| 1And David went away from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And his brothers and all his father's household heard, and went down to him there. |
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אוַיֵּ֚לֶךְ דָּוִד֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט אֶל־מְעָרַ֣ת עֲדֻלָּ֑ם וַיִּשְׁמְע֚וּ אֶחָיו֙ וְכָל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יו וַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו שָֽׁמָּה: |
| 2And every man who was in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man of embittered spirit, gathered themselves to him, and he became a chief over them; and there were about four hundred men with him. |
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בוַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ אֵ֠לָיו כָּל־אִ֨ישׁ מָצ֜וֹק וְכָל־אִ֨ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֚וֹ נשֶׁא֙ וְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ מַר־נֶ֔פֶשׁ וַיְהִ֥י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לְשָֹ֑ר וַיִּהְי֣וּ עִמּ֔וֹ כְּאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ: |
| 3And David went from there to Mizpeh Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, "Let my father and mother come out now with you, until I know what God will do for me." |
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גוַיֵּ֧לֶךְ דָּוִ֛ד מִשָּׁ֖ם מִצְפֵּ֣ה מוֹאָ֑ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֗ב יֵֽצֵא־נָ֞א אָבִ֚י וְאִמִּי֙ אִתְּכֶ֔ם ֤עַד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵדַ֔ע מַה־יַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֖י אֱלֹהִֽים: |
| 4And he brought them before the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. |
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דוַיַּנְחֵ֕ם אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֑ב וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ עִמּ֔וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֥י הֱיוֹת־דָּוִ֖ד בַּמְּצוּדָֽה: |
| and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. near Moab, and when David went away from there to the forest of Heresh, the king of Moab slew his father, mother, and brothers, with the exception of one of them, whom Nahash the Ammonite preserved alive. And that is the kindness which David (meant when he) said, (II Sam. 10:2) “As his father did kindness with me,” as it is stated in the Mid. of Rabbi T. (T. Buber, Vayera 25). |
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וישבו עמו כל ימי היות דוד במצודה.
סמוך למואב, וכשיצא דוד משם ליער חרת, הרג מלך מואב את אביו ואת אמו ואחיו, חוץ מאחד שבהם שהחייהו נחש העמוני, והוא החסד שאמר דוד (שמואל-ב יב): כאשר עשה אביו עמדי חסד, כדאיתא במדרש רבי תנחומא:
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| 5And Gad the prophet said to David, "You shall not stay in the stronghold. Go and enter the land of Judah." And David went, and came to the forest of Hereth. |
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הוַיֹּאמֶר֩ גָּ֨ד הַנָּבִ֜יא אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד לֹ֚א תֵשֵׁב֙ בַּמְּצוּדָ֔ה לֵ֥ךְ וּבָֽאתָ־לְּךָ֖ אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֔ד וַיָּבֹ֖א יַ֥עַר חָֽרֶת: |
| 6And Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had become known, and Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on a hill, and his spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing by him. |
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ווַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע שָׁא֔וּל ֤כִּי נוֹדַ֣ע דָּוִ֔ד וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁאוּל֩ יוֹשֵׁ֨ב בַּגִּבְעָ֜ה תַּֽחַת־הָאֶ֚שֶׁל בָּֽרָמָה֙ וַחֲנִית֣וֹ בְיָד֔וֹ וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו נִצָּבִ֥ים עָלָֽיו: |
| that David… had become known. for he investigated, to beware of him. |
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כי נודע דוד.
כי התבונן להשמר ממנו:
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| under the tamarisk tree on a hill. (Heb. ‘b’ramah,’) on one hill, which was in the border of Benjamin. Our Rabbis, however, said: This was Samuel’s Ramah, and since these are two distinct places, it is expounded thus: Saul was sitting in Gibeah through the merit of the great tamarisk tree (Samuel) who was in Ramah, and was praying for him. |
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תחת האשל ברמה.
