Chapter 28

1And it was in those days that the Philistines gathered their camps together for warfare, to make a war upon Israel. And Achish said to David, "You shall know that you shall go out with me in the camp, you and your men."   אוַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם וַיִּקְבְּצ֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֚ים אֶת־מַֽחֲנֵיהֶם֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֚אמֶר אָכִישׁ֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּדַ֗ע כִּ֚י אִתִּי֙ תֵּצֵ֣א בַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה אַתָּ֖ה וַאֲנָשֶֽׁיךָ:
2And David said to Achish, "Therefore, you shall know what your servant will do." And Achish said to David, "Therefore, I shall make you my bodyguard all the time."   בוַיֹּ֚אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־אָכִ֔ישׁ לָכֵן֙ אַתָּ֣ה תֵדַ֔ע אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶֹ֖ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֚אמֶר אָכִישׁ֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד לָכֵ֗ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר לְרֹאשִׁ֛י אֲשִֹֽימְךָ֖ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, and (each one lamented him) in his own city. Now, Saul had abolished necromancers and those who divine with the Jidoa bone from the land.   גוּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־לוֹ֙ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ בָרָמָ֖ה וּבְעִיר֑וֹ וְשָׁא֗וּל הֵסִ֛יר הָאֹב֥וֹת וְאֶת־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖ים מֵהָאָֽרֶץ:
And Samuel had died: It was already stated: And Samuel died (supra 25:1), but since he came to speak of Saul, that he had to ask of a necromanceress, he commenced by saying: And Samuel had died, for had he been alive, Saul would have inquired of him. And since Saul had abolished the necromancers, he had to seek a necromanceress.   ושמואל מת: הרי כבר נאמר וימת שמואל, אלא לפי שבא לדבר בשאול שהוצרך לדרוש בבעלת אוב, פתח ואמר ושמואל מת, שאילו היה קיים, ממנו היה שאול דורש, ושאול הסיר האובות, והוצרך לבקש אשה בעלת אוב:
and all Israel lamented him and buried him in Ramah, and… in his own city.: (The difficulty of the word ‘and’ is explained by Jonathan with the following paraphrase:) And all Israel lamented him and buried him in Ramah, and each one lamented him in his own city. ‘And in his city’ is connected with ‘And they lamented him.’ They lamented him and buried him in Ramah, and each one lamented him in his own city.   ויספדו לו כל ישראל ויקברוהו ברמה ובעירו: (תרגום:) וספדו עלוהי כל ישראל וקברוהי ברמתא וספדו עלוהי אנש בקרתיה ; ובעירו' מוסב על 'ויספדו לו', ספדוהו ברמה כשקברוהו, וספדוהו איש בעירו:
4And the Philistines gathered, and came and encamped in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped in Gilboa.   דוַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְשׁוּנֵ֑ם וַיִּקְבֹּ֚ץ שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּגִּלְבֹּֽעַ:
5And Saul saw the camp of the Philistines. And he feared, and his heart trembled greatly.   הוַיַּ֥רְא שָׁא֖וּל אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיִּרָ֕א וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד לִבּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד:
6And Saul inquired of the Lord, and the Lord did not answer; neither by dreams, nor by the Urim, nor by the prophets.   ווַיִּשְׁאַ֚ל שָׁאוּל֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א עָנָ֖הוּ יְהֹוָ֑ה גַּ֧ם בַּחֲלֹמ֛וֹת גַּ֥ם בָּאוּרִ֖ים גַּ֥ם בַּנְּבִיאִֽם:
nor by the Urim: Since he had slain Nob, the priestly city, he was not answered.   גם באורים: לפי שהרג נוב עיר הכהנים, לא נענה:
7And Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a necromanceress; and I shall go to her, and inquire of her." And his servants said, "Behold, there is a necromanceress in En-dor."   זוַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לַעֲבָדָ֛יו בַּקְּשׁוּ־לִי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־א֔וֹב וְאֵלְכָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יהָ וְאֶדְרְשָׁה־בָּ֑הּ וַיֹּאמְר֚וּ עֲבָדָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥שֶׁת בַּֽעֲלַת־א֖וֹב בְּעֵ֥ין דּֽוֹר:
