(א) וְיָצָ֥א חֹ֖טֶר מִגֵּ֣זַע יִשָׁ֑י וְנֵ֖צֶר מִשָּׁרָשָׁ֥יו יִפְרֶֽה׃ (ב) וְנָחָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו ר֣וּחַ ה' ר֧וּחַ חָכְמָ֣ה וּבִינָ֗ה ר֤וּחַ עֵצָה֙ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה ר֥וּחַ דַּ֖עַת וְיִרְאַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ (ג) וַהֲרִיח֖וֹ בְּיִרְאַ֣ת ה' וְלֹֽא־לְמַרְאֵ֤ה עֵינָיו֙ יִשְׁפּ֔וֹט וְלֹֽא־לְמִשְׁמַ֥ע אָזְנָ֖יו יוֹכִֽיחַ׃ (ד) וְשָׁפַ֤ט בְּצֶ֙דֶק֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ בְּמִישׁ֖וֹר לְעַנְוֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהִֽכָּה־אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט פִּ֔יו וּבְר֥וּחַ שְׂפָתָ֖יו יָמִ֥ית רָשָֽׁע׃ (ה) וְהָ֥יָה צֶ֖דֶק אֵז֣וֹר מָתְנָ֑יו וְהָאֱמוּנָ֖ה אֵז֥וֹר חֲלָצָֽיו׃ (ו) וְגָ֤ר זְאֵב֙ עִם־כֶּ֔בֶשׂ וְנָמֵ֖ר עִם־גְּדִ֣י יִרְבָּ֑ץ וְעֵ֨גֶל וּכְפִ֤יר וּמְרִיא֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו וְנַ֥עַר קָטֹ֖ן נֹהֵ֥ג בָּֽם׃
(1) But a shoot shall grow out of the stump of Jesse, A twig shall sprout from his stock. (2) The spirit of the LORD shall alight upon him: A spirit of wisdom and insight, A spirit of counsel and valor, A spirit of devotion and reverence for the LORD. (3) He shall sense the truth by his reverence for the LORD: He shall not judge by what his eyes behold, Nor decide by what his ears perceive. (4) Thus he shall judge the poor with equity And decide with justice for the lowly of the land. He shall strike down a land with the rod of his mouth And slay the wicked with the breath of his lips. (5) Justice shall be the girdle of his loins, And faithfulness the girdle of his waist. (6) The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard lie down with the kid; The calf, the beast of prey, and the fatling together, With a little boy to herd them.
(א) (קג) דִּבֵּר לְעִנְיַן מִלְחֲמוֹת הַמְּלָכִים שֶׁנִּלְחָמִים אֶחָד בַּחֲבֵרוֹ עַל אֵיזֶה נִצָּחוֹן וְשׁוֹפְכִין דָּם הַרְבֵּה בְּחִנָּם וְכוּ'. וְאָמַר שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְבַּטְּלוּ כַּמָּה שְׁטוּתִים מִן הָעוֹלָם מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ תּוֹעִים וּנְבוֹכִים בַּדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, [כְּגוֹן עִנְיְנֵי עֲבוֹדוֹת זָרוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹחֲטִים בְּנֵיהֶם לַמֹּלֶךְ וְכַיּוֹצֵא, עִנְיְנֵי שְׁטוּתִים הַרְבֵּה שֶׁהָיוּ בַּדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים] וְעַכְשָׁו נִתְבַּטְּלוּ הַרְבֵּה שְׁטוּתִים. וַעֲדַיִן טָעוּת זֶה וּמְבוּכָה זוֹ שֶׁל מִלְחָמוֹת לֹא נִתְבַּטְּלוּ. וְהָיָה מִתְלוֹצֵץ מִן חַכְמֵיהֶם וְאָמַר בִּלְשׁוֹן לֵיצָנוּת שֶׁהֵם חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים וְחוֹשְׁבִים וְחוֹקְרִים בְּחָכְמָתָם אֵיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלִי זַיִן נִפְלָא שֶׁיּוּכַל לַהֲרֹג אֲלָפִים נְפָשׁוֹת בְּפַעַם אַחַת. וְכִי יֵשׁ שְׁטוּת יוֹתֵר מִזֶּה לְאַבֵּד וְלַהֲרֹג נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת בְּחִנָּם:
...Many of the misguided follies of primitive times such as child-sacrifice to Molech (Leviticus 20:2) have now disappeared. But the folly of war has still not been abolished. ... What kind of wisdom must the scientists possess in order to invent a wonderful weapon that can kill thousands of people at once! Is there anything more foolish than to kill so many people for nothing! (paraphrase, from
http://www.azamra.org/Essential/mashiach.htm)
(יח) וַיַּסֵּ֨ב אֱלֹקִ֧ים ׀ אֶת־הָעָ֛ם דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ס֑וּף וַחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים עָל֥וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(18) So God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds. Now the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
(כב) וַיִּגַּ֧שׁ יַעֲקֹ֛ב אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיְמֻשֵּׁ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַקֹּל֙ ק֣וֹל יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְהַיָּדַ֖יִם יְדֵ֥י עֵשָֽׂו׃
(22) So Jacob drew close to his father Isaac, who felt him and wondered. “The voice is the voice of Jacob, yet the hands are the hands of Esau.”
