And if not,
And if the matter is not so.
("He made for you a bronze image, a molten image, for so it is written. For a miracle, that it may be high and all may fear it. And many were astonished and said, Because this is the image to receive the power of the higher powers. And it is a curse, because the thing was done by the command of the Lord, and we have no need to search for why you made a bronze image. And if it is not so, let us see if there is a tree that sweetens the water. The bitter? Even the dew will not soothe them! ...and the truth, for the knowledge of the Most High has been lifted up from him" - Ibn Ezra in Midbar 21:8)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
וְאִם לֹא כֵן
Definition (Hebrew)
וְאִם הַדָּבָר אֵינוֹ כָּךְ.
(" עָשָׂה לְךָ כִּדְמוּת נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף מְנַחֶשֶׁת- כִּי כֵן כָּתוּב. עַל נֵס- שֶׁיִּהְיֶה גָּבוֹהַּ וְיִרְאוּ אוֹתוֹ הַכֹּל. וְרַבִּים הִשְׁתַּבְּשׁוּ וְאָמְרוּ, כִּי זֹאת הַצּוּרָה לְקַבֵּל כֹּחַ עֶלְיוֹנִים. וְחָלִילָה חָלִילָה, כִּי הַדָּבָר נַעֲשָׂה בְּצַוֵּי הַשֵּׁם, וְאֵין לָנוּ לְחַפֵּשׂ לָמָּה צוּרַת נָחָשׁ. וְאִם לֹא כֵן, יָרֵאנוּ הֲיֵשׁ עֵץ שֶׁיַּמְתִּיק הַמַּיִם הַמָּרִים? אֲפִלּוּ הַדְּבַשׁ לֹא יַמְתִּיקֵם! ...וְהָאֱמֶת, כִּי נִשְׂגָּבָה מִמֶּנּוּ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן"- אִבְּן עֶזְרָא בְּמִדְבַּר כא ח)