אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כַּמָּה לָא חָלֵי וְלָא מַרְגֵּישׁ גַּבְרָא דְּמָרֵיהּ סַיְּיעֵיהּ, שָׁאוּל בְּאַחַת — וְעָלְתָה לוֹ. דָּוִד בִּשְׁתַּיִם — וְלֹא עָלְתָה לוֹ. שָׁאוּל בְּאַחַת מַאי הִיא? מַעֲשֶׂה דַּאֲגָג. וְהָא אִיכָּא מַעֲשֶׂה דְּנוֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים! אַמַּעֲשֶׂה דַּאֲגָג כְּתִיב: ״נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ״.
Apropos Saul’s contravention of God’s command to obliterate Amalek, the Gemara observes that Rav Huna said: How little does a person who has the support of his Lord have to worry or be concerned. The proof for this assertion is a comparison between Saul and David. Saul failed with one single sin and it was counted against him, costing him the throne. David, however, failed with two sins and they were not counted against him, as he retained his position. The Gemara asks: What was Saul’s one sin? The incident with Agag, king of Amalek, whom Saul spared in defiance of God’s command (see I Samuel 15:9). But was this his sole sin? There is also the incident of Nob, the city of priests, in which Saul later slew many innocent people, as cited above. The Gemara answers: It was after the incident with Agag, and even before the incident at Nob, that God said: “I regret that I have crowned Saul to be king” (I Samuel 15:11).
(יב) ולפי הנראה שהמדות ההכרחיות למלך מצד המלכות הם ששה, וזה שהכונה בהקמת המלך היא להלחם באויבים ולשפוט את העם משפט צדק, אמרו ישראל כששאלו מלך ושפטנו מלכנו ויצא לפנינו ונלחם את מלחמותינו, ועל כן ראוי שימצאו בו המדות ההכרחיות לזה, אולם מדות השופטים כבר נתבארו בתורה שהם ארבע, אנשי חיל יראי אלקים אנשי אמת שונאי בצע, וכשנערב עם אלו התארים שהם הכרחיים מצד המלחמה, נמצאם בין כלם ששה.
(יג) האחד שצריך שיהיה המלך אכזרי לזרים ורחמן לעמו ומוסר נפשו להצילם, כמו שמדרך הרועה לסכן נפשו להסיר המזיקין ולהלחם עם הארי והדוב לשמור הצאן ולרחם עליהם בזרועו יקבץ טלאים ובחיקו ישא עלות ינהל. והשני שייטיב למטיבים אליו ולעבדיו ולאנשי מלחמתו, שאם לא יעשה כן מי ימסור נפשו בעבור כבודו או מי יקנא בעדו אם יבגדו בו. והשלישי שיהיה שונא בצע ולא יהיה חמדן, שהרועה שהושם לשמור הצאן אין ראוי לו לגזול עורם מעליהם ושארם מעל עצמותם, שאז ישוב הענין בהפך, שיהיו הצאן לפרנס הרועה ולא הרועה לשמור הצאן, ולזה אמר הכתוב וכסף וזהב לא ירבה לו מאד, שאם ישתדל לקבץ כסף וזהב אפילו מן האויבים, כשלא ימצא בהם יקח מעמו. והרביעי שיהיה איש חיל אמיץ כח לבו בגבורים לשבר מתלעות עול ולא ישא פני דל ולא יהדר פני גדול ולא יירא מעשות משפט. והחמישי שיהיה אמת ולא ימצא עולה בשפתיו וישפוט משפט צדק, שמי שהוא מכחש או דובר שקרים הנה הוא אם מפני היראה או מפני שאינו יכול להשיג רצונו בזולת זה, והשופט אין לו לירא משום אדם, אמר הכתוב לא תגורו מפני איש, וכל שכן המלך שאין מי שיעכב על ידו מעשות רצונו, ועל כן אין ראוי לו שישקר, ועוד כי לא יבטח האדם בדברי המלך אם תדברנה שפתיו עולה ולשונו תהגה רמיה. והששי שיהיה ירא שמים וחרד על דבריו ויהיה נכנע לעובדי השם יתברך וישמור מצותיו שנצטוה עליהן מצד שהוא מלך או אחר שהוא מלך, ואף בשאר המצות ראוי לו שלא יתגאה על אחיו לחשוב שהוא בן חורין מן המצות יותר מהם, אמר הכתוב לבלתי רום לבבו מאחיו ולבלתי סור מן המצוה ימין ושמאול, וזה כמאמר החכם המלך והדת אחים נאמנים, ואם יראו העם את המלך מזלזל בתורה ובמלמדיה יבאו כל העם להקל בה ותפול התורה בכללה.
(יד) וכשנחפש מדות שאול נמצא אותו חסר בכלן. אולם בראשונה שחמל על אגג, עד שאמרו רבותינו ז״ל וירב בנחל, על עסקי נחל, שעשה קל וחומר של שטות, ומה על נפש אחת אמרה תורה וכו׳, והיה אכזרי על עמו, כי את נוב עיר הכהנים הכה לפי חרב, ודוד בהפך, שהיה מכה את מואב ומעבירם במגרה ובחריצי הברזל, וכשראה המלאך המשחית אמר אנכי חטאתי ואנכי העויתי ואלה הצאן מה עשו תהי נא ידך בי ובבית אבי. בשנית שלא הטיב לדוד שסכן נפשו בהריגת גלית, ודוד בהפך, שצוה בשעת מותו ולבני ברזילי הגלעדי תעשה חסד. בשלישית אמר הכתוב על שאול ותעט אל השלל, ודוד בהפך, שהיה נדיב לב ומחלק השלל ואומר הנה לכם ברכה משלל אויבי ה׳. ברביעית אמר שאול כי יראתי את העם ואשמע בקולם, ודוד לא היה ירא מעשות משפט, אמר הכתוב ויהי דוד עושה משפט וצדקה לכל עמו. בחמישית שהיה שאול משקר לשמואל ומכסה פשעו, ודוד הודה מיד ואמר חטאתי בבא אליו נתן הנביא כאשר בא אל בת שבע. בששית שלא היה נשמע לשמואל ועבר על דבריו במצות הפרטיות שנצטוה, ודוד היה נשמע לנתן הנביא ולגד החוזה ולשמואל בכל מה שנצטוה מפיהם. ולפי הדברים הללו הוא מבואר שמצד זאת המדה הששית אפשר שישוב זה הטעם השני אל הטעם הראשון.
(טו) גם כשיחופשו הכתובים נמצא דוד שלם בכל המדות הללו ושאול חסר בכלן, ובעבור זה היתה נסבה מאת השם יתברך שלא ישאר המלכות לשאול ושלא ישאר ממנו זרע הגון למלוכה, וגם אבנר שר צבאו מת כדי שיתקיים המלכות קיום יפה ביד דוד וזרעו, כדי שיהיה משל ודוגמא למלכים הבאים אחריו שלא יתגאו על השם יתברך למרות עיני כבודו שהמלכות שלו היא, ולזה אין ראוי למלך בשר ודם לזלזל בעובדי השם יתברך ושומרי תורתו שהוא לבדו מלך הכבוד, כמו שבארתי בפרק י״ד ממאמר שני, ואמר הכתוב והוא מהעדה מלכין ומהקים מלכין.
(טז) ונשוב לענין הפרק ונאמר שכמו שלא נתקבלה תשובת שאול להיותה חסרה הג׳ תנאים שזכרנו, כן בעבור זה נתקבלה תשובת דוד על ענין בת שבע לפי שהיו בה הג׳ תנאים שזכרנו, ויתבאר זה ממה שהזכיר בתשובתו על ענין בת שבע ואמר חנני אלקים כחסדך, לרמוז שהתשובה לא תקובל אלא על צד החסד שזכרנו, ואמר כרוב רחמיך מחה פשעי, כלומר אף על פי שפשעי גדולים ורבים, מחה אותם כרוב רחמיך שהם בלתי בעלי תכלית כדי שלא יהיה כחי לחטוא יותר גדול מכחך למחול. ואמר כי פשעי אני אדע, לרמוז על התנאי הראשון ולומר שלא היה החטא נעלם ממנו, וחטאתי נגדי תמיד, לרמוז שלא היה מתנצל על חטאו לומר שלא חטא, שתמיד הוא חושב שחטא. ואמר לך לבדך חטאתי, לרמוז על התנאי הג׳ לומר שלא היתה תשובתו מפני אהבת הכבוד או הנאת ממון או פחד בני אדם שלא יענישוהו אלא מפני אהבת השם יתברך, שהעבירות היו בין אדם למקום, כלומר בסתר שלא היו האנשים יודעין בהם אלא השם יתברך.
(יז) וכפל לומר והרע בעיניך עשיתי, להתודות על שני מיני העבירות, על העבירות שבין אדם למקום ועל העבירות שבין אדם לחבירו, על העבירות שבין אדם למקום אמר לך לבדך חטאתי, ועל העבירות שבין אדם לחבירו, כמו לא תגנובו ולא תונו וכיוצא בהן, אמר והרע בעיניך עשיתי, וזה שאף על פי שהן מצות שבין אדם לחבירו, אחר שצוה בהם השם יתברך הנה הוא רע בעיני השם מי שיעשה הפך מצותו, ואמר למען תצדק בדברך, שב אל מה שאמר מחה פשעי והרב כבסני מעוני וגו׳, כלומר בעבור שתצדק במה שאמרת שאתה מקבל בתשובה לשבים ומוחל וסולח לחטאתם, מחה פשעי, וכדי שתזכה במה שתשפוט את האדם על חטאו אחר שהוא יכול לשוב בתשובה ואינו שב, טהרני מחטאתי אחר שאני שב בתשובה לפניך. ויש אומרים שבדברך ובשפטך שב למה שנאמר לקין הלוא אם תיטיב שאת, ואל מה שנשפט עליו.
(יח) ולפי שהעבירה היא אם במחשבה ואם בדבור ואם במעשה או בכלן, צריך שתהיה התשובה בשלשתן, אם במחשבה החרטה, ואם בדבור הודוי, ואם במעשה שלא יספיק עזיבת החטא בלבד אבל שיעשה המעשים הפך העבירות שעשה.
(יט) לפיכך היה דוד מתפלל על כלן, על המחשבה אמר לב טהור ברא לי אלקים וגו׳, על הדבור ה׳ שפתי תפתח וגו׳, ועל המעשה אמר אלמדה פושעים דרכיך וגו׳, כלומר שיעשה מעשים הפך העבירה כדי שיראו האנשים ויקחו מוסר וילמדו לשוב אל השם יתברך. וכן באר הנביא שהתשובה ראויה שתהיה בעשית מעשים הפך העבירות, אמר הכתוב וירא האלקים את מעשיהם כי שבו מדרכם הרעה. ובארו רבותינו ז״ל את שקם ואת תעניתם לא נאמר אלא את מעשיהם, שאפילו גזל מריש ובנאו בבירה היה מקעקע כל הבירה, וכן אמר ישעיה יעזוב רשע דרכו וגו׳, אמר יעזוב רשע דרכו על העבירה שהגיעה לפעל, שיעשה מעשים הפך העבירה ויבחר לו דרך אחרת, אם חטא במאכלות אסורות יתענה ויזהר מלאכול לשובע נפשו אפילו הדברים המותרים, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז״ל קדש עצמך במותר לך, ואם העלים עיניו מן הצדקה יפזר ממונו לעניים, ואם הורה לאנשים לנהוג בקלות ראש במצות ילמד אותם דרך ישרה לדקדק במצות ולשוב אל השם יתברך, לפי שהמחטיא את הרבים אי אפשר לשוב בתשובה שלמה, שבמה יוכל לתקן את אשר עותו ממה שגרם לחטוא, ולזה אמר אלמדה פושעים דרכיך וגו׳, וכן כל כיוצא בזה, ואם חטא במחשבה בלבד יטהר מחשבותיו לפני יודע מחשבות, וזהו ואיש און מחשבותיו.
(12) It seems, then, that there are six qualities a king, as such, must have. The purpose of appointing a king is to fight the enemy and to judge the people justly. When Israel demanded a king, they said: “That our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” Hence he must have the qualities necessary for this purpose. Now we know that judges must have four qualities: They must be men of valor, God-fearing, men of truth, and hating unlawful gain. If we add to these the qualities necessary in war, we shall have six.
(13) One is that the king must be cruel to strangers, but merciful to his own people and willing to give his life to save them, as a shepherd ought to risk his life to remove harm and to fight with the lion and the bear in order to preserve the flock and show kindness to them: “Gathereth the lambs in his arm, and carrieth them in his bosom, and gently leadeth those that give suck.” The second quality is to be good to those who are good to him, to his servants and those who fight his battles, for if he will not do this, who will risk his life for the king’s glory and who will take his part against those who are treacherous? The third quality is that he should hate unlawful gain and not be covetous. A shepherd that is appointed to guard the sheep must not strip their skin and their flesh from their bones, for in that case the relation would be reversed, the flock would support the shepherd instead of the shepherd guarding the flock. For this reason the Bible says: “Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold,” for if he takes pains to gather silver and gold, even though it be from the enemy, he will take from his own people if he can not find it among the enemy. The fourth quality is that he should be a man of valor, strong and mighty to “break the jaws of the unrighteous.” He must not respect the faces of the poor, nor honor the faces of the great, nor fear to do justice. The fifth quality is that he should speak the truth, no wrong must be found upon his lips, and he should judge a righteous judgment, for the man who lies or speaks falsehoods, does so either from fear or because he can not obtain his desire without it, but the judge must not be afraid of any man, as we read in the Bible: “Ye shall not be afraid of the face of any man,” not to speak of the king, for there is no one to prevent him from doing what he will. Hence he must not speak falsely. Besides, no one will trust the words of the king if he speaks falsely. The sixth quality is that he should fear God and tremble at His words. He should be submissive to those who serve God, and observe those commandments which he was given in the capacity of king or after he became king. And in regard to the other commandments, too, he must not consider himself as superior to his brethren and think he is free from the commandments any more than they, as the Bible says: “That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left.” A similar thought is expressed in the saying of the wise man: “The king and the law are faithful brothers.” If, therefore, the people see the king disregarding the law and the teachers thereof, they will all come to ignore it, and the whole Torah will fall.
