Tanach
Shmuel I 9:1-14 שמואל א ט׳:א׳-י״ד
Part of: Chapter 9
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיְהִי־אִישׁ (מבן ימין) [מִבִּנְיָמִין] וּשְׁמוֹ קִישׁ בֶּן־אֲבִיאֵל בֶּן־צְרוֹר בֶּן־בְּכוֹרַת בֶּן־אֲפִיחַ בֶּן־אִישׁ יְמִינִי גִּבּוֹר חָֽיִל׃
There was a man of Binyomin whose name was Kish, son of Avieil, son of Tzeror, son of Bechoras, son of Aphiach, son of a Binyominite, a mighty man of valor.
There was a man of Binyomin whose name was Kish, son of Avieil, son of Tzeror, son of Bechoras, son of Aphiach, son of a Binyominite, a mighty man of valor.
וְלוֹ־הָיָה בֵן וּשְׁמוֹ שָׁאוּל בָּחוּר וָטוֹב וְאֵין אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמַעְלָה גָּבֹהַּ מִכׇּל־הָעָֽם׃
He had a son whose name was Shaul. He was young and handsome; not a man of Bnei Yisroel was more handsome than he. From his shoulders up, he was taller than any of the people.
He had a son whose name was Shaul. He was young and handsome; not a man of Bnei Yisroel was more handsome than he. From his shoulders up, he was taller than any of the people.
וַתֹּאבַדְנָה הָאֲתֹנוֹת לְקִישׁ אֲבִי שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר קִישׁ אֶל־שָׁאוּל בְּנוֹ קַח־נָא אִתְּךָ אֶת־אַחַד מֵֽהַנְּעָרִים וְקוּם לֵךְ בַּקֵּשׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנֹֽת׃
The donkeys of Kish, Shaul's father, became lost, and Kish said to Shaul his son, "Please take one of the youths with you, rise, go and search for the donkeys."
The donkeys of Kish, Shaul's father, became lost, and Kish said to Shaul his son, "Please take one of the youths with you, rise, go and search for the donkeys."
וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּהַר־אֶפְרַיִם וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־שָׁלִשָׁה וְלֹא מָצָאוּ וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְאֶרֶץ־שַֽׁעֲלִים וָאַיִן וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּאֶרֶץ־יְמִינִי וְלֹא מָצָֽאוּ׃
He passed through Mount Ephrayim and he passed through the land of Sholishoh, but they did not find them. They passed through the land of Sha'alim, but they were not there; and he passed through the land of Binyomin but they did not find them.
He passed through Mount Ephrayim and he passed through the land of Sholishoh, but they did not find them. They passed through the land of Sha'alim, but they were not there; and he passed through the land of Binyomin but they did not find them.
הֵמָּה בָּאוּ בְּאֶרֶץ צוּף וְשָׁאוּל אָמַר לְנַעֲרוֹ אֲשֶׁר־עִמּוֹ לְכָה וְנָשׁוּבָה פֶּן־יֶחְדַּל אָבִי מִן־הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְדָאַג לָֽנוּ׃
They came to the land of Tzuph and Shaul said to his youth who was with him, "Come let us return, lest my father stop worrying about the donkeys and worry about us."
They came to the land of Tzuph and Shaul said to his youth who was with him, "Come let us return, lest my father stop worrying about the donkeys and worry about us."
Rashi
צוף. כמו 'צופה':
Tzuph. [צוּף] meaning a seer.1 See above 1:1.
פן יחדל אבי מן האתונות. שתגדל דאגה שלנו עליו, עד שישכח את האתונות:
Lest my father stop worrying about the donkeys. Because his worry about us will grow so that he will forget the donkeys.
ודאג. איטוביטאר"ה בלע"ז:
And worry. E dubitera in O.F.
וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִנֵּה־נָא אִישׁ־אֱלֹהִים בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת וְהָאִישׁ נִכְבָּד כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּר בּוֹא יָבוֹא עַתָּה נֵלְכָה שָּׁם אוּלַי יַגִּיד לָנוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַכְנוּ עָלֶֽיהָ׃
He [the youth] said to him, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is honorable; everything he says surely occurs. Let us go there now; perhaps he will tell us our road upon which we should travel."
He [the youth] said to him, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is honorable; everything he says surely occurs. Let us go there now; perhaps he will tell us our road upon which we should travel."
Rashi
את דרכנו. מעשה האתונות מה נהיתה בם, שבשבילם הלכנו את כל הדרך הזה:
Our road. The story about the donkeys, i.e., what has become of them, for whom we have gone all this way.2They were not only seeking advice where to look for the donkeys, but were also looking for an explanation for their long journey. They were puzzled over why they had searched and not found them yet, being that donkeys usually do not stray far from their home.
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנַעֲרוֹ וְהִנֵּה נֵלֵךְ וּמַה־נָּבִיא לָאִישׁ כִּי הַלֶּחֶם אָזַל מִכֵּלֵינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָה אֵין־לְהָבִיא לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים מָה אִתָּֽנוּ׃
Shaul replied to his youth, "Behold, if we go, what shall we bring to the man? The bread from our vessels is used up and we have no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?"
Shaul replied to his youth, "Behold, if we go, what shall we bring to the man? The bread from our vessels is used up and we have no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?"
Rashi
ומה נביא לאיש. תרגם יונתן: אם מקבל ממון, מה נעול לגברא. לא היה שאול מכיר במעשיו של שמואל, וסבר שישאל שכר:
What shall we bring to the man. Targum Yonoson renders, 'If he accepts money, what shall we bring to the man?' Shaul was not familiar with Shmuel's habits and thought that he would ask for remuneration.3 It seems that in those days it was customary to bring gifts in this type of situation; as in II Melachim 4:42. They thought that perhaps Shmuel might demand some form of remuneration for his prophecies just as diviners seek gifts from those for whom they predict the future.—Radak
ותשורה. תרגם יונתן: ומדעם דכשר, לשון יושר. ומנחם פירש: 'תשורה', לשון תקרובת, ראות פני מלך ואדם חשוב, לשון אשורנו (במדבר כד יז), ונראין דבריו:
And [we have no] gift. Targum Yonoson renders, 'and there is nothing proper.' This is an expression of יוֹשֶׁר [=propriety]. Menachem, however, explains תְּשׁוּרָה as an expression of a tribute for the privilege of seeing a king or an important person; [תְּשׁוּרָה being] an expression related to אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ [meaning] 'I behold them,'4Bamidbar 24:17. and I agree with his explanation.5That וּתְשׁוּרָה is from the root שוּר [=to see].
וַיֹּסֶף הַנַּעַר לַעֲנוֹת אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה נִמְצָא בְיָדִי רֶבַע שֶׁקֶל כָּסֶף וְנָֽתַתִּי לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִגִּיד לָנוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּֽנוּ׃
The youth continued to answer Shaul, and said, "Behold! I have a quarter shekel of silver with me. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way."
The youth continued to answer Shaul, and said, "Behold! I have a quarter shekel of silver with me. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way."
Rashi
רבע שקל. זוזא חדא דכספא:
A quarter shekel. One zuz of silver.
לְפָנִים ׀ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּֽה־אָמַר הָאִישׁ בְּלֶכְתּוֹ לִדְרוֹשׁ אֱלֹהִים לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה עַד־הָרֹאֶה כִּי לַנָּבִיא הַיּוֹם יִקָּרֵא לְפָנִים הָרֹאֶֽה׃
In former times in Yisroel, this is what someone said when he went to inquire of God, "Let us go to the seer," for "the prophet" of today was formerly called "the seer."
In former times in Yisroel, this is what someone said when he went to inquire of God, "Let us go to the seer," for "the prophet" of today was formerly called "the seer."
Rashi
לפנים בישראל. הסופר כתב זאת, ואין זה מדברי נער שאול:
In former times in Yisroel. The author wrote this verse,6I.e., Shmuel. See Maseches Bava Basra 14b which states that Shmuel authored the Book of Shmuel. However, being that Shmuel died before Shaul who only reigned for two years, what is the meaning of “formerly” and “of today” as stated in the verse? Radak therefore suggests that “formerly” refers to an earlier period when prophets were known for their ability to predict the future and to display a knowledge of hidden things, therefore the term רוֹאֶה. However, in Shmuel’s time prophecy became widespread, but the type of prophecy was a Divine inspiration to bring to the people the word of ‘ה, therefore the term נָבִיא [from the root בוֹא]. In Shaul’s case he was looking for a רוֹאֶה to tell him where his donkeys were. Others however, maintain that the author of this verse may have been Ezra or Yirmiyahu. i.e., this is not part of the youth of Shaul's statement.
כי לנביא היום. למי שקורים אותו נביא היום, היו קורים לפנים 'רואה':
For the "prophet" of today. The one who is called 'prophet' today was formerly called 'seer.'
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנַעֲרוֹ טוֹב דְּבָרְךָ לְכָה ׀ נֵלֵכָה וַיֵּֽלְכוּ אֶל־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
Shaul said to his youth, "You have spoken well, come, let us go." And they went to the city where the man of God was.
Shaul said to his youth, "You have spoken well, come, let us go." And they went to the city where the man of God was.
הֵמָּה עֹלִים בְּמַעֲלֵה הָעִיר וְהֵמָּה מָצְאוּ נְעָרוֹת יֹצְאוֹת לִשְׁאֹב מָיִם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶן הֲיֵשׁ בָּזֶה הָרֹאֶֽה׃
As they were climbing the ascent to the city they encountered some girls going out to draw water, and they said to them, "Is this where the seer is?"
As they were climbing the ascent to the city they encountered some girls going out to draw water, and they said to them, "Is this where the seer is?"
וַתַּעֲנֶינָה אוֹתָם וַתֹּאמַרְנָה יֵּשׁ הִנֵּה לְפָנֶיךָ מַהֵר ׀ עַתָּה כִּי הַיּוֹם בָּא לָעִיר כִּי זֶבַח הַיּוֹם לָעָם בַּבָּמָֽה׃
They answered them and said, "He is there ahead of you. Hurry now, for he came to the city today, because a feast-offering are the people bringing today at the high place.
They answered them and said, "He is there ahead of you. Hurry now, for he came to the city today, because a feast-offering are the people bringing today at the high place.
כְּבֹאֲכֶם הָעִיר כֵּן תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתוֹ בְּטֶרֶם יַעֲלֶה הַבָּמָתָה לֶאֱכֹל כִּי לֹֽא־יֹאכַל הָעָם עַד־בֹּאוֹ כִּי־הוּא יְבָרֵךְ הַזֶּבַח אַחֲרֵי־כֵן יֹאכְלוּ הַקְּרֻאִים וְעַתָּה עֲלוּ כִּי־אֹתוֹ כְהַיּוֹם תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתֽוֹ׃
As you enter the city you will find him before he ascends the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the offering; afterwards the invited guests will eat. Now go up, for you will find him as [surely as it is] day."
As you enter the city you will find him before he ascends the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the offering; afterwards the invited guests will eat. Now go up, for you will find him as [surely as it is] day."
Rashi
כבואכם העיר כן וגו'. מאריכות היו בדברים, כדי להסתכל ביופיו של שאול:
As you enter the city you… They prolonged their conversation in order to gaze upon Shaul's handsomeness.7Maseches Berachos 48b. The girls gave an extraordinarily long answer to a relatively simple question. The fact that the entire conversation was recorded in Scripture makes it likely that they were struck by Shaul’s handsome appearance and wanted to gaze at him a few moments longer.
הבמתה. תרגם יונתן: לבית אסחרותא. משחרבה שילה הותרו הבמות, והיו מקריבין שלמים בבמה, ואוכלים יחד:
The high place. Targum Yonoson renders, 'to the banquet hall.' When Shiloh was destroyed, it became permissible [to offer sacrifices on] the high places, and they would sacrifice peace-offerings on the high place and eat together.
כי הוא יברך הזבח. תרגם יונתן: 'ארי הוא פריס מזונא', בוצע על המזון, על השלמים מברכין באכילתם: ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לאכול את הזבח:
Because he blesses the offering. Targum Yonoson renders, אֲרֵי הוּא פָּרִיס עַל מְזוֹנָא meaning, 'for he will break bread.' [Before] partaking of the peace-offering they recited: 'Blessed are You Adonoy, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to eat the sacrifice."
כהיום. כאשר היום קיים:
As [surely as it is] day. Just as the day exists.8He said this to emphasize the truthfulness of his statement.—Radak
וַֽיַּעֲלוּ הָעִיר הֵמָּה בָּאִים בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וְהִנֵּה שְׁמוּאֵל יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתָם לַעֲלוֹת הַבָּמָֽה׃ {ס}
They ascended to the city. As they were entering the city, behold, Shmuel was coming out towards them, to go up the high place.
They ascended to the city. As they were entering the city, behold, Shmuel was coming out towards them, to go up the high place.
בארץ צוף. בארעא דבה נביא:
To the land of Tzuph. [Targum renders] 'into the land wherein there was a prophet.'