The emperor's new clothes

(יח) וּשְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת פְּנֵי יקוק נַעַר חָגוּר אֵפוֹד בָּד. (יט) וּמְעִיל קָטֹן תַּעֲשֶׂה לּוֹ אִמּוֹ וְהַעַלְתָה לוֹ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה בַּעֲלוֹתָהּ אֶת אִישָׁהּ לִזְבֹּחַ אֶת זֶבַח הַיָּמִים.

I Samuel 2:18-19

(18) But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. (19) Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

שמואל א ג׳:א׳

(א) וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת יקוק לִפְנֵי עֵלִי וּדְבַר יקוק הָיָה יָקָר בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין חָזוֹן נִפְרָץ.

I Samuel 3:1

(1) And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

שמואל א י״ט:כ׳

(כ) וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים לָקַחַת אֶת דָּוִד וַיַּרְא אֶת לַהֲקַת הַנְּבִיאִים נִבְּאִים וּשְׁמוּאֵל עֹמֵד נִצָּב עֲלֵיהֶם וַתְּהִי עַל מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁאוּל רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ גַּם הֵמָּה.

I Samuel 19:20

(20) And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

שמואל א ט״ו:כ״ז-כ״ח

(כז) וַיִּסֹּב שְׁמוּאֵל לָלֶכֶת וַיַּחֲזֵק בִּכְנַף מְעִילוֹ וַיִּקָּרַע. (כח) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו שְׁמוּאֵל קָרַע יקוק אֶת מַמְלְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ הַיּוֹם וּנְתָנָהּ לְרֵעֲךָ הַטּוֹב מִמֶּךָּ.

I Samuel 15:27-28

(27) And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent. (28) And Samuel said unto him: ‘The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

שמואל א י״ט:כ״ד

(כד) וַיִּפְשַׁט גַּם הוּא בְּגָדָיו וַיִּתְנַבֵּא גַם הוּא לִפְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּפֹּל עָרֹם כָּל הַיּוֹם הַהוּא וְכָל הַלָּיְלָה עַל כֵּן יֹאמְרוּ הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִיאִם.

I Samuel 19:24

(24) And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say: ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’

שמואל א כ״ח:ח׳

(ח) וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ שָׁאוּל וַיִּלְבַּשׁ בְּגָדִים אֲחֵרִים וַיֵּלֶךְ הוּא וּשְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים עִמּוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל הָאִשָּׁה לָיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר קסומי [קָסֳמִי] נָא לִי בָּאוֹב וְהַעֲלִי לִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלָיִךְ.

I Samuel 28:8

(8) And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said: ‘Divine unto me, I pray thee, by a ghost, and bring me up whomsoever I shall name unto thee.’

שמואל א ל״א:ח׳-ט׳

(ח) וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיָּבֹאוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לְפַשֵּׁט אֶת הַחֲלָלִים וַיִּמְצְאוּ אֶת שָׁאוּל וְאֶת שְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו נֹפְלִים בְּהַר הַגִּלְבֹּעַ. (ט) וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אֶת כֵּלָיו וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ בְאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים סָבִיב לְבַשֵּׂר בֵּית עֲצַבֵּיהֶם וְאֶת הָעָם.

I Samuel 31:8-9

(8) And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. (9) And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people.

Rav Hayyim Angel speaks of clothing in Safer Shmuel. Shmuel wears an Ephod and his mother makes him a little rob. He lived in the Mishkan and would continually grow and so his clothing grew with him. This was symbolic of the spiritual growth the people enjoyed during the lifetime of Shmuel, as we see in 3:1 prophecy was rare and by 19:20 the sight of Shmuel caused people to prophecy. When Shmuel is revived from the dead he is wearing a Robe, showing the connection between his clothing and his spiritual stature.

In 15:27-28 an exchange between Shmuel and Shaul involving the tearing of the corner of the garment, this connects later on to 24:21 when Duvid cuts Shauls coat. This is the start of Shauls decline, later he removes his royal garments in 19:24 , he is steadily in decline. Shaul realizes in 24: 21 that his decline is complete and Duvid would succeed him . Then he disguises himself in 28:8 and changes his clothing to visit the witch. Then they finally strip him of his armor 31:8-9

Look at each text and discuss motif, symbolism and other literary elements.

Questions for further study:

1.What event with Duvid and clothing connects to this narrative of Shaul's downfall?

2. What event in Duvid's passing is related to clothing as well, connected with Shaul?