(14) Now if we examine Saul’s qualities, we find that he was lacking in all of them. 1. He spared Agag [The Rabbis say, commenting on the verse: “And he lay in wait in the valley”—“In the valley,” means concerning the doings in the valley. Saul used a foolish a fortiori argument. If, said he, when one life is taken, the Torah says: Take a heifer and break its neck …], and was cruel to his own people, in that he destroyed Nob, the city of the priests. David acted differently. He smote Moab and put them under saws and under harrows of iron, but when he saw the destroying angel, he said: “Lo, I have sinned, and I have done iniquitously; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Thy hand, I pray Thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.” 2. He did not treat David kindly, who risked his life when he slew Goliath. David, on the contrary, gave an order at the time of his death: “But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite.” 3. The Bible says concerning Saul: “But didst fly upon the spoil.” David was different. He was generous and divided the spoil, saying: “Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord.” 4. Saul said: “Because I feared the people, and hearkened to their voice,” whereas David was not afraid to do justice, as the Bible says: “And David executed justice and righteousness unto all his people.” 5. Saul lied to Samuel so as to cover his transgressions, while David confessed at once when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 6. He did not obey Samuel, but violated the specific commands which were given to him, whereas David obeyed all the commands of Nathan the prophet, Gad the seer, and Samuel. In this way it is clear that by reason of this sixth quality, the second explanation is reduced to the first.
(15) When we examine the texts we also find that David was perfect in all these qualities, while Saul lacked them all. This was why God saw to it that the kingdom did not remain with Saul and why Saul left no descendants worthy of the kingship. Even Abner, the chief of his army, died in order that the kingdom might be firmly established in the hand of David and his children, as a lesson and example to the kings who came after him, that they should not in their pride disobey God’s will, for the kingdom is His. Hence a human king should not slight those who serve God and observe His Torah, for He alone is the King of Glory, as I explained before, and the Bible says: “He removeth kings and setteth up kings.”
(16) To return to the subject of the chapter, we say that just as the repentance of Saul was not accepted because it lacked the three requirements that we mentioned, so the repentance of David after the Bathsheba affair was accepted because it fulfilled the three requirements mentioned. This is clear from the expressions he uses on that occasion: “Be gracious unto me, O God, according to Thy mercy.” These words indicate that repentance is accepted only as a matter of grace, as we said before. Then he says: “According to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgressions,” i. e. even though my transgressions are great and many, blot them out according to the multitude of Thy compassions, which are infinite, so that my power to sin may not be greater than Thy power to forgive. Then he adds: “For I know my transgressions,” alluding to the first requirement, and stating that the sin was not unknown to him. “And my sin is ever before me,” indicates that he offered no excuses for his sin, nor pretended that he had not sinned, but was always aware that he had sinned. “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned,” alludes to the third requirement. It shows that his repentance was not due to the desire for honor or money or the fear of human punishment, but to the love of God, for his transgressions were those which concerned the relations between God and man, i. e. private matters, which men did not know, but only God.
(17) He repeats: “And done that which is evil in Thy sight,” to indicate his confession of both kinds of sins, those concerning the relations between man and God, and those between man and his fellow. He alludes to the former in the words: “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned.” To the latter, such as, “You shall not steal,” “You shall not oppress,” and so on, he refers in the words: “And done that which is evil in Thy sight,” the meaning being that though they are precepts which govern the relations between man and man, nevertheless since God is the author of those commandments, the man who violates His commandments is evil in the sight of God. “That Thou mayest be justified when Thou speakest, and be in the right when Thou judgest,”—these words go back to the prayer: “Blot out my transgressions, Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin,” and the meaning is: Blot out my transgressions in order that Thou mayest be justified in Thy statement that Thou receivest penitents and forgivest their sins. And in order that Thou mayest be right when Thou judgest a man for his sin, since he can repent and does not, cleanse me from my sin, since I do repent before Thee. Some say that the words in question allude to the statement made to Cain: “If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up?” and to the judgment decreed upon him.
(18) Since a sin may be committed in thought, in speech and in act, or in all the three combined, repentance must include the three. Regret corresponds to thought, confession to speech, and corresponding to act it is not sufficient that one discontinue the sin, but he must do acts of a nature opposed to the transgressions which he has committed.
(19) For this reason David prayed for all three. In relation to thought he said: “Create me a clean heart, O God …” In regard to speech, he said, “O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.” With regard to action, he said: “I will teach transgressors Thy ways,” i. e. he will do acts opposed to the transgressions in order that men may see and take instruction and learn to return to the Lord. The prophet also makes it clear that repentance requires the doing of acts opposed to the transgressions: “And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way.” Our Rabbis explain this verse as follows: It does not say: “He saw their sackcloth and fasting,” but, “He saw their works.” This shows that if one of them, by force, took away a beam from his neighbor and inserted it into a palace he was building, he threw down the whole palace [in order to return the beam to its owner.] Isaiah also said: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts.” The first part of the verse refers to a transgression carried out in deed, in which case the remedy is recommended of doing acts opposed to the transgression and choosing another mode of conduct. For example, if his sin consisted in eating forbidden food, he should fast and not eat enough even of those things which are permitted, as the Rabbis say: “Sanctify thyself in those things which are permitted to thee.” And if his sin was that he did not give alms, he should give lavishly of his money to the poor. And if he taught men to neglect the commandments, he should teach them the proper way to be punctilious about the commandments and to return to God, for he who makes others sin can not do complete repentance. For how can he correct the wrong he has done in causing a man to sin? Hence David says: “Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways,” and similarly in other cases of transgressions. If a man’s sin is one of thought only, he should purify his thoughts before Him who knows man’s thoughts: “And the man of iniquity [shall forsake] his thoughts.”
However, is this actually true?
David had also committed significant faults and transgressions. It wasn't just the adultery in spirit with Bathsheva even if everything on paper seemed legal. David was declared unfit to build the Temple after all and at the end of King Shlomo's reign, there was idol worship in the land of Yisrael.
If we were to argue that because David's transgression was personal he would not lose the throne, then why would he have lost the throne even temporarily in the case of Avshalom's rebellion against him? Why would Hashem continue to show him such favor. Let's take a look at the text.
(ט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל הַגִּ֣שׁוּ אֵלַ֔י הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים וַיַּ֖עַל הָעֹלָֽה׃
(י) וַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ לְהַעֲל֣וֹת הָעֹלָ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בָּ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א שָׁא֛וּל לִקְרָאת֖וֹ לְבָרְכֽוֹ׃
(יא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֡וּל כִּֽי־רָאִ֩יתִי֩ כִֽי־נָפַ֨ץ הָעָ֜ם מֵעָלַ֗י וְאַתָּה֙ לֹֽא־בָ֙אתָ֙ לְמוֹעֵ֣ד הַיָּמִ֔ים וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים נֶאֱסָפִ֥ים מִכְמָֽשׂ׃
(יב) וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֠תָּ֠ה יֵרְד֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֵלַי֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וּפְנֵ֥י יי לֹ֣א חִלִּ֑יתִי וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔ק וָאַעֲלֶ֖ה הָעֹלָֽה׃ {ס}
(יג) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ אֶת־מִצְוַ֞ת יי אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ךְ כִּ֣י עַתָּ֗ה הֵכִ֨ין יי אֶת־מַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
(יד) וְעַתָּ֖ה מַמְלַכְתְּךָ֣ לֹֽא־תָק֑וּם בִּקֵּשׁ֩ יי ל֜וֹ אִ֣ישׁ כִּלְבָב֗וֹ וַיְצַוֵּ֨הוּ יי לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֚י לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶֽׁר־צִוְּךָ֖ יי׃ {ס}
(9) Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the sacrifice of well-being”; and he presented the burnt offering.
(10) He had just finished presenting the burnt offering when Samuel arrived; and Saul went out to meet him and welcome him.
(11) But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “I saw the people leaving me and scattering; you had not come at the appointed time, and the Philistines had gathered at Michmas.
(12) I thought the Philistines would march down against me at Gilgal before I had entreated the LORD, so I dMeaning of Heb. uncertain.forced myself-d to present the burnt offering.”
(13) Samuel answered Saul, hChange of vocalization yields, “You acted foolishly. If you had kept the commandment the Lord your God laid upon you…”“You acted foolishly in not keeping the commandments that the LORD your God laid upon you! Otherwise-h the LORD would have established your dynasty over Israel forever.
(14) But now your dynasty will not endure. The LORD will seek out a man after His own heart, and the LORD will appoint him ruler over His people, because you did not abide by what the LORD had commanded you.”
(ה) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּה֙ אַתָּ֣ה זָקַ֔נְתָּ וּבָנֶ֕יךָ לֹ֥א הָלְכ֖וּ בִּדְרָכֶ֑יךָ עַתָּ֗ה שִֽׂימָה־לָּ֥נוּ מֶ֛לֶךְ לְשׇׁפְטֵ֖נוּ כְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
(ו) וַיֵּ֤רַע הַדָּבָר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽמְר֔וּ תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ מֶ֖לֶךְ לְשׇׁפְטֵ֑נוּ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־יי׃ {פ}
(ז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יי אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל שְׁמַע֙ בְּק֣וֹל הָעָ֔ם לְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אֹֽתְךָ֙ מָאָ֔סוּ כִּי־אֹתִ֥י מָאֲס֖וּ מִמְּלֹ֥ךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
(ח) כְּכׇֽל־הַמַּעֲשִׂ֣ים אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֗וּ מִיּוֹם֩ הַעֲלֹתִ֨י אוֹתָ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ וְעַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיַּ֣עַזְבֻ֔נִי וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ אֱלֹקִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים כֵּ֛ן הֵ֥מָּה עֹשִׂ֖ים גַּם־לָֽךְ׃
(ט) וְעַתָּ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלָ֑ם אַ֗ךְ כִּֽי־הָעֵ֤ד תָּעִיד֙ בָּהֶ֔ם וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֔ם מִשְׁפַּ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְלֹ֖ךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ {ס}
(י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יי אֶל־הָעָ֕ם הַשֹּׁאֲלִ֥ים מֵאִתּ֖וֹ מֶֽלֶךְ׃ {ס}
(יא) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר זֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְלֹ֖ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם יִקָּ֗ח וְשָׂ֥ם לוֹ֙ בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּ֣וֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יו וְרָצ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י מֶרְכַּבְתּֽוֹ׃
(יב) וְלָשׂ֣וּם ל֔וֹ שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֣י חֲמִשִּׁ֑ים וְלַחֲרֹ֤שׁ חֲרִישׁוֹ֙ וְלִקְצֹ֣ר קְצִיר֔וֹ וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כְּלֵֽי־מִלְחַמְתּ֖וֹ וּכְלֵ֥י רִכְבּֽוֹ׃
(יג) וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם יִקָּ֑ח לְרַקָּח֥וֹת וּלְטַבָּח֖וֹת וּלְאֹפֽוֹת׃
(יד) וְאֶת־שְׂ֠דֽוֹתֵיכֶ֠ם וְאֶת־כַּרְמֵיכֶ֧ם וְזֵיתֵיכֶ֛ם הַטּוֹבִ֖ים יִקָּ֑ח וְנָתַ֖ן לַעֲבָדָֽיו׃
(טו) וְזַרְעֵיכֶ֥ם וְכַרְמֵיכֶ֖ם יַעְשֹׂ֑ר וְנָתַ֥ן לְסָרִיסָ֖יו וְלַעֲבָדָֽיו׃
(טז) וְאֶת־עַבְדֵיכֶם֩ וְֽאֶת־שִׁפְח֨וֹתֵיכֶ֜ם וְאֶת־בַּחוּרֵיכֶ֧ם הַטּוֹבִ֛ים וְאֶת־חֲמוֹרֵיכֶ֖ם יִקָּ֑ח וְעָשָׂ֖ה לִמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃
(יז) צֹאנְכֶ֖ם יַעְשֹׂ֑ר וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ־ל֥וֹ לַעֲבָדִֽים׃
(יח) וּזְעַקְתֶּם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא מִלִּפְנֵ֣י מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם לָכֶ֑ם וְלֹא־יַעֲנֶ֧ה יי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
(יט) וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ הָעָ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֹּ֔א כִּ֥י אִם־מֶ֖לֶךְ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה עָלֵֽינוּ׃
(כ) וְהָיִ֥ינוּ גַם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ כְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּ מַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙ וְיָצָ֣א לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַ֖ם אֶת־מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃
(כא) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַֽיְדַבְּרֵ֖ם בְּאׇזְנֵ֥י יי׃ {פ}
(כב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יי אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלָ֔ם וְהִמְלַכְתָּ֥ לָהֶ֖ם מֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְכ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לְעִירֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(5) and they said to him, “You have grown old, and your sons have not followed your ways. Therefore appoint a king for us, to govern us like all other nations.”
(6) Samuel was displeased that they said “Give us a king to govern us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD,
(7) and the LORD replied to Samuel, “Heed the demand of the people in everything they say to you. For it is not you that they have rejected; it is Me they have rejected as their king.
(8) Like everything else they have done ever since I brought them out of Egypt to this day—forsaking Me and worshiping other gods—so they are doing to you.
(9) Heed their demand; but warn them solemnly, and tell them about the practices of any king who will rule over them.”
(10) Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the people, who were asking him for a king.
(11) He said, “This will be the practice of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and appoint them as his charioteers and horsemen, and they will serve as outrunners for his chariots.
(12) He will appoint them as his chiefs of thousands and of fifties; or they will have to plow his fields, reap his harvest, and make his weapons and the equipment for his chariots.
(13) He will take your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
(14) He will seize your choice fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his courtiers.
(15) He will take a tenth part of your grain and vintage and give it to his eunuchs and courtiers.
(16) He will take your male and female slaves, your choice aSeptuagint reads “cattle.”young men,-a and your asses, and put them to work for him.
(17) He will take a tenth part of your flocks, and you shall become his slaves.
(18) The day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen; and the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
(19) But the people would not listen to Samuel’s warning. “No,” they said. “We must have a king over us,
(20) that we may be like all the other nations: Let our king rule over us and go out at our head and fight our battles.”
(21) When Samuel heard all that the people said, he reported it to the LORD.
(22) And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their demands and appoint a king for them.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “All of you go home.”
(א) וַיְהִי־אִ֣ישׁ (מבן ימין) [מִבִּנְיָמִ֗ין] וּ֠שְׁמ֠וֹ קִ֣ישׁ בֶּן־אֲבִיאֵ֞ל בֶּן־צְר֧וֹר בֶּן־בְּכוֹרַ֛ת בֶּן־אֲפִ֖יחַ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ יְמִינִ֑י גִּבּ֖וֹר חָֽיִל׃
(ב) וְלוֹ־הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמ֤וֹ שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָט֔וֹב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכׇּל־הָעָֽם׃
(1) There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of substance.
