Tanach
Shmuel I 12:6-17 שמואל א י״ב:ו׳-י״ז
Part of: Chapter 12
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־הָעָם יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן וַאֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת־אֲבֹתֵיכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
Shmuel then said to the people, "Adonoy [is the One] Who produced Moshe and Aharon, and Who brought your forefathers up from the land of Egypt.
Shmuel then said to the people, "Adonoy [is the One] Who produced Moshe and Aharon, and Who brought your forefathers up from the land of Egypt.
Rashi
וְעַתָּה הִֽתְיַצְּבוּ וְאִשָּׁפְטָה אִתְּכֶם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֵת כׇּל־צִדְקוֹת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם וְאֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
And now, stand up, and I shall enter into judgment with you before Adonoy [concerning] all the righteous acts of Adonoy that He has done with you and with your forefathers.
And now, stand up, and I shall enter into judgment with you before Adonoy [concerning] all the righteous acts of Adonoy that He has done with you and with your forefathers.
Rashi
ואשפטה אתכם. אתוכח עמכם:
And I shall enter into judgment. I.e., I shall debate with you.
כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּא יַעֲקֹב מִצְרָיִם וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם אֶל־יְהֹוָה וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן וַיּוֹצִיאוּ אֶת־אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם וַיֹּשִׁבוּם בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
When Yaakov came to Egypt and your forefathers cried out to Adonoy, Adonoy sent Moshe and Aharon, and they brought your forefathers out of Egypt, and settled them in this place.
When Yaakov came to Egypt and your forefathers cried out to Adonoy, Adonoy sent Moshe and Aharon, and they brought your forefathers out of Egypt, and settled them in this place.
וַֽיִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וַיִּמְכֹּר אֹתָם בְּיַד סִֽיסְרָא שַׂר־צְבָא חָצוֹר וּבְיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּבְיַד מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב וַיִּֽלָּחֲמוּ בָּֽם׃
But they forgot Adonoy, their God, and He delivered them into the hand of Sisera, commander of Chatzor's army, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moav, and they fought against them.
But they forgot Adonoy, their God, and He delivered them into the hand of Sisera, commander of Chatzor's army, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moav, and they fought against them.
וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה (ויאמר) [וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ] חָטָאנוּ כִּי עָזַבְנוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַנַּעֲבֹד אֶת־הַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת־הָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְעַתָּה הַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד אֹיְבֵינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃
They cried out to Adonoy, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have forsaken Adonoy, and we have worshiped the Baalim and the Ashtaros. But now, save us from the hand of our enemies, and we will worship You.'
They cried out to Adonoy, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have forsaken Adonoy, and we have worshiped the Baalim and the Ashtaros. But now, save us from the hand of our enemies, and we will worship You.'
וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהֹוָה אֶת־יְרֻבַּעַל וְאֶת־בְּדָן וְאֶת־יִפְתָּח וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵל וַיַּצֵּל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד אֹֽיְבֵיכֶם מִסָּבִיב וַתֵּשְׁבוּ בֶּֽטַח׃
And Adonoy sent Yeruba'al and Bedan and Yiphtoch and Shmuel. He saved you from the hand of your enemies from all around, and you dwelt in security.
And Adonoy sent Yeruba'al and Bedan and Yiphtoch and Shmuel. He saved you from the hand of your enemies from all around, and you dwelt in security.
Rashi
ירובעל. זה גדעון:
יְרֻבַּעַל. This is Gideon.6 Shoftim 6:32. See Maseches Rosh Hashanah 25a.
בדן. זה שמשון, שמשבט דן בא:
Bedan. This is Shimshon who came from the tribe of Don.7בְּדָן=“in Don” or בֶּן דָן=בְּדָן meaning “a member of Don’s tribe.”
ואת יפתח. הרי שלשה קלי עולם, עם שלשה חמורי עולם, משה ואהרן ושמואל, לומר לך, הקל בדורו, כחמור בדורו, כל בית דין המתמנה על הדור, צריך לילך אחריו כאלו הוא אביר שבאבירים:
And Yiphtoch. Here are three insignificant leaders with three world-important leaders: Moshe, Aharon and Shmuel, to teach you that the insignificant leader in his generation is equal to the important leader in his generation. Every court which is appointed over the generation, must be followed as though its [members] were the mightiest of the nobility.8Ibid., 25b. Shmuel indicated to the people that every generation must regard its sages and leaders with the same respect they would give to Moshe, Aharon or Shmuel. Therefore, Yiphtoch in his generation was equal to Moshe in his generation. See Rashi in Devarim 19:17.
וַתִּרְאוּ כִּֽי־נָחָשׁ מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹן בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ לִי לֹא כִּי־מֶלֶךְ יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ וַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃
And when you saw that Nochosh, king of the Ammonites, came upon you, you said to me, 'No, for a king shall reign over us.' But Adonoy, your God, is your King.
