דברים יז
יד כי-תבוא אל-הארץ, אשר ה׳ אלוקיך נותן לך, וירשתה, וישבת בה; ואמרת, אשימה עליי מלך, ככל-הגויים, אשר סביבותיי. טו שום תשים עליך מלך, אשר יבחר ה׳ אלוהיך בו: מקרב אחיך, תשים עליך מלך--לא תוכל לתת עליך איש נוכרי, אשר לא-אחיך הוא. טז רק, לא-ירבה-לו סוסים, ולא-ישיב את-העם מצריימה, למען הרבות סוס; וה׳, אמר לכם, לא תוסיפון לשוב בדרך הזה, עוד. יז ולא ירבה-לו נשים, ולא יסור לבבו; וכסף וזהב, לא ירבה-לו מאוד. יח והיה כשבתו, על כיסא ממלכתו--וכתב לו את-משנה התורה הזאת, על-ספר, מלפני, הכוהנים הלויים. יט והייתה עימו, וקרא בו כל-ימי חייו--למען ילמד, ליראה את-ה' אלוקיו, לשמור את-כל-דברי התורה הזאת ואת-החוקים האלה, לעשותם. כ לבלתי רום-לבבו מאחיו, ולבלתי סור מן-המצוה ימין ושמאל--למען יאריך ימים על-ממלכתו הוא ובניו, בקרב ישראל.
14. When you come to the land that your God has given you and inherit it, and dwell there; you will say, I will surely put a king above me, like all the nations around me. 15. Put a king above yourself that your God has chosen. Appoint a king from your brethren -- you may not appoint a gentile over yourself, who is not from your brethren. 16. Only, he should not have many horses or return the nation to Egypt, in order to increase his horses; for God has told you not to go back that way. 17. And he should not have many women, that his heart not be turned, and he should not have too much silver and gold. 18. And it will be when he sits on the throne, and he should write for himself the teachings of this Torah in a book before the priests and Levites. 19. And it will be with him, and he will read from it all the days of his life in order to learn to fear his God, to keep the words of this Torah and these laws, to do them. 20. That his heart may not be raised above his brethren, and that he may not turn left or right from the commandment -- in order for the days of his kingdom and that of his sons to be lengthened in Israel.
וּמוֹצִיא לְמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת עַל פִּי בֵית דִּין שֶׁל שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד. וּפוֹרֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ דֶרֶךְ, וְאֵין מְמַחִין בְּיָדוֹ. דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵין לוֹ שִׁעוּר. וְכָל הָעָם בּוֹזְזִין וְנוֹתְנִין לְפָנָיו, וְהוּא נוֹטֵל חֵלֶק בָּרֹאשׁ. לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים (דברים יז), אֶלָּא שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מַרְבֶּה הוּא לוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְסִירוֹת אֶת לִבּוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ אַחַת וּמְסִירָה אֶת לִבּוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִשָּׂאֶנָּה. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יז) וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים, אֲפִלּוּ כַאֲבִיגָיִל. לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ סוּסִים (שם), אֶלָּא כְדֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ. וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ מְאֹד (שם), אֶלָּא כְדֵי לִתֵּן אַפְסַנְיָא. וְכוֹתֵב לוֹ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לִשְׁמוֹ. יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה, מוֹצִיאָהּ עִמּוֹ. נִכְנָס, מַכְנִיסָהּ עִמּוֹ. יוֹשֵׁב בַּדִּין, הִיא עִמּוֹ. מֵסֵב, הִיא כְנֶגְדּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) וְהָיְתָה עִמּוֹ וְקָרָא בוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו:
And the king brings out people for conscription in an optional war, i.e., a war that is not mandated by the Torah and is not a war of defense, on the basis of a court of seventy-one, and breaches fences of anyone in his way to create a pathway for himself for his various needs, and no one can protest his power. The pathway of the king has no measure, and one cannot protest that this pathway is wider than necessary. And all the people take spoils in war and give them to him, and he takes the first portion of the spoils. The king “shall not add many wives for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:17), but only eighteen. Rabbi Yehuda says: He may add many wives for himself, provided that they are not like those who turn his heart away from reverence for God. Rabbi Shimon says: Even if he wants to marry only one wife, if she turns his heart away, he should not marry her. If so, why is it stated: “He shall not add many wives for himself”? This teaches that even if his wives are like Abigail, it is prohibited for him to have many wives. The king “shall not accumulate many horses for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:16), but only enough for his chariot in war and in peace. “Neither shall he greatly accumulate silver and gold for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:17), but only enough to provide his soldiers’ sustenance [aspanya]. And the king writes himself a Torah scroll for his sake, as stipulated in Deuteronomy 17:18. When he goes out to war, he brings it out with him. When he comes in from war, he brings it in with him. When he sits in judgment, it is with him. When he reclines to eat, it is opposite him, as it is stated: “And it shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life” (Deuteronomy 17:19).
