Tanach
Shmuel II 2:12-3:1 שמואל ב ב׳:י״ב-ג׳:א׳
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וַיֵּצֵא אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר וְעַבְדֵי אִֽישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל מִֽמַּחֲנַיִם גִּבְעֽוֹנָה׃
Avner, the son of Ner and the servants of Ish Boshes, the son of Shaul left Machanoyim and went to Givon
Avner, the son of Ner and the servants of Ish Boshes, the son of Shaul left Machanoyim and went to Givon
וְיוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרוּיָה וְעַבְדֵי דָוִד יָֽצְאוּ וַֽיִּפְגְּשׁוּם עַל־בְּרֵכַת גִּבְעוֹן יַחְדָּו וַיֵּשְׁבוּ אֵלֶּה עַל־הַבְּרֵכָה מִזֶּה וְאֵלֶּה עַל־הַבְּרֵכָה מִזֶּֽה׃
Yoav, the son of Tseruyoh and David's servants went out and met with them at the pool of Givon. One party sat on one side of the pool and the other party sat on the other side.
Yoav, the son of Tseruyoh and David's servants went out and met with them at the pool of Givon. One party sat on one side of the pool and the other party sat on the other side.
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְנֵר אֶל־יוֹאָב יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב יָקֻֽמוּ׃
Avner said to Yoav, "Let the young soldiers get up and playfight before us." And Yoav said, "Let them get up."
Avner said to Yoav, "Let the young soldiers get up and playfight before us." And Yoav said, "Let them get up."
וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְמִסְפָּר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לְבִנְיָמִן וּלְאִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מֵעַבְדֵי דָוִֽד׃
And they got up and crossed over to the other side [of the pool] in even numbers — twelve from [the tribe of] Binyamin, for Ish Boshes, the son of Shaul, and twelve from the servants of Dovid.
And they got up and crossed over to the other side [of the pool] in even numbers — twelve from [the tribe of] Binyamin, for Ish Boshes, the son of Shaul, and twelve from the servants of Dovid.
וַֽיַּחֲזִקוּ אִישׁ ׀ בְּרֹאשׁ רֵעֵהוּ וְחַרְבּוֹ בְּצַד רֵעֵהוּ וַֽיִּפְּלוּ יַחְדָּו וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא חֶלְקַת הַצֻּרִים אֲשֶׁר בְּגִבְעֽוֹן׃
Each of the men grabbed his opponent's head and [thrust] his sword in his opponent's side, and they all fell [dead] together. That place was called the plain of swords which is in Givon.
Each of the men grabbed his opponent's head and [thrust] his sword in his opponent's side, and they all fell [dead] together. That place was called the plain of swords which is in Givon.
Rashi
וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה קָשָׁה עַד־מְאֹד בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיִּנָּגֶף אַבְנֵר וְאַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי עַבְדֵי דָוִֽד׃
The fighting was intense on that day, Avner and men of Yisroel were beaten by the servants of Dovid.
The fighting was intense on that day, Avner and men of Yisroel were beaten by the servants of Dovid.
וַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה יוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי וַעֲשָׂהאֵל וַֽעֲשָׂהאֵל קַל בְּרַגְלָיו כְּאַחַד הַצְּבָיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
The three sons of Tseruyoh were there Yoav, Avishai and Asoel. Asoel was light on his feet, like one of the deer in a field.
The three sons of Tseruyoh were there Yoav, Avishai and Asoel. Asoel was light on his feet, like one of the deer in a field.
וַיִּרְדֹּף עֲשָׂהאֵל אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וְלֹא־נָטָה לָלֶכֶת עַל־הַיָּמִין וְעַֽל־הַשְּׂמֹאול מֵאַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵֽר׃
Asoel chased after Avner, and did not stray right or left from pursuing Avner.
Asoel chased after Avner, and did not stray right or left from pursuing Avner.
וַיִּפֶן אַבְנֵר אַֽחֲרָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הַאַתָּה זֶה עֲשָׂהאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹֽכִי׃
Avner turned around and said, "Are you Asoel?" and he replied, "It is I."
Avner turned around and said, "Are you Asoel?" and he replied, "It is I."
וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַבְנֵר נְטֵה לְךָ עַל־יְמִֽינְךָ אוֹ עַל־שְׂמֹאלֶךָ וֶאֱחֹז לְךָ אֶחָד מֵֽהַנְּעָרִים וְקַח־לְךָ אֶת־חֲלִצָתוֹ וְלֹא־אָבָה עֲשָׂהאֵל לָסוּר מֵאַחֲרָֽיו׃
Avner said to him, "Stray to your right or your left, and grab for yourself one of the soldiers, and take for yourself his weapon. Asoel did not want to veer off from [running] after him.
