The influence of Isaac Ibn Ghayyat on Abraham Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Ecclesiastes

Abstract

In his commentary on Ecclesiastes, written in Arabic and accompanied by an Arabic translation of the biblical text, Ibn Ghayyat uses linguistics, grammar, philosophy, science, and other subjects to make his own interpretations. A similar approach is found in Ibn Ezra’s commentary on this book. In this paper, I will analyze how Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Ecclesiastes is influenced by that of Ibn Ghayyat, especially in questions of linguistics, science and philosophy. Some of Ibn Ezra’s explanations are similar to those of Ibn Ghayyat, although Ibn Ezra never refers to him by name. Some of the opinions attributed to ‘other commentators’ by Ibn Ezra can be found in Ibn Ghayyat’s work. Ibn Ghayyat’s commentary on Ecclesiastes is one of the most important sources that Ibn Ezra uses when interpreting this biblical book.