שמואל א׳ ח:ד-כב: משפט המלך
שמואל א׳ ט
א וַיְהִי-אִישׁ מבן ימין (מִבִּנְיָמִין), וּשְׁמוֹ קִישׁ בֶּן-אֲבִיאֵל בֶּן-צְרוֹר בֶּן-בְּכוֹרַת בֶּן-אֲפִיחַ--בֶּן-אִישׁ יְמִינִי: גִּבּוֹר, חָיִל. ב וְלוֹ-הָיָה בֵן וּשְׁמוֹ שָׁאוּל, בָּחוּר וָטוֹב, וְאֵין אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ; מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמַעְלָה, גָּבֹהַּ מִכָּל-הָעָם.
טו וה׳, גָּלָה אֶת-אֹזֶן שְׁמוּאֵל, יוֹם אֶחָד, לִפְנֵי בוֹא-שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר. טז כָּעֵת מָחָר אֶשְׁלַח אֵלֶיךָ אִישׁ מֵאֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִן, וּמְשַׁחְתּוֹ לְנָגִיד עַל-עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת-עַמִּי, מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים: כִּי רָאִיתִי אֶת-עַמִּי, כִּי בָּאָה צַעֲקָתוֹ אֵלָי. יז וּשְׁמוּאֵל, רָאָה אֶת-שָׁאוּל; וה׳ עָנָהוּ--הִנֵּה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ, זֶה יַעְצֹר בְּעַמִּי.
כ וְלָאֲתֹנוֹת הָאֹבְדוֹת לְךָ, הַיּוֹם שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַיָּמִים--אַל-תָּשֶׂם אֶת-לִבְּךָ לָהֶם, כִּי נִמְצָאוּ; וּלְמִי, כָּל-חֶמְדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל--הֲלוֹא לְךָ, וּלְכֹל בֵּית אָבִיךָ. כא וַיַּעַן שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר, הֲלוֹא בֶן-יְמִינִי אָנֹכִי מִקַּטַנֵּי שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי הַצְּעִרָה, מִכָּל-מִשְׁפְּחוֹת שִׁבְטֵי בִנְיָמִן; וְלָמָּה דִּבַּרְתָּ אֵלַי, כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה.
שמואל א׳ י
א וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן, וַיִּצֹק עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ--וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ; וַיֹּאמֶר--הֲלוֹא כִּי-מְשָׁחֲךָ יְהוָה עַל-נַחֲלָתוֹ, לְנָגִיד.
י וַיָּבֹאוּ שָׁם הַגִּבְעָתָה, וְהִנֵּה חֶבֶל-נְבִאִים לִקְרָאתוֹ; וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, וַיִּתְנַבֵּא בְּתוֹכָם. יא וַיְהִי, כָּל-יוֹדְעוֹ מֵאִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם, וַיִּרְאוּ, וְהִנֵּה עִם-נְבִאִים נִבָּא: {ס} וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם אִישׁ אֶל-רֵעֵהוּ, מַה-זֶּה הָיָה לְבֶן-קִישׁ--הֲגַם שָׁאוּל, בַּנְּבִיאִים. יב וַיַּעַן אִישׁ מִשָּׁם וַיֹּאמֶר, וּמִי אֲבִיהֶם; עַל-כֵּן הָיְתָה לְמָשָׁל, הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִאִים. יג וַיְכַל, מֵהִתְנַבּוֹת, וַיָּבֹא, הַבָּמָה. יד וַיֹּאמֶר דּוֹד שָׁאוּל אֵלָיו וְאֶל-נַעֲרוֹ, אָן הֲלַכְתֶּם; וַיֹּאמֶר, לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-הָאֲתֹנוֹת, וַנִּרְאֶה כִי-אַיִן, וַנָּבוֹא אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל. טו וַיֹּאמֶר, דּוֹד שָׁאוּל: הַגִּידָה-נָּא לִי, מָה-אָמַר לָכֶם שְׁמוּאֵל. טז וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל, אֶל-דּוֹדוֹ, הַגֵּד הִגִּיד לָנוּ, כִּי נִמְצְאוּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת; וְאֶת-דְּבַר הַמְּלוּכָה לֹא-הִגִּיד לוֹ, אֲשֶׁר אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל.
