| 1And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have hearkened to your voice, to everything which you have said to me, and I have made a king to reign over you. |
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אוַיֹּ֚אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנֵּה֙ שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי בְקֹֽלְכֶ֔ם לְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם לִ֑י וָאַמְלִ֥יךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ: |
| 2And now, behold the king is walking before you, and I have become old and hoary, and my sons are here with you, and I have walked before you from my youth and until this day. |
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בוְעַתָּ֞ה הִנֵּ֥ה הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ | מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֗ם וַאֲנִי֙ זָקַ֣נְתִּי וָשַֹ֔בְתִּי וּבָנַ֖י הִנָּ֣ם אִתְּכֶ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם מִנְּעֻרַ֖י עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| and I have become old and hoary. Our Rabbis said that he aged prematurely, as it is stated in Tractate Taanith (5b). |
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ואני זקנתי ושבתי.
אמרו רבותינו: זקנה קפצה עליו, כדאיתא במסכת תענית (ה ב):
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| 3Here I am; bear witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed; whose ox did I take, or whose ass did I take, or whom did I rob; or whom did I oppress, or from whose hand did I take a ransom, that I hide my eyes therewith, and I shall restore to you." |
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גהִנְנִ֣י עֲנ֣וּ בִי֩ נֶ֨גֶד יְהֹוָ֜ה וְנֶ֣גֶד מְשִׁיח֗וֹ אֶת־שׁוֹר֩ | מִ֨י לָקַ֜חְתִּי וַחֲמ֧וֹר מִ֣י לָקַ֗חְתִּי וְאֶת־מִ֚י עָשַׁ֙קְתִּי֙ אֶת־מִ֣י רַצּ֔וֹתִי וּמִיַּד־מִי֙ לָקַ֣חְתִּי כֹ֔פֶר וְאַעְלִ֥ים עֵינַ֖י בּ֑וֹ וְאָשִׁ֖יב לָכֶֽם: |
| whose ox did I take. for my work. |
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את שור מי לקחתי.
לעבודתי:
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| or whose ass did I take. When I used to go from city to city to judge them concerning their needs, I used to go on my own ass, although I should have taken (one) of theirs. |
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וחמור מי לקחתי.
כשהייתי הולך מעיר לעיר לשפוט אותם על עסקי צרכיהם, הייתי הולך על החמור שלי, והיה לי ליטול משלהם:
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| or whom did I oppress. Every expression of ‘meruzah’ which follows ‘oshek’ (robbery), is an expression of “robbed and oppressed” (Deut. 28:33), one who robs the poor and oppresses them. |
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את מי רצותי.
כל לשון מרוצה הסמוך לעושק, לשון עשוק ורצוץ הוא, חומס דלים ורוצץ:
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| that I hide my eyes therewith. in order to hide my eyes from the judgment because of the money. |
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ואעלים עיני בו.
כדי להעלים עיני מן המשפט בשביל הממון:
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| and I shall restore to you. all that you will say. |
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ואשיב לכם.
כל מה שתאמרו:
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| 4And they said, "You did not rob us, nor did you oppress us, neither did you take anything from anyone's hand." |
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דוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּ וְלֹֽא־לָקַ֥חְתָּ מִיַּד־אִ֖ישׁ מְאֽוּמָה: |
| 5And he said to them, "The Lord is a witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand, and they said, "(He is) witness." |
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הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם עֵ֧ד יְהֹוָ֣ה בָּכֶ֗ם וְעֵ֚ד מְשִׁיחוֹ֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א מְצָאתֶ֛ם בְּיָדִ֖י מְא֑וּמָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר עֵֽד: |
| and they said, “(He is) witness.”. (lit., ‘and he said.’ The Rabbis, taking the word literally, explain that) a bath kol (a heavenly voice) came forth and said, ‘I am witness.’ This was one of three places in which the holy spirit entered the earthly court, as it is stated in Tractate Makkoth (23b). |
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ויאמר עד.
בת קול יוצאת ואומרת: 'עד', וזה אחד משלשה מקומות שהופיעה רוח הקודש בבית דין של מטה, כדאיתא במסכת מכות (כג ב):
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| 6And Samuel said to the people, "(It is) the Lord Who made Moses and Aaron, and Who brought your forefathers up from the land of Egypt. |
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ווַיֹּ֥אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־הָעָ֑ם יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשָׂה֙ אֶת־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וַאֲשֶׁ֧ר הֶעֱלָ֛ה אֶת־אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| Who made Moses and Aaron. to be prepared for His mission to take your forefathers out of Egypt. |
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אשר עשה את משה ואת אהרן.
להיות נכונים לשליחותו, להוציא אבותיכם ממצרים:
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| 7And now, stand and I shall reason with you before the Lord, concerning all the righteous acts which He did to you and to your forefathers. |
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זוְעַתָּ֗ה הִֽתְיַצְּב֛וּ וְאִשָּׁפְטָ֥ה אִתְּכֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה ֤אֵת כָּל־צִדְק֣וֹת יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָֹ֥ה אִתְּכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם: |
| and I shall reason. or debate. |
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ואשפטה אתכם.
