Chapter 7

1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the Ark of the Lord, and brought it to the house of Abinadab, (which was) on the hill, and they designated Eleazar, his son to guard the Ark of the Lord.   אוַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י | קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֗ים וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֹת֔וֹ אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אֲבִינָדָ֖ב בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה וְאֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֚ר בְּנוֹ֙ קִדְּשׁ֔וּ לִשְׁמֹ֖ר אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן יְהֹוָֽה:
קדשו: they designated (after Jonathan).   קדשו: זמינו:
2And it was that from the day the Ark was stationed in Kiriath-jearim, that the time ran on, to twenty years, and all the house of Israel were drawn after the Lord.   בוַיְהִ֗י מִיּ֞וֹם שֶׁ֚בֶת הָֽאָרוֹן֙ בְּקִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיִּנָּה֛וּ כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
from the day the Ark was stationed in Kiriath-jearim: And they saw the retribution which befell them because of the sin of the house of Eli and the mighty deed which the Holy One, Blessed be He, had performed against the Philistines.   מיום שבת הארון בקרית יערים: וראו הפורענות שבא עליהם בעון בית עלי, ואת הגבורה שעשה הקב"ה בפלשתים:
and all the house of Israel were drawn after the Lord: through Samuel who would travel from city to city, judging and reproving them. Heb. ‘va’yinahu,’ an expression of drawing, in Aramaic, similar to Jonathan, who paraphrases: And they were drawn after the worship of God. And similarly (Ez. 7:11) ‘v’lo noah bahem’ and there is no use to attract them to good. Menahem classifies this thus: ‘Va’yinahu’ is an expression of lamentation, like (Micah 2:4): ‘nehi nihyah’ “a lamentation shall be wailed.” And likewise, ‘v’lo noah bahem’ (will be explained “and they have no remorse”). And the meaning of our verse is: They lamented their evil deeds, and returned after the Lord. Another explanation is that ‘va’yinahu’ means “and they gathered.” “And all nations will be gathered into it (Jerusalem)” (Jer. 3:17). Jonathan renders: And all nations will gather (‘v’yithnahon’) to worship therein. The quotation from Ezekiel may also be rendered in this manner: neither from them, nor from their multitude… nor from their gathering.   וינהו וגו' אחרי ה': על ידי שמואל, שהיה מחזר מעיר לעיר, ושופטם ומוכיחם וינהו לשון המשכה הוא, ולשון ארמי הוא: תתנהו לפולחני, וכן (יחזקאל ז יא): ולא נה בהם, אין בהם תועלת למושכם אל הטוב ומנחם חברו, 'וינהו', לשון יללה, כמו (מיכה ב ד): נהי נהיה, וכן (יחזקאל שם): ולא נה בהם, ופירוש וינהו אחרי ה', שהתאבלו על מעשיהם הרעים, ושבו אחרי ה'. לשון אחר: וינהו, כמו (ירמיהו ג יז): ויתאספו ונקוו אליה כל העמים, מתרגמינן: ויתנהון למפלח בה כל עממיא, ויהיה מזה הענין גם כן (יחזקאל שם): ולא נה בהם, כענין שאמר (שם): לא מהם ולא מהמונם, ולא מנה שבהם, כלומר ולא מקבוץ שלהם (ספרים אחרים אינו):
3And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, saying, "If with all your heart, you are returning to the Lord, remove the foreign gods from your midst, and the Ashtaroth, and direct your heart toward the Lord, and serve Him alone, and He will save you from the hand of the Philistines.   גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אֶל־כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לֵאמֹר֒ אִם־בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֚ם שָׁבִים֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה הָסִ֜ירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֧י הַנֵּכָ֛ר מִתּוֹכְכֶ֖ם וְהָעַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת וְהָכִ֨ינוּ לְבַבְכֶ֚ם אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ וְעִבְדֻ֣הוּ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְיַצֵּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיַּ֥ד פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:
4And the children of Israel removed the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served the Lord alone.   דוַיָּסִ֙ירוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַבְּעָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעַשְׁתָּרֹ֑ת וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה לְבַדּֽוֹ:
5And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I shall pray to the Lord on your behalf."   הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל קִבְצ֥וּ אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה וְאֶתְפַּלֵּ֥ל בַּעַדְכֶ֖ם אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה:
6And they assembled at Mizpah, and drew water, and poured (it out) before the Lord, and they fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned to the Lord." And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.   ווַיִקָּבְצ֣וּ הַ֠מִּצְפָּתָה וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַ֜יִם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכ֣וּ | לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיָּצ֙וּמוּ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ שָׁ֔ם חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֧ט שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּצְפָּֽה:
and drew water, and poured: Jonathan renders: and they poured out their hearts in repentance, like water, before the Lord. And according to its simple meaning, it is merely a symbol of humility, i.e., they implied, we are like spilled water.   וישאבו מים וישפכו: תרגם יונתן: ושפיכו לבהון בתיובתא כמיא קדם ה' ולפי משמעו, אינו אלא סימן הכנעה, הרי אנו לפניך כמים הללו הנשפכין:
