Ibn Ezra on Numbers 23:3

יקרה. מגזרת לקראתי: WILL COME. Yikkareh (will come) is derived from li-kerati (to meet me).¹²Thus yikkareh means will meet me. AND WHATSOEVER¹³Hebrew, devar mah. HE SHOWETH ME. The word devar is connected to mah.¹⁴Even though the word mah is connected by hyphen to yareni (He showeth me), for the word devar is in the construct. If the word were in the absolute it would be vocalized davar. Thus our text should be read, u-devar-mah yareni (And whatsoever He showeth me), rather than u-devar mah-yareni. (And a thing of, what will He show me).

ודבר. סמוך אל מה: The term devar means “thing of.” Mah literally means what.

וילך שפי. דברי המתרגם ארמית ידועים שהוא לבדו והנה שפי לבדו גם הוא בלי אח ואחרים אמרו כי הוא כמו נכאה לכב מגזרת ושפו עצמותיו והנכון בעיני שהוא מגזרת קול על שפיים וימצא ביו"ד גם באל"ף כמלת פתאים והטעם שהלך אל שפי ותחסר מלת אל כמו ויבא ירושלים וכן נסעו העם חצרות ורבים כן והנה הוא מנחש בלכתו כי כן כתוב ולא הלך כפעם בפעם לקראת נחשים והנה גם פה רמזתי לך סוד חתום: AND HE WENT TO A BARE HEIGHT. The manner in which the Aramaic translator renders shefi (bare) is known. He translates shefi as alone.¹⁵Onkelos renders our clause, and he went alone. Now shefi is alone; it is also without a brother.¹⁶That is, it is not found again in Scripture. Other say that the word shefi means broken in heart (Ps. 109:16).¹⁷These commentaries render our clause: And he went with a broken heart. They say that the word shefi is related to shuppu (corrode) in and his bones corrode (Job 33:21). However, I believe that the word shefi is related to shefayim (high hills) in upon the high hills is heard (Jer. 3:20). The word is found spelled both with a yod¹⁸In Job 33:21. and with an alef.¹⁹Is. 49:9. See I.E. on Is. 49:9. It should be pointed out that our texts of Is. 49:9 do not spell the word with an alef. We find the same thing with the word peta’im (simple) (Prov. 1:4).²⁰It is sometimes spelled with an alef, and other times with a yod. The meaning of va-elekh shefi (and he went to a bare height) is, he went to a high hill. The word el (to) has been omitted from the phrase.²¹Our text should be read as if written va-elekh el shefi. Our texts reads va-elekh shefi, which literally means, and he went to high place. Hence I.E.’s comment. We find the same in va-yavo yerushalayim (and he came to Jerusalem)²²This should be read as if written va-yavo el yerushalayim (and he came to Jerusalem), for the literal meaning of va-yavo yerushalayim is, and he came Jerusalem. (I Kings 3:15) and in nase’u ha-am hazerot (the people journeyed unto Hazeroth)²³This should be read as if written nase’u ha-am el hazerot (the people journeyed unto Hazeroth), for nase’u ha-am hazerot means the people journeyed Hazeroth. (Num. 11:35). There are many such instances.²⁴Where the preposition el has to be added to the text. Observe, Balaam was divining²⁵I.E. does not describe the divination which Balaam employed. He may have cast lots, read the entrails of sacrificed animals, interpreted clouds, or the like. when he went,²⁶To the mountain. for Scripture clearly states, he went not, as at other times²⁷Which implies that until then he divined. to meet with enchantments²⁸Divining. (Num. 24:1). See, I have given you a hint regarding a sealed secret.²⁹That Balaam practiced enchantment using the number seven.