"V'Amar Pharaoh li'Venei Yisrael." To whom exactly would Pharaoh say this?
What does "Nevuchim Hem ba'Aretz" mean?
Rashi #1: 'They are locked in' (entangled, and do not know how to escape).
Rashi (to Michah 7:4): 'They are perplexed.'
Rashbam: It is an acronym of 'Nivchei Yam' - implying that the hidden depths of the sea are preventing them from fleeing forwards. 1
What does "V'Amar Pharaoh ... Sagar Aleihem ha'Midbar" mean?
Seforno and Targum Yonasan: He will say that Baal Tzefon had locked them in the desert (and they could not escape).
Rashbam and Targum Onkelos: He will say that the desert has enclosed them. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: He will say that Hashem closed the desert on them - that He does not really want their Avodah, as per the words of Moshe and Aharon, who were lying all along. And this would encourage Pharaoh to chase after Yisrael - just as Hashem planned!
Rashbam: They were unable to flee back [the way they had come], due to the snakes, serpents, scorpions and wild beasts that abound in the desert.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "Nevuchim - They are trapped and entrenched (Kelu'im u'Meshuka'im)... as in Tehilim 84:7, etc." What is Rashi trying to explain?
Gur Aryeh: Rashi understands "Nevuchim" in our context, to mean they find themselves "imprisoned" (Kelu'im) by the surrounding desert, not knowing how to escape it. However, we do not find this meaning in the other examples of Beis-Chaf words that Rashi cites. Therefore, Rashi adds a related definition, "sunk-in" (Meshuka'im) - for which we do find precedent - since when something is trapped, it is stuck in its place.
Rashi writes: " Nevuchim - They are trapped and entrenched... as in [the verses] 'b'Emek ha'Bacha' (Tehilim 84:7); 'mi'Bechi Neharos' (Iyov 28:11)...." But these examples are not from the same Shoresh! "Nevuchim" has a letter Nun, whereas "Bacha" and "Bechi" do not?
Gur Aryeh: Rashi holds that when letters of a root are wont to fall out (such as a Nun in the first position, a Vav or Yud in the second position, 1 or an Alef or Hei in the third), the Shoresh is comprised of its remaining two letters alone. 2 As such, we may compare the meanings of any words that are based on those two letters (in this case, Beis-Chaf). 3
As is the case here. The full root of "Nevuchim" is Beis-Vav-Chaf (Sefer Shorashim of Radak; also see Ibn Ezra and Mizrachi). (CS)
Unlike the conventional approach, in which roots consist of three letters as a rule.
Gur Aryeh gives additional examples of this phenomenon; also see Rav Hartman's notes here (Mechon Yerushalayim edition of Gur Aryeh). Also refer to Bereishis 49:17:1.1:1, and to Shemos 7:1:151.2:1, and their notes.
