Tanach
Shmuel I 7:5-17 שמואל א ז׳:ה׳-י״ז
Part of: Chapter 7
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל קִבְצוּ אֶת־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּתָה וְאֶתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃
Shmuel said, "Gather all of Yisroel to Mitzpoh, and I will pray to Adonoy on your behalf.
Shmuel said, "Gather all of Yisroel to Mitzpoh, and I will pray to Adonoy on your behalf.
וַיִּקָּבְצוּ הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַיִם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכוּ ׀ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיָּצוּמוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁם חָטָאנוּ לַֽיהֹוָה וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃
They gathered at Mitzpoh. They drew water and poured it out before Adonoy. They fasted on that day and they said there, "We have sinned to Adonoy." Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpoh.
They gathered at Mitzpoh. They drew water and poured it out before Adonoy. They fasted on that day and they said there, "We have sinned to Adonoy." Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpoh.
Rashi
וישפט שמואל. בין איש לרעהו, על עסקי ממון שביניהם, או על עסקי עבירה שעברו:
Shmuel judged. Between two litigants regarding monetary matters between them,7People sought to cleanse themselves of sins that had been committed between their fellow man. They first had to rectify their misdeeds. They therefore went to Shmuel, for him to judge them and to determine who owed what to whom and what wrongs had to be corrected. or concerning sins which they had committed.
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים כִּֽי־הִתְקַבְּצוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיַּעֲלוּ סַרְנֵֽי־פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּֽרְאוּ מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
The Philistines heard that the Bnei Yisroel had gathered together at Mitzpoh, and the Philistine rulers went up against Yisroel. The Bnei Yisroel heard and they were afraid of the Philistines.
The Philistines heard that the Bnei Yisroel had gathered together at Mitzpoh, and the Philistine rulers went up against Yisroel. The Bnei Yisroel heard and they were afraid of the Philistines.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל אַל־תַּחֲרֵשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ מִזְּעֹק אֶל־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵנוּ מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
The Bnei Yisroel said to Shmuel, "Do not be silent from crying out on our behalf to Adonoy our God, that He save us from the hands of the Philistines."
The Bnei Yisroel said to Shmuel, "Do not be silent from crying out on our behalf to Adonoy our God, that He save us from the hands of the Philistines."
וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל טְלֵה חָלָב אֶחָד (ויעלה) [וַיַּֽעֲלֵהוּ] עוֹלָה כָּלִיל לַיהֹוָה וַיִּזְעַק שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־יְהֹוָה בְּעַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַֽיַּעֲנֵהוּ יְהֹוָֽה׃
Shmuel took a suckling lamb and offered it all as a burnt-offering to Adonoy. Shmuel cried out to Adonoy on Yisroel's behalf, and Adonoy answered him.
Shmuel took a suckling lamb and offered it all as a burnt-offering to Adonoy. Shmuel cried out to Adonoy on Yisroel's behalf, and Adonoy answered him.
Rashi
ויעלה עולה. ויעלה כתיב, נקבה היתה, מכאן למדו רבותינו: עולה נקבה כשרה בבמת יחיד, במסכת עבודה זרה (כד ב):
And offered it all as a burnt offering. The כְּתִיב is 'וַיַעֲלֶהָ' because it was a female.8Although the קְרִי is in the male form. From here our Rabbis deduced that a female animal is acceptable as a burnt offering on a private altar.9
וַיְהִי שְׁמוּאֵל מַעֲלֶה הָעוֹלָה וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נִגְּשׁוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּרְעֵם יְהֹוָה בְּקוֹל־גָּדוֹל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהֻמֵּם וַיִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
While Shmuel was offering the burnt-offering, the Philistines approached to battle Yisroel. Adonoy thundered with a great noise on that day against the Philistines making them panic, so that they were routed before Yisroel.
While Shmuel was offering the burnt-offering, the Philistines approached to battle Yisroel. Adonoy thundered with a great noise on that day against the Philistines making them panic, so that they were routed before Yisroel.
וַיֵּצְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן־הַמִּצְפָּה וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּכּוּם עַד־מִתַּחַת לְבֵית כָּֽר׃
The men of Yisroel went out of Mitzpoh and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until below Beis Kor.
The men of Yisroel went out of Mitzpoh and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until below Beis Kor.
Rashi
מתחת לבית כר. מלרע לבית שרון:
Until below Beis Kor. Below Beis Sharon.
וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶבֶן אַחַת וַיָּשֶׂם בֵּֽין־הַמִּצְפָּה וּבֵין הַשֵּׁן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמָהּ אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר וַיֹּאמַר עַד־הֵנָּה עֲזָרָנוּ יְהֹוָֽה׃
Shmuel took one rock and placed it between Mitzpoh and Shein, and called it Even Haezer, saying, "Adonoy helped us until here."
Shmuel took one rock and placed it between Mitzpoh and Shein, and called it Even Haezer, saying, "Adonoy helped us until here."
Rashi
ובין השן. שן הסלע:
And Shein. The peak of the rock.10Or שֵׁן may denote the shape of the rock, i.e. it was shaped like a tooth; and it may be the same crag referred to below in 14:5.—Da’as Sofrim.
וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְלֹֽא־יָסְפוּ עוֹד לָבוֹא בִּגְבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתְּהִי יַד־יְהֹוָה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים כֹּל יְמֵי שְׁמוּאֵֽל׃
The Philistines were subdued and no longer ventured into Yisroel's borders. The hand of Adonoy was against the Philistines all of Shmuel's days.
The Philistines were subdued and no longer ventured into Yisroel's borders. The hand of Adonoy was against the Philistines all of Shmuel's days.
וַתָּשֹׁבְנָה הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר לָֽקְחוּ־פְלִשְׁתִּים מֵאֵת יִשְׂרָאֵל ׀ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֶקְרוֹן וְעַד־גַּת וְאֶת־גְּבוּלָן הִצִּיל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵין הָאֱמֹרִֽי׃
The cities reverted—that the Philistines had taken from Yisroel—to Yisroel; from Ekron to Gas and their surrounding areas, Yisroel rescued from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Yisroel and the Amorite.
The cities reverted—that the Philistines had taken from Yisroel—to Yisroel; from Ekron to Gas and their surrounding areas, Yisroel rescued from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Yisroel and the Amorite.
וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּֽיו׃
Shmuel judged Yisroel all the days of his life.
Shmuel judged Yisroel all the days of his life.
וְהָלַךְ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְּשָׁנָה וְסָבַב בֵּֽית־אֵל וְהַגִּלְגָּל וְהַמִּצְפָּה וְשָׁפַט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כׇּל־הַמְּקוֹמוֹת הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
He traveled year after year, circling to Beis Eil and the Gilgal, and Mitzpoh, and he judged Yisroel in all these places.
He traveled year after year, circling to Beis Eil and the Gilgal, and Mitzpoh, and he judged Yisroel in all these places.
וּתְשֻׁבָתוֹ הָרָמָתָה כִּֽי־שָׁם בֵּיתוֹ וְשָׁם שָׁפָט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבֶן־שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַיהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
He would return to Romoh, for his home was there, and there he would judge Yisroel. He built an altar to Adonoy there.
He would return to Romoh, for his home was there, and there he would judge Yisroel. He built an altar to Adonoy there.
וישאבו מים וישפכו. תרגם יונתן: ושפיכו לבהון בתיובתא כמיא קדם ה' ולפי משמעו, אינו אלא סימן הכנעה, הרי אנו לפניך כמים הללו הנשפכין:
They drew water and poured it out.4Perhaps as Dovid did in II Shmuel 23:16. Targum Yonoson renders, "and they poured out their hearts like water, in repentance, before '."5See Eichah 2:19.ה And according to its simple meaning, it is merely symbolic of humility, [i. e.,] we are before You like these poured out waters.6Water may also be referring to the Torah which is often compared to water. By filling their hearts with Torah, the Bnei Yisroel were able to recognize their sins, feel the need to change their ways and return to ‘ה.