Tanach
Shmuel I 26:15-24 שמואל א כ״ו:ט״ו-כ״ד
Part of: Chapter 26
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אַבְנֵר הֲלוֹא־אִישׁ אַתָּה וּמִי כָמוֹךָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָמָּה לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֶיךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי־בָא אַחַד הָעָם לְהַשְׁחִית אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ׃
Dovid said to Avneir, "Are you not a [great] man? Who is your equal in Yisroel? Why then have you not guarded your master, the king? For someone from among the people came to assassinate the king, your master.
Dovid said to Avneir, "Are you not a [great] man? Who is your equal in Yisroel? Why then have you not guarded your master, the king? For someone from among the people came to assassinate the king, your master.
לֹא־טוֹב הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ חַי־יְהֹוָה כִּי בְנֵֽי־מָוֶת אַתֶּם אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־שְׁמַרְתֶּם עַל־אֲדֹנֵיכֶם עַל־מְשִׁיחַ יְהֹוָה וְעַתָּה ׀ רְאֵה אֵֽי־חֲנִית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת־צַפַּחַת הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽו׃
This deed which is not proper—that you have done. As Adonoy lives, you are deserving of death for not having watched over your master, over the anointed one of Adonoy. Now, look where the king's spear is and the flask of water that was near his head?"
This deed which is not proper—that you have done. As Adonoy lives, you are deserving of death for not having watched over your master, over the anointed one of Adonoy. Now, look where the king's spear is and the flask of water that was near his head?"
וַיַּכֵּר שָׁאוּל אֶת־קוֹל דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר הֲקֽוֹלְךָ זֶה בְּנִי דָוִד וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד קוֹלִי אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
Shaul recognized Dovid's voice and said, "Is that your voice, my son Dovid?" Dovid replied, "It is my voice, my master, the king."
Shaul recognized Dovid's voice and said, "Is that your voice, my son Dovid?" Dovid replied, "It is my voice, my master, the king."
וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה אֲדֹנִי רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי עַבְדּוֹ כִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי וּמַה־בְּיָדִי רָעָֽה׃
And he said, "Why is it that my master pursues his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
And he said, "Why is it that my master pursues his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
וְעַתָּה יִֽשְׁמַֽע־נָא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת דִּבְרֵי עַבְדּוֹ אִם־יְהֹוָה הֱסִֽיתְךָ בִי יָרַח מִנְחָה וְאִם ׀ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם אֲרוּרִים הֵם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה כִּֽי־גֵרְשׁוּנִי הַיּוֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר לֵךְ עֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִֽים׃
And now, let my master the king, hear the words of his servant. If it is Adonoy Who has incited you against me, let my offering be pleasing to him; but if it be men, let them be cursed before Adonoy, for they have driven me away this day from being joined to the inheritance of Adonoy, saying, 'Go serve other gods.'
And now, let my master the king, hear the words of his servant. If it is Adonoy Who has incited you against me, let my offering be pleasing to him; but if it be men, let them be cursed before Adonoy, for they have driven me away this day from being joined to the inheritance of Adonoy, saying, 'Go serve other gods.'
Rashi
ירח מנחה. יקבל ברחמים תפלתי, להשיב חמתך ממני:
Let my offering be pleasing to Him. He will accept with mercy my prayer to turn your anger away from me.
כי גרשוני. מארץ ישראל:
For they have driven me away. From Eretz Yisroel.
לך עבוד אלוהים אחרים. היוצא מארץ ישראל לחוץ לארץ בזמן הבית, כאלו עובד עבודה זרה ויונתן תרגם: איזיל דוד ביני עממיא פלחי טעותא:
Go serve other gods. Whoever goes out of Eretz Yisroel to other lands during the time of the Temple is considered as though he worshipped idols.5See Maseches Kesubos 110b. Targum Yonoson renders, 'Go, Dovid, among nations who worship idols.'6Or the reference to idol worship means that by causing Dovid to flee from his enemies made him abandon his Torah study thereby moving him closer to idolatry.