אחת שהיתה בגבול בנימן ורבותינו אמרו (תענית ה ב): היא היתה רמה של שמואל, ושני מקומות הן, וכן מדרשו: ושאול יושב בגבעה, בזכות האשל הגדול אשר ברמה, שהיה מתפלל עליו:
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| 7And Saul said to his servants who were standing by him, "Hearken now, O Benjamites, will the son of Jesse also give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he appoint all of you captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? |
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זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֗וּל לַֽעֲבָדָיו֙ הַנִּצָּבִ֣ים עָלָ֔יו שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֖א בְּנֵ֣י יְמִינִ֑י גַּם־לְכֻלְּכֶ֗ם יִתֵּ֚ן בֶּן־יִשַׁי֙ שָׂד֣וֹת וּכְרָמִ֔ים לְכֻלְּכֶ֣ם יָשִֹ֔ים שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י מֵאֽוֹת: |
| 8For all of you have rebelled against me, and no one reveals to me when my son made a covenant with the son of Jesse, and no one of you feels sorry for me, or reveals to me that my son has incited my servant to rise up against me, to lie in wait as of this day." |
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חכִּי֩ קְשַׁרְתֶּ֨ם כֻּלְּכֶ֜ם עָלַ֗י וְאֵין־גֹּלֶ֚ה אֶת־אָזְנִי֙ בִּכְרָת־בְּנִ֣י עִם־בֶּן־יִשַׁ֔י וְאֵין־חֹלֶ֥ה מִכֶּ֛ם עָלַ֖י וְגֹלֶ֣ה אֶת־אָזְנִ֑י כִּ֣י הֵקִים֩ בְּנִ֨י אֶת־עַבְדִּ֥י עָלַ֛י לְאֹרֵ֖ב כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| 9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was appointed over Saul's servants, answered and said, "I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. |
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טוַיַּ֜עַן דֹּאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִ֗י וְה֛וּא נִצָּ֥ב עַל־עַבְדֵֽי־שָׁא֖וּל וַיֹּאמַ֑ר רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־בֶּן־יִשַׁ֔י בָּ֣א נֹ֔בֶה אֶל־אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ בֶּן־אֲחִטֽוּב: |
| 10And he inquired of the Lord on his behalf, and gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." |
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יוַיִּשְׁאַל־לוֹ֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְצֵידָ֖ה נָ֣תַן ל֑וֹ וְאֵ֗ת חֶ֛רֶב גָּלְיַ֥ת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י נָ֥תַן לֽוֹ: |
| 11And the king sent to call Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, the priest, and all of his father's household, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king. |
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יאוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לִקְרֹא֩ אֶת־אֲחִימֶ֨לֶךְ בֶּן־אֲחִיט֜וּב הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִ֛יו הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּנֹ֑ב וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ כֻלָּ֖ם אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: |
| 12And Saul said, "Listen now, O son of Ahitub." And he said, "Here I am, my lord." |
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יבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֖א בֶּן־אֲחִיט֑וּב וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנְנִ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי: |
| 13And Saul said to him, "Why have you rebelled against me, you and the son of Jesse, by your giving him food and a sword, and by inquiring of God on his behalf, to rise up against me as one who lies in wait as of this day?" |
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יגוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ (כתיב אֵלָו֙) שָׁא֔וּל ֤לָמָּה קְשַׁרְתֶּ֣ם עָלַ֔י אַתָּ֖ה וּבֶן־יִשָׁ֑י בְּתִתְּךָ֙ ל֜וֹ לֶ֣חֶם וְחֶ֗רֶב וְשָׁא֥וֹל לוֹ֙ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים לָק֥וּם אֵלַ֛י לְאֹרֵ֖ב כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| and by inquiring of the Lord on his behalf. You made him a king (by inquiring of the Urim and Tummim for him), since we may not inquire of the Urim and Tummim for a commoner. |
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ושאול לו באלהים.
עשיתו מלך, שאין נשאלין באורים ותומים להדיוט:
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| 14And Ahimelech answered the king, and said, "Now, who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and who goes to do your service, and is honored in your house? |
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ידוַיַּ֧עַן אֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר וּמִ֚י בְכָל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ כְּדָוִ֣ד נֶאֱמָ֔ן וַחֲתַ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְסָ֥ר אֶל־מִשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ךָ וְנִכְבָּ֥ד בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ: |
| and goes to do your service. (וסר) like “And they turned to him (ויסורו)” (Gen. 19:6), meaning that he comes near to do your service and to do your commands. (The root סור, which usually means ‘to turn away,’ is used here to mean ‘to come near.’) Was I able to understand that he was not going on your mission? |
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וסר אל משמעתך.
כמו (בראשית יט ג): ויסורו אליו, וקרב לשמושך ואל שמע דבריך, וכי היה לי להבין שאינו הולך בשליחותך:
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| 15Have I begun today to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me. Let not the king impute anything to his servant nor to all my father's household, for your servant knew nothing of all this, less, or more." |
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טוהַיּ֧וֹם הַחִלֹּ֛תִי לִשְׁאָל־ (כתיב לִשְׁאָול־) ל֥וֹ בֵאלֹהִ֖ים חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֑י אַל־יָשֵׂם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֚וֹ דָבָר֙ בְּכָל־בֵ֣ית אָבִ֔י כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יָדַ֚ע עַבְדְּךָ֙ בְּכָל־זֹ֔את דָּבָ֥ר קָטֹ֖ן א֥וֹ גָדֽוֹל: |
| Have I begun today to inquire. This is a question, inferring as follows: It is already a long time that the community has need for him for he (i.e., the king) appointed him as the one who leads Israel to and from battle, and since then, I inquire of God on his behalf. |
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היום החלותי לשאל לו.
בתמיה, זה ימים רבים שצורך הצבור בו, שמינהו מוציא ומביא את ישראל, ומאז אני שואל לו באלהים:
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| Far be it from me. to have done this thing with the intent of rebellion or treason. |
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חלילה לי.