אתוכח עמכם:
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| 8When Jacob came to Egypt, and your forefathers cried out to the Lord, the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your forefathers out of Egypt, and they made them dwell in this place. |
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חכַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּזְעֲק֚וּ אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיּוֹצִ֚יאוּ אֶת־אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וַיּשִׁב֖וּם בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| 9And they forgot the Lord, their God, and He delivered them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they waged war with them. |
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טוַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּמְכֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֡ם בְּיַ֣ד סִֽיסְרָא֩ שַׂר־צְבָ֨א חָצ֜וֹר וּבְיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וּבְיַד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ בָּֽם: |
| 10And they cried out to the Lord, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have forsaken the Lord, and have served the Baalim and Ashtaroth. Now, save us from the hand of our enemies, and we shall serve You.' |
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יוַיִּזְעֲק֚וּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (כתיב וַיֹּאמְרֻ֣) חָטָ֔אנוּ כִּ֚י עָזַ֙בְנוּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה וַנַּעֲבֹ֥ד אֶת־הַבְּעָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת וְעַתָּ֗ה הַצִּילֵ֛נוּ מִיַּ֥ד אֹיְבֵ֖ינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ: |
| 11And the Lord sent Jerubaal, and Bedan, and Jephtah, and Samuel, and He saved you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt in safety. |
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יאוַיִּשְׁלַ֚ח יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־יְרֻבַּ֣עַל וְאֶת־בְּדָ֔ן וְאֶת־יִפְתָּ֖ח וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיַּצֵּ֨ל אֶתְכֶ֜ם מִיַּ֚ד אֹֽיְבֵיכֶם֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וַתֵּשְׁב֖וּ בֶּֽטַח: |
| Jerubaal. This is Gideon (Jud. 6:32). |
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ירובעל.
זה גדעון:
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| Bedan. This is Samson who came from the tribe of Dan. |
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בדן.
זה שמשון, שמשבט דן בא:
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| and Jephthah. Here are three insignificant leaders with three eminent leaders: Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, to tell you that the insignificant leader in his generation is equal to the eminent leader in his generation. Every court which is appointed over the generation must be followed as though its members were the noblest of nobility. |
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ואת יפתח.
הרי שלשה קלי עולם, עם שלשה חמורי עולם, משה ואהרן ושמואל, לומר לך, הקל בדורו, כחמור בדורו, כל בית דין המתמנה על הדור, צריך לילך אחריו כאלו הוא אביר שבאבירים:
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| 12And when you saw that Nahash, the king of Ammon, came upon you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall rule over us,' when the Lord your God was your king. |
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יבוַתִּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־נָחָ֞שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּוֹן֘ בָּ֣א עֲלֵיכֶם֒ וַתֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י לֹ֕א כִּי־מֶ֖לֶךְ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מַלְכְּכֶֽם: |
| 13And now, behold the king whom you have chosen, whom you have requested, and behold, the Lord has appointed a king over you. |
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יגוְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֥ה הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁאֶלְתֶּ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ: |
| 14If you will fear the Lord, and serve Him, and hearken to His voice, and you will not rebel against the commandments of the Lord, both you and the king who reigns over you, will be after the Lord your God. |
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ידאִם־תִּֽירְא֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֗ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֚ם אֹתוֹ֙ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם בְּקוֹל֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א תַמְר֖וּ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וִהְיִתֶ֣ם גַּם־אַתֶּ֗ם וְגַם־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אַחַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם: |
| both you and the king who reigns over you will be. Both you and the king who reigns over you will live to a ripe old age. |
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והיתם גם אתם.
ותתקיימו לאורך ימים גם אתם גם המלך:
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| 15But, if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and you will rebel against the commandments of the Lord, the Lord's hand will be against you and against your fathers. |
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טווְאִם־לֹ֚א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֔ה וּמְרִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהָיְתָ֧ה יַד־יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וּבַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם: |
| the Lord’s hand will be against you and against your fathers. Meaning, after it was against your fathers. Our Rabbis, however, said: (Jeb. 63b) “against you and against your fathers” refers to the digging up of the dead, which is a visitation of disgrace upon the dead. |
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והיתה יד ה' בכם ובאבותיכם.
כלומר והיתה בכם אחר שהיתה באבותיכם ורבותינו אמרו (יבמות סג ב): בכם ובאבותיכם, חטוטי שכבי, והיא מכת בזיון על המתים:
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| 16Even now, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes. |
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טזגַּם־עַתָּה֙ הִתְיַצְּב֣וּ וּרְא֔וּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה עֹשֶֹ֖ה לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם: |
| stand and see, etc.. and just as through my prayer, I am able to change the seasons, similarly, if a war befell you, there would be power in my prayer to protect you against the adversary, and you had no need to ask for a king during my lifetime despite the fact that I am old. |
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התיצבו וראו וגו'.