And when you saw that Nochosh, king of the Ammonites, came upon you, you said to me, 'No, for a king shall reign over us.' But Adonoy, your God, is your King.
וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם אֲשֶׁר שְׁאֶלְתֶּם וְהִנֵּה נָתַן יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיכֶם מֶֽלֶךְ׃
And now, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have requested. Behold, Adonoy has set him over you as king.
And now, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have requested. Behold, Adonoy has set him over you as king.
אִם־תִּֽירְאוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתוֹ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקוֹלוֹ וְלֹא תַמְרוּ אֶת־פִּי יְהֹוָה וִהְיִתֶם גַּם־אַתֶּם וְגַם־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ עֲלֵיכֶם אַחַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
If you will fear Adonoy and worship Him and obey Him and you will not rebel against the word of Adonoy, then both you and the king who reigns over you shall be; following after Adonoy, your God.
If you will fear Adonoy and worship Him and obey Him and you will not rebel against the word of Adonoy, then both you and the king who reigns over you shall be; following after Adonoy, your God.
Rashi
והיתם גם אתם. ותתקיימו לאורך ימים גם אתם גם המלך:
Then both you. You will live to a ripe old age, both you and the king.
וְאִם־לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה וּמְרִיתֶם אֶת־פִּי יְהֹוָה וְהָיְתָה יַד־יְהֹוָה בָּכֶם וּבַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
But if you do not obey Adonoy, and you rebel against the word of Adonoy, then Adonoy's hand will be against you and against your forefathers.
But if you do not obey Adonoy, and you rebel against the word of Adonoy, then Adonoy's hand will be against you and against your forefathers.
Rashi
והיתה יד ה' בכם ובאבותיכם. כלומר והיתה בכם אחר שהיתה באבותיכם ורבותינו אמרו (יבמות סג ב): בכם ובאבותיכם, חטוטי שכבי, והיא מכת בזיון על המתים:
Then Adonoy's hand will be against you and against your forefathers. Meaning it will be against you after it was against your fathers. Our Rabbis however said, "against you and against your fathers" refers to the digging up of the dead, which is a disgrace upon the dead.9 Maseches Yevamos 63b. When people sin, the past generations are also punished by having their grave sites disturbed.—Radak
גַּם־עַתָּה הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה עֹשֶׂה לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
Now, stand up and see this great thing that Adonoy will do before your eyes.
Now, stand up and see this great thing that Adonoy will do before your eyes.
Rashi
התיצבו וראו וגו'. וכשם שעל ידי תפלתי אני יכול לשנות את העתים, כך אם פגעה בכם מלחמה, היה כח בתפלתי לעמוד על האויב, ולא הייתם צריכים לשאול מלך בחיי, ואף על פי שאני זקן:
Stand up and see… And just as through my prayer, I am able to change the seasons, similarly, if a war befell you, my prayer would have the power to protect you against the enemy, and you had no need to ask for a king during my lifetime,10 Shmuel demonstrated to the nation how unnecessary their request for a king was. Just as ‘ה responded immediately to Shmuel’s prayers for rain, so too would ‘ה answer his prayers to save the Bnei Yisroel from their enemies. even though I am old.
הֲלוֹא קְצִיר־חִטִּים הַיּוֹם אֶקְרָא אֶל־יְהֹוָה וְיִתֵּן קֹלוֹת וּמָטָר וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ כִּֽי־רָעַתְכֶם רַבָּה אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לִשְׁאוֹל לָכֶם מֶֽלֶךְ׃ {ס}
Is today not the [season of the] wheat harvest? I shall call to Adonoy and He will send thunder and rain; then you will know and see that your evil is great, that you have done in the eyes of Adonoy, in demanding a king for yourselves."
Is today not the [season of the] wheat harvest? I shall call to Adonoy and He will send thunder and rain; then you will know and see that your evil is great, that you have done in the eyes of Adonoy, in demanding a king for yourselves."
Rashi
הלא קציר חטים היום. והגשמים סימן קללה, וקשה בעיני הקב"ה להביא פורענות חנם, אף על פי כן יש בי כח, ואקרא אל ה' ויתן קולות ומטר:
Is today not the [season of the] wheat harvest? And rain is a sign of a curse,11 Maseches Ta’anis 12b. and the Holy One, Blessed is He, is reluctant to visit punishment unnecessarily. Nonetheless, I have power, and I shall call to 'ה, and He will make it thunder and rain.
ודעו וראו. כי לא הייתם צריכים לשאול מלך לזלזל בי:
Then you will know and see. That it was unnecessary for you to ask for a king and to show disrespect towards me.
אשר עשה את משה ואת אהרן. להיות נכונים לשליחותו, להוציא אבותיכם ממצרים:
Who produced Moshe and Aharon. To be prepared for His mission to bring your forefathers out of Egypt.