מעשות דבר זה למרד ומעל:
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| 16And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's household." |
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טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מ֥וֹת תָּמ֖וּת אֲחִימֶ֑לֶךְ אַתָּ֖ה וְכָל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ: |
| 17And the king said to the footmen who were standing beside him, "Turn and put the priests of the Lord to death, for their hand is also with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing, and they did not inform me." And the king's servants would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. |
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יזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לָרָצִים֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים עָלָ֜יו סֹ֥בּוּ וְהָמִ֣יתוּ | כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה כִּ֚י גַם־יָדָם֙ עִם־דָּוִ֔ד וְכִ֚י יָֽדְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־בֹרֵ֣חַ ה֔וּא וְלֹ֥א גָל֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנִ֑י (כתיב אָזְנִ֑ו) וְלֹֽא־אָב֞וּ עַבְדֵ֚י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם לִפְגֹ֖עַ בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| who were standing beside him. They were Abner and Amassa. |
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לרצים הנצבים עליו.
אבנר ועמשא היו:
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| And… would not. They expounded ‘buts’ and ‘onlys.’ The Scripture states: “Every man who rebels against your command shall be put to death” (Jos. 1:18). One may think that this means even to commit a sin. The Scripture, therefore, states: Only (be strong and of good courage). |
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ולא אבו.
דרשו אכין ורקין (יהושע א יח): כל איש אשר ימרה את פיך וגו', יכול אפילו לדבר עבירה תלמוד לומר 'רק':
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| 18And the king said to Doeg, "You turn, and fall upon the priests." And Doeg turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day eighty-five men, wearers of the linen ephod. |
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יחוַיֹּ֚אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְדוֹאֵ֔ג (כתיב לְדוֹיֵ֔ג) סֹ֣ב אַתָּ֔ה וּפְגַ֖ע בַּכֹּהֲנִ֑ים וַיִּסֹּ֞ב דּוֹאֵ֣ג (כתיב דּוֹיֵ֣ג) הָאֲדֹמִ֗י וַיִּפְגַּע־הוּא֙ בַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיָּ֣מֶת | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא שְׁמֹנִ֚ים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אִ֔ישׁ נֹשֵֹ֖א אֵפ֥וֹד בָּֽד: |
| to Doeg. (the ‘kethib’ is דויג, upon which our Rabbis comment:) His name was changed (from דואג to דויג). He said to him, “You are caught like a fish. You informed on them. You slay them.” |
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לדויג.
נשתנה שמו, אמר לו נתפסת כדג, אתה הלשנת עליהם, אתה הרוג אותם:
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| 19And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the sharp edge of the sword, both man and woman, infant and suckling, and ox and ass, and lamb, with the sharp edge of the sword. |
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יטוְאֵ֨ת נֹ֚ב עִיר־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ הִכָּ֣ה לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב מֵאִישׁ֙ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה מֵעוֹלֵ֖ל וְעַד־יוֹנֵ֑ק וְשׁ֧וֹר וַחֲמ֛וֹר וָשֶֹ֖ה לְפִי־חָֽרֶב: |
| 20And one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. |
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כוַיִּמָּלֵ֣ט בֵּן־אֶחָ֗ד לַאֲחִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִט֔וּב וּשְׁמ֖וֹ אֶבְיָתָ֑ר וַיִּבְרַ֖ח אַחֲרֵ֥י דָוִֽד: |
| 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord. |
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כאוַיַּגֵּ֥ד אֶבְיָתָ֖ר לְדָוִ֑ד ֤כִּי הָרַ֣ג שָׁא֔וּל אֵ֖ת כֹּהֲנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| 22And David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day that Doeg the Edomite was there, (and) that he would tell Saul. I brought about the death of every person of your father's household! |
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כבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לְאֶבְיָתָ֗ר יָדַ֜עְתִּי בַּיּ֚וֹם הַהוּא֙ כִּֽי־שָׁם֙ דּוֹאֵ֣ג (כתיב דּוֹיֵ֣ג) הָאֲדֹמִ֔י כִּֽי־הַגֵּ֥ד יַגִּ֖יד לְשָׁא֑וּל אָנֹכִ֣י סַבֹּ֔תִי בְּכָל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ: |
| I brought about. I brought about the matter until it came to this. |
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אנכי סבתי.
סבבתי הדבר עד שבא לידי כך:
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| 23Stay with me; fear not, for he who seeks my soul seeks your soul, for you shall be in safeguard with me." |
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כגשְׁבָ֚ה אִתִּי֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔א כִּ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת אַתָּ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי: |
| for he who seeks my soul. One man is pursuing both of us. Wherever I shall escape, you shall escape, for you will always be in my safeguard. Jonathan renders: for he who seeks to kill me, seeks to kill you. It may also be interpreted: for he who will love me, will love you, and he who will guard my soul, will guard your soul. There is another instance of this in the Scriptures: “Men of blood hate him that is sincere, but the upright seek his soul” (Prov. 29:10). Here is (an instance of) seeking a soul for good. |
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כי אשר יבקש את נפשי.
אדם אחד רודף שנינו, במקום שאמלט שם אני, תמלט אתה, כי במשמרתי תהיה תמיד, כך תרגם יונתן: ארי מאן דבעי למיקטלי בעי למקטלך. ויש עוד לפרש; כי אשר יאהבני יאהבך, ואשר ישמור את נפשי ישמור את נפשך, ויש דוגמא במקרא (משלי כט י): אנשי דמים ישנאו תם וישרים יבקשו נפשו, הרי כאן בקשת נפש לטובה:
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