יז וַיַּצְעֵק שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-הָעָם, אֶל-ה׳ הַמִּצְפָּה. יח וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל,
כֹּה-אָמַר ה׳ אֱלֹקי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָנֹכִי הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמִּצְרָיִם; וָאַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם, מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם, וּמִיַּד כָּל-הַמַּמְלָכוֹת, הַלֹּחֲצִים אֶתְכֶם. יט וְאַתֶּם הַיּוֹם מְאַסְתֶּם אֶת-אֱלֹקיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-הוּא מוֹשִׁיעַ לָכֶם מִכָּל-רָעוֹתֵיכֶם וְצָרֹתֵיכֶם, וַתֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ, כִּי-מֶלֶךְ תָּשִׂים עָלֵינוּ; וְעַתָּה, הִתְיַצְּבוּ לִפְנֵי ה׳, לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם, וּלְאַלְפֵיכֶם. כ וַיַּקְרֵב שְׁמוּאֵל, אֵת כָּל-שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיִּלָּכֵד, שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן. כא וַיַּקְרֵב אֶת-שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָו, וַתִּלָּכֵד, מִשְׁפַּחַת הַמַּטְרִי; וַיִּלָּכֵד שָׁאוּל בֶּן-קִישׁ, וַיְבַקְשֻׁהוּ וְלֹא נִמְצָא. כב וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ-עוֹד, בַּיהוָה, הֲבָא עוֹד, הֲלֹם אִישׁ; וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳, הִנֵּה-הוּא נֶחְבָּא אֶל-הַכֵּלִים. כג וַיָּרֻצוּ וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ מִשָּׁם, וַיִּתְיַצֵּב בְּתוֹךְ הָעָם; וַיִּגְבַּהּ, מִכָּל-הָעָם, מִשִּׁכְמוֹ, וָמָעְלָה. כד וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-כָּל-הָעָם, הַרְּאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר-בּוֹ יְהוָה, כִּי אֵין כָּמֹהוּ, בְּכָל-הָעָם; וַיָּרִעוּ כָל-הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ, יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ. כה וַיְדַבֵּר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-הָעָם, אֵת מִשְׁפַּט הַמְּלֻכָה, וַיִּכְתֹּב בַּסֵּפֶר, וַיַּנַּח לִפְנֵי יְהוָה; וַיְשַׁלַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-כָּל-הָעָם, אִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ. כו וְגַם-שָׁאוּל--הָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ, גִּבְעָתָה; וַיֵּלְכוּ עִמּוֹ--הַחַיִל, אֲשֶׁר-נָגַע אֱלֹהִים בְּלִבָּם. כז וּבְנֵי בְלִיַּעַל אָמְרוּ, מַה-יֹּשִׁעֵנוּ זֶה, וַיִּבְזֻהוּ, וְלֹא-הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ מִנְחָה; וַיְהִי, כְּמַחֲרִישׁ.