8And Saul disguised himself, and donned other garments. And he went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night, and he said, "Divine now for me with necromancy, and conjure up for me whom I shall tell you."   חוַיִּתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ שָׁא֗וּל וַיִּלְבַּשׁ֙ בְּגָדִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ ה֗וּא וּשְׁנֵ֚י אֲנָשִׁים֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה לָ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר קָֽסֳמִי־ (כתיב קָֽסֳומִי־) נָ֥א לִי֙ בָּא֔וֹב וְהַ֣עֲלִי לִ֔י אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־אֹמַ֖ר אֵלָֽיִךָ:
And Saul disguised himself: (ויתחפש), he changed his clothes and similarly, “Disguise yourself and come into the battle” (I Kings 22:30). And similarly, “By the great force (of my disease), is my garment changed” (Job 30:18). And so did Jonathan render: And Saul changed.   ויתחפש שאול: שינה בגדיו, וכן (מלכים-א כב ל): התחפש ובא במלחמה ; וכן (איוב ל יח): ברב כח יתחפש לבושי, וכן תרגם יונתן: ואשתני שאול:
and they came to the woman by night: It was (really) daytime but because of their distress it seemed to them (dark) as night. So did Rabbi Tanhuma expound (this passage).   ויבאו אל האשה לילה: יום היה, אלא מתוך צרתם היה דומה להם לילה, כך דרש רבי תנחומא (פרשת אמור ב):
9And the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, that he has abolished the necromancers and those who divine by the Jidoa bone, from the land; and why do you lay a snare for my life to cause me to die?"   טוַתֹּ֨אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּ֨ה אַתָּ֚ה יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָֹ֣ה שָׁא֔וּל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִכְרִ֛ית אֶת־הָאֹב֥וֹת וְאֶת־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖י מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלָמָ֥ה אַתָּ֛ה מִתְנַקֵּ֥שׁ בְּנַפְשִׁ֖י לַהֲמִיתֵֽנִי:
lay a snare: seek a stumbling block.   מתנקש: מבקש תקלה:
10And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, "As the Lord lives, no punishment will happen to you for this thing."   יוַיִּשָּׁ֚בַֽע לָהּ֙ שָׁא֔וּל בַּֽיהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר חַי־יְהֹוָ֕ה אִֽם־יִקְּרֵ֥ךְ עָוֹ֖ן בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
11And the woman said, "Whom shall I conjure up for you?" And he said, "Conjure up Samuel for me."   יאוַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֶת־מִ֖י אַֽעֲלֶה־לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הַֽעֲלִי־לִֽי:
12And the woman saw Samuel, and she cried aloud. And the woman said to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!"   יבוַתֵּ֚רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַתִּזְעַ֖ק בְּק֣וֹל גָּד֑וֹל וַתֹּאמֶר֩ הָאִשָּׁ֨ה אֶל־שָׁא֧וּל לֵאמֹ֛ר לָ֥מָּה רִמִּיתָ֖נִי וְאַתָּ֥ה שָׁאֽוּל:
and she cried aloud: for she saw him ascending not in the usual manner of those who ascend through necromancy, for when one conjures up (the dead) through necromancy, they ascend with their feet upward, while this one was ascending with his head upward, in honor of Saul.   ותזעק בקול גדול: שראתהו עולה שלא כדרך העולים, שהמעלה בזכורו, עולים רגליהם למעלה, וזה עולה ראשו למעלה, בשביל כבודו של שאול (תנחומא שם):
13And the king said to her, "Fear not, for what have you seen?" And the woman said to Saul, "I have seen angels ascending from the earth."   יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י כִּ֣י מָ֣ה רָאִ֑ית וַתֹּ֚אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל אֱלֹהִ֥ים רָאִ֖יתִי עֹלִ֥ים מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ:
I have seen angels ascending from the earth.: Two angels (righteous men as holy as angels), viz., Moses and Samuel, for Samuel feared, “Perhaps I am being summoned for judgment,” and brought Moses up with him, as it is stated in Hag. 4b (and in Taan.).   אלהים ראיתי עולים מן הארץ: מלאכים שנים, משה ושמואל, שנתיירא שמואל שמא אני מתבקש בדין, והעלה משה עמו (כדאיתא בחגיגה ד ב):