(2) He had a son whose name was Saul, an excellent young man; no one among the Israelites was handsomer than he; aLit. “taller from his shoulders up.”he was a head taller-a than any of the people.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל אֹתִ֨י שָׁלַ֤ח יי לִמְשׇׁחֳךָ֣ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ עַל־עַמּ֖וֹ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֣ה שְׁמַ֔ע לְק֖וֹל דִּבְרֵ֥י יי׃ {ס}
(ב) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יי צְבָא֔וֹת פָּקַ֕דְתִּי אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה עֲמָלֵ֖ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֥ם לוֹ֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ בַּעֲלֹת֖וֹ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
(ג) עַתָּה֩ לֵ֨ךְ וְהִכִּיתָ֜ה אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֗ק וְהַֽחֲרַמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ל עָלָ֑יו וְהֵמַתָּ֞ה מֵאִ֣ישׁ עַד־אִשָּׁ֗ה מֵֽעֹלֵל֙ וְעַד־יוֹנֵ֔ק מִשּׁ֣וֹר וְעַד־שֶׂ֔ה מִגָּמָ֖ל וְעַד־חֲמֽוֹר׃ {ס}
(ד) וַיְשַׁמַּ֤ע שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַֽיִּפְקְדֵם֙ בַּטְּלָאִ֔ים מָאתַ֥יִם אֶ֖לֶף רַגְלִ֑י וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים אֶת־אִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָֽה׃
(ה) וַיָּבֹ֥א שָׁא֖וּל עַד־עִ֣יר עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיָּ֖רֶב בַּנָּֽחַל׃
(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֣וּל אֶֽל־הַקֵּינִ֡י לְכוּ֩ סֻּ֨רוּ רְד֜וּ מִתּ֣וֹךְ עֲמָלֵקִ֗י פֶּן־אֹֽסִפְךָ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֞ה עָשִׂ֤יתָֽה חֶ֙סֶד֙ עִם־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּעֲלוֹתָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַיָּ֥סַר קֵינִ֖י מִתּ֥וֹךְ עֲמָלֵֽק׃
(ז) וַיַּ֥ךְ שָׁא֖וּל אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֑ק מֵֽחֲוִילָה֙ בּוֹאֲךָ֣ שׁ֔וּר אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(ח) וַיִּתְפֹּ֛שׂ אֶת־אֲגַ֥ג מֶלֶךְ־עֲמָלֵ֖ק חָ֑י וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם הֶחֱרִ֥ים לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃
(ט) וַיַּחְמֹל֩ שָׁא֨וּל וְהָעָ֜ם עַל־אֲגָ֗ג וְעַל־מֵיטַ֣ב הַצֹּאן֩ וְהַבָּקָ֨ר וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים וְעַל־הַכָּרִים֙ וְעַל־כׇּל־הַטּ֔וֹב וְלֹ֥א אָב֖וּ הַחֲרִימָ֑ם וְכׇל־הַמְּלָאכָ֛ה נְמִבְזָ֥ה וְנָמֵ֖ס אֹתָ֥הּ הֶחֱרִֽימוּ׃ {פ}
(י) וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יי אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹֽר׃
(יא) נִחַ֗מְתִּי כִּֽי־הִמְלַ֤כְתִּי אֶת־שָׁאוּל֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ כִּי־שָׁב֙ מֵֽאַחֲרַ֔י וְאֶת־דְּבָרַ֖י לֹ֣א הֵקִ֑ים וַיִּ֙חַר֙ לִשְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּזְעַ֥ק אֶל־יי כׇּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃
(יב) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֧ם שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל לִקְרַ֥את שָׁא֖וּל בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיֻּגַּ֨ד לִשְׁמוּאֵ֜ל לֵאמֹ֗ר בָּֽא־שָׁא֤וּל הַכַּרְמֶ֙לָה֙ וְהִנֵּ֨ה מַצִּ֥יב לוֹ֙ יָ֔ד וַיִּסֹּב֙ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר וַיֵּ֖רֶד הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃
(יג) וַיָּבֹ֥א שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־שָׁא֑וּל וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ שָׁא֗וּל בָּר֤וּךְ אַתָּה֙ לַֽיי הֲקִימֹ֖תִי אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר יי׃
(יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וּמֶ֛ה קֽוֹל־הַצֹּ֥אן הַזֶּ֖ה בְּאׇזְנָ֑י וְק֣וֹל הַבָּקָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃
(טו) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל מֵעֲמָלֵקִ֣י הֱבִיא֗וּם אֲשֶׁ֨ר חָמַ֤ל הָעָם֙ עַל־מֵיטַ֤ב הַצֹּאן֙ וְהַבָּקָ֔ר לְמַ֥עַן זְבֹ֖חַ לַיי אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ וְאֶת־הַיּוֹתֵ֖ר הֶחֱרַֽמְנוּ׃ {פ}
(טז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל הֶ֚רֶף וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לְּךָ֔ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יי אֵלַ֖י הַלָּ֑יְלָה (ויאמרו) [וַיֹּ֥אמֶר] ל֖וֹ דַּבֵּֽר׃ {ס}
(יז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל הֲל֗וֹא אִם־קָטֹ֤ן אַתָּה֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ רֹ֛אשׁ שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אָ֑תָּה וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ֧ יי לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(יח) וַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ֥ יי בְּדָ֑רֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֵ֣ךְ וְהַחֲרַמְתָּ֞ה אֶת־הַֽחַטָּאִים֙ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֣ ב֔וֹ עַ֥ד כַּלּוֹתָ֖ם אֹתָֽם׃
(יט) וְלָ֥מָּה לֹֽא־שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּק֣וֹל יי וַתַּ֙עַט֙ אֶל־הַשָּׁלָ֔ל וַתַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יי׃ {ס}
(כ) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ בְּק֣וֹל יי וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שְׁלָחַ֣נִי יי וָאָבִ֗יא אֶת־אֲגַג֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖ק הֶחֱרַֽמְתִּי׃
(כא) וַיִּקַּ֨ח הָעָ֧ם מֵהַשָּׁלָ֛ל צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר רֵאשִׁ֣ית הַחֵ֑רֶם לִזְבֹּ֛חַ לַיי אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃ {ס}
(כב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַחֵ֤פֶץ לַֽיי בְּעֹל֣וֹת וּזְבָחִ֔ים כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל יי הִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ מִזֶּ֣בַח ט֔וֹב לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב מֵחֵ֥לֶב אֵילִֽים׃
(כג) כִּ֤י חַטַּאת־קֶ֙סֶם֙ מֶ֔רִי וְאָ֥וֶן וּתְרָפִ֖ים הַפְצַ֑ר יַ֗עַן מָאַ֙סְתָּ֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יי וַיִּמְאָסְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ {ס}
(כד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֤וּל אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ חָטָ֔אתִי כִּֽי־עָבַ֥רְתִּי אֶת־פִּֽי־יי וְאֶת־דְּבָרֶ֑יךָ כִּ֤י יָרֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע בְּקוֹלָֽם׃
(כה) וְעַתָּ֕ה שָׂ֥א נָ֖א אֶת־חַטָּאתִ֑י וְשׁ֣וּב עִמִּ֔י וְאֶֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה לַיי׃
(כו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל לֹ֥א אָשׁ֖וּב עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֤י מָאַ֙סְתָּה֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יי וַיִּמְאָסְךָ֣ יי מִֽהְי֥וֹת מֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס}
(כז) וַיִּסֹּ֥ב שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לָלֶ֑כֶת וַיַּחֲזֵ֥ק בִּכְנַף־מְעִיל֖וֹ וַיִּקָּרַֽע׃ {ס}
(כח) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל קָרַ֨ע יי אֶֽת־מַמְלְכ֧וּת יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵעָלֶ֖יךָ הַיּ֑וֹם וּנְתָנָ֕הּ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ הַטּ֥וֹב מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ {ס}
(כט) וְגַם֙ נֵ֣צַח יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יְשַׁקֵּ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יִנָּחֵ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א אָדָ֛ם ה֖וּא לְהִנָּחֵֽם׃
(ל) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חָטָ֔אתִי עַתָּ֗ה כַּבְּדֵ֥נִי נָ֛א נֶ֥גֶד זִקְנֵֽי־עַמִּ֖י וְנֶ֣גֶד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשׁ֣וּב עִמִּ֔י וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֖יתִי לַיי אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃
(לא) וַיָּ֥שׇׁב שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ שָׁא֖וּל לַיי׃ {ס}
(לב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַגִּ֤ישׁוּ אֵלַי֙ אֶת־אֲגַג֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֵלָ֔יו אֲגַ֖ג מַעֲדַנֹּ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲגָ֔ג אָכֵ֖ן סָ֥ר מַר־הַמָּֽוֶת׃ {ס}
(לג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכְּלָ֤ה נָשִׁים֙ חַרְבֶּ֔ךָ כֵּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ל מִנָּשִׁ֖ים אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיְשַׁסֵּ֨ף שְׁמוּאֵ֧ל אֶת־אֲגָ֛ג לִפְנֵ֥י יי בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃ {ס}
(לד) וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הָרָמָ֑תָה וְשָׁא֛וּל עָלָ֥ה אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ גִּבְעַ֥ת שָׁאֽוּל׃
(לה) וְלֹֽא־יָסַ֨ף שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל לִרְא֤וֹת אֶת־שָׁאוּל֙ עַד־י֣וֹם מוֹת֔וֹ כִּֽי־הִתְאַבֵּ֥ל שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־שָׁא֑וּל וַיי נִחָ֔ם כִּֽי־הִמְלִ֥יךְ אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
(1) Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over His people Israel. Therefore, listen to the LORD’s command!
(2) “Thus said the LORD of Hosts: I am exacting the penalty for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt.
(3) Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribeaSee note at Josh. 6.18. all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and asses!”
(4) Saul mustered the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 men of Judah.
(5) Then Saul advanced as far as the city of Amalek and bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.lay in wait-b in the wadi.
(6) Saul said to the Kenites, “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
(7) Saul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt,
(8) and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He proscribed all the people, putting them to the sword;
(9) but Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born,cTargum and Syriac read “fatlings.” the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not proscribe them; they proscribed only bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.what was cheap and worthless.-b
(10) The word of the LORD then came to Samuel:
(11) “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated the LORD all night long.
(12) Early in the morning Samuel went to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, where he erected a monument for himself; then he left and went on down to Gilgal.”
(13) When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have fulfilled the LORD’s command.”
(14) “Then what,” demanded Samuel, “is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?”
(15) Saul answered, “They were brought from the Amalekites, for the troops spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen for sacrificing to the LORD your God. And we proscribed the rest.”
(16) Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night!” “Speak,” he replied.
(17) And Samuel said, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Israel. The LORD anointed you king over Israel,
(18) and the LORD sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and proscribe the sinful Amalekites; make war on them until you have exterminated them.’
(19) Why did you disobey the LORD and swoop down on the spoil dLit. “and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”in defiance of the LORD’s will?”-d
(20) Saul said to Samuel, “But I did obey the LORD! I performed the mission on which the LORD sent me: I captured King Agag of Amalek, and I proscribed Amalek,
(21) and the troops took from the spoil some sheep and oxen—the best of what had been proscribed—to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
(22) But Samuel said:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As much as in obedience to the LORD’s command?
Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice,
Compliance than the fat of rams.
(23) For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
Defiance, like the iniquity of teraphim.eIdols consulted for oracles; see Ezek. 21.26; Zech. 10.2.
Because you rejected the LORD’s command,
He has rejected you as king.”
(24) Saul said to Samuel, “I did wrong to transgress the LORD’s command and your instructions; but I was afraid of the troops and I yielded to them.
(25) Please, forgive my offense and come back with me, and I will bow low to the LORD.”
(26) But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s command, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel.”
(27) As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore.
(28) And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has this day torn the kingship over Israel away from you and has given it to another who is worthier than you.
(29) Moreover, the GlorybMeaning of Heb. uncertain. of Israel does not deceive or change His mind, for He is not human that He should change His mind.”
(30) But [Saul] pleaded, “I did wrong. Please, honor me in the presence of the elders of my people and in the presence of Israel, and come back with me until I have bowed low to the LORD your God.”
(31) So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul bowed low to the LORD.
(32) Samuel said, “Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag approached him fFrom root ma‘ad, “to falter”; cf. Septuagint.with faltering steps;-f and Agag said, “Ah, bitter death is at hand!”bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.
(33) Samuel said:
“As your sword has bereaved women,
So shall your mother be bereaved among women.”
And Samuel bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.cut Agag down-b before the LORD at Gilgal.
(34) Samuel then departed for Ramah, and Saul went up to his home at Gibeah of Saul.
(35) Samuel never saw Saul again to the day of his death. But Samuel grieved over Saul, because the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה בַּסֵּתֶר.
יָצָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְשָׁנָה לִשְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אֶחָיו בַּשּׁוּק, לְרַב וּלְרַבָּה בַּר (בַּר) חָנָה. שְׁמַע רַבִּי, אִיקְּפַד. אֲתָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא לְאִיתְחֲזוֹיֵי לֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עִיָּיא, מִי קוֹרֵא לְךָ בַּחוּץ! יְדַע דִּנְקַט מִילְּתָא בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ, נְהַג נְזִיפוּתָא בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין.
בְּיוֹם תְּלָתִין שְׁלַח לֵיהּ: תָּא. הֲדַר שְׁלַח לֵיהּ דְּלָא לֵיתֵי.
מֵעִיקָּרָא מַאי סְבַר וּלְבַסּוֹף מַאי סְבַר? מֵעִיקָּרָא סָבַר: מִקְצָת הַיּוֹם כְּכוּלּוֹ. וּלְבַסּוֹף סָבַר: לָא אָמְרִינַן מִקְצָת הַיּוֹם כְּכוּלּוֹ.
לְסוֹף אֲתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי אֲתֵית? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּשָׁלַח לִי מָר דְּלֵיתֵי. וְהָא שְׁלַחִי לָךְ דְּלָא תֵּיתֵי! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: זֶה רָאִיתִי, וְזֶה לֹא רָאִיתִי. קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ: ״בִּרְצוֹת ה׳ דַּרְכֵי אִישׁ גַּם אוֹיְבָיו יַשְׁלִים אִתּוֹ״.
מַאי טַעְמָא עֲבַד מָר הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״חׇכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרוֹנָּה״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִם קָרִיתָ — לֹא שָׁנִיתָ, וְאִם שָׁנִיתָ — לֹא שִׁילַּשְׁתָּ, וְאִם שִׁילַּשְׁתָּ — לֹא פֵּירְשׁוּ לְךָ.
״חׇכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרוֹנָּה״, כִּדְרָבָא. דְּאָמַר רָבָא: כׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה מִבִּפְנִים, תּוֹרָתוֹ מַכְרֶזֶת עָלָיו מִבַּחוּץ.
וְהָא כְּתִיב: ״לֹא מֵרֹאשׁ בַּסֵּתֶר דִּבַּרְתִּי״! הָהוּא בְּיוֹמֵי דְכַלָּה.
וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא, הַאי ״חַמּוּקֵי יְרֵכַיִךְ״ מַאי עָבֵיד לֵהּ? מוֹקֵי לֵהּ בִּצְדָקָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים.
אַלְמָא נְזִיפָה דִּידְהוּ תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין! נְזִיפַת נָשִׂיא שָׁאנֵי.
וּנְזִיפָה דִּידַן כַּמָּה הָוֵי? חַד יוֹמָא. כִּי הָא דִּשְׁמוּאֵל וּמָר עוּקְבָא, כִּי הֲווֹ יָתְבִי גָּרְסִי שְׁמַעְתָּא, הֲוָה יָתֵיב מָר עוּקְבָא קַמֵּיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּרָחוֹק אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. וְכִי הֲווֹ יָתְבִי בְּדִינָא, הֲוָה יָתֵיב שְׁמוּאֵל קַמֵּיהּ דְּמָר עוּקְבָא בְּרָחוֹק אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. וַהֲווֹ חָיְיקִי לֵיהּ דּוּכְתָּא לְמָר עוּקְבָא בְּצִיפְּתָא, וְיָתֵיב עִילָּוֵיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלִישְׁתַּמְעָן מִילֵּיהּ.
כׇּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה מְלַוִי לֵיהּ מָר עוּקְבָא לִשְׁמוּאֵל עַד אוּשְׁפִּיזֵיהּ. יוֹמָא חַד אִיטְּרִיד בְּדִינֵיהּ הֲוָה אָזֵיל שְׁמוּאֵל בָּתְרֵיהּ. כִּי מְטָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ: לָא נְגַהּ לָךְ? לִישְׁרֵי לִי מָר בְּתִיגְרֵיהּ! יְדַע דִּנְקַט מִילְּתָא בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ, נְהַג נְזִיפוּתָא בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ חַד יוֹמָא.
הָהִיא אִיתְּתָא דַּהֲווֹת יָתְבָה בִּשְׁבִילָא, הֲווֹת פָּשְׁטָה כַּרְעַהּ וְקָא מְנִיפָה חוּשְׁלָאֵי, וַהֲוָה חָלֵיף וְאָזֵיל צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן וְלָא אִיכַּנְעָה מִקַּמֵּיהּ. אֲמַר: כַּמָּה חַצִּיפָא הָהִיא אִיתְּתָא! אֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן. אֲמַר לַהּ: מִי שְׁמַעְתְּ שַׁמְתָּא מִפּוּמֵּיהּ? אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: לָא. אֲמַר לַהּ: זִילִי נְהוּגִי נְזִיפוּתָא חַד יוֹמָא בְּנַפְשִׁיךְ.
זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה הֲוָה קָפָסֵיק סִידְרָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה, כִּי מְטָא לְהַאי פְּסוּקָא ״וְאֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי דָוִד הָאַחֲרוֹנִים״, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״אַחֲרוֹנִים״ — מִכְּלָל דְּאִיכָּא רִאשׁוֹנִים, רִאשׁוֹנִים מַאי נִינְהוּ?
שְׁתֵיק וְלָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי, הֲדַר אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״אַחֲרוֹנִים״, מִכְּלָל דְּאִיכָּא רִאשׁוֹנִים, רִאשׁוֹנִים מַאי הִיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי דַּעְתָּךְ, דְּלָא יָדַע פֵּירוּשָׁא דְּהַאי קְרָא לָאו גַּבְרָא רַבָּה הוּא? יְדַע דִּנְקַט מִילְּתָא בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ, נְהַג נְזִיפוּתָא בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ חַד יוֹמָא.
וְדַאֲתָן עֲלַהּ, מִיהָא ״אַחֲרוֹנִים״ — מִכְּלָל דְּאִיכָּא רִאשׁוֹנִים, רִאשׁוֹנִים מַאי הִיא? ״וַיְדַבֵּר דָּוִד לַה׳ אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל ה׳ אוֹתוֹ מִכַּף כׇּל אוֹיְבָיו וּמִכַּף שָׁאוּל״.
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְדָוִד: דָּוִד, שִׁירָה אַתָּה אוֹמֵר עַל מַפַּלְתּוֹ שֶׁל שָׁאוּל? אִלְמָלֵי אַתָּה שָׁאוּל וְהוּא דָּוִד — אִיבַּדְתִּי כַּמָּה דָּוִד מִפָּנָיו.
הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״שִׁגָּיוֹן לְדָוִד אֲשֶׁר שָׁר לַה׳ עַל דִּבְרֵי כוּשׁ בֶּן יְמִינִי״, וְכִי כּוּשׁ שְׁמוֹ? וַהֲלֹא שָׁאוּל שְׁמוֹ! אֶלָּא: מָה כּוּשִׁי מְשׁוּנֶּה בְּעוֹרוֹ — אַף שָׁאוּל מְשׁוּנֶּה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו.
כַּיּוֹצֵא בַּדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״עַל אוֹדוֹת הָאִשָּׁה הַכּוּשִׁית אֲשֶׁר לָקָח״, וְכִי כּוּשִׁית שְׁמָהּ? וַהֲלֹא צִיפּוֹרָה שְׁמָהּ! אֶלָּא: מָה כּוּשִׁית מְשׁוּנָּה בְּעוֹרָהּ — אַף צִיפּוֹרָה מְשׁוּנָּה בְּמַעֲשֶׂיהָ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בַּדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁי״, וְכִי כּוּשִׁי שְׁמוֹ? וַהֲלֹא צִדְקִיָּה שְׁמוֹ! אֶלָּא: מָה כּוּשִׁי מְשׁוּנֶּה בְּעוֹרוֹ — אַף צִדְקִיָּה מְשׁוּנֶּה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו.
כַּיּוֹצֵא בַּדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״הֲלֹא כִבְנֵי כוּשִׁיִּים אַתֶּם לִי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל״, וְכִי כּוּשִׁיִּים שְׁמָן? וַהֲלֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמָן! אֶלָּא: מָה כּוּשִׁי מְשׁוּנֶּה בְּעוֹרוֹ — אַף יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשׁוּנִּין בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶן מִכׇּל הָאוּמּוֹת.
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַׁי וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הוּקַם עָל״ — נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַׁי שֶׁהֵקִים עוּלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה.
״אָמַר אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִי דִבֶּר צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים״. מַאי קָאָמַר? אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ, הָכִי קָאָמַר: אָמַר אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִי דִבֶּר צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲנִי מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם, מִי מוֹשֵׁל בִּי — צַדִּיק, שֶׁאֲנִי גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵרָה וּמְבַטְּלָהּ.
״אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הַגִּבּוֹרִים אֲשֶׁר לְדָוִד יוֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת וְגוֹ׳״. מַאי קָאָמַר? אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ, הָכִי קָאָמַר: וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת גְּבוּרוֹתָיו שֶׁל דָּוִד.
״יוֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת״ — בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בִּישִׁיבָה, לֹא הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב עַל גַּבֵּי כָּרִים וּכְסָתוֹת אֶלָּא עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע. דְּכֹל כַּמָּה דַּהֲוָה רַבֵּיהּ עִירָא הַיָּאִירִי קַיָּים, הֲוָה מַתְנֵי לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן עַל גַּבֵּי כָּרִים וּכְסָתוֹת. כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ, הֲוָה מַתְנִי דָּוִד לְרַבָּנַן וַהֲוָה יָתֵיב עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: לִיתֵּיב מָר אַכָּרִים וּכְסָתוֹת! לָא קַבֵּיל עֲלֵיהּ.
״תַּחְכְּמוֹנִי״, אָמַר רַב: אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הוֹאִיל וְהִשְׁפַּלְתָּ עַצְמְךָ תְּהֵא כָּמוֹנִי. שֶׁאֲנִי גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵרָה, וְאַתָּה מְבַטְּלָהּ.
״רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁלִישִׁים״ — תְּהֵא רֹאשׁ לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת אָבוֹת. ״הוּא עֲדִינוֹ הָעֶצְנִי״, כְּשֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה — הָיָה מְעַדֵּן עַצְמוֹ כְּתוֹלַעַת, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁיּוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה — הָיָה מַקְשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ כְּעֵץ.
״עַל שְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חָלָל בְּפַעַם אֶחָת״. שֶׁהָיָה זוֹרֵק חֵץ, וּמַפִּיל שְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חָלָל בְּפַעַם אֶחָת, וְהָיָה מִתְאַנֵּחַ עַל מָאתַיִם, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֵיכָה יִרְדֹּף אֶחָד אֶלֶף״.
יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: ״רַק בִּדְבַר אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי״.
אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא אִישׁ כְּפַר עַכּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אַחָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם אָמַר רַב הוּנָא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַב הוּנָא לְחוֹדֵיהּ:
so too, the words of Torah, which are “the work of the hands of an artist,” i.e., God, must remain hidden in the study hall.
Despite Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s decree, Rabbi Ḥiyya went out and taught his two nephews, Rav and Rabba bar bar Ḥana, in the marketplace. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard what he had done and became angry with him. When Rabbi Ḥiyya came at some later date to visit him, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi mockingly said to him: Iyya, who is calling you outside? By asking this question Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was intimating that Rabbi Ḥiyya should leave his house. Rabbi Ḥiyya understood that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had taken the matter to heart and was insulted, and so he conducted himself as if he had been admonished, as a self-imposed punishment, for thirty days.
On the thirtieth day, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi sent him a message, saying: Come and visit me. However, he later reversed his opinion and sent him another message, telling him not to come.
The Gemara asks: At the outset what did he hold, and ultimately what did he hold? Initially, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi held that the legal status of part of the day is like that of an entire day, and since the thirtieth day already begun, Rabbi Ḥiyya’s time of admonition had ended. But ultimately he held that with regard to this issue we do not say that the legal status of part of the day is like that of an entire day.
In the end Rabbi Ḥiyya came on that same day. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi asked him: Why have you come? Rabbi Ḥiyya responded: Because you, Master, sent me a message that I should come. He said to him: But I sent you a second message that you should not come. He responded: This messenger that you sent, i.e., the first one, I saw him and I did as he said, but that messenger, i.e., the second one, I did not see. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi read the verse about Rabbi Ḥiyya: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7), as it was clear to him that Rabbi Ḥiyya had merited divine assistance.
§ Concerning the issue with which the entire incident had begun, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi asked Rabbi Ḥiyya: What is the reason that you, the Master, acted as you did, ignoring my instructions not to teach Torah in the marketplace? Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: As it is written: “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets” (Proverbs 1:20), which implies that Torah should be publicized in the streets. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: If you read this verse once, you certainly did not read it a second time in greater depth; and if you read it a second time, you certainly did not read it a third time; and if you read it a third time, then it was not adequately explained to you, as it is clear that you do not understand it properly.
The words: “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets,” should be understood in accordance with the opinion of Rava. As Rava said: With regard to everyone who occupies himself with Torah study inside the privacy of his home, his Torah knowledge will proclaim his greatness outside, as it will be revealed to the masses and they will see his greatness.
The Gemara asks: But isn’t it written: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret” (Isaiah 48:16), implying that the Torah should be taught and proclaimed in public? The Gemara answers: That verse is referring to the days of the kalla, the gathering for Torah study held during Elul and Adar, when many people come to listen to Torah discourses. During this time, it is not only permitted but even recommended to teach Torah to the masses. In this way, the verse can be explained in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.
The Gemara asks: And what did Rabbi Ḥiyya do with this verse: “Your rounded thighs are like jewels”? How did he understand it? This verse implies that the Torah must be kept hidden in the study hall and not publicized in the marketplace. The Gemara explains: He interprets it not as a reference to Torah, but as referring to acts of charity and loving-kindness, which should certainly be performed in private.
This incident demonstrates that, apparently, admonition of those who live in Eretz Yisrael lasts for thirty days and not for seven days. The Gemara answers that this is not a conclusive proof, since Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was the Nasi. The admonition of the Nasi of the Sanhedrin is different i.e., more severe, than the admonition of anyone else.
The Gemara asks: And how long is our admonition in Babylonia? The Gemara answers: It is only one day, as in the case involving Shmuel and the Exilarch Mar Ukva. When they would sit and study halakha, Mar Ukva would sit before Shmuel at a distance of four cubits as a sign of respect. Mar Ukva would conduct himself as though Shmuel were his teacher because Shmuel was much greater than him in Torah matters. And when they would sit together in judgment, Shmuel would sit before Mar Ukva at a distance of four cubits because Mar Ukva was the Exilarch and the chief judge. But they would lower a place for Mar Ukva in the matting upon which he sat, and he would sit on it so that he could hear Shmuel’s words of Torah even when they were engaged in judgment.
Every day, Mar Ukva would accompany Shmuel to his lodgings, in the manner that a student would show honor toward his teacher. One day, Mar Ukva was so heavily preoccupied with a case that had been brought before him for judgment that he did not realize that Shmuel was walking behind him to show him respect due to his position as the Exilarch. When Mar Ukva reached his home, Shmuel said to him: Is it not enough for you that I accompanied you until here? Release me, Master, from my obligation, so that I may return home. Mar Ukva understood that Shmuel had taken the matter to heart and was insulted. Therefore, he conducted himself as if he had been admonished, for one day as a self-imposed punishment.
It was related that a certain woman was sitting alongside a path with her leg extended while she was sifting barley. A Torah scholar passed by her on this path, but she did not yield to him and move her leg to make room for him. He said: How rude is that woman! The woman came before Rav Naḥman to ask if this statement should be deemed as excommunication. He said to her: Did you hear the word excommunication explicitly issue from his mouth? She said to him: No. He said to her: If this is the case, then go and observe an admonition for one day, as it appears that the Torah scholar sought only to admonish you.
§ Zutra bar Toviyya was once reading the portion of the Bible before Rav Yehuda. When he reached the verse: “Now these are the last words of David” (II Samuel 23:1), Zutra bar Toviyya said to Rav Yehuda: If it is written that these are the last of David’s words, by inference there are first words as well. If this is the case, what are these first words of David? Prior to this, it mentions only David’s song, but not his words.
Rav Yehuda remained silent and said nothing to him. Zutra bar Toviyya thought that Rav Yehuda did not hear what he had said, so he then said to him a second time: If it is written that these are the last of David’s words, by inference there are first words as well. If this is the case, what are these first words of David? He said to him: What do you think? Do you think that anyone who does not know the meaning of this verse is not a great man? Why are you stressing the fact that I do not know the answer to your question? Zutra bar Toviyya understood that Rav Yehuda had taken the matter to heart and was insulted. Therefore, he conducted himself as if had been admonished for one day as a self-imposed punishment.
The Gemara asks: But now that we have come to discuss this issue, since the verse mentions David’s last words, by inference there are also first words. What then are these first words of David? The Gemara answers: The first words are: “And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul” (II Samuel 22:1), as that song is also referred to as words.
The Gemara elaborates: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to David: David, do you recite a song over the fall of Saul? Had you been Saul and he were David, then I would have destroyed many Davids before him. Although I decreed that Saul’s kingdom would not continue, as an individual he was far greater and more important than you.
The response to this admonishment is found in the verse, as it is written: “Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjaminite” (Psalms 7:1). Is Cush his name? Saul is his name. Rather, this is a designation that indicates: Just as a Cushite, a native of the ancient kingdom of Cush in eastern Africa, is distinguished by his dark skin, so too, Saul was distinguished by his actions, as he was absolutely righteous and performed many good deeds. Therefore, David uses the word shiggaion as an allusion to the error [shegia] that he had made when he sang a song of praise over Saul’s downfall.
The Gemara notes: Similarly, you can explain the verse: “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses due to the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had taken a Cushite woman” (Numbers 12:1). But is her name Cushite? Zipporah is her name. Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by his dark skin, so too, Zipporah was distinguished by her actions. The Gemara continues: Similarly, you can explain the verse: “Now when Ebed-Melech the Cushite heard” (Jeremiah 38:7). Is his name Cushite? Zedekiah is his name. Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by his dark skin, so too, Zedekiah was distinguished by his righteous actions.
Similarly, you can explain the verse: “Are you not as much Mine as the children of the Cushites, O children of Israel?” (Amos 9:7). Is their name Cushite? Israel is their name. Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by his dark skin, so too, the Jewish people are distinguished by their actions, and they are different from all the other nations.
§ Having mentioned the last words of David, the Gemara continues to explain other expressions in that passage. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The saying of David, son of Yishai, and the saying of the man who was raised up on high [al ]” (II Samuel 23:1)? It means as follows: The saying of David, son of Yishai, who raised the yoke of [ulla] repentance, as through his actions he taught the power of repentance. The word al, on high, and the word ulla are comprised of the same consonants in Hebrew.
The passage continues: “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that rules over men must be righteous, ruling in the fear of God” (II Samuel 23:3). The Gemara asks: What is this verse saying? What does it mean? Rabbi Abbahu said: This is what the verse is saying: The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: Although I rule over man, who rules over Me? It is a righteous person. How is it possible to say that a righteous person rules over God, as it were? As I, God, issue a decree and the righteous person nullifies it.
Similarly, the verse states there: “These are the names of David’s warriors; Josheb-Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite; he raised his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time” (II Samuel 23:8). The Gemara asks: What is this verse saying? Rabbi Abbahu said: This is what the verse is saying: These are the names of the mighty actions of David. These expressions should not be read as names of people but instead as descriptions of David’s good deeds.
Josheb-Basshebeth [yoshev bashevet] indicates that when David would sit [yoshev] in the study hall, he would not sit upon pillows and cushions, as an important person ordinarily would. Rather, he would sit on the ground like one of the students. For as long as David’s teacher, Ira the Jairite, was alive, Ira would teach the Sages while sitting on pillows and cushions. When Ira passed away, David would teach the Sages, and he did this while sitting on the ground. They said to him: Master, you should sit upon pillows and blankets. He did not accept their suggestions, since in his humility he did not wish to appear as the teacher of the Jewish people.
In this verse, David is described as “a Tahchemonite [taḥkemoni].” Rav said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Since you have humbled yourself, be you now like Me [tehe kamoni]. How so? As I issue a decree, and you, owing to your righteousness, may nullify it.
David is also described here as “chief of the captains [rosh hashalishim]” because God said to him: You will be the head [rosh] of the three [sheloshet] Patriarchs. “The same was Adino the Eznite”; this alludes to the fact that when David would sit and occupy himself with Torah, he would make himself soft [me’aden] as a worm, and when he would go out to war, he would make himself hard and strong as a tree [etz].
The expression: “Against eight hundred people, which he slew at one time,” means that he would throw an arrow in the air and with it kill eight hundred people at one time. And David would sigh over the two hundred who were missing from fulfillment of the Torah’s promise, as it is written: “How should one man chase a thousand” (Deuteronomy 32:30).
A Divine Voice issued forth and said by way of explanation as to why the promise was not entirely fulfilled: “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, save only the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (I Kings 15:5). Had David not committed this sin, then all of the promises mentioned in the Torah would have been fulfilled in their entirety through him.
The Gemara returns to the halakhot of ostracism and mentions that Rabbi Tanḥum, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, of the village of Akko, said that Rabbi Ya’akov bar Aḥa said that Rabbi Simlai said, and some say that this tradition was transmitted in the following manner: Rabbi Tanḥum said that Rav Huna said, and others say that Rav Huna himself made this statement without the chain of transmission:
(א) אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה וְאַל תִּתְחַכֵּם יוֹתֵר, אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִבּוֹרַאֲךָ, מְדַבֵּר בְּשָׁאוּל, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל א טו, ה): וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל עַד עִיר עֲמָלֵק וגו', רַבִּי הוּנָא וְרַבִּי בְּנָיָה אוֹמֵר הִתְחִיל מִדַּיֵּן הוּא כְּנֶגֶד בּוֹרְאוֹ, וְאָמַר כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת עֲמָלֵק, אִם אֲנָשִׁים חָטְאוּ הַנָּשִׁים מֶה חָטְאוּ, וְהַטַּף מֶה חָטְאוּ, וְהַבָּקָר וְשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר מֶה חָטְאוּ. יָצָאת בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה, יוֹתֵר מִבּוֹרַאֲךָ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הִתְחִיל מִדַּיֵּן כְּנֶגֶד עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה, וְאוֹמֵר, אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים כא, ד): וְעָרְפוּ שָׁם אֶת הָעֶגְלָה בַּנָּחַל, הוּא הוֹרֵג וְהִיא נֶעֱרֶפֶת, אִם אָדָם חָטָא בְּהֵמָה מֶה חָטְאָה, יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אוֹמֵר, כָּל מִי שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רַחְמָן בֵּמְקוֹם אַכְזָרִי, סוֹף שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אַכְזָרִי בִּמְקוֹם רַחֲמָן, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אַכְזָרִי בִּמְקוֹם רַחְמָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א כב, יט): וְאֶת נֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים הִכָּה לְפִי חֶרֶב, וְלֹא תְהֵא נֹב כְּזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין כָּל מִי שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רַחְמָן בִּמְקוֹם אַכְזָרִי סוֹף שֶׁמִּדַּת הַדִּין פּוֹגַעַת בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א לא, ו): וַיָּמָת שָׁאוּל וּשְׁלשֶׁת בָּנָיו.
(1) “Do not be overly righteous, and do not be exceedingly wise; why should you be be destroyed?” (Ecclesiastes 7:16)
“Do not be overly righteous, and do not be exceedingly wise.” “Do not be overly righteous” – more [righteous] than your Creator; this is a reference to Saul, as it is written: “Saul came to the city of Amalek [and lay in wait [vayarev] in the valley]” (I Samuel 15:5). Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Benaya say: He began deliberating against his Creator.114The word vayarev, generally translated as lay in wait, can also mean to argue or deliberate. He said: So said the Holy One blessed be He: “Go and smite Amalek…[put to death both men and women, infant and suckling babes, ox and sheep, camel and donkey” (I Samuel 15:3); if the men sinned, what sin did the women commit? What sin did the children commit? What sin did the cattle, the ox, and the donkey commit? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Do not be overly righteous;” [do not be] more [righteous] than your Creator.
The Rabbis say: He began to deliberate regarding the beheaded calf and say: The verse said: “They shall behead the calf there in the valley” (Deuteronomy 21:4); he kills and it is beheaded?115The ritual of the beheaded calf is performed when a person is found dead between two cities and the killer is unknown. The elders of the nearest city perform this ritual, in which a calf is beheaded. Saul was uncomfortable with this ritual, arguing that a calf should not be killed because one person killed another. If a person sinned, what sin did the animal commit? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Do not be overly righteous.”
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: Anyone who becomes compassionate when he should be cruel will ultimately become cruel when he should be compassionate, as it is stated: “And Nov, the city of priests, he smote by sword” (I Samuel 22:19).116This was carried out at Saul’s command. Should Nov not be like descendants of Amalek? The Rabbis say: Anyone who becomes compassionate when he should be cruel, ultimately, the attribute of justice will harm him, as it is stated: “Saul and his three sons died” (I Samuel 31:6).
״וַיָּרֶב בַּנָּחַל״, אָמַר רַבִּי מָנִי: עַל עִסְקֵי נַחַל. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְשָׁאוּל: ״לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת עֲמָלֵק״, אָמַר: וּמָה נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה הָבֵא עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה — כׇּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הַלָּלוּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
וְאִם אָדָם חָטָא, בְּהֵמָה מֶה חָטְאָה? וְאִם גְּדוֹלִים חָטְאוּ, קְטַנִּים מֶה חָטְאוּ? יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: ״אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה״. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ שָׁאוּל לְדוֹאֵג: ״סוֹב אַתָּה וּפְגַע בַּכֹּהֲנִים״, יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: ״אַל תִּרְשַׁע הַרְבֵּה״.
אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כַּמָּה לָא חָלֵי וְלָא מַרְגֵּישׁ גַּבְרָא דְּמָרֵיהּ סַיְּיעֵיהּ, שָׁאוּל בְּאַחַת — וְעָלְתָה לוֹ. דָּוִד בִּשְׁתַּיִם — וְלֹא עָלְתָה לוֹ. שָׁאוּל בְּאַחַת מַאי הִיא? מַעֲשֶׂה דַּאֲגָג. וְהָא אִיכָּא מַעֲשֶׂה דְּנוֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים! אַמַּעֲשֶׂה דַּאֲגָג כְּתִיב: ״נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ״.
דָּוִד בִּשְׁתַּיִם מַאי נִינְהוּ — דְּאוּרִיָּה, וְדַהֲסָתָה.
וְהָא אִיכָּא נָמֵי מַעֲשֶׂה דְּבַת שֶׁבַע! הָתָם אִפְּרַעוּ מִינֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְאֶת הַכִּבְשָׂה יְשַׁלֵּם אַרְבַּעְתָּיִם״, יֶלֶד, אַמְנוֹן, תָּמָר, וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם.
הָתָם נָמֵי אִפְּרַעוּ מִינֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּתֵּן ה׳ דֶּבֶר (בָּעָם מִן הַבּוֹקֶר) וְעַד עֵת מוֹעֵד״! הָתָם לָא אִפְּרַעוּ מִגּוּפֵיהּ.
הָתָם נָמֵי לָא אִפְּרַעוּ מִגּוּפֵיהּ! לָאיֵי אִפְּרַעוּ מִגּוּפֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים נִצְטָרַע דָּוִד וּפָרְשׁוּ הֵימֶנּוּ סַנְהֶדְרִין, וְנִסְתַּלְּקָה הֵימֶנּוּ שְׁכִינָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״יָשׁוּבוּ לִי יְרֵאֶיךָ וְיוֹדְעֵי עֵדוֹתֶיךָ״. וּכְתִיב: ״הָשִׁיבָה לִּי שְׂשׂוֹן יִשְׁעֶךָ״.
וְהָא אָמַר רַב: קִבֵּל דָּוִד לָשׁוֹן הָרָע! כִּשְׁמוּאֵל, דְּאָמַר: לֹא קִבֵּל דָּוִד לָשׁוֹן הָרָע.
וּלְרַב נָמֵי דְּאָמַר קִבֵּל דָּוִד לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, הָא אִיפְּרַעוּ מִינֵּיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ דָּוִד לִמְפִיבוֹשֶׁת: ״אָמַרְתִּי אַתָּה וְצִיבָא תַּחְלְקוּ אֶת הַשָּׂדֶה״, יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: ״רְחַבְעָם וְיָרׇבְעָם יַחְלְקוּ אֶת הַמַּלְכוּת״.
״בֶּן שָׁנָה שָׁאוּל בְּמׇלְכוֹ״, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כְּבֶן שָׁנָה, שֶׁלֹּא טָעַם טַעַם חֵטְא.
מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: וְאֵימָא ״כְּבֶן שָׁנָה״, שֶׁמְּלוּכְלָךְ בְּטִיט וּבְצוֹאָה? אַחְוִיאוּ לֵיהּ לְרַב נַחְמָן סִיּוּטָא בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ. אָמַר: נַעֲנֵיתִי לָכֶם עַצְמוֹת שָׁאוּל בֶּן קִישׁ. הֲדַר חֲזָא סִיּוּטָא בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ. אָמַר: נַעֲנֵיתִי לָכֶם עַצְמוֹת שָׁאוּל בֶּן קִישׁ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּת בֵּית שָׁאוּל — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בּוֹ שׁוּם דּוֹפִי, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק: אֵין מַעֲמִידִין פַּרְנָס עַל הַצִּיבּוּר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן קוּפָּה שֶׁל שְׁרָצִים תְּלוּיָה לוֹ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו. שֶׁאִם תָּזוּחַ דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו אוֹמְרִין לוֹ: חֲזוֹר לַאֲחוֹרֶיךָ.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: מִפְּנֵי מָה נֶעֱנַשׁ שָׁאוּל — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמָּחַל עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְנֵי בְלִיַּעַל אָמְרוּ מַה יּוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ זֶה וַיִּבְזוּהוּ וְלֹא הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ מִנְחָה וַיְהִי כְּמַחֲרִישׁ״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּעַל נָחָשׁ הָעַמּוֹנִי וַיִּחַן עַל יָבֵשׁ גִּלְעָד וְגוֹ׳״.
§ Having mentioned the verse about Saul, the Gemara proceeds to interpret more of that passage: “And Saul came to the city of Amalek and he strove in the valley” (I Samuel 15:5). Rabbi Mani said: This means that Saul strove with God, as it were, concerning the matter of the valley. At the time when the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Saul: “Now go and attack Amalek and proscribe all that belongs to him; do not pity him, but kill men and women alike, infants and sucklings alike, oxen and sheep alike, camel and donkey alike” (I Samuel 15:3), Saul countered and said: Now, if on account of one life that is taken, in a case where a slain person’s body is found and the murderer is unknown, the Torah said to bring a heifer whose neck is broken to a barren valley, in the atonement ritual described in Deuteronomy 21:1–9, all the more so must I have pity and not take all these Amalekite lives.
And he further reasoned: If the men have sinned, in what way have the animals sinned? Why, then, should the Amalekites’ livestock be destroyed? And if the adults have sinned, in what way have the children sinned? A Divine Voice then came forth and said to him: “Do not be overly righteous” (Ecclesiastes 7:16). That is to say: Do not be more merciful than the Creator Himself, Who has commanded you to do this, for to do so would not be an indication of righteousness but of weakness. At a later time, when Saul said to Doeg: “Turn around and strike down the priests, and Doeg the Edomite turned around and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod, and he struck Nob the city of priests by the sword, man and woman alike, infants and sucklings alike, oxen and donkeys and sheep, by the sword” (I Samuel 22:18–19), a Divine Voice came forth and said to him: “Do not be overly wicked” (Ecclesiastes 7:17).
Apropos Saul’s contravention of God’s command to obliterate Amalek, the Gemara observes that Rav Huna said: How little does a person who has the support of his Lord have to worry or be concerned. The proof for this assertion is a comparison between Saul and David. Saul failed with one single sin and it was counted against him, costing him the throne. David, however, failed with two sins and they were not counted against him, as he retained his position. The Gemara asks: What was Saul’s one sin? The incident with Agag, king of Amalek, whom Saul spared in defiance of God’s command (see I Samuel 15:9). But was this his sole sin? There is also the incident of Nob, the city of priests, in which Saul later slew many innocent people, as cited above. The Gemara answers: It was after the incident with Agag, and even before the incident at Nob, that God said: “I regret that I have crowned Saul to be king” (I Samuel 15:11).
Rav Huna stated above that David failed with two sins. What were they? One was the incident in which he had Uriah killed. The other was the matter of the incitement of David to conduct a census of the Jewish people (see II Samuel 24:1), which led to many deaths in a plague.
The Gemara asks: But were these his only two sins? There is also the incident of Bathsheba, in which he took another man’s wife as his own. The Gemara answers: There, in that case, punishment was exacted from him separately, so the matter is no longer listed among his sins, as it is written with regard to this incident: “And he shall restore the lamb fourfold” (II Samuel 12:6). The lamb was a metaphor for Bathsheba, and ultimately David was indeed given a fourfold punishment for taking Bathsheba: The first child born to Bathsheba and David died (see II Samuel 12:13–23); David’s son Amnon was killed; Tamar, his daughter, was raped by Amnon (see II Samuel 13); and his son Avshalom rebelled against him and was ultimately killed (see II Samuel 15–18).
The Gemara asks: If sins for which David was punished separately are not counted, one could ask: There, too, with regard to the sin of the census, he was punished separately, as it is written: “And the Lord sent a plague against Israel from the morning until the appointed time” (II Samuel 24:15). The Gemara responds: There, David was not punished personally, in his own body; rather, the punishment was inflicted on the Jewish people.
The Gemara challenges this: There, too, in the incident with Bathsheba, David was not punished personally, in his own body; rather, it was his children who suffered punishment. The Gemara answers: That is not so; he was punished personally, in his own body, for that sin, as Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: David was stricken with leprosy for six months after that incident, and the Sanhedrin withdrew from him in protest over his behavior, and the Divine Presence also left him. As it is written that David prayed: “May those who fear You return to me, and they who know Your testimonies” (Psalms 119:79). Since he prayed for the return of those who fear God and who know His testimonies, referring to the Sages of the Sanhedrin, it can be inferred that they had withdrawn from him. And it is written as well: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, let a vigorous spirit support me” (Psalms 51:14), where David asks for the return of the Divine Spirit, which had left him.
The Gemara asks: And didn’t David commit other sins? Didn’t Rav say: David accepted a slanderous report from Ziba about Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, stating that the latter was pleased with David’s downfall? There was, in that case, this additional sin. The Gemara responds: Consequently, it is necessary to follow the approach of Shmuel, who said: David did not accept a slanderous report, because Ziba’s claim was true.
The Gemara continues: And even according to Rav, who said that David accepted a slanderous report, one could answer that that sin is not counted, as was he not punished for it? As Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: At the time when David said to Mephibosheth: “I say that you and Ziba should divide the field” (II Samuel 19:30), a Divine Voice came forth and said to him: Rehoboam and Jeroboam will divide the kingship. Because David believed Ziba’s slanderous report and awarded him half of Mephibosheth’s field, David was punished by having his kingdom divided into two. Following King Solomon’s death the Jewish people split into two kingdoms, Israel to the north and Judea to the south (see I Kings 12). Therefore, David was punished for that sin too.
§ The Gemara continues its discussion of Saul and David. It is written: “Saul was one year old when he began to reign” (I Samuel 13:1), which cannot be understood literally, as Saul was appointed king when he was a young man. Rav Huna said: The verse means that when he began to reign he was like a one-year–old, in that he had never tasted the taste of sin but was wholly innocent and upright.
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak strongly objects to this interpretation of the verse, saying: You could just as well say that he was like a one-year-old in that he was always filthy with mud and excrement. Rav Naḥman was shown a frightful dream that night, and he understood it as a punishment for having disparaged Saul. He said: I humbly submit myself to you, O bones of Saul, son of Kish, and beg your forgiveness. But once again he was shown a frightful dream, and he understood that he had not shown enough deference in his first apology. He therefore said this time: I humbly submit myself to you, O bones of Saul, son of Kish, king of Israel, and beg your forgiveness. Subsequently, the nightmares ceased.
Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: Why did the kingship of the house of Saul not continue on to succeeding generations? It is because there was no flaw in his ancestry; he was of impeccable lineage. As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: One appoints a leader over the community only if he has a box full of creeping animals hanging behind him, i.e., he has something inappropriate in his ancestry that preceded him. Why is that? It is so that if he exhibits a haughty attitude toward the community, one can say to him: Turn and look behind you and be reminded of your humble roots. This is why David’s kingdom lasted while Saul’s did not, as David descended from a family with problematic ancestry, namely Tamar (see Genesis, chapter 38) and Ruth the Moabite (see Ruth 4:18–22).
Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Why was Saul punished in that he was ultimately led to commit the sins described above? Because at the very outset of his reign he inappropriately forwent his royal honor, as it is stated with regard to Saul’s inauguration: “And some base fellows said: How can this man save us? So they disparaged him and brought him no present. But he made himself as if he did not hear” (I Samuel 10:27). And it is stated immediately afterward: “And Nahash the Ammonite marched up and encamped against Jabesh-gilead” (I Samuel 11:1). The implication is that if Saul had forcefully assumed his throne, Nahash would not have dared to attack the people of Jabesh-gilead. In this way, his humility led to the crisis.
(ה) ואהבת הממון או הכבוד הוא מעכב את התשובה, וזה שאף אם ישוב בתשובה, אם התשובה היא בסבת תועלת ממון או בעבור הכבוד, אינה תשובה, וזה כי כשיקבל עליו שלא ישוב עוד לכסלה צריך שיהיה זה לאהבת השם יתברך בלבד לא לזולת זה כלל, וכן היה דוד אומר שתשובתו ראויה להתקבל לפי שלא היה בה דבר מונע קבלתה, שאמר חטאתי אודיעך וגו׳, אמרו חטאתי אודיעך ירמוז על הכרת החטא, ועוני לא כסיתי ירמוז שלא התנצל על החטא כלל, אמרתי אודה עלי פשעי ירמוז שהתשובה והודוי היתה לאהבת השם יתברך בלבד ולא בעבור הממון והכבוד.
(ו) ולפי שהיתה תשובת שאול כשחטא בעמלק חסרה אלו הג׳ תנאים, אף על פי שהודה חטאו לשמואל שני פעמים ואמר חטאתי, לא נתקבלה תשובתו כלל, וזה שבתחלה היה מכחיש החטא ולא היה מכיר שחטא, כי כשאמר לו שמואל ולמה לא שמעת בקול ה׳, השיב אשר שמעתי בקול ה׳ ואלך בדרך אשר שלחני ה׳ וגו׳, וכשאמר לו שמואל שהיה חוטא בהפצר ההוא יותר ממה שחטא במרי הראשון עצמו שהיה עיקר החטא, ואמר לו כי חטאת קסם מרי ואון ותרפים הפצר, כלומר שהמרי שהוא עיקר החטא הוא כמו חטאת קסם שהוא איסור לאו בלבד, וההפצר שהיה מפציר לומר לא חטאתי הוא כמו און ותרפים שהוא חטא עבודה זרה, והוא יותר קשה מהקסם שהוא עיקר החטא, מתוך דברים הללו הודה שאול שחטא ואמר חטאתי, אבל התנצל על החטא בדברי שקר ואמר כי יראתי את העם וגו׳, ולפיכך לא אבה שמואל לשוב עמו כשאמר לו ושוב עמי והשתחויתי לה׳, והשיב לו לא אשוב כי מאסתה את דבר ה׳, ויסוב שמואל ללכת, לפי שהודאת חטאתו לא היתה הודאה כלל, שהיה מתנצל בדברי שקר, וכשהודה שאול אחר כן שחטא ואמר חטאתי סתם, הסכים שמואל לשוב עמו, אבל לפי שגלה שאול דעתו שתשובתו זו היתה בעבור הכבוד, כמו שאמר ועתה כבדני נא וגו׳, ולא לאהבת השם יתברך, לא נתקבלה תשובתו ונאמר לשמואל מיד שימשח את דוד למלך.
(ז) ולזה לא נמנו בכלל שני מלכות שאול השנים שמלך משם ואילך, תדע שהרי שתי שנים או יותר היה דוד בורח מלפני שאול, שהכתוב אומר שהיה בשדה פלשתים שנה וארבעה חדשים מלבד זמן רב שהיה מסתתר בארץ ישראל במדבר זיף ובמצודה ובכרמל עם רועי נבל, והכתוב אמר בן שנה שאול במלכו ושתי שנים מלך על ישראל ויבחר לו שאול שלשת אלפים וגו׳, ופירושו שאחר שנה שנמשח למלך בחר לו השלשת אלפים והתחיל לעשות המלחמות, ואומר שמלך אחר כך על ישראל ב׳ שנים ולא יותר, ואי אפשר לו שיעשה כל המלחמות שהזכיר הכתוב וילחם סביב בכל אויביו במואב ובבני עמון ובמלכי צובא ובפלשתים וגו׳, בשתי שנים בהיותו רודף אחרי דוד גם כן, אלא שמיום שנמשח דוד למלך לא נמנה מלכות לשאול אף על פי שהיה מלך, שכן תמצא באיש בשת שמלך על ישראל כל השנים שמלך דוד בחברון על יהודה שהיו ז׳ שנים, ואף על פי כן לא נמנו לו אלא ב׳ שנים שעמד מלך בלא מלחמה, כמו שכתוב בן ארבעים שנה איש בשת במלכו וב׳ שנים מלך וגו׳, שלאחר ב׳ שנים שמלך והתחילה המלחמה בין בית שאול ובין בית דוד והיו בית שאול הולכים ודלים ובית דוד הולכים וחזקים, לא נמנו בכלל שני מלכותו, וכן לשאול לא נמנה לו מלכות אחר שנמשח דוד למלך.
(ח) ואולם למה נענש שאול שתוסר המלכות ממנו מפני חטאו ולא נענש עונש אחר, כמו שנענש דוד על ענין בת שבע ולא הוסרה המלכות ממנו, הטעם בזה לפי דעתי הוא שדוד לא חטא במצוה פרטיית שנצטוה בה אחר שהיה מלך, או במצוה פרטית שנצטוה בה בתורה מצד שהוא מלך, אלא במצוה כוללת אותו עם כל האנשים, כי איסור אשת איש או רציחה כוללת כל האנשים, ולכן ראוי שיהיה עונשו שוה לעונש כלל האנשים, אבל שאול חטא במצוה פרטית אליו מפי שמואל אחר שהיה מלך או מצד שהיה מלך, שאמר לו שמואל שבעת ימים תוחל עד בואי אליך, ואמר לו גם כן לך והכיתה את עמלק ולא תחמול עליו וגו׳, ובעבור זה נענש בהסרת המלכות מזרעו ושימות בלא עתו, ועל כן כשעבר על דבריו והעלה עולה בגלגל קודם שיבא שמואל, נאמר לו ועתה ממלכתך לא תקום, כלומר שיפסק המלכות מזרעו, אבל לא אמר לו שימות בחצי ימיו, וכשחטא בדבר עמלק נאמר לו כי מאסת את דבר ה׳ וימאסך ממלך, כלומר שימות בלא עתו ולא יחשב לו מלכות משם ואילך, שהדבר הנמאס לא יקימנו האדם, ועל כן כשהעלה שאול את שמואל על ידי בעלת אוב אמר לו שמואל על אשר לא שמעת בקול ה׳ ולא עשית חרון אפו בעמלק וגו׳, ומחר אתה ובניך עמי, רמז לו שבעבור היות אלו מצות פרטיות אליו היה מת בלא עתו והיתה המלכות נפסקת ממנו.
(5) Love of money and of glory prevents repentance. For if a person repents in order to get some financial benefit or honor, his act is not repentance at all. One must undertake not to return again to folly for the love of God and not for any other motive. Thus David said that his repentance should be accepted because there was no element in it to prevent its acceptance: “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid …” The words: “I acknowledged my sin,” allude to the necessity of knowing that one has sinned. “And mine iniquity have I not hid,” indicates that he did not excuse himself for his sin. Then he says: “I said: ‘I will make confession concerning my transgressions,’ ” to show that his repentance and confession were solely for the love of God and not for the sake of money or glory.
(6) Saul’s repentance when he sinned in reference to Amalek lacked these three requirements, and therefore even though he confessed his sin before Samuel twice, saying: “I have sinned,” his repentance was not accepted. At first he denied the sin, not knowing that he had committed one. When Samuel said to him: “Wherefore then didst thou not hearken to the voice of the Lord …? he replied: “Yea, I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me …” And when Samuel said to him that this obstinacy was a greater sin than his disobedience in the first place, which was the sin proper: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbournness is as idolatry and teraphim,”—i. e.: rebellion, which was the main sin of Saul, is like the sin of witchcraft, which is an ordinary negative commandment, whereas stubbornness, viz. his insisting that he had not sinned, is like idolatry and teraphim, which is more serious than witchcraft to which his main sin is compared—when Samuel said these things to him, Saul was led to admit that he had sinned, and said, “I have sinned,” but he excused himself for his sin by words of falsehood, when he said: “Because I feared the people …” Therefore Samuel refused to return with him when he asked him: “And return with me, that I may worship the Lord,” and replied: “I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord … And as Samuel turned about to go away …” This was because the acknowledgement of his sin was not genuine, since he excused himself with words of falsehood. Later on, when Saul admitted that he had sinned, and said simply, “I have sinned,” Samuel consented to return with him. But since Saul showed that his repentance was for the sake of receiving honor, as he said: “Honour me now, I pray thee …,” and not for the love of God, his repentance was not accepted, and Samuel was told at once to anoint David as king.