Chapter 9:
1. Now there was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite man, a mighty man of power.
2.And he had a son whose name was Saul. He was young and handsome, there being no one of the children of Israel handsomer than he; from his shoulders and upwards he was taller than any of the people.
| 15. Now, the Lord had revealed to Samuel one day before Saul's coming, saying, |
| 16. "At this time tomorrow, I shall send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be a ruler of my people Israel, and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon My people, for their cry has come to Me." |
17. And Samuel saw Saul, and the Lord said to him, "Behold, the man about whom I said to you, 'This one will rule over My people.' " |
| 20. And concerning the she-asses which are lost to you, (and you have sought them as of) today, three days, do not take them to heart, for they have been found; and to whom does all that is desirable in Israel belong? Is it not to you and to your father's house? |
| 21. And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of Benjamin? Now, why have you spoken to me after this manner? |
Chapter 10:
1. And Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him. And he said, "Indeed, the Lord has anointed you to be a ruler over His inheritance.
| And they came there to the hill, and behold, a band of prophets (came) toward him, and the spirit of God passed upon him, and he prophesied in their midst. |
| 11. And it was, that all who had known him before, saw that behold, he was prophesying with the prophets. And the people said to one another, "What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" |
| 12. And a man from there, answered and said, "And who was their father?" It, therefore became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" |
| 13. And he finished prophesying and came to the high place. |
| 14. And Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To seek the she-asses. And when we saw that they were not (to be found), we came to Samuel." |
| 15. And Saul's uncle said, "Now tell me what Samuel said to you." |
| 16. And Saul said to his uncle, "He told us that the she-asses had been found," and the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him. |
| 17. And Samuel called the people together unto God to Mizpah. |
| 18. And he said to the children of Israel, "So said the Lord, God of Israel, 'I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms which oppressed you.' |
| 19. And today you have rejected your God, Who saves you from all your adversities and your troubles, and you have said to Him, 'But, a king You shall set over us.' And now, stand before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands." |
| 20. And Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. |
| 21. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near, by its families, and the family of the Matrites was taken, and Saul, the son of Kish, was taken. And they sought him, but he was not found. |
| 22. And they asked of the Lord further, "Has the man come here yet?" And the Lord said, "Behold, he is hidden among the baggage." |
| 23. And they ran and took him from there, and he stood in the midst of the people, and he was taller than all the people from his shoulder and upward. |
| 24. And Samuel said to all the people, "Have you seen (the one) whom the Lord has chosen, for there is none like him among all the people?" And all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!" |
| 25. And Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and he wrote (it) in a book, and placed (it) before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house. |
| 26. And Saul too went to his house to Gibeah, and the band whose heart God had touched, went with him. |
| 27. And unscrupulous men said, "How will this one save us?" And they despised him and brought him no gift. And he was silent. |
And he shouted: He gathered them to mitzpah to God, and the Mahari already gave three reasons why God and not the nation alone chose the king. 1) That they wouldn't fall into divisions and fights because each one wants to be king, 2) since a king needs a heart clean of pride and greed and every bad trait, only the One who perceives the depths of the heart could check his heart, 3) if he is chosen from the nation he would be subservient to them and would look up to those who chose up, which is not so of one chosen by God.
To God. In a place where most of the community gathers, there the Presence is found.
Stand before God. Because if Shmuel had said to them, Shaul will rule you, the other tribes would be jealous if it wasn't done through the urim v'tumim, hence 'before God,' since there was a priest and the urim v'tumim were present and they would consult them the same way we explained in the story of Pilegesh B'Givah, and it's possible that they brought the ark there.
וכל היכא דכתיב הלום לדורות הוא והא גבי שאול דכתיב (שמואל א י, כב) הבא עוד הלום איש הוא אין זרעו לא
איבעית אימא הא הוה איש בשת ואיבעית אימא שאני שאול דאפי' בגויה לא קאים
The Gemara counters: And is it so that anywhere that it is written “hither” the verse is referring to kingship for future generations as well? But isn’t it written about the kingship of Saul: “Is there yet a man who comes hither”, and Saul was indeed a king, but his descendants were not.
The Gemara responds: If you wish, say: There was Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s son, who was a king. And if you wish, say instead: Saul is different, because the kingship did not stand even for himself.
שמואל א׳ טז:א-יד: משיחת דוד
(ד) כי ראיתי בבניו לי מלך ואמר מלא קרנך בכנוי כי שאול נמשח בפך ולכן לא נמשך מלכותו, כי סבת בחירתו היה מפני רצון העם, וע''כ בחר איש גבוה קומה שימצא חן בעיני העם, אבל דוד נמשח בקרן ובשמן הקדש, כי אז בא העת שימלוך מלך יושב על כסא ה' ומרוצה לה'. לא המרוצה לעם בלבד. וזה שכתוב מלא קרנך המיוחד לך למשוח מלכות קיים...
