Tanach
Shmuel I 17:37-44 שמואל א י״ז:ל״ז-מ״ד
Part of: Chapter 17Setumah, I Samuel 17:37
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּלַנִי מִיַּד הָֽאֲרִי וּמִיַּד הַדֹּב הוּא יַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַזֶּה {ס} וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־דָּוִד לֵךְ וַיהֹוָה יִהְיֶה עִמָּֽךְ׃
Then Dovid said, "Adonoy Who saved me from the claws of the lion and from the claws of the bear, He will rescue me from the hands of this Philistine." Shaul said to Dovid, "Go, and may Adonoy be with you."
Then Dovid said, "Adonoy Who saved me from the claws of the lion and from the claws of the bear, He will rescue me from the hands of this Philistine." Shaul said to Dovid, "Go, and may Adonoy be with you."
Rashi
וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל אֶת־דָּוִד מַדָּיו וְנָתַן קוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ שִׁרְיֽוֹן׃
Shaul dressed Dovid in his own battle garments, and put a copper helmet on his head and dressed him in armor.
Shaul dressed Dovid in his own battle garments, and put a copper helmet on his head and dressed him in armor.
Rashi
את דוד מדיו. נהפכו להיות כמדת דוד משנמשח בשמן המשחה, אף שהיו של שאול שהיה גבוה מכל העם משכמו ומעלה (לעיל ט ב), וכיון שראה שאול כן, הכניס בו עין הרע, והרגיש דוד בדבר:
Dovid in his own battle garments. They changed and became Dovid's size,19The word מַדָיו is derived from מִדָה [=measure]. since he had been anointed with the anointing oil,20See Maseches Yevamos 76b. although they belonged to Shaul who was taller than all of the other people, from his shoulder and upward.21Above 9:2. And when Shaul noted this, he cast an envious glance toward him, and Dovid realized it.
וַיַּחְגֹּר דָּוִד אֶת־חַרְבּוֹ מֵעַל לְמַדָּיו וַיֹּאֶל לָלֶכֶת כִּי לֹֽא־נִסָּה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־שָׁאוּל לֹא אוּכַל לָלֶכֶת בָּאֵלֶּה כִּי לֹא נִסִּיתִי וַיְסִרֵם דָּוִד מֵעָלָֽיו׃
Dovid girded his sword over his battle garments. But he did not want to go out [in Shaul's battle garments], for he was not accustomed [to them]; so Dovid said to Shaul, "I am unable to walk with these, for I am not accustomed [to them]," and Dovid removed them from himself.
Dovid girded his sword over his battle garments. But he did not want to go out [in Shaul's battle garments], for he was not accustomed [to them]; so Dovid said to Shaul, "I am unable to walk with these, for I am not accustomed [to them]," and Dovid removed them from himself.
Rashi
ויואל ללכת. תרגם יונתן: ולא אבה למיזל. יש תיבות משמשות לשון וחילופו, כמו (ישעיהו י לג): מסעף פארה ; (תהלים נב ז): ושרשך מארץ חיים:
But he did not want to go out. Targum Yonoson renders "and he did not want to go."22Although וַיאֶׁל usually means ‘he wanted’ as in Shemos 2:21. There are words which have two opposite definitions, as in "will cut off [מְסָעֵף] a branch,"23Yeshayahu 10:33. [derived from סָעִיף, a branch]. [Also,] "and he will uproot you [וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךְ] from the land of the living," [derived from שׁוֹרֶש, a root].24Tehillim 52:7.
כי לא נסה. (תרגום:) ארי לא אליף:
For he was not accustomed. I.e., because he was not accustomed.
כי לא נסיתי. (תרגום:) ארי לית בהון ניסא, אין שבחו של נס בכך. לשון אחר: ויואל ללכת, רצה ללכת ולנסות, וכאשר ראה שהיו כבדים עליו, הסירם:
For I am not accustomed. [Targum renders] 'for their is no miracle [נֵס] in them,' [meaning] there will be no praise for the miracle in this manner.25Dovid wanted it to be clear to all that his victory was achieved solely by the intervention of ה׳. Another explanation why Dovid refused to wear Shaul’s battle garments was because he feared that by doing so would arouse Shaul’s jealousy thereby aggravating Shaul.—Da’as Sofrim Another explanation of ,וַיאֶׁל לָלֶכֶת is, 'he wanted to go, and to try [wearing Shaul's battle garments],' but when he saw that they were too heavy for him, he took them off.