Avner said to him, "Stray to your right or your left, and grab for yourself one of the soldiers, and take for yourself his weapon. Asoel did not want to veer off from [running] after him.
וַיֹּסֶף עוֹד אַבְנֵר לֵאמֹר אֶל־עֲשָׂהאֵל סוּר לְךָ מֵאַֽחֲרָי לָמָּה אַכֶּכָּה אַרְצָה וְאֵיךְ אֶשָּׂא פָנַי אֶל־יוֹאָב אָחִֽיךָ׃
Avner continued and said to Asoel, "Veer off from [running] after me. Why should I strike you [dead] to the ground? How will I face your brother?"
Avner continued and said to Asoel, "Veer off from [running] after me. Why should I strike you [dead] to the ground? How will I face your brother?"
וַיְמָאֵן לָסוּר וַיַּכֵּהוּ אַבְנֵר בְּאַחֲרֵי הַחֲנִית אֶל־הַחֹמֶשׁ וַתֵּצֵא הַֽחֲנִית מֵֽאַחֲרָיו וַיִּפׇּל־שָׁם וַיָּמׇת תַּחְתָּו וַיְהִי כׇּל־הַבָּא אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־נָפַל שָׁם עֲשָׂהאֵל וַיָּמֹת וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃
He refused to veer off and Avner hit him with the back of the spear into the fifth rib. The spear came out from the back of him and he fell there and died in his place. And it was that all [the pursuers] who reached the place where Asoel fell and died, stopped [their pursuit].
He refused to veer off and Avner hit him with the back of the spear into the fifth rib. The spear came out from the back of him and he fell there and died in his place. And it was that all [the pursuers] who reached the place where Asoel fell and died, stopped [their pursuit].
Rashi
אל החומש. כמו דופן חמישית, מקום שמרה וכבד תלויין שם (סנהדרין מט א) ויונתן תרגם: אל החומש, בסטר ירכיה:
Into the fifth rib. As [if to say] the fifth rib,3Counting from the bottom. the place where the bile and the liver are set. [But] Yonasan translated [this to mean] "on the side of his thigh,"
וימת תחתיו. (תרגום:) ומית באתריה:
And died in his place. And died in his place.4This is Targum Yonasan’s translation.
וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ יוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה וְהֵמָּה בָּאוּ עַד־גִּבְעַת אַמָּה אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי־גִיחַ דֶּרֶךְ מִדְבַּר גִּבְעֽוֹן׃
Yoav and Avishai chased after Avner, and the sun set [as] they had reached Givas Amoh that faces Giach on the way to the desert of Givon.
Yoav and Avishai chased after Avner, and the sun set [as] they had reached Givas Amoh that faces Giach on the way to the desert of Givon.
וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצוּ בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִן אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיִּהְיוּ לַאֲגֻדָּה אֶחָת וַיַּעַמְדוּ עַל רֹאשׁ־גִּבְעָה אֶחָֽת׃
The men of Binyomin regrouped behind Avner and became one unit and they stood atop a mountain.
The men of Binyomin regrouped behind Avner and became one unit and they stood atop a mountain.
וַיִּקְרָא אַבְנֵר אֶל־יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלָנֶצַח תֹּאכַל חֶרֶב הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּה כִּי־מָרָה תִֽהְיֶה בָּאַֽחֲרוֹנָה וְעַד־מָתַי לֹא־תֹאמַר לָעָם לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרֵי אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃
Avner called to Yoav and said, "Will the sword be killing forever? You know it will come to a bitter end. For how long will you not tell the people to turn around and not pursue their brothers."
Avner called to Yoav and said, "Will the sword be killing forever? You know it will come to a bitter end. For how long will you not tell the people to turn around and not pursue their brothers."
וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב חַי הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי לוּלֵא דִּבַּרְתָּ כִּי אָז מֵהַבֹּקֶר נַעֲלָה הָעָם אִישׁ מֵאַחֲרֵי אָחִֽיו׃
Yoav said, By the life of Elokim, if you had not spoken [earlier] then already from the morning the people would have gone up [and left] each man [from pursuing] after his brother.
Yoav said, By the life of Elokim, if you had not spoken [earlier] then already from the morning the people would have gone up [and left] each man [from pursuing] after his brother.
Rashi
לולא דברת. אם דברת כן, 'לולא' כמו 'לו' ועוד יש לפותרו כמשמעו, לולא דברת מה שאמרת (לעיל פסוק יד): יקומו נא הנערים וישחקו:
If you had not spoken. If only you had spoken this [way5Your decrying of us fighting each other. earlier] [The לא] is as [if it were written] לו6According to this first interpretation, the construct לוּלֵא denotes לוֹלוּ, “if only if,” i.e., if only you had spoken these reconcilitory words earlier., meaning it. Another [way] to interpret it is as it's plain meaning7This interpretation of לולא is the usual “if not for.”: if you had not spoken i.e. that which you said "Let the young soldiers get up and playfight."8Those words triggered this deadly battle.