14And he said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a cloak." And Saul knew that he was Samuel; and he bowed down with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.   ידוַיֹּ֚אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַֽה־תָּאֳר֔וֹ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אִ֚ישׁ זָקֵן֙ עֹלֶ֔ה וְה֥וּא עֹטֶ֖ה מְעִ֑יל וַיֵּ֚דַע שָׁאוּל֙ כִּֽי־שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל ה֔וּא וַיִּקֹּ֥ד אַפַּ֛יִם אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ:
What is his form?: Three things were said concerning necromancy, viz., (1) The one who conjures him (the dead) up sees him, but does not hear his voice. (2) The one who inquires of him hears him, but does not see him. Therefore, he asked, ‘What is his form?’ (3) Others neither see nor hear him.   מה תארו: שלשה דברים נאמרו באוב: המעלה אותו, רואהו ואינו שומע קולו, והנשאל לו, שומעו ואינו רואהו, ולפיכך שאל מה תארו, ואחר, לא רואהו ולא שומעו (תנחומא שם):
and he is wrapped in a cloak: for he was accustomed to wear a cloak, as it is stated: And his mother would make him a small cloak (supra 2:19). He was buried with it, and so he arose. And so in the future, will the dead rise with their garments.   והוא עוטה מעיל: שהיה רגיל ללבוש מעיל, שנאמר (לעיל ב יט): ומעיל קטן תעשה לו אמו, ובמעילו נקבר, וכן עלה, וכן לעתיד לבא יעמדו בלבושיהם (תנחומא שם):
15And Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you roused me, to bring me up?" And Saul said, "I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines are battling against me, and God has turned away from me, and has not answered me anymore, neither through the prophets, nor through dreams. And I have called you to let me know what I shall do."   טווַיֹּ֚אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל לָ֥מָּה הִרְגַּזְתַּ֖נִי לְהַעֲל֣וֹת אֹתִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁ֠אוּל צַר־לִ֨י מְאֹ֜ד וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים | נִלְחָמִ֣ים בִּ֗י וֵֽאלֹהִ֞ים סָ֚ר מֵֽעָלַי֙ וְלֹֽא־עָנָ֣נִי ע֗וֹד גַּ֚ם בְּיַֽד־הַנְּבִיאִים֙ גַּם־בַּ֣חֲלֹמ֔וֹת וָאֶקְרָאֶ֣ה לְךָ֔ לְהוֹדִיעֵ֖נִי מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶֹֽה:
… have you roused me: You have caused me to shudder.   הרגזתני: החרדתני:
neither through the prophets nor through dreams: But he did not tell him of the Urim and Tummim, even though he had inquired of them, as it is stated above (v. 6), for he was ashamed of it, since he had slain Nob the priestly city.   גם ביד הנביאים גם בחלומות: אבל באורים ותומים לא אמר לו, ואף על פי ששאל בהם כמו שאמור למעלה, שהיה בוש ממנו על שהרג נוב עיר הכהנים:
And I have called you: (ואקראה) An expression meaning: And I have been summoned after you, similar to: I was summoned (נקרא נקראתי) on Mt. Gilboa (II Sam. 1:6), and similar to: “And there chanced an unscrupulous man” (II Sam. 20:1). (The reference is ambiguous.) It was necessary for me to be summoned after you, that you let me know what I am to do.   ואקראה לך: לשון ואזעק אחריך, כמו (שמואל-ב א ו): נקרא נקראתי בהר הגלבוע ; וכמו (שם כ א): ושם נקרא איש בליעל, הוצרכתי להיות נקרא אליך, שתודיעני מה אעשה:
16And Samuel said, "And why do you ask me, when the Lord has turned away from you, and has become (the supporter of) your adversary?   טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וְלָ֖מָּה תִּשְׁאָלֵ֑נִי וַיהֹוָ֛ה סָ֥ר מֵעָלֶ֖יךָ וַיְהִ֥י עָרֶֽךָ:
And why do you ask me: Since you have asked of the live prophets.   ולמה תשאלני: הרי שאלת מן הנביאים החיים:
and has become your adversary: (Jonathan paraphrases) and has become the supporter of the man whose adversary you are.   ויהי ערך: (תרגום:) והוה בסעדיה דגברא דאת בעיל דבביה:
your adversary: (Heb. ‘orecha,’) an expression meaning an enemy. There are many (examples) in the Scriptures, e. g.: “And they will fill the face of the earth with adversaries” (Is. 14:21); “And I shall destroy your adversaries” (Mic. 5:13); “The dream be to your enemies and its interpretation to your adversaries” (Dan. 3:49. In our editions 4:16, Christian editions 4:19).   ערך: לשון שונא וכמה יש במקרא, (ישעיהו יד כא) ומלאו פני תבל ערים ; (מיכה ה יג). והשמדתי עריך (דניאל ד טז). חלמא לשנאך ופשרה לערך ; (דניאל ד טז):