For I have seen a king for Me among his sons. And God said, fill your horn with that word because Shaul was anointed from a cruse and therefore his dynasty did not last, because the reason he was chosen was the will of the people, and that is why a tall man was chosen, as he would find favor in the eyes of the people, but David was anointed by a horn and holy oil, because the time had come for a king to sit on the throne of God who would be pleasing to God, not just to the nation. And that is why it is written, fill your horn that belongs to you to anoint a lasting dynasty...
(ב) דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַקְרֵב אֶת מַטֵּה לֵוִי וגו', הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים סה, ה): אַשְׁרֵי תִבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב, אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁבְּחָרוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹא הִקְרִיבוֹ, וְאַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ שֶׁקֵּרְבוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹא בְּחָרוֹ...
מַטְרוֹנָה שָׁאֲלָה לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמְרָה לֵיהּ אֱלָהֲכוֹן מַאן הוּא בָּעֵי מְקָרֵב, הֵבִיא לְפָנֶיהָ כַּלְכָּלָה שֶׁל תְּאֵנִים וְהָיְתָה בּוֹרֶרֶת יָפָה וּבוֹרֶרֶת וְאוֹכֶלֶת. אָמַר לָהּ אַתְּ יָדַעְתְּ לִבְרֹר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִבְרֹר, מַאן דְּהוּא חָמֵי עוֹבָדוֹי טָבִין הוּא בָּחַר בֵּיהּ וּמְקָרֵב לֵיהּ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק לֹא כָּל הַקָּרוֹב קָרוֹב וְלֹא כָּל הָרָחוֹק רָחוֹק, יֵשׁ נִבְחָר וְנִדְחָה וְנִתְקָרֵב, יֵשׁ נִבְחָר וְנִדְחָה וְלֹא נִתְקָרֵב. ...
שָׁאוּל נִבְחַר (שמואל א י, כד): הַרְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בּוֹ ה', וְנִדְחָה, (שמואל א טו, יא): נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל וגו', וְלֹא נִתְקָרֵב, (שמואל א טז, א): וַאֲנִי מְאַסְתִּיו מִמְּלֹךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. דָּוִד נִבְחַר (תהלים עח, ע): וַיִּבְחַר בְּדָוִד עַבְדּוֹ, וְנִדְחָה, (שמואל ב טו, טז יז): וַיֵּצֵא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל בֵּיתוֹ בְּרַגְלָיו וגו' וְכָל הָעָם בְּרַגְלָיו וַיַּעַמְדוּ בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר נִדּוּהוּ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן קִבֵּל עָלָיו נִדּוּיוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמואל ב טו, ל): וְדָוִד עֹלֶה בְמַעֲלֵה הַזֵּיתִים עֹלֶה וּבוֹכֶה וְרֹאשׁ לוֹ חָפוּי, וְנִתְקָרֵב. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן עִירָא הַיָּאִירִי רַבּוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד קֵרְבוֹ, הוּא שֶׁדָּוִד אוֹמֵר (תהלים קיט, עט): יָשׁוּבוּ לִי יְרֵאֶיךָ וְיֹדְעֵי עֵדֹתֶיךָ, יֹדְעוֹ כְּתִיב, עִירָא הַיָּאִירִי הָיָה רַבּוֹ וְקֵרְבוֹ.
