Tanach
Shmuel I 17:1-11 שמואל א י״ז:א׳-י״א
Part of: Chapter 17
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיַּאַסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת־מַֽחֲנֵיהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיֵּאָסְפוּ שֹׂכֹה אֲשֶׁר לִֽיהוּדָה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ בֵּין־שׂוֹכֹה וּבֵין־עֲזֵקָה בְּאֶפֶס דַּמִּֽים׃
The Philistines assembled their camps for war, and they gathered at Socoh which was in Yehudah's territory; they camped between Socoh and Azeikoh, at Ephes Damim.
The Philistines assembled their camps for war, and they gathered at Socoh which was in Yehudah's territory; they camped between Socoh and Azeikoh, at Ephes Damim.
Rashi
וְשָׁאוּל וְאִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶֽאֶסְפוּ וַֽיַּחֲנוּ בְּעֵמֶק הָאֵלָה וַיַּעַרְכוּ מִלְחָמָה לִקְרַאת פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
Shaul and the men of Yisroel gathered and camped in the Eiloh Valley; they drew up their lines for war against the Philistines.
Shaul and the men of Yisroel gathered and camped in the Eiloh Valley; they drew up their lines for war against the Philistines.
וּפְלִשְׁתִּים עֹמְדִים אֶל־הָהָר מִזֶּה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֹמְדִים אֶל־הָהָר מִזֶּה וְהַגַּיְא בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃
The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side and Yisroel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side and Yisroel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
וַיֵּצֵא אִֽישׁ־הַבֵּנַיִם מִמַּחֲנוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים גׇּלְיָת שְׁמוֹ מִגַּת גׇּבְהוֹ שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת וָזָֽרֶת׃
A champion came out from the Philistine camps, whose name was Golyos of Gas; he was six cubits and a span tall.
A champion came out from the Philistine camps, whose name was Golyos of Gas; he was six cubits and a span tall.
Rashi
איש הבנים. גבור ליצא ממערכתו, לעמוד בין שתי המערכות:
A champion. A mighty person who went out from his battalion, to stand between the two battalions.2Following the literal meaning of אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם as ‘the man of between.’ However, Maseches Sotah 42b states that the word הַבֵּנַיִם is from the root בנה, to build, i.e., he was as sturdy as a building.—Da’as Sofrim
וְכוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וְשִׁרְיוֹן קַשְׂקַשִּׂים הוּא לָבוּשׁ וּמִשְׁקַל הַשִּׁרְיוֹן חֲמֵשֶׁת־אֲלָפִים שְׁקָלִים נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃
On his head was a copper helmet, and he wore scaled armor; the armor weighing five thousand copper shekels.
On his head was a copper helmet, and he wore scaled armor; the armor weighing five thousand copper shekels.
Rashi
ושריון קשקשים. כמין קשקשות דגים עשוין מברזל, נופלים על גב השריון [ ס"א נקבי השריון ], קשקשת לכל נקב:
Scaled armor. Like fish scales, made of iron, spread over the coat3Not only was Golyos impressive, but his armor also appeared impregnable. (another version: the holes of the coat), a scale [covering] each hole.
וּמִצְחַת נְחֹשֶׁת עַל־רַגְלָיו וְכִידוֹן נְחֹשֶׁת בֵּין כְּתֵפָֽיו׃
On his legs were copper shields and between his shoulders, a copper guard.
On his legs were copper shields and between his shoulders, a copper guard.
Rashi
ומצחת נחשת. כמין יד ברזל היוצא מן הכובע כנגד החוטים, שקורין נש"ל בלע"ז, והיתה מגעת לו עד רגליו:
Copper shields. A sort of iron handle, extending from the helmet, opposite the nose, called nasal in O.F., and it reached his feet.
וכידון נחשת. תרגם יונתן: ומסחפא דנחשא נפיק מן קולסא ומטל בין כתפוהי. פירוש: כמין חנית נחשת בולטת מן הכובע, ונמשכת בין כתפיו, להגן על צוארו מן החרב:
A copper guard. Targum Yonoson renders, וּמְסַחֲפָא דִּנְחָשָׁא נָפֵיק מִן קוֹלְסָא וּמְטַל בֵּין כַּתְפוֹהִי, meaning, 'a sort of copper javelin, protruding from the helmet, and extending between his shoulders,' to protect his neck from [injury by] the sword.4Others translate ‘a copper javelin slung between his shoulders’ because he held other weapons in his hands.
