שמואל א ב׳:כ״ב-כ״ו

אשר ישכבן. כמשמעו ורבותינו אמרו (יומא ט ב): מתוך ששהו את קניהן, והם היו ממתינות עד שתראן קניהן קריבין, מעלה עליהם כאלו שכבום:

That they would lie. The explanation is according to the simple sense. Our Rabbis however said¹⁰In Maseches Yoma 9a-b. that since they delayed [the sacrifice of] their birds¹¹ See Vayikra 15:29 and 22:6-8. and they would wait until they would see their birds being offered, Scripture charges them as though they had lain with them.¹²See Maseches Shabbos 55b. Metzudas Dovid translates this phrase as “they would cause the women who assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to sleep there,” thereby not allowing them to return to their homes and husbands.

אשר אנכי שומע מעבירים עם ה'. שמועה שעם ה' מעבירים עליכם, לשון ויעבירו (שמות לו ו): קול במחנה, מוציאים עליכם קול שמועה לא טובה:

That I hear being passed on by Adonoy's people. The rumor which השם's people are spreading about you, an expression similar to, "and they proclaimed [וַיַעֲבִירוּ] throughout the camp;¹³Shemos 36:6. meaning, they let out a rumor about you which is not good.¹⁴Although it was only a rumor, kohanim are held accountable even for an appearance of impropriety.

ופללו. לשון משפט, כמו (שם כא כב): ונתן בפלילים:

Tries him.וּפִלְלוֹ is an expression of judgment, as in, "and he shall pay by order of the judges ]פְלִילִים[."¹⁵Shemos 21:22.

אלהים. דיין:

Judge. The judge.

כי חפץ ה' להמיתם. שכבר נחתם גזר דין, אבל קודם שנחתם גזר דין, נאמר (יחזקאל יח לב): כי לא אחפוץ במות המת:

For it was Adonoy's will to kill them. For their verdict had already been sealed.¹⁶See Maseches Rosh Hashanah 18b. Before the verdict is sealed however, Scripture states, "for I do not desire the death of one who should die."¹⁷Yechezkeil 27:32.