וכשם שעל ידי תפלתי אני יכול לשנות את העתים, כך אם פגעה בכם מלחמה, היה כח בתפלתי לעמוד על האויב, ולא הייתם צריכים לשאול מלך בחיי, ואף על פי שאני זקן:
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| 17Is it not wheat harvest today? I shall call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain, and you shall know and see, that your evil is great, which you have done in the eyes of the Lord, to ask for yourselves a king." |
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יזהֲל֚וֹא קְצִיר־חִטִּים֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶקְרָא֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיִתֵּ֥ן קֹל֖וֹת וּמָטָ֑ר וּדְע֣וּ וּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־רָעַתְכֶ֚ם רַבָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֚ר עֲשִׂיתֶם֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לִשְׁא֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ: |
| Is it not wheat harvest today?. Rain is an evil omen (Taanith 12b), and the Holy One Blessed be He is reluctant to visit retribution for nothing. Nevertheless, I have power; I shall call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain. |
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הלא קציר חטים היום.
והגשמים סימן קללה, וקשה בעיני הקב"ה להביא פורענות חנם, אף על פי כן יש בי כח, ואקרא אל ה' ויתן קולות ומטר:
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| and you shall know and see. that it was unnecessary to ask for a king and to treat me with disrespect. |
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ודעו וראו.
כי לא הייתם צריכים לשאול מלך לזלזל בי:
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| 18And Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. |
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יחוַיִּקְרָ֚א שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה קֹלֹ֥ת וּמָטָ֖ר בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּירָ֨א כָל־הָעָ֥ם מְאֹ֛ד אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵֽל: |
| 19And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the Lord your God and let us not die, for we have added to all our sins evil, to ask for ourselves a king." |
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יטוַיֹּאמְר֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל בְּעַד־עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וְאַל־נָמ֑וּת כִּֽי־יָסַ֚פְנוּ עַל־כָּל־חַטֹּאתֵ֙ינוּ֙ רָעָ֔ה לִשְׁאֹ֥ל לָ֖נוּ מֶֽלֶךְ: |
| 20And Samuel said to the people, "Fear not. You have done all this evil, but do not turn aside from following the Lord, and you shall serve the Lord with all your heart. |
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כוַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֚ל אֶל־הָעָם֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אוּ אַתֶּ֣ם עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את אַ֗ךְ אַל־תָּס֙וּרוּ֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶֽם: |
| 21And you shall not turn aside, for then (you would go) after vain things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are vain. |
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כאוְלֹ֖א תָּס֑וּרוּ כִּ֣י | אַחֲרֵ֣י הַתֹּ֗הוּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יוֹעִ֛ילוּ וְלֹ֥א יַצִּ֖ילוּ כִּי־תֹ֥הוּ הֵֽמָּה: |
| 22For the Lord will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; for the Lord has sworn to make you a people for Himself. |
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כבכִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִטּ֚שׁ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ בַּעֲב֖וּר שְׁמ֣וֹ הַגָּד֑וֹל ֤כִּי הוֹאִ֣יל יְהֹוָ֔ה לַעֲשֹ֥וֹת אֶתְכֶ֛ם ל֖וֹ לְעָֽם: |
| for His great Name’s sake. for His Name has spread concerning you, that He is your Savior and lest the Name of His greatness be diminished. |
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בעבור שמו הגדול.
אשר יצא שמו עליכם שהוא מושיעכם, ולמען לא יתמעט שם גדלו:
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| the Lord swore. (Heb. ‘ho il,’) like (infra 14:24) “And Saul made the people swear (Heb. ‘vayoel’).” |
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הואיל ה'.
נשבע, כמו (לקמן יד כה): ויואל שאול את העם:
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| 23I also, far be it from me to sin to the Lord in ceasing to pray for you, but I shall instruct you in the good and proper way. |
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כגגַּ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י חָלִ֚ילָה לִּי֙ מֵחֲטֹ֣א לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה מֵחֲדֹ֖ל לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעַדְכֶ֑ם וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ הַטּוֹבָ֖ה וְהַיְשָׁרָֽה: |
| also far be it from me. Since you will do your part by returning to the Lord, I also, far be it from me to stop praying for you. |
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גם אנכי חלילה לי.
מאחר שתעשו אתם את שלכם לשוב אל ה', גם אנכי חלילה לי מחדול מהתפלל בעדכם:
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| 24Only fear the Lord and you shall serve Him in truth with all your heart, for see the great things which He has dealt with you. |
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כדאַ֣ךְ | יְר֣אוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֗ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם אֹת֛וֹ בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י רְא֔וּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִגְדִּ֖ל עִמָּכֶֽם: |
| 25But, if you will do wrong, both you and your king will be destroyed. |
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כהוְאִם־הָרֵ֖עַ תָּרֵ֑עוּ גַּם־אַתֶּ֥ם גַּֽם־מַלְכְּכֶ֖ם תִּסָּפֽוּ: |