(וחץ) [וְעֵץ] חֲנִיתוֹ כִּמְנוֹר אֹֽרְגִים וְלַהֶבֶת חֲנִיתוֹ שֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת שְׁקָלִים בַּרְזֶל וְנֹשֵׂא הַצִּנָּה הֹלֵךְ לְפָנָֽיו׃
The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam and his spearhead weighed six hundred iron shekels; the shield bearer walked in front of him.
The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam and his spearhead weighed six hundred iron shekels; the shield bearer walked in front of him.
Rashi
כמנור אורגים. תרגם יונתן כאכסן דגרדאין, אינשובל"א בלע"ז:
Like a weaver's beam. Targum Yonoson renders, 'like a weaver's beam', ensouble in O.F.
שש מאות שקלים. כל השקלים האמורים בנביאים, מנים:
Six hundred shekel. All shekels mentioned in the Nevi'im, are 'maneh.'
וַֽיַּעֲמֹד וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־מַעַרְכֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לָמָּה תֵצְאוּ לַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וְאַתֶּם עֲבָדִים לְשָׁאוּל בְּרוּ־לָכֶם אִישׁ וְיֵרֵד אֵלָֽי׃
He stood and called out to the battalions of Yisroel and said to them, "Why should you go out to wage war? Am I not the Philistine, and you, the servants of Shaul? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me.
He stood and called out to the battalions of Yisroel and said to them, "Why should you go out to wage war? Am I not the Philistine, and you, the servants of Shaul? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me.
Rashi
למה תצאו. כולכם לערוך מלחמה, ילחם אחד כנגדי בשביל כולכם, ובתנאי שהוא מפורש: אם יוכל להלחם אתי וגו':
Why should you go out. [Why should] all of you go out to wage war? Let one representing all of you fight against me, and on the condition specified, i.e., "if he will be able to fight me, etc."
הלא אנכי הפלשתי. איני לא שר מאה ולא שר אלף, אלא פלשתי כאחד מן האחרים, ואף על פי שנלחמתי להם כמה מלחמות, אני הרגתי חפני ופנחס, ושביתי את הארון, ואתם נעשיתם עבדים לשאול, ולא הושיע אתכם מימיו בגבורתו:
Am I not the Philistine. I am neither an officer over a hundred, nor an officer over a thousand. I am a Philistine like one of the others, even though I have fought many wars for them. I killed Chofni and Pinchas, and I captured the Ark, while you have become servants to Shaul, and he never saved you with his might.
ברו לכם. בררו לכם:
Choose for yourselves. Choose [בָּרְרוּ] for yourselves.
איש. את שאול, וירד אלי:
A man. Shaul, and let him come down to me.
אִם־יוּכַל לְהִלָּחֵם אִתִּי וְהִכָּנִי וְהָיִינוּ לָכֶם לַעֲבָדִים וְאִם־אֲנִי אֽוּכַל־לוֹ וְהִכִּיתִיו וִהְיִיתֶם לָנוּ לַעֲבָדִים וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתָֽנוּ׃
If he will be able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your slaves; but if I defeat him and kill him, then you will become our slaves and you shall serve us."
If he will be able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your slaves; but if I defeat him and kill him, then you will become our slaves and you shall serve us."
וַיֹּאמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֲנִי חֵרַפְתִּי אֶת־מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה תְּנוּ־לִי אִישׁ וְנִֽלָּחֲמָה יָֽחַד׃
The Philistine said, "I have insulted the battalions of Yisroel this day; give me a man and we will fight together."
The Philistine said, "I have insulted the battalions of Yisroel this day; give me a man and we will fight together."
וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הָאֵלֶּה וַיֵּחַתּוּ וַיִּֽרְאוּ מְאֹֽד׃ {פ}
Shaul and all of Yisroel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were terrified and very afraid.
Shaul and all of Yisroel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were terrified and very afraid.
באפס דמים. כך שם המקום:
At Ephes Damim. This was the name of the place.1It literally means ‘no more blood’ because it was there that the bloodshed between the Bnei Yisroel and the Philistines ceased.—Radak