and Samuel judged: between two litigants on monetary matters which came up between them, or concerning sins which they had committed.   וישפט שמואל: בין איש לרעהו, על עסקי ממון שביניהם, או על עסקי עבירה שעברו:
7Now the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had assembled at Mizpah, and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel, and the children of Israel heard, and they were afraid of the Philistines.   זוַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים כִּֽי־הִתְקַבְּצ֚וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַמִּצְפָּ֔תָה וַיַּעֲל֥וּ סַרְנֵֽי־פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּֽרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֥י פְלִשְׁתִּֽים:
8And the children of Israel said to Samuel, "Cease not to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He save us from the hand of the Philistines."   חוַיֹּאמְר֚וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל אַל־תַּחֲרֵ֣שׁ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ מִזְּעֹ֖ק אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְישִׁעֵ֖נוּ מִיַּ֥ד פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:
9And Samuel took one sucking lamb and offered it up as a burnt offering, entirely to the Lord, and Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.   טוַיִּקַּ֣ח שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל טְלֵ֚ה חָלָב֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיַּעֲלֵ֧הוּ (כתיב וַיַּעֲלֵ֧הֻ) עוֹלָ֛ה כָּלִ֖יל לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּזְעַ֨ק שְׁמוּאֵ֚ל אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּעַ֣ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֖הוּ יְהֹוָֽה:
and offered it up as a burnt offering: The kethiv is ‘vayaaleha’ fem. gender, because it was a female. Hence, our Rabbis deduced that a female animal is acceptable for a burnt offering in a private high place, in Tractate Abodah Zarah.   ויעלה עולה: ויעלה כתיב, נקבה היתה, מכאן למדו רבותינו: עולה נקבה כשרה בבמת יחיד, במסכת עבודה זרה (כד ב):
10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near for war against Israel, and the Lord thundered with a loud noise on that day, upon the Philistines, and threw them into a panic, and they were beaten before Israel.   יוַיְהִ֚י שְׁמוּאֵל֙ מַעֲלֶ֣ה הָעוֹלָ֔ה וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים נִגְּשׁ֔וּ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּרְעֵ֣ם יְהֹוָ֣ה | בְּקוֹל־גָּ֠דוֹל בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֚וּא עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ וַיְהֻמֵּ֔ם וַיִּנָּגְפ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
11And the men of Israel went forth from Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and harassed them until they were below Bethcar.   יאוַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֚י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִן־הַמִּצְפָּ֔ה וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיַּכּ֕וּם עַד־מִתַּ֖חַת לְבֵ֥ית כָּֽר:
below Bethcar: below Beth-sharon (from Jonathan).   מתחת לבית כר: מלרע לבית שרון:
12And Samuel took one stone, and placed it between Mizpah and the peak (Shen), and he called its name Ebenezer, for he said, "Hitherto the Lord has helped us."   יבוַיִּקַּ֨ח שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל אֶ֣בֶן אַחַ֗ת וַיָּ֚שֶׂם בֵּֽין־הַמִּצְפָּה֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַשֵּׁ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ אֶ֣בֶן הָעָ֑זֶר וַיֹּאמַ֕ר עַד־הֵ֖נָּה עֲזָרָ֥נוּ יְהֹוָֽה:
the peak: (Heb. ‘shen,’ a tooth or peak) i.e., the peak of the rock.   ובין השן: שן הסלע:
13And the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the border of Israel, and the hand of the Lord was upon the Philistines all the days of Samuel.   יגוַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְלֹא־יָסְפ֣וּ ע֔וֹד לָב֖וֹא בִּגְב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתְּהִ֚י יַד־יְהֹוָה֙ בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י שְׁמוּאֵֽל:
14And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel; from Ekron to Gath, and their border, Israel delivered from the hand of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.   ידוַתָּשֹׁ֣בְנָה הֶעָרִ֡ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָֽקְחוּ־פְלִשְׁתִּים֩ מֵאֵ֨ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֚ל | לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵעֶקְר֣וֹן וְעַד־גַּ֔ת וְאֶ֨ת־גְּבוּלָ֔ן הִצִּ֥יל יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֣ד פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֣י שָׁל֔וֹם בֵּ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָאֱמֹרִֽי:
15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.   טווַיִּשְׁפֹּ֚ט שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו:
16And from year to year, he would set forth, and go around to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he would judge Israel in all these places.   טזוְהָלַ֗ךְ מִדֵּ֚י שָׁנָה֙ בְּשָׁנָ֔ה וְסָבַב֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְהַגִּלְגָּ֖ל וְהַמִּצְפָּ֑ה וְשָׁפַט֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַמְּקוֹמ֖וֹת הָאֵֽלֶּה:
17And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and he built there an altar to the Lord.   יזוּתְשֻׁבָת֚וֹ הָרָמָ֙תָה֙ כִּֽי־שָׁ֣ם בֵּית֔וֹ וְשָׁ֖ם שָׁפָ֣ט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה: