Tanach
Shmuel I 11:1-10 שמואל א י״א:א׳-י׳
Part of: Chapter 11
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיַּעַל נָחָשׁ הָעַמּוֹנִי וַיִּחַן עַל־יָבֵישׁ גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמְרוּ כׇּל־אַנְשֵׁי יָבֵישׁ אֶל־נָחָשׁ כְּרׇת־לָנוּ בְרִית וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃
Nochosh the Ammonite went up and camped against Yoveish Gilad. All the people of Yoveish said to Nochosh, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."
Nochosh the Ammonite went up and camped against Yoveish Gilad. All the people of Yoveish said to Nochosh, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם נָחָשׁ הָעַמּוֹנִי בְּזֹאת אֶכְרֹת לָכֶם בִּנְקוֹר לָכֶם כׇּל־עֵין יָמִין וְשַׂמְתִּיהָ חֶרְפָּה עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
But Nochosh the Ammonite said to them, "On this [condition] I will make a covenant with you; when we gouge out each right eye of yours and I will make it a sign of shame for all of Yisroel."
But Nochosh the Ammonite said to them, "On this [condition] I will make a covenant with you; when we gouge out each right eye of yours and I will make it a sign of shame for all of Yisroel."
Rashi
חרפה. גדוף:
A sign of shame. An insult.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו זִקְנֵי יָבֵישׁ הֶרֶף לָנוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְנִשְׁלְחָה מַלְאָכִים בְּכֹל גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִם־אֵין מוֹשִׁיעַ אֹתָנוּ וְיָצָאנוּ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
The elders of Yoveish said to him, "Hold off from [attacking] us for seven days while we send messengers throughout all the Land of Yisroel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you."
The elders of Yoveish said to him, "Hold off from [attacking] us for seven days while we send messengers throughout all the Land of Yisroel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you."
וַיָּבֹאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים גִּבְעַת שָׁאוּל וַיְדַבְּרוּ הַדְּבָרִים בְּאׇזְנֵי הָעָם וַיִּשְׂאוּ כׇל־הָעָם אֶת־קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃
The messengers came to Givas Shaul and told the people these words; the people raised their voices and wept.
The messengers came to Givas Shaul and told the people these words; the people raised their voices and wept.
וְהִנֵּה שָׁאוּל בָּא אַחֲרֵי הַבָּקָר מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל מַה־לָּעָם כִּי יִבְכּוּ וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי אַנְשֵׁי יָבֵֽישׁ׃
Just then Shaul was coming in from the field, behind the cattle: Shaul said, "What happened to the people that they are crying?" They told him what the men from Yoveish said.
Just then Shaul was coming in from the field, behind the cattle: Shaul said, "What happened to the people that they are crying?" They told him what the men from Yoveish said.
Rashi
אחרי הבקר. אחר זמן מועד ביאת הבקר מן השדה:
Behind the cattle. After the appointed time that the cattle come in from the field.
וַתִּצְלַח רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים עַל־שָׁאוּל (בשמעו) [כְּשׇׁמְעוֹ] אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ מְאֹֽד׃
The spirit of God passed over Shaul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
The spirit of God passed over Shaul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
וַיִּקַּח צֶמֶד בָּקָר וַֽיְנַתְּחֵהוּ וַיְשַׁלַּח בְּכׇל־גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיַד הַמַּלְאָכִים ׀ לֵאמֹר אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ יֹצֵא אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל וְאַחַר שְׁמוּאֵל כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לִבְקָרוֹ וַיִּפֹּל פַּֽחַד־יְהֹוָה עַל־הָעָם וַיֵּצְאוּ כְּאִישׁ אֶחָֽד׃
He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces, and he sent them throughout the Land of Yisroel—with the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out to follow Shaul and Shmuel, so shall be done to his cattle." The fear of Adonoy fell upon the people, and they went forth as one man.
He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces, and he sent them throughout the Land of Yisroel—with the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out to follow Shaul and Shmuel, so shall be done to his cattle." The fear of Adonoy fell upon the people, and they went forth as one man.
Rashi
לבקרו. לבהמותיו:
To his cattle. To his animals.