(7) For this reason the years of Saul’s reign after this time are not counted as part of his reign. This we infer as follows: David was a fugitive from Saul two years or more, for the Bible says that he was a year and four months in the country of the Philistines, not to count the long time that he hid himself in Palestine in the wilderness of Ziph, in the fortress and in Carmel with the shepherds of Nabal. And yet the Bible tells us: “When Saul had reigned a year (Saul reigned two years over Israel), Saul chose three thousand men …” The meaning is that one year after he was anointed king, he chose the three thousand men and began to wage wars, and after that, we are told, he reigned over Israel two years and no more. Now it is impossible that he should have waged all those wars which the Bible mentions: “And fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines …”—all this in two years, while pursuing David at the same time. The only explanation is that the moment David was anointed king, Saul’s reign was not counted, though he was still king in fact. In the same way we find that Ish-bosheth reigned over Israel all those years that David reigned in Hebron over Judah, namely seven years, and yet he is credited only with the two years that he was king without any wars, as we read: “Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.” After his two years’ reign, war broke out between the house of Saul and the house of David. The house of Saul was getting weaker and weaker, while the house of David was getting stronger. These years were not counted in Ish-bosheth’s reign. In the same way Saul’s years were no counted to his credit after David was anointed king.
(8) There is a question, however, why was Saul punished for his sin by having the kingdom taken away from him, and not in some other way, as David was punished for the Bathsheba affair, without losing his kingdom? The reason, according to my opinion, is that David’s sin did not regard a specific commandment which was given to him after he was king, or a specific command given in the Torah which concerned him as king. His sin concerned a commandment which he had in common with all men, for the prohibition of adultery or homicide is common to all men. Therefore it was fitting that his punishment should be like that given to the generality of men. Saul, on the other hand, sinned in reference to a specific command given to him by Samuel after he was king, or given to him because he was king, for Samuel said to him: “Seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee.” He also told him: “Now go and smite Amalek … and spare them not …” For this reason he was punished by having the kingdom removed from his descendants and by dying prematurely. Hence, when he transgressed Samuel’s command and offered a burnt-offering in Gilgal before Samuel came, he was told: “But now thy kingdom shall not continue,” i. e. the kingdom would be cut off from his descendants, but he was not told that he would die before his time. But when he sinned in relation to Amalek, he was told: “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.” This means that he would die prematurely and that henceforth the kingdom would not be credited to him, for a thing that has been rejected can not be maintained by man. Therefore, when Saul brought up Samuel with the aid of the witch, Samuel said to him: “Because thou didst not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and didst not execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek …; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me.” In these words he indicated to him that because the commandments in question were specifically given to him, he would die before his time, and his kingdom would be cut off from him.
(א) וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח יי אֶת־נָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָיוּ֙ בְּעִ֣יר אֶחָ֔ת אֶחָ֥ד עָשִׁ֖יר וְאֶחָ֥ד רָֽאשׁ׃ (ב) לְעָשִׁ֗יר הָיָ֛ה צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃ (ג) וְלָרָ֣שׁ אֵֽין־כֹּ֗ל כִּי֩ אִם־כִּבְשָׂ֨ה אַחַ֤ת קְטַנָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָנָ֔ה וַיְחַיֶּ֕הָ וַתִּגְדַּ֥ל עִמּ֛וֹ וְעִם־בָּנָ֖יו יַחְדָּ֑ו מִפִּתּ֨וֹ תֹאכַ֜ל וּמִכֹּס֤וֹ תִשְׁתֶּה֙ וּבְחֵיק֣וֹ תִשְׁכָּ֔ב וַתְּהִי־ל֖וֹ כְּבַֽת׃ (ד) וַיָּ֣בֹא הֵ֘לֶךְ֮ לְאִ֣ישׁ הֶעָשִׁיר֒ וַיַּחְמֹ֗ל לָקַ֤חַת מִצֹּאנוֹ֙ וּמִבְּקָר֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת לָאֹרֵ֖חַ הַבָּא־ל֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֗ח אֶת־כִּבְשַׂת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָרָ֔אשׁ וַֽיַּעֲשֶׂ֔הָ לָאִ֖ישׁ הַבָּ֥א אֵלָֽיו׃ (ה) וַיִּחַר־אַ֥ף דָּוִ֛ד בָּאִ֖ישׁ מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־נָתָ֔ן חַי־יי כִּ֣י בֶן־מָ֔וֶת הָאִ֖ישׁ הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה זֹֽאת׃ (ו) וְאֶת־הַכִּבְשָׂ֖ה יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם אַרְבַּעְתָּ֑יִם עֵ֗קֶב אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־חָמָֽל׃ {ס} (ז) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר נָתָ֛ן אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד אַתָּ֣ה הָאִ֑ישׁ {ס} כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר יי אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָנֹכִ֞י מְשַׁחְתִּ֤יךָֽ לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָנֹכִ֥י הִצַּלְתִּ֖יךָ מִיַּ֥ד שָׁאֽוּל׃ (ח) וָאֶתְּנָ֨ה לְךָ֜ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית אֲדֹנֶ֗יךָ וְאֶת־נְשֵׁ֤י אֲדֹנֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לְךָ֔ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָ֑ה וְאִ֨ם־מְעָ֔ט וְאֹסִ֥פָה לְּךָ֖ כָּהֵ֥נָּה וְכָהֵֽנָּה׃ (ט) מַדּ֜וּעַ בָּזִ֣יתָ ׀ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יי לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הָרַע֮ (בעינו) [בְּעֵינַי֒] אֵ֣ת אוּרִיָּ֤ה הַחִתִּי֙ הִכִּ֣יתָ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְאֶ֨ת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ לָקַ֥חְתָּ לְּךָ֖ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וְאֹת֣וֹ הָרַ֔גְתָּ בְּחֶ֖רֶב בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֗ה לֹא־תָס֥וּר חֶ֛רֶב מִבֵּיתְךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם עֵ֚קֶב כִּ֣י בְזִתָ֔נִי וַתִּקַּ֗ח אֶת־אֵ֙שֶׁת֙ אוּרִיָּ֣ה הַחִתִּ֔י לִהְי֥וֹת לְךָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ {ס} (יא) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יי הִנְנִי֩ מֵקִ֨ים עָלֶ֤יךָ רָעָה֙ מִבֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־נָשֶׁ֙יךָ֙ לְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְנָתַתִּ֖י לְרֵעֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁכַב֙ עִם־נָשֶׁ֔יךָ לְעֵינֵ֖י הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ הַזֹּֽאת׃ (יב) כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֣יתָ בַסָּ֑תֶר וַאֲנִ֗י אֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה נֶ֥גֶד כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְנֶ֥גֶד הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ {ס} (יג) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־נָתָ֔ן חָטָ֖אתִי לַיהֹוָ֑ה {ס} וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נָתָ֜ן אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד גַּם־יי הֶעֱבִ֥יר חַטָּאתְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָמֽוּת׃ (יד) אֶ֗פֶס כִּֽי־נִאֵ֤ץ נִאַ֙צְתָּ֙ אֶת־אֹיְבֵ֣י יי בַּדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה גַּ֗ם הַבֵּ֛ן הַיִּלּ֥וֹד לְךָ֖ מ֥וֹת יָמֽוּת׃
But the LORD was displeased with what David had done, (1) and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said, “There were two men in the same city, one rich and one poor. (2) The rich man had very large flocks and herds, (3) but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He tended it and it grew up together with him and his children: it used to share his morsel of bread, drink from his cup, and nestle in his bosom; it was like a daughter to him. (4) One day, a traveler came to the rich man, but he was loath to take anything from his own flocks or herds to prepare a meal for the guest who had come to him; so he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” (5) David flew into a rage against the man, and said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! (6) He shall pay for the lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and showed no pity.” (7) And Nathan said to David, “That man is you! Thus said the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘It was I who anointed you king over Israel and it was I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. (8) I gave you your master’s house and possession of your master’s wives; and I gave you the House of Israel and Judah; and if that were not enough, I would give you twice as much more. (9) Why then have you flouted the command of the LORD and done what displeases Him? You have put Uriah the Hittite to the sword; you took his wife and made her your wife and had him killed by the sword of the Ammonites. (10) Therefore the sword shall never depart from your House—because you spurned Me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite and making her your wife.’ (11) Thus said the LORD: ‘I will make a calamity rise against you from within your own house; I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes and he shall sleep with your wives under this very sun. (12) You acted in secret, but I will make this happen in the sight of all Israel and in broad daylight.’” (13) David said to Nathan, “I stand guilty before the LORD!” And Nathan replied to David, “The LORD has remitted your sin; you shall not die. (14) However, since you have spurned aThe phrase is intended to avoid saying “spurned the Lord”; cf. note d-d at 1 Sam. 25.22.the enemies of-a the LORD by this deed, even the child about to be born to you shall die.”
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה נִבְרְאוּ מֵעֵין דּוּגְמָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וְכוּלָּן לָקוּ בָּהֶן. שִׁמְשׁוֹן בְּכֹחוֹ, שָׁאוּל בְּצַוָּארוֹ, אַבְשָׁלוֹם בִּשְׂעָרוֹ, צִדְקִיָּה בְּעֵינָיו, אָסָא בְּרַגְלָיו. שִׁמְשׁוֹן בְּכֹחוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיָּסַר כֹּחוֹ מֵעָלָיו״. שָׁאוּל בְּצַוָּארוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל אֶת הַחֶרֶב וַיִּפֹּל עָלֶיהָ״.
§ The Sages taught in a baraita: Five individuals were created with a characteristic that is akin to a representation of the One on High, and they were all stricken by that characteristic. Samson was glorified in his strength, Saul in his neck (see I Samuel 9:2), Absalom in his hair, Zedekiah in his eyes, and Asa in his feet. The Gemara clarifies: Samson was stricken by his strength, which led to his demise, as it is written: “And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man and had the seven locks of his head shaved off; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him” (Judges 16:19). Saul was smitten in his neck, as it is written: “Then said Saul to his armor-bearer: Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make a mock of me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul took his sword and fell upon it” (I Samuel 31:4); he fell with his neck upon the sword.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra’s assertion that “Shiloh” is a reference to David is impossible for Judah never possessed a royal sceptre prior to David. And even though the tribe of Judah was honored and marched first in the desert,124See Numbers 2:9. the word sheivet (sceptre) applies only to a king or prince, as it is written: A sceptre (‘sheivet’) of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom;125Psalms 45:7. the sceptre of the rulers;126Isaiah 14:5. a sceptre to rule.127Ezekiel 19:14.
Now this verse before us alludes to the fact that Jacob made the tribe of Judah king over his brothers and bequeathed to Judah sovereignty over Israel. This is what David said: And the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever; for He has chosen Judah to be prince, and in the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.128I Chronicles 28:4.
Jacob said, It shall not depart, in order to allude to the fact that another tribe129Benjamin, for Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. will rule over Israel, but once the sceptre of royalty comes to Judah it will not depart from him to another tribe. This is the intent of the verse, For the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons.130II Chronicles 13:5. The reason for Saul [being appointed the first king over Israel] was that the request for royalty at that time was distasteful to the Holy One, blessed be He.131See I Samuel 8:5-9. Ramban will explain why the people’s request for a king was unpleasing to G-d “at that time.” He did not wish to appoint a king over them from the tribe to whom royalty belonged and from whom it was never to depart. He therefore granted them a temporary royalty. It is this which Scripture alludes to when it says, I give thee a king in Mine anger, and take him away in My wrath.132Hosea 13:11. Having given him unwillingly, He therefore removed him in His wrath, as he and his children were killed133I Samuel 31:6. and his royal line was interrupted. The reason for all this was that at this time Samuel was judge and prophet who was fighting their battles according to the word of G-d, saving them in times of trouble, and it was improper for them to request a king during his lifetime, even as Samuel said to them, And the Eternal your G-d is your king,134Ibid., 12:12. and Scripture further states, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them.135Ibid., 8:7. It was for this reason that He did not grant them permanent royalty. The verse stating, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the Eternal thy G-d, which He commanded thee; for now would the Eternal have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever,136Ibid., 13:13. This verse clearly indicates that had Saul not sinned, his kingdom would have endured forever, which seems contrary to Ramban’s above thesis. Ramban’s answer is stated in the text. means that had not Saul sinned, his descendants would have had sovereignty over some part of Israel, but not over all. This is the meaning of [the expression], upon Israel, [rather than “upon all Israel].” Perhaps Saul would have reigned over the tribes that were descended from his mother,137Rachel. Joseph and Benjamin were her sons, and the tribes of Benjamin, Ephraim and Menasheh were her descendants. namely, Benjamin, Ephraim and Menasheh, as Judah and Ephraim were considered as two nations in Israel.138There would then have been no contradiction between the permanent sovereignty of both Saul and David, as Judah and Ephraim are separate nations. Or again, Saul might have been king, subject to the king of Judah.
In my opinion, the kings from other tribes, who ruled over Israel after David, went against the wish of their father Jacob by diverting the inheritance of Judah to another tribe. Now they relied on the word of Achiyah the Shilonite, the prophet who anointed139We do not find in Scripture that Jeroboam was anointed king. But see Horayoth 11 b, where it is stated that kings of Israel were anointed although not with the Oil of Anointment prepared by Moses. Jeroboam, who said, And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever.140I Kings 11:39. But when [the ten tribes of] Israel continued to crown kings one after another of the rest of the tribes, and they did not revert to the kingdom of Judah, they transgressed the testament of the ancestor, and they were accordingly punished, just as Hosea said, They have set up kings, but not from Me.141Hosea 8:4.
This was also the reason for the punishment of the Hasmoneans, who reigned during the Second Temple. They were saints of the Most High, without whom the learning of Torah and the observance of Commandments would have been forgotten in Israel, and despite this, they suffered such great punishment. The four sons142Judah the Maccabee, Elazar, Jonathan and Shimon, were all slain by the sword. of the old Hasmonean Matithyahu, saintly men who ruled one after another, in spite of all their prowess and success, fell by the sword of their enemies. And ultimately the punishment reached the stage where our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said:143Baba Bathra 3b. “He who says, ‘I come from the house of the Hasmoneans,’ is a slave,” as they were all destroyed on account of this sin.144The Hasmoneans were priests of the tribe of Levi. By assuming the crown of royalty, they transgressed the command of Jacob, who said as long as royalty exists in Israel it should not be removed from the tribe of Judah. All this is elucidated by Ramban further in the text. Now although among the children of Shimon, there was cause for punishment on account of the Sadducees,145Reference here is to Yochanan Hyrcanus, son of Shimon, who towards the end of his long reign became a member of the sect of the Sadducees, who, in opposition to the Pharisees, denied the Oral Traditions. See Kiddushin 66a. all the children of the righteous Matithyahu the Hasmonean were deposed for this only: they ruled even though they were not of the seed of Judah and of the house of David, and thus they completely removed “the sceptre” and “the lawgiver” from Judah. And their punishment was measure for measure, as the Holy One, blessed be He, caused their slaves146A reference to King Herod. to rule over them, and it is they who destroyed them.
It is also possible that, [in addition to the Hasmoneans having sinned for assuming royalty when they were not of the tribe of Judah], they sinned in ruling on account of their being priests, who have been commanded: Guard your priesthood in everything that pertaineth to the altar, and to within the veil; and ye shall serve; I give you the priesthood as a service of gift.147Numbers 18:7. Thus it was not for them to rule, but only to perform the Service of G-d.