17And the Lord has done to him as He spoke by me; and the Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand, and has given it to your fellow-to David.   יזוַיַּ֚עַשׂ יְהֹוָה֙ ל֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר בְּיָדִ֑י וַיִּקְרַ֨ע יְהֹוָ֚ה אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִיָּדֶ֔ךָ וַֽיִּתְּנָ֖הּ לְרֵעֲךָ֥ לְדָוִֽד:
to your fellow to David: But during his lifetime, he did not mention his name to him, only “and gave it to your fellow who is better than you” (supra 15:28) because he feared him lest he kill him, since he (Samuel) had anointed him (David) as king.   לרעך לדוד: ובחייו לא הזכיר לו שמו, אלא ונתנה לרעך הטוב ממך (לעיל טו כח), לפי שהיה ירא ממנו שלא יהרגנו, לפי שמשחו למלכות (תנחומא שם):
18Because you did not listen to the Lord's voice, and you did not execute the fierceness of His wrath against Amalek; therefore, the Lord has done this thing to you this day.   יחכַּאֲשֶׁ֚ר לֹֽא־שָׁמַ֙עְתָּ֙ בְּק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֔ה וְלֹֽא־עָשִֹ֥יתָ חֲרוֹן־אַפּ֖וֹ בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק עַל־כֵּן֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה עָשָֹֽה־לְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
19And the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me. Also, the Lord will deliver the camp of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."   יטוְיִתֵּ֣ן יְ֠הֹוָה גַּ֣ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֚ל עִמְּךָ֙ בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וּמָחָ֕ר אַתָּ֥ה וּבָנֶ֖יךָ עִמִּ֑י ֤גַּם אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִתֵּ֥ן יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:
you and your sons will be with me: in my abode.   אתה ובניך עמי: במחיצתי:
20And Saul hastened and fell his full length to the ground; and he was very frightened because of Samuel's words. Furthermore, he had no strength, for he had not eaten bread all that day and all that night.   כוַיְמַהֵ֣ר שָׁא֗וּל וַיִּפֹּ֚ל מְלֹא־קֽוֹמָתוֹ֙ אַ֔רְצָה וַיִּרָ֥א מְאֹ֖ד מִדִּבְרֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל גַּם־כֹּ֙חַ֙ לֹא־הָ֣יָה ב֔וֹ כִּ֣י לֹ֚א אָכַל֙ לֶ֔חֶם כָּל־הַיּ֖וֹם וְכָל־הַלָּֽיְלָה:
21And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very much terror-stricken. And she said to him, "Behold, your handmaid listened to your voice; and I have put my life in my hand, and obeyed your words which you spoke to me.   כאוַתָּב֚וֹא הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַתֵּ֖רֶא כִּי־נִבְהַ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּ֨ה שָׁמְעָ֚ה שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ בְּקוֹלֶ֔ךָ וָאָשִֹ֚ים נַפְשִׁי֙ בְּכַפִּ֔י וָֽאֶשְׁמַע֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָֽי:
22And now, I pray you, you also listen to the voice of your handmaid, and let me place before you a morsel of bread and eat; and you will have strength when you go on the way."   כבוְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁמַֽע־נָ֚א גַם־אַתָּה֙ בְּק֣וֹל שִׁפְחָתֶ֔ךָ וְאָשִֹ֧מָה לְפָנֶ֛יךָ פַּת־לֶ֖חֶם וֶאֱכ֑וֹל וִיהִ֚י בְךָ֙ כֹּ֔חַ כִּ֥י תֵלֵ֖ךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ:
23And he refused, and said, "I shall not eat." And his servants and also the woman urged him: and he listened to their voice. And he arose from the ground and sat upon the couch.   כגוַיְּמָאֵ֗ן וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֹכַ֔ל וַיִּפְרְצוּ־ב֚וֹ עֲבָדָיו֙ וְגַם־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע לְקֹלָ֑ם וַיָּ֙קָם֙ מֵֽהָאָ֔רֶץ וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב אֶל־הַמִּטָּֽה:
24And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hastened and slaughtered it. And she took flour and kneaded it and baked from it unleavened cakes.   כדוְלָאִשָּׁ֚ה עֵֽגֶל־מַרְבֵּק֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת וַתְּמַהֵ֖ר וַתִּזְבָּחֵ֑הוּ וַתִּקַּח־קֶ֣מַח וַתָּ֔לָשׁ וַתֹּפֵ֖הוּ מַצּֽוֹת:
עגל מרבק: a fatted calf (from Jonathan).   עגל מרבק: (תרגום:) עגל פטים:
25And she set it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate. And they rose and went away on that night.   כהוַתַּגֵּ֧שׁ לִפְנֵֽי־שָׁא֛וּל וְלִפְנֵ֥י עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיֹּאכֵ֑לוּ וַיָּקֻ֥מוּ וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַהֽוּא: