Tanach
Shmuel II 14:13-17 שמואל ב י״ד:י״ג-י״ז
Part of: Chapter 14
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה וְלָמָּה חָשַׁבְתָּה כָּזֹאת עַל־עַם אֱלֹהִים וּמִדַּבֵּר הַמֶּלֶךְ הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה כְּאָשֵׁם לְבִלְתִּי הָשִׁיב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶֽת־נִדְּחֽוֹ׃
The woman said, "Why did you think this about the people of God? that which the king said, he himself is guilty of in order that the king not bring back his exiled [son].
The woman said, "Why did you think this about the people of God? that which the king said, he himself is guilty of in order that the king not bring back his exiled [son].
Rashi
ומדבר המלך הדבר הזה כאשם. והדבר הזה שחרצת לאחרים, שאמרת לי לא יפול משערת בנך ארצה, עכשיו שאגלה לך שאין הדבר הזה אלא על שני בניך, אל תתחרט לאמר דברתי זה כאשם, והנני חוזר בי, לבלתי השיב המלך את אבשלום בנו שנדחה ממנו וברח לו:
That which the king said he himself is guilty of. This thing that you have decided for others, that you said to me "hair from your son shall not fall to the ground." Now that I have revealed to you that this thing never happened, but it was only [a parable] to your two sons, do not reverse yourself saying, "I said this mistakingly and I have reconsidered" in order that the king not bring back his son, Avsholom that his been exiled from him and has fled.
ומדבר המלך. אוקינו"ן פרלטי"ש בלע"ז:
The king will say. Aucenon parleter in O.F.
כִּי־מוֹת נָמוּת וְכַמַּיִם הַנִּגָּרִים אַרְצָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵאָסֵפוּ וְלֹֽא־יִשָּׂא אֱלֹהִים נֶפֶשׁ וְחָשַׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבִלְתִּי יִדַּח מִמֶּנּוּ נִדָּֽח׃
We are [all] going to die, like water spilled on the ground that will not be regathered, God will not countenance anyone. but now let him devise means so that the exiled one remain not an outcast.
We are [all] going to die, like water spilled on the ground that will not be regathered, God will not countenance anyone. but now let him devise means so that the exiled one remain not an outcast.
Rashi
כי מות נמות. ודיינו באותו עונש:
We are [all] going to die. And that punishment is sufficent.4For Avsholom.
ולא ישא אלהים נפש. איש מן המיתה, לפיכך וחשב המלך מחשבות לבלתי ידח ממנו נדח:
God will not countenance anyone. a man from [avoiding] death. Therefore the king should devise means to avoid having his exiled one remain an outcast.
וְעַתָּה אֲשֶׁר־בָּאתִי לְדַבֵּר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲדֹנִי אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה כִּי יֵרְאֻנִי הָעָם וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁפְחָתְךָ אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אוּלַי יַעֲשֶׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַר אֲמָתֽוֹ׃
And therefore now I came to speak to my master, the king these words [as a parable] because the people frightened me. Your handmaiden said, 'I will speak to the king, perhaps the king will take action [in accordance with] his handmaiden's words.
And therefore now I came to speak to my master, the king these words [as a parable] because the people frightened me. Your handmaiden said, 'I will speak to the king, perhaps the king will take action [in accordance with] his handmaiden's words.
Rashi
ועתה אשר באתי לדבר אל המלך אדני את הדבר הזה. בכינוי עלי ועל בני:
And now I came to speak to my master, the king these words. As a parable about myself and my son
כי יראוני העם. הפחידוני מלבקש את אדוני על בנו, פן יכעוס עלי:
Because the people frightened me. They frightened me [away] from imploring my master concerning [the plight of] his son lest he become angry with me.
ותאמר שפחתך אדברה נא. כענין זה, אולי יעשה וגו':
Your handmaiden said, "I will speak." In this way [with a parable], perhaps he will take action etc.
כִּי יִשְׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהַצִּיל אֶת־אֲמָתוֹ מִכַּף הָאִישׁ לְהַשְׁמִיד אֹתִי וְאֶת־בְּנִי יַחַד מִֽנַּחֲלַת אֱלֹהִֽים׃
When the king hears [and agrees] to save his handmaiden from the [avenger] man's hand who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance [given by] God.
When the king hears [and agrees] to save his handmaiden from the [avenger] man's hand who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance [given by] God.
Rashi
כי ישמע המלך להציל את אמתו מכף האיש. הבא להרוג את בני, ולהשמידנו יחד מנחלת אלהים:
When the king hears [and agrees] to save his handmaiden from the [avenger] man's hand. who is coming to kill my son and to remove us both from the inheritance [given by] God.5All this is what the woman was conveying in her parable. This was all designed to be tolerable for the king to hear.
וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁפְחָתְךָ יִֽהְיֶה־נָּא דְּבַר־אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ לִמְנֻחָה כִּי ׀ כְּמַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים כֵּן אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ לִשְׁמֹעַ הַטּוֹב וְהָרָע וַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יְהִי עִמָּֽךְ׃ {פ}
Your handmaiden says let the words of my master, the king provide relief because just as an angel of God so too is my master the king [able] to discern good and bad. Adonoy your God should be with you."
Your handmaiden says let the words of my master, the king provide relief because just as an angel of God so too is my master the king [able] to discern good and bad. Adonoy your God should be with you."
Rashi
ותאמר שפחתך. מאחר שיצוה המלך עלי, יהיה דברו למנוחה לבני, כי לא ישוב מדברו הטוב, כי כמלאך ה' אדני המלך, ולא יחזירנו כעס ושנאה מדברו הטוב:
Your handmaiden says. Now that the king has ordered [remedial action] concerning me, his word should provide relief for my son because he will not back away from his kind decision6You came to the kind decision to provide relief to my make believe son in the parable. Please don’t change that decision when deliberating about Avsholom who in real-life needs relief. because my master, the king is like an angel of God and anger and hatred will not change his kind decision.
ולמה חשבתה כזאת. שחשדת לישראל, שיבאו להרוג את השני בלא עדים והתראה:
Why did you think this. You suspected that a Jew could come to kill another [Jew] without witnesses and a warning.