וַֽיִּפְקְדֵם בְּבָזֶק וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה שְׁלֹשִׁים אָֽלֶף׃
He counted them at Bezek, and the Bnei Yisroel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehudah were thirty thousand.
He counted them at Bezek, and the Bnei Yisroel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehudah were thirty thousand.
Rashi
ויפקדם בבזק. רבותינו אמרו (יומא כב ב): בשברי חרסים (ס"א, אינו). לשון אחר: בבזק, באבנים, שנטל מכל אחד אבן ומנאם, כמו (לקמן טו ד): ויפקדם בטלאים, שנטל מכל אחד טלה ומנאם בהם, כמו שהיו מונים אותם בחצאי שקלים, ותרגם (משלי כו ח): כצרור אבן במרגמה, היך בזקא דכיפא בקלעא. ובילמדנו: ויפקדם בטלאים, כד אינון מסכנין, באלין בזקייא, כד אינון עתירים, באלין אימריא. לשון אחר: 'בבזק', שם מקום הנזכר בספר שופטים (א ה) וימצאו את אדוני בזק בבזק:
He counted them in Bezek. Our Rabbis said that he counted them using earthenware shards.4 See Maseches Yoma 22b. According to this rendering, Bezek is not a name of a place, but rather a description of the means used by which to count the people. Another explanation is that בְּבָזֶק means 'with pebbles,' i.e., he took a pebble from each one, and counted them, similar to, "And he counted them with lambs,"5Below 15:4. i.e., he took a lamb from each one, and counted them with the lambs, just as they would count them with half shekels.6 See Rashi Ibid. Targum reders, in the verse, "as one who loads a pebble [אֶבֶן] for throwing in a slingshot,"7 Mishlei 26:8. as one who loads a בִּזְקָא into a slingshot. And in [Midrash] Yelam'denu, "And he counted them with lambs," [is explained as,] "when they were poor, [they were counted] with pebbles and when they became rich, [they were counted] with lambs. Another explanation is that בָזֶק is the name of a place, mentioned in Shoftim, "they found Adoni Bezek in Bezek."8Shoftim 1:5.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ לַמַּלְאָכִים הַבָּאִים כֹּה תֹֽאמְרוּן לְאִישׁ יָבֵישׁ גִּלְעָד מָחָר תִּֽהְיֶֽה־לָכֶם תְּשׁוּעָה (בחם) [כְּחֹם] הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים וַיַּגִּידוּ לְאַנְשֵׁי יָבֵישׁ וַיִּשְׂמָֽחוּ׃
They said to the messengers who had come, "So shall you say to the people of Yoveish Gilad: 'Tomorrow there will be a salvation for you by [the time] the sun gets hot.'" The messengers came and told the people of Yoveish, and they rejoiced.
They said to the messengers who had come, "So shall you say to the people of Yoveish Gilad: 'Tomorrow there will be a salvation for you by [the time] the sun gets hot.'" The messengers came and told the people of Yoveish, and they rejoiced.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי יָבֵישׁ מָחָר נֵצֵא אֲלֵיכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָנוּ כְּכׇל־הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ {ס}
So the people of Yoveish said, "Tomorow we will go out to you, and you may do to us as you see fit."
So the people of Yoveish said, "Tomorow we will go out to you, and you may do to us as you see fit."
כל עין ימין. כמשמעו ומדרש אגדה (ילקוט שמעוני רמז קיא): הביאו לי ספר תורתכם שנתנה מימין, ואשרפה, על שכתוב בו (דברים כג ד): לא יבא עמוני ומואבי וגו':
Each right eye. Explain it literally.1As a symbol of everlasting defeat. But the Midrash Aggadah [explains it figuratively, that he said,] "Bring me your Torah scroll which was given by the right hand [of God],2See Devarim 33:2. and I will burn it, because He wrote in it, "Neither an Ammonite nor a Moavite may enter [into Adonoy's community]."3Devarim 23:4. Therefore, Nochosh said that he cannot accept any form of peace treaty with the Bnei Yisroel when the Torah specifically forbids to seek peace with Ammon. In Devarim 23:7 the Torah stated with regard to Ammon and Moav, “You shall not seek their peace or welfare, all your days, forever.” Nochosh therefore wanted to burn the Torah.