In Tractate Horayoth of the Jerusalem Talmud1483:2. I have seen the following text: “We do not anoint priests as kings. Rabbi Yehudah Anturya said that this is on account of the verse, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah. Rabbi Chiya the son of Rabbi Abba said [that Scripture states concerning the king], To the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.149Deuteronomy 17:20. Now what is written afterwards? The priests the Levites … shall have no portion.”150Ibid., 18:1. Thus taeching by juxtaposition that the priests are not to act as kings. Thus the Sages have taught here that kings are not to be anointed from among the priests, the sons of Aaron. Now at first the above text explains that this is out of respect for the tribe of Judah since sovereignty is not to depart from that tribe. Therefore, even if Israel, out of temporary necessity, raises a king over itself from the other tribes, he is not to be anointed so that the glory of royalty should not be upon him. Instead, such kings are to be merely as judges or officers. The reason for mentioning “priests” [when the same stricture applies to all tribes other than Judah] is that even though the priests as such are suited for anointment,151For any priest who is designated as the High Priest enters upon his new duties through anointment (Horayoth 11 b). we are not to anoint them as kings, and the moreso the rest of the tribes. It is as the Rabbis said in the Gemara:152Horayoth 11b. The principle is mentioned there, but Ramban’s quote follows the text of Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Melachim I, 10). we are to anoint only the kings of the house of David.153See Note 139 above. And Rabbi Chiya the son of Rabbi Abba, [who in the above text from the Jerusalem Talmud based the law upon a verse in the book of Deuteronomy], explained that anointing priests as kings is forbidden by a law of the Torah, which says that the priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance154Deuteronomy 18:1. in royalty. This comment is a matter which is fitting and proper.
בבוקר יאכל עד , “in the morning he consumes a foe.” This is a reference to King Saul (of the tribe of Binyamin) the first king of Israel who defeated numerous enemies of Israel
ובערב יחלק שלל, “and by evening he would distribute the spoils.” Even after the sun had set over Israel when Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the Temple, i.e. Israel’s fortunes were like an “evening,” Mordechai (Saul’s descendant) still triumphed over Haman when Esther made over Haman’s house to him (Esther 8,7). (3) A kabbalistic approach: Binyamin combined within him the two “great” emanations (attributes) גדולה וגבורה. This is why the Temple, i.e. the home of the שכינה stood on its territory. The שכינה, of course, is representative of all the emanations (all the ten attributes) Binyamin is compared by Yaakov to the altar which consumes a sheep in the morning and in the evening [the daily communal offerings in the Temple]. It is therefore not difficult to accept the simile of his being like a preying wolf, a predatory animal. Seeing he is so representative of all the ten emanations he was granted ten sons to symbolise this. The words יחלק שלל, are reminiscent of Psalms 68,13 ונות בית תחלק שלל, “the soul in the house would share out the spoils.” The soul of the house, is, of course, the שכינה. This is also why Onkelos translates our verse asבארעיה תשרי שכינתא “in his land the Shechinah will dwell.” (4) Having explained that the name of Binyamin (or Yaakov’s definition of his name) corresponds to celestial attributes and reflects either one or several emanations, let me just say that the same holds true for the names of each one of Yaakov’s sons. If you examine the Torah with your eyes open, you will discover that the colour of the gemstones which had these names engraved in them and which formed a part of the High Priest’s breastplate, reflects the respective attribute and emanation of that particular tribe. For instance, Reuven, whose name symbolized the attribute of Justice had his name engraved on a red-coloured gemstone called אודם, whereas the gemstone on which Binyamin’s name was engraved was called ישפה to reflect the fact that it was a multi-coloured stone. I will get back to this subject when we discuss Exodus 28,15.
(ב) ד"א בנימן זאב יטרף וגו'. מדבר בשאול, בבקר יאכל עד, ושאול לכד המלוכה על ישראל [וגו'] ויעש חיל ויך את עמלק (ש"א יד מז מח), ולערב יחלק שלל, וימת שאול ושלשת בניו (שם לא ו).
(2) Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:27): BENJAMIN IS A RAVENOUS WOLF…. < The verse > speaks about Saul. (Ibid., cont.:) IN THE MORNING HE DEVOURS THE PREY. (Cf. I Sam. 14:47-48): AFTER SAUL HAD SEIZED THE KINGSHIP OVER ISRAEL …74I.e., in the morning of his reign. HE WAS TRIUMPHANT IN SMITING THE AMALEKITES. (Gen. 49:27, cont.:) AND AT EVENING HE DIVIDES THE SPOIL. (Cf. I Sam. 31:6:) SO SAUL DIED ALONG WITH THREE OF HIS SONS.
(ג) ודרך הקדי"ם אפשר לבארם באופן זה דהנה נודע דאיכא למאן דאמר דלמלך אין שוה שיהיה אביו או אמו מישראל לחוד רק בעינן אביו ואמו מישראל מכל צדדיו ואם אחד ממשפחת גרים לא סגי כדמשמע מדברי הרב הנמקי פ' מצות חליצה וכן לדיני נפשות. והרשב"ץ בס' מגן אבות במשנת שמעיה ואבטליון הקשה דאיך מינום לנשיא ואב ב"ד כיון שהיו גרים ותירץ דלא היה בישראל כמותם ובכי האי גונא שרי ע"ש. והרב המאירי בפסקי הוריות ב"י פ"ג ישנו בנותן טעם למאי דאמרו פ"ב דיומא שאול באחת ועלתה לו שנסתלק מהמלכות דוד בשתים ולא עלתה לו ונשאר במלכותו כי המלכות גזרה חכמתו שיהיה משבט יהודה וכששאלו ישראל מלך עדין לא היה ראוי דוד והושם שאול כמו פקיד עד שיהיה ראוי דוד דאתי מיהודה וכיון דשאול לא היה בעצם מלך אלא פקיד בדבר קל נדחה כי קרב הזמן להיות מלך מיהודה והוא ראוי אכן דוד המלך ע"ה כי הוא המלך האמיתי אף דשתים זו אירעו לו דין הוא שישאר במלכותו זהו תורף דבריו ע"ש באורך. ובפ' הערל אמרו כתיב מצאתי דוד עבדי וכתיב שתי בנותיך הנמצאות וכו' ע"ש וז"ש כי ליי מגיננו ולקדוש ישראל מלכנו כלומר דדוד הע"ה הוא דבק עם יי קדוש ישראל וכל מעייניו בו כמו שפירש רד"ק. אז דברת בחזון לחסידך הוא שמואל הנביא השקול כמשה ואהרן ומשו"ה נקט דבר' בחזון חזות קשה כי קשה דבר זה לשמואל הנבי' יען חייו תלוים במלכות שאול ור"ת אז דברת בחזון לחסידך ותאמר שויתי עזר הוא בגימטריא אבדל משאול עם הכולל וזאת חזות קשה שויתי עזר המלכות על גבור הוא דוד הע"ה. וכי תימא הלא במלך בעינן שיהיה ישראל מכל צדדיו ודוד הע"ה מצד א' אתי מרות המואביה לז"א הרימותי בחור מעם שדוד הע"ה הוא מובחר ומבורר מכל העם ואין כמוהו בישראל ולכן שרי אליבא דכ"ע כמ"ש הרב הרשב"ץ ולא אכפת אי אתי מרות המואביה וז"ש הרימותי בחור מעם מצאתי דוד עבדי כלומר להיותו בחור מעם מובחר מישראל כלם לכן מצאתי דוד עבדי שאין כמוהו כמ"ש רד"ק ורמז דאתי ממואב דכתיב שתי בנותיך הנמצאות. ולדעת רר"ק והרב כלי יקר וסיעתם דשאול נמשח באפרסמא דכיא ז"ש מצאתי דוד עבדי שאין כמוהו והוא המלך האמיתי ולכן בשמן קדשי משחתיו שמן משחת קדש לאפוקי שאול דלהיותו כמו פקיד ואינו מלך בעצם לא נמשח בשמן המשחה רק באפרסמון. וזה טעם דדוד בשתים לא עלתה לו ואל זה רמז אף ידי תכון עמו על האחת וזרועי תאמצנו על השנית יען הוא המלך האמיתי כמ"ש הרב המאירי ז"ל. לא ישיא אויב בו כלומר לא יהיה לו האויב כנושה כמו שפירש רד"ק ולפי דרכנו רמז על האויב העיקרי דומה שיצא לטעון ולקטרג על דוד הע"ה כמ"ש בהקדמת הזהר הקדוש ויי ברחמיו למד זכו' על דוד הע"ה והצילו. ובן עולה הוא האויב חיצון למראית העין לא יעננו כמו דואג וסיעתו וכתותי מפני"ו צריו שהוא יראה בשונאיו ומשנאיו אגוף כי היה הגון וראוי לזה. והטעם ואמונתי וחסדי עמו כי הוא קם בכל חצות לילה והשכינה עמו וחוט של חסד משוך עליו ביום וזה ואמונתי כינוי לשכינה כידוע וחסדי חוט של חסד עמו בקומו בחצות. ובשמ"י שאמרתי ויי עמו תרום קרנו שידעו שלא חטא על כן יאמר שכינה עמו והוא בא לידי חטא והוא אומרו ובשמי דייקא רמז על ויי עמו:
(3) Based on the previous comment, it is possible to explain the following. Actually, when it comes to the king, it is not enough if only one parent is Jewish. It is necessary that both his father and his mother are Israelites. Also if someone in his family is a convert it is not sufficient as is stated by the author of the Nimukei Yosef,125125 Joseph ibn Habiba also known as Nimmukei Yosef, after the title of his book was a Spanish Talmudist who flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries. He lived in Barcelona. Like his predecessor, R. Nissim ben Reuben (RaN), Ibn Ḥabib wrote a commentary on the halachot of Isaac Alfasi, entitled Nimmuḳei Yosef, published with the text and the commentary of R. Nissim (Constantinople, 1509) (Wikipedia) in the chapter on the laws of Halitzah and also in the laws of damages. The Rashbatz,126126 Simeon ben Zemah Duran, also Tzemach Duran (1361–1444ן), known as Rashbatz or Tashbatz was a Rabbinical authority, student of philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, and especially of medicine, which he practiced for a number of years at Palma (de Majorca). A major 15th century posek, his published decisions in matters of Halacha have been widely quoted in halachic literature for hundreds of years. (Wikipedia) in Magen Avot, asks regarding Shemayah and Avtalyon how they could be appointed as Nasi and Av Beit Din of the Sanhedrin since they were converts. He answers that there was no one else like them and because of this they were permitted to become leaders of the Sanhedrin.
The Meiri127127 Menachem Meiri was born in 1249 in Catalonia. His commentary, the Beit HaBechirah ( "The Chosen House,"), is one of the most monumental works written on the Talmud. This work is less a commentary and more of a digest of all of the comments in the Talmud, arranged in a manner similar to the Talmud - presenting first the mishnah and then laying out the discussions that are raised concerning it. (Wikip.) in Halachic ruling regarding Horayot, Beit Yosef, Ch. 3 states that there is an explanation given for what is stated in Yoma,128128 BT Yoma 22b “Saul failed with a single sin and it was counted against him, costing him the throne. David, however, failed with two sins and they were not counted against him - he remained in his royal position.” This is because it was decreed that the monarchy would be from the tribe of Judah. When the people asked to have a king, it was not yet fit for David to rule, so Saul was placed in as an interim King. Saul was not the actual king but rather a minor administrator until the king could be anointed from Judah. While Saul was fitting for this position, King David was the true king. Even though he sinned twice and was judged, still the monarchy remained in his hand. This is the essence of the explanation; see what is written there at length.
In the Ch. 8 of Yevamot,the sages say, It is written, “I have found David, my servant.” (Ps. 89:21) and it is also written, “Up, take your wife and your two remaining daughters,” (Gen. 19:15) See what is written there. It is stated, “Truly our shield is Adonai, our king, of the Holy One of Israel.” (Ps. 89:19) That is, because King David clinged to God, the Holy One of Israel, and all his thoughts were with God, as the Radak129129 David Kimhi also Kimchi or Qimḥi (1160–1235), (רד"ק), was biblical commentator, philosopher, and grammarian. explained. “Then You spoke to Your faithful ones in a vision;” (Ps. 89:20) refers to Samuel, the prophet, who was equal to Moses and Aaron, and because of this, received messages in a vision, even harsh prophecies (Is. 21:2) (The decision to remove Saul from the monarch) was especially hard for Samuel since his life was tied up with the monarchy of Saul, the prophet. The numerical value of the opening letters of “Then You spoke to Your faithful ones in a vision, and said, “I have conferred power…” (Ps, 89:20) is 414. In gematria, it is the same as “I will separate from Saul,” (avdel mishaul) when we add in one for the count (414). This was a harsh vision, conferring the monarchy on David. Yet haven’t we said that the King must be an Israelite from both parents, and David was only Jewish on one side, since Ruth was a Moabitess. To this we say, “I have exalted one chosen out of the people.” (Ps. 89:20) David was chosen from the entire nation and there was none like him in Israel. And therefore he was permitted by everyone, as the Rashbatz said. It didn’t matter to them that he was a descendant of Ruth. That is why it says, “I have chosen one exalted out of the people, I have found David my servant,” (Ps. 89:20-21) For there is none like him, as Radak stated. It hints that he came from Moab,as was written, “Your two remaining daughters…” (Gen. 19:15) According to the Radak and the Keli Yakar, Saul was anointed with pure balsam wood while David was anointed with sanctified olive oil to distinguish David from Saul who was only an intermediary and not really the king since he was ant anointed with balsam rather than olive oil.
This is the reason that David was forgiven for two sins. This is hinted at in the statement, “My hand shall constantly be with him,” for one sin, and “My arm shall strengthen him,” (Ps. 89:22) for the second. For he is the true king, as the Meiri has said. “No enemy shall oppress him,” (Ps. 89:24) there shall not be an enemy who takes advantage of him - as the Radak explains. This alludes to the original enemy who sought to prosecute David, as is said in the introduction to the Holy Zohar. God in his mercy advocated positively for David and saved him. “No enemy” refers to the outer enemy (of appearance) “shall oppress him” refers to Doeg and his entourage. “I shall crush his adversaries,” (Ps. 24) when he sees his enemies and those who hate him. “I will strike down those who hate him,” (Ps. 89:24) since this is fitting for them. “My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;” (Ps. 89:25) because he rose up at midnight every night and the Divine Presence was with him, like a thread of lovingkindness pulling him through the day. This is my faithfulness which is another name for the Shechinah, the Divine Presence. And steadfast love refers to the thread of loving kindness that is with him when he rises at midnight. “His horn shall be exalted through My name; (Ps. 89:24) for they know that he shall not sin. Therefore He says, the Shechinah is with him.