(יג) וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלֹקִים כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הוּא וַיִּתְיַצֵּב מַלְאַךְ ה' (במדבר כב, כב),... כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ: הַפֶּה נִתַּן לְיַעֲקֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, כב): הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו, וּכְתִיב (בראשית כז, מ): וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה. וְהָאֻמּוֹת כֻּלָּם בַּחֶרֶב חַיֵּיהֶם, וְאַתָּה תַּחְלִיף [אמונת]) אֻמָּנוּתְךָ וְתָבוֹא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּשֶׁלָּהֶן, אַף אֲנִי אָבוֹא עָלֶיךָ בְּשֶׁלְּךָ, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב (במדבר כב, כג): וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ.
"God was incensed that Bil'am was going[to curse Israel]. An angel of the Lord stood..." (Numbers 22:22) ... Thus He said to him [=Bil'am]: "The mouth was granted to Jacob, as it is said, "the voice is Jacob's voice, and the hands are the hands of Esau" (Genesis 27:22), and it is is written, "you [=Esau] shall live by your sword" (Genesis 27:40). All the nations (i.e., other than the Jews) depend on the sword for their lives, and you would exchange your craft and attack them [=Israel] with theirs [that is, by using words as a weapon]?! I shall hereby attack you with your own [craft]! Thus it is written, "his [the angel's, or, midrashically, Bil'am's] sword was unsheathed in his [the angel's] hand" (Numbers 22:23).
(5) Simeon and Levi are a pair; Their weapons are tools of lawlessness.
(ז) כְּלֵי חָמָס. אָמַר לָהֶן, כֵּלִים שֶׁבְּיֶדְכֶם, חֲמוּסִין, גְּזוּלִין הֵן מֵעֵשָׂו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ: וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִּחְיֶה (בראשית כז, מ), כֵּלִים שֶׁל חָמָס. ...
(7) Weapons of violence/חמס. [Jacob] said to [Shim'on and Levi]: The tools in your possession are חמוסין, stolen from Esau, of whom it is said: By thy sword shalt thou [=Esau] live (ibid. 27:40), stolen tools.
(כב) וַאֲנִ֞י נָתַ֧תִּֽי לְךָ֛ שְׁכֶ֥ם אַחַ֖ד עַל־אַחֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָקַ֙חְתִּי֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי׃ (פ)
(22) And now, I assign to you one portion more than to your brothers, which I wrested from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
... וכי בחרבו ובקשתו לקח והלא כבר נאמר (תהלים מד, ז) כי לא בקשתי אבטח וחרבי לא תושיעני לא חרבי זו תפלה קשתי זו בקשה
... But is it so that Jacob took the portion with his sword and with his bow? But isn’t it already stated: “Through You do we push down our adversaries; through Your name do we trample those that rise against us. For I trust not in my bow, neither can my sword save me” (Psalms 44:6–7)? Rather, what is the meaning of “with my sword”? This is referring to prayer. What is the meaning of “with my bow”? This is referring to petition.
(ג) בחרבי ובקשתי כְּשֶׁהָרְגוּ שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אֶת אַנְשֵׁי שְׁכֶם נִתְכַּנְּסוּ כָּל סְבִיבוֹתֵיהֶם לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לָהֶם, וְחָגַר יַעֲקֹב כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה כְּנֶגְדָּן...
(3) בחרבי ובקשתי WITH MY SWORD AND WITH MY BOW — When Simeon and Levi slew the inhabitants of Shechem all the surrounding nations gathered together to join in battle against them and Jacob girded on instruments of war against them (cf. Genesis Rabbah 80:10) ...
(א) לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ן וְעֵ֥ת לְכָל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (ס) ...(ח) עֵ֤ת לֶֽאֱהֹב֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂנֹ֔א עֵ֥ת מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְעֵ֥ת שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (ס)
(1) A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven: ... (8) A time for loving and a time for hating; A time for war and a time for peace.
וַיֹּאמֶר לְלַמֵּד בְּנֵי־יְהוּדָה קָשֶׁת הִנֵּה כְתוּבָה עַל־סֵפֶר הַיָּשָׁר׃
He [=David] ordered the Judites to be taught [The Song of the] Bow. It is recorded in the Book of Jashar.
This verse leads into David's lament on the death of Saul and Jonathan
(א) ויאמר ללמד בני יהודה קשת. ויאמר דוד, מעתה שנפלו גבורי ישראל, צריכין בני יהודה ללמדם מלחמה ולמשוך בקשת:
(1) He said, "To teach the Judites the bow. David said, "Now that mighty among Israel [=Saul and Jonathan] have fallen, the Judites need to be trained in war and drawing the bow.
(כב) מִדַּ֣ם חֲלָלִ֗ים מֵחֵ֙לֶב֙ גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים קֶ֚שֶׁת יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן לֹ֥א נָשׂ֖וֹג אָח֑וֹר וְחֶ֣רֶב שָׁא֔וּל לֹ֥א תָשׁ֖וּב רֵיקָֽם׃ (כג) שָׁא֣וּל וִיהוֹנָתָ֗ן הַנֶּאֱהָבִ֤ים וְהַנְּעִימִם֙ בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם וּבְמוֹתָ֖ם לֹ֣א נִפְרָ֑דוּ מִנְּשָׁרִ֣ים קַ֔לּוּ מֵאֲרָי֖וֹת גָּבֵֽרוּ׃
(22) From the blood of slain, From the fat of warriors— The bow of Jonathan Never turned back; The sword of Saul Never withdrew empty. (23) Saul and Jonathan, Beloved and cherished, Never parted In life or in death! They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions!
(ג) ה' אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה ה' שְׁמֽוֹ׃
(3) The LORD, the Warrior— LORD is His name!
(א) ה' איש מלחמה ה' שמו, ר' יהודה אומר הרי זה מקרא עשיר במקומות הרבה מגיד שנגלה עליהם הקב"ה בכל כלי זיין נגלה עליהם כגבור חגור חרב שנאמר חגור חרבך על ירך גבור (תהלים מה), נגלה עליהם כפרש שנ' וירכב על כרוב ויעף וגו' (שם יח),
(1) (Exodus, Ibid. 3) "The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name." R. Yehudah says: This is a verse 'rich in many places.' It teaches that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself to them with all kinds of weapons. He revealed Himself to them as a warrior girded with a sword, viz. (Psalms 45:4) "Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Hero. He revealed Himself to them as a rider, viz. (Ibid. 18:11) "And He mounted a cherub and flew, etc. ...
(ד) לֹא יֵצֵא הָאִישׁ לֹא בְסַיִף, וְלֹא בְקֶשֶׁת, וְלֹא בִתְרִיס, וְלֹא בְאַלָּה, וְלֹא בְרֹמַח. וְאִם יָצָא, חַיָּב חַטָּאת. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, תַּכְשִׁיטִין הֵן לוֹ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֵינָן אֶלָּא לִגְנַאי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ב) וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבוֹתָם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתוֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת, לֹא יִשָּׂא גּוֹי אֶל גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה. ...
(4) A man may not go out with a sword, nor with a bow, nor with a shield, nor with a round shield, nor with a spear. If he has gone out [with any of these] he is liable for a Chattat. Rabbi Eliezer says: They are ornaments for him. But the Sages say: They are nothing but a disgrace, for it is said, "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears unto pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4). ...
(ד) וכתתו חרבותם לאתים. ואי תכשיטין נינהו לא יהיו בטלים לעתיד:
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares:" If [weapons] were ornaments, they would not be nullified in the future.