וַיִּתְקַע יוֹאָב בַּשּׁוֹפָר וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ כׇּל־הָעָם וְלֹא־יִרְדְּפוּ עוֹד אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא־יָסְפוּ עוֹד לְהִלָּחֵֽם׃
Yoav blew the Shofer. All the people stopped and no longer pursued after [the men of] Yisroel. They no longer continued to fight [with them].
Yoav blew the Shofer. All the people stopped and no longer pursued after [the men of] Yisroel. They no longer continued to fight [with them].
וְאַבְנֵר וַאֲנָשָׁיו הָֽלְכוּ בָּעֲרָבָה כֹּל הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן וַיֵּֽלְכוּ כׇּל־הַבִּתְרוֹן וַיָּבֹאוּ מַחֲנָֽיִם׃
Avner and his men traveled in the plain all that night. They crossed the Yardein, and traveled through all of the Bisron [region] and they came to Machanoim.
Avner and his men traveled in the plain all that night. They crossed the Yardein, and traveled through all of the Bisron [region] and they came to Machanoim.
Rashi
הבתרון. שם מחוז:
The Bisron. The name of a region.
וְיוֹאָב שָׁב מֵאַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת־כׇּל־הָעָם וַיִּפָּקְדוּ מֵעַבְדֵי דָוִד תִּשְׁעָה־עָשָׂר אִישׁ וַעֲשָׂהאֵֽל׃
Yoav turned away from [chasing] after Avner and he gathered all the people. There was missing from the servants of Dovid, [a total of] nineteen men and Asoel.
Yoav turned away from [chasing] after Avner and he gathered all the people. There was missing from the servants of Dovid, [a total of] nineteen men and Asoel.
Rashi
תשעה עשר איש ועשהאל. והלא עשהאל בכלל עבדי דוד, ולמה יצא, שהיה שקול כנגד כולם, וכן (יהושע ב א): לכו ראו את הארץ ואת יריחו ; וכן (מלכים-א יא א): והמלך שלמה אהב נשים נכריות רבות ואת בת פרעה:
Nineteen men and Asoel. But is not Asoel included in [the group called] "the servants of Dovid," so why is he [singled] out? [The reason is] he was worth all of them [together] and so too [a similar case], (Yehoshua 2,1), "Go see [and spy out] the land and Yericho"9Yericho was as strong as the entire land combined (see Rashi there). and so too [another similar case] "King Shlomo loved many foreign women and the daughter of Pharaoh."10Shlomo cherished Pharaoh’s daughter as much as he did the rest of them put together. (See Rashi ibid). (Kings I, 11, 1 ).
וְעַבְדֵי דָוִד הִכּוּ מִבִּנְיָמִן וּבְאַנְשֵׁי אַבְנֵר שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים אִישׁ מֵֽתוּ׃
Dovid's servants killed [many] from the people of Binyomin and of Avner's men. Three hundred and sixty men died.
Dovid's servants killed [many] from the people of Binyomin and of Avner's men. Three hundred and sixty men died.
וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֲשָׂהאֵל וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בְּקֶבֶר אָבִיו אֲשֶׁר בֵּית לָחֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ כׇל־הַלַּיְלָה יוֹאָב וַאֲנָשָׁיו וַיֵּאֹר לָהֶם בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃
They carried Asoel and buried him in the grave of his father that is in Beis Lechem. Yoav and his men traveled all night and dawn [broke] for them [as they came] in [to] Chevron.
They carried Asoel and buried him in the grave of his father that is in Beis Lechem. Yoav and his men traveled all night and dawn [broke] for them [as they came] in [to] Chevron.
וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲרֻכָּה בֵּין בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּבֵין בֵּית דָּוִד וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק וּבֵית שָׁאוּל הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּֽים׃ {ס}
There was a long war between the house of Shaul and the house of Dovid. Dovid was [continuosly] getting stronger, and the house of Shaul was [continuously] getting weaker.
There was a long war between the house of Shaul and the house of Dovid. Dovid was [continuosly] getting stronger, and the house of Shaul was [continuously] getting weaker.
חלקת הצורים. (תרגום:) אחסנת קטיליא, על שם החרבות, כמה דאת אמר (תהלים פט מד): אף תשיב צור חרבו:
The Plain of Swords. Yonasan translates the plain of Killing on account of the swords just like you say [in Scriptures] (Tehilim 89, 44)2Rashi is showing how the word צוּר, sharpness, is used in reference to a sword. "You also turned back the sharpness of his sword."