(2) Another explanation: "Bring close the tribe of Levi, etc." - this is [the meaning of] what is written (Psalms 65:5), "Happy is the one whom You have chosen and You have brought close": Happy is the one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has chosen, even though he has not brought him close. And happy is the man that He has brought close, even though He has not chosen him... A [Roman] matron asked Rabbi Yose, "[Does] your God bring close whomever He wants (arbitrarily)?" [So] he brought a basket of figs in front of her and she would choose a nice one, she would choose it and eat it. He said to her, "You know how to choose, [does] the Holy One, blessed be He not know how to choose? The one whom He sees has good deeds, He chooses him and brings him close." Rabbi Nechemiah [said] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitschak, "Not all who are close are close, and not all who are distant are distant. There is one who is chosen and pushed off and brought close, [and] there is one who is chosen and pushed off and not brought close. ... Shaul was chosen - (I Samuel 10:24) 'Have you seen the one that the Lord chose?' And he was pushed off - (ibid., 15:11) 'I have regretted that I have crowned Shaul, etc.' And he was not brought close [again] - (ibid., 16:1) 'And I have been disgusted with him from ruling over Israel.' David was chosen - (Psalms 78:70) 'And He chose David, His servant.' And he was pushed off - (II Samuel 15:16-17) 'And the king went out, and all of household on his heels,... and they stood in Beit Merchak.'" Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "They excommunicated him. Nonetheless, he accepted his excommunication. This is [the meaning] of that which is written, (II Samuel 15:30) 'and David went up to the Ascent of Olives, he went up and cried, and his head was covered.'" "And he was brought close [again]." Rabbi Yudan said, "Eira Hayairi, the teacher of David, brought him close. This is what David says (Psalms 119:79), 'Let those that fear You (yeirecha) return to me, and they that know Your testimonies' - ['they that know'] is written as 'he that knows,' [meaning that] Eira Hayairi was his teacher and brought [David] close."
That I will say to you. And why didn't God tell him from the beginning that he would anoint David? That they might all know that it came from God, and they would all see that God only chose David of the sons of Yishai because before all those standing there it was said to him (Shmuel) through prophecy.
(א) ויחרדו. וינועו ויתקבצו לצאת לקראתו ... ויש לפרשו לשון חרדה כי תמהו על בואו ופחדו אולי היה בעיר מי שחטא חטא גדול שיצטרך שמואל הנביא לבא העיר וזהו שאמר שלום בואך והוא ענה להם שלום כלומר אין דבר רק שלום אל תפחדו כי לזבוח לה' באתי:
And they trembled. They moved and gathered to go out to greet him ... And one can explain the language of trembling because they wondered why he came and feared that maybe someone had sinned greatly in the city, which required Shmuel the Prophet to come to the city, which is why it says, is your coming in peace? And that is why he answered them, peace, that is to say, there is nothing but peace, don't be afraid, for I came to sacrifice to God.
(א)... ואף שמואל שהיה שקול כנגד משה ואהרן, על שאמר לשאול אנכי הרואה (ש"א ט יט), א"ל הקב"ה אתה אמרת אנכי הרואה, חייך למחר אני מראה לך אם רואה אתה, שנאמר מלא קרנך שמן ולך (בא) [אשלחך] אל ישי בית הלחמי כי ראיתי בבניו לי מלך (ש"א טז א), כיון שהלך מה כתיב, ויהי בבואם וירא את אליאב ויאמר אך נגד ה' משיחו (שם שם ז), א"ל הקב"ה אתה הוא שאמרת אנכי הרואה, אל תבט אל מראהו וגו' (שם שם ז). ...
(1) [(Gen. 42:1:) And so also in the case of Samuel, when he was measured against Moses and Aaron. Because he had said (in I Sam. 9:19): I AM THE SEER, the Holy One said to him: You have said: I AM THE SEER! By your life, tomorrow I am showing you whether you are a seer. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 16:1): FILL YOUR HORN WITH OIL AND GO; {COME} [I AM SENDING YOU] UNTO JESSE THE BETHLEHEMITE BECAUSE I HAVE CHOSEN A KING FOR MYSELF AMONG HIS SONS. When he had gone, what is written (in I Sam. 16:6)? AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN HE HAD COME, THAT HE SAW ELIAB AND SAID: SURELY THE LORD'S ANOINTED IS STANDING BEFORE HIM. The Holy One said to him: Are you the one who said (in I Sam. 9:19): I AM THE SEER? (I Sam. 16:7:) DO NOT LOOK UPON HIS APPEARANCE….
Rabbi Mani bar Patish said: Whoever becomes angry, even if greatness has been apportioned to him from heaven, he is lowered from his greatness. From where do we derive this? From Eliab, David’s older brother, as it is stated: “And Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said: Why did you come down, and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle” (I Samuel 17:28); we see that Eliab became angry. And when Samuel went to anoint him, concerning all of the other brothers it is written: “The Lord has not chosen this one” (I Samuel 16:8), whereas with regard to Eliab it is written: “And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not at his appearance, nor at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him” (I Samuel 16:7). This proves by inference that until now He had loved him, and it was only at this point that Eliab was rejected..