וַיִּקַּח מַקְלוֹ בְּיָדוֹ וַיִּבְחַר־לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה חַלֻּקֵֽי־אֲבָנִים ׀ מִן־הַנַּחַל וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָם בִּכְלִי הָרֹעִים אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וּבַיַּלְקוּט וְקַלְעוֹ בְיָדוֹ וַיִּגַּשׁ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי׃
He took his staff in his hand and picked out five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; he then approached the Philistine.
He took his staff in his hand and picked out five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; he then approached the Philistine.
Rashi
חלוקי אבנים. אבנים דקות וחלקות:
Smooth stones. Thin and smooth stones.
ובילקוט. ובתרמיליה (תרגום:):
And in his pouch. [Targum Yonoson renders] 'and in his pack.'
וַיֵּלֶךְ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הֹלֵךְ וְקָרֵב אֶל־דָּוִד וְהָאִישׁ נֹשֵׂא הַצִּנָּה לְפָנָֽיו׃
The Philistine approached, going closer and closer to Dovid, and the man carrying his shield was in front of him.
The Philistine approached, going closer and closer to Dovid, and the man carrying his shield was in front of him.
וַיַּבֵּט הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיִּרְאֶה אֶת־דָּוִד וַיִּבְזֵהוּ כִּֽי־הָיָה נַעַר וְאַדְמֹנִי עִם־יְפֵה מַרְאֶֽה׃
The Philistine looked and he saw Dovid, and he scorned him, for he was a youth, with a reddish complexion and handsome.
The Philistine looked and he saw Dovid, and he scorned him, for he was a youth, with a reddish complexion and handsome.
וַיֹּאמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד הֲכֶלֶב אָנֹכִי כִּֽי־אַתָּה בָֽא־אֵלַי בַּמַּקְלוֹת וַיְקַלֵּל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶת־דָּוִד בֵּאלֹהָֽיו׃
The Philistine said to Dovid, "Am I a dog that you come after me with sticks?" and the Philistine cursed Dovid by his god.
The Philistine said to Dovid, "Am I a dog that you come after me with sticks?" and the Philistine cursed Dovid by his god.
וַיֹּאמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד לְכָה אֵלַי וְאֶתְּנָה אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְבֶהֱמַת הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ {ס}
The Philistine said to Dovid, "Come to me, and I will offer your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field."
The Philistine said to Dovid, "Come to me, and I will offer your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field."
Rashi
ולבהמת השדה. אין דרך לבהמות לאכול אדם, אמר דוד: כבר נטרפה דעתו של זה, שלי הוא, בא דוד ואמר לו: ונתתי פגר מחנה פלשתים וגו' ולחית הארץ:
And to the cattle of the field. It is not customary for cattle to eat human flesh. Dovid said [to himself], 'This one's mind is already deranged; He is mine.' Dovid [seeing this] said, 'and I will offer the carcasses of the Philistine camp …and to the beasts of the earth.'
ה' אשר הצילני מיד הארי. יודע אני שלא לחנם נזדמן לי הדבר ההוא, אלא שלעתיד אני בא לידי כיוצא בה לתשועת ישראל, ואסמוך עליה ואצא וזה אחד משני צדיקים שנתן להם רמז, וחשו להשכיל לדבר, דוד ומרדכי, שנאמר (אסתר ב יא): ובכל יום ויום מרדכי מתהלך לפני חצר וגו', אמר: לא לחנם עלתה בצדקת זו שנתפסה במשכב הערל הזה, אלא שעתידה היא לעמוד לישראל ביום צרה:
Adonoy Who saved me from the claws of the lion. I know that this incident did not occur to me for naught, but as an indication that in the future, I would be confronted with similar circumstances, as a salvation for Yisroel. I will therefore rely on this, and go out. And he was one of two righteous men, to whom [God] gave a hint, and they understood the matter, Dovid and Mordechai, as it is stated: "And every day Mordechai would walk before the courtyard…"18Megillas Esther 2:11. He said [to himself], 'It is not for naught that this righteous woman [Esther] has been taken into the bed of this uncircumcised one [Achashveirosh]. It can only mean that she is destined to stand up on behalf of Yisroel at a time of distress.'