וְעַתָּה אַל־יִפֹּל דָּמִי אַרְצָה מִנֶּגֶד פְּנֵי יְהֹוָה כִּֽי־יָצָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־פַּרְעֹשׁ אֶחָד כַּאֲשֶׁר יִרְדֹּף הַקֹּרֵא בֶּהָרִֽים׃
Now, let my blood not fall to the earth, away from the presence of Adonoy's attention, for the king of Yisroel has come out to seek a single flea, as one hunting a partridge in the mountains."
Now, let my blood not fall to the earth, away from the presence of Adonoy's attention, for the king of Yisroel has come out to seek a single flea, as one hunting a partridge in the mountains."
Rashi
הקורא. עוף ששמו קורא, ובלע"ז פרדי"ץ, וכן (ירמיהו יז יא): קורא דגר ולא ילד, ומרדף אחר קני שאר עופות, ויושב על בציהם:
As the partridge. A bird named קוֹרֵא, and in O.F. perdriz; and similarly, "as the partridge calls together [offspring] it did not bear"7Yirmiyahu 17:11. and it seeks the nests of other birds, and sits on their eggs.8Maseches Chulin 140b. Dovid compared Shaul’s fate to that of the partridge. Just as the partridge seeks the nests of other birds but the young return to their natural mother and the partridge is unable to keep them, so too, Shaul who chased after Dovid will be unable to keep his kingship.
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל חָטָאתִי שׁוּב בְּנִֽי־דָוִד כִּי לֹֽא־אָרַע לְךָ עוֹד תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר יָקְרָה נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֶיךָ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הִנֵּה הִסְכַּלְתִּי וָאֶשְׁגֶּה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹֽד׃
Shaul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son Dovid, for I will no longer harm you, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have been foolish and have very greatly erred."
Shaul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son Dovid, for I will no longer harm you, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have been foolish and have very greatly erred."
וַיַּעַן דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה (החנית) [חֲנִית] הַמֶּלֶךְ וְיַעֲבֹר אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וְיִקָּחֶֽהָ׃
Dovid then spoke up and said, "Here is the spear of the king, let one of the youths cross over and take it.
Dovid then spoke up and said, "Here is the spear of the king, let one of the youths cross over and take it.
וַֽיהֹוָה יָשִׁיב לָאִישׁ אֶת־צִדְקָתוֹ וְאֶת־אֱמֻנָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר נְתָנְךָ יְהֹוָה ׀ הַיּוֹם בְּיָד וְלֹא אָבִיתִי לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדִי בִּמְשִׁיחַ יְהֹוָֽה׃
May Adonoy reward each man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Adonoy has delivered you today into [my] hand, but I did not desire to send forth my hand against the anointed one of Adonoy.
May Adonoy reward each man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Adonoy has delivered you today into [my] hand, but I did not desire to send forth my hand against the anointed one of Adonoy.
Rashi
ישיב לאיש. לכל צדיק וצדיק:
Each man. To each righteous man.9 Who does as I have done.—Radak. Dovid was hinting to ה׳ that just as Shaul’s life was precious in his eyes, so too may his life be precious in the eyes of ה׳.
וְהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּדְלָה נַפְשְׁךָ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בְּעֵינָי כֵּן תִּגְדַּל נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה וְיַצִּלֵנִי מִכׇּל־צָרָֽה׃ {פ}
Behold, just as your life was precious to me today in my eyes, so may my life be precious in the eyes of Adonoy, and may He save me from all misfortune."
Behold, just as your life was precious to me today in my eyes, so may my life be precious in the eyes of Adonoy, and may He save me from all misfortune."
הסיתך בי. לשנאתי, כל הסתה לשון שומה, אמיטמינ"ט בלע"ז:
Who has incited you against me. To hate me. Every expression of הֲסָתָה means setting;4See Devarim 13:7, where Rashi states ‘הַסָּתָה always denotes inciting.’ametement in O.F.