Tanach
Shmuel I 13:1-12 שמואל א י״ג:א׳-י״ב
Part of: Chapter 13
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
בֶּן־שָׁנָה שָׁאוּל בְּמׇלְכוֹ וּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים מָלַךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
One year was Shaul in his reign, and he reigned over Yisroel for two years.
One year was Shaul in his reign, and he reigned over Yisroel for two years.
Rashi
וַיִּבְחַר־לוֹ שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּהְיוּ עִם־שָׁאוּל אַלְפַּיִם בְּמִכְמָשׂ וּבְהַר בֵּֽית־אֵל וְאֶלֶף הָיוּ עִם־יוֹנָתָן בְּגִבְעַת בִּנְיָמִין וְיֶתֶר הָעָם שִׁלַּח אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃
Shaul chose for himself three thousand [men] from Yisroel. Two thousand were with Shaul at Michmos and at Mount Beis Eil, and one thousand were with Yonoson at Givas Binyomin; and the rest of the people he sent off, each man to his tent.
Shaul chose for himself three thousand [men] from Yisroel. Two thousand were with Shaul at Michmos and at Mount Beis Eil, and one thousand were with Yonoson at Givas Binyomin; and the rest of the people he sent off, each man to his tent.
וַיַּךְ יוֹנָתָן אֵת נְצִיב פְּלִשְׁתִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּגֶבַע וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ פְּלִשְׁתִּים וְשָׁאוּל תָּקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּכׇל־הָאָרֶץ לֵאמֹר יִשְׁמְעוּ הָעִבְרִֽים׃
Yonoson slew the Philistine governor in Geva, and the Philistines heard about it. Shaul blew the shofar throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."
Yonoson slew the Philistine governor in Geva, and the Philistines heard about it. Shaul blew the shofar throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."
Rashi
את נציב פלשתים. סרדיוט שהיה להם על ישראל, והושיבוהו בגבעת בנימן:
The Philistine governor. They had a government official [who ruled] over Yisroel and they stationed him in Givas Binyomin.2Yonoson assassinated him as an open act of rebellion against the Philistines.—Radak
ישמעו העברים. שמרדנו בפלשתים, וישמרו מהם:
Let the Hebrews hear. That we have rebelled against the Philistines and they should beware of them.
וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁמְעוּ לֵאמֹר הִכָּה שָׁאוּל אֶת־נְצִיב פְּלִשְׁתִּים וְגַם־נִבְאַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּצָּעֲקוּ הָעָם אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃
All Yisroel heard, saying, "Shaul had killed the Philistine governor, and that Yisroel has become hateful to the Philistines." The people were called up to follow Shaul to Gilgol.
All Yisroel heard, saying, "Shaul had killed the Philistine governor, and that Yisroel has become hateful to the Philistines." The people were called up to follow Shaul to Gilgol.
Rashi
וגם נבאש ישראל. נבאש ריחם בפלשתים, לשון 'שנאה':
And that Yisroel has become hateful. Literally, they have come in bad odor with the Philistines, an expression of hatred.
אחרי שאול הגלגל. הוא שאמר לו שמואל (לעיל י ח) וירדת לפני הגלגל:
To follow Shaul to Gilgol. This is what Shmuel had said to him, "you shall go down to Gilgol ahead of me."3Above 10:8.
וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֶסְפוּ ׀ לְהִלָּחֵם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף רֶכֶב וְשֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים פָּרָשִׁים וְעָם כַּחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל־שְׂפַֽת־הַיָּם לָרֹב וַֽיַּעֲלוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְמִכְמָשׂ קִדְמַת בֵּית אָֽוֶן׃
The Philistines gathered to wage war against Yisroel; thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand of the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmos, to the east of Beis Oven.
The Philistines gathered to wage war against Yisroel; thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand of the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmos, to the east of Beis Oven.
Rashi
קדמת בית און. במזרח בית און:
To the east of Beis Oven. [קִדְמַת] meaning the east of Beis Oven.
וְאִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאוּ כִּי צַר־לוֹ כִּי נִגַּשׂ הָעָם וַיִּֽתְחַבְּאוּ הָעָם בַּמְּעָרוֹת וּבַֽחֲוָחִים וּבַסְּלָעִים וּבַצְּרִחִים וּבַבֹּרֽוֹת׃
The men of Yisroel saw that they were in distress, for the people were in dire straits, so the people hid in caves, in thorn bushes, among rocks, in towers and in pits.
The men of Yisroel saw that they were in distress, for the people were in dire straits, so the people hid in caves, in thorn bushes, among rocks, in towers and in pits.
Rashi
ובחוחים. מקום קבוצת חוחים, שפנ"י בלע"ז:
In thorn bushes. A place where thorns are concentrated; espineid in O.F.
ובצרחים. פליישי"ץ בלע"ז:
In the towers. Pleisiz in O.F.
ובבורות. גומות:
And in pits. Cisterns.
וְעִבְרִים עָֽבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן אֶרֶץ גָּד וְגִלְעָד וְשָׁאוּל עוֹדֶנּוּ בַגִּלְגָּל וְכׇל־הָעָם חָֽרְדוּ אַחֲרָֽיו׃
Some Hebrews crossed the Yardein to the land of Gad and Gilad. Shaul was still in Gilgol, and all the people hurried after him.
Some Hebrews crossed the Yardein to the land of Gad and Gilad. Shaul was still in Gilgol, and all the people hurried after him.
