crushed them. Like, “I crushed it, grinding it [well].” Blow after blow.

עד החרמה. שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם נִקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הַמְּאֹרָע:

Until Chormah. The place was named to commemorate this incident.