Rashi
עברו את הירדן ארץ גד. לברוח מפני פלשתים, שהפלשתים היו בארץ כנען בעבר הירדן ימה:
Crossed the Yardein to the land of Gad. To escape from the Philistines, because the Philistines were in the land of Canaan on the west side of the Yardein.
חרדו אחריו. מהרו ללכת אחריו:
Hurried after him. They hurried to go after him.4 I.e., to join forces with Shaul.
(וייחל) [וַיּוֹחֶל ׀] שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר שְׁמוּאֵל וְלֹא־בָא שְׁמוּאֵל הַגִּלְגָּל וַיָּפֶץ הָעָם מֵעָלָֽיו׃
He waited seven days, till the time set by Shmuel; but Shmuel did not come to Gilgol, so the people disbanded from him.
He waited seven days, till the time set by Shmuel; but Shmuel did not come to Gilgol, so the people disbanded from him.
Rashi
ויוחל. המתין:
He waited. He waited.5 See Bereishis 8:10.
למועד אשר שמואל. הרי זה מקרא חסר תיבה אחת, למועד אשר שם שמואל' או למועד אשר לשמואל, ודוגמא לו (שמואל-ב ד ב): ושני אנשים שרי גדודים היו בן שאול, היה לו לכתוב לבן שאול, אף כאן אשר לשמואל, שאמר לו (לעיל י ח) שבעת ימים תוחל עד בואי אליך:
Till the time set by Shmuel. This verse has a missing word. [The verse means to say], "till the appointed time set by Shmuel," or "to the appointed time of Shmuel." An example of this is, "And two men, officers of troops were the son of Shaul." Scripture should have written, "were to the son of Shaul."6 II Shmuel 4:2. Here too, "which was set by Shmuel," who had said to him, "Wait seven days until I come to you."7Above 10:8.
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל הַגִּשׁוּ אֵלַי הָעֹלָה וְהַשְּׁלָמִים וַיַּעַל הָעֹלָֽה׃
Shaul said, "Bring me the burnt-offering and the peace-offering." And he sacrificed the burnt-offering.
Shaul said, "Bring me the burnt-offering and the peace-offering." And he sacrificed the burnt-offering.
Rashi
הגישו אלי העולה. זר מותר להקריב בבמה:
Bring me the burnt-offering. A non-kohein is permitted to sacrifice on a high place.
וַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹת הָעֹלָה וְהִנֵּה שְׁמוּאֵל בָּא וַיֵּצֵא שָׁאוּל לִקְרָאתוֹ לְבָרְכֽוֹ׃
Just as he finished sacrificing the burnt-offering, behold, Shmuel came, and Shaul went out to meet and greet him.
Just as he finished sacrificing the burnt-offering, behold, Shmuel came, and Shaul went out to meet and greet him.
וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל מֶה עָשִׂיתָ וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל כִּֽי־רָאִיתִי כִֽי־נָפַץ הָעָם מֵעָלַי וְאַתָּה לֹֽא־בָאתָ לְמוֹעֵד הַיָּמִים וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֱסָפִים מִכְמָֽשׂ׃
Shmuel said, "What have you done?" And Shaul said, "Because I saw that the people were disbanding from me, and you had not come at the appointed day, and that the Philistines were gathering at Michmos.
Shmuel said, "What have you done?" And Shaul said, "Because I saw that the people were disbanding from me, and you had not come at the appointed day, and that the Philistines were gathering at Michmos.
Rashi
מה עשית. הלא אמרתי לך הנני יורד אליך להעלות העולה, אני אעלה אותה, ולא אתה:
What have you done? Did I not say to you, "I will go down to you to offer the burnt-offering?" I will offer it up, and not you.
למועד הימים. בתחלת היום:
At the appointed day. At the beginning of the [appointed] day.
וָאֹמַר עַתָּה יֵרְדוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֵלַי הַגִּלְגָּל וּפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לֹא חִלִּיתִי וָֽאֶתְאַפַּק וָאַעֲלֶה הָעֹלָֽה׃ {ס}
And I said [to myself], 'Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgol, and I have not supplicated before Adonoy, so I forced myself and sacrificed the burnt-offering.'"
And I said [to myself], 'Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgol, and I have not supplicated before Adonoy, so I forced myself and sacrificed the burnt-offering.'"
Rashi
ואתאפק. נתחזקתי על רצוני, שהיה לבי אומר להמתין לך, על כרחי העמדתי את לבי ואעלה העולה:
So I forced myself. I overcame my will, for my heart told me to wait for you, and against my will I suppressed my heart, and offered the burnt-offering.8 Shaul realized that it was not proper for him to offer the sacrifice. But he saw that the people who had gathered became impatient and began to desert him for his not taking action. Therefore, in desperation he overcame his inclination to wait longer for Shmuel’s arrival and acted against his better judgement.
בן שנה שאול במלכו. אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא כב ב): כבן שנה, שלא טעם טעם חטא. ויש לפתור: בן שנה שאול במלכו, בשנה ראשונה שהומלך בה, והוא מלך שתי שנים על ישראל, ובשנה ראשונה, מיד: ויבחר לו שאול שלשת אלפים:
One year was Shaul in his reign. Our Rabbis, of sainted memory, said,1 Maseches Yoma 22b. [Shaul was] like a one year old, who did not experience the taste of sin. It may also be interpreted, "Shaul was a year in his reign," i.e., in the first year in which he was made king, though he actually ruled over Yisroel two years, in the first year, immediately, "Shaul chose for himself three thousand [men]."