Chapter 1

1And it was, after Saul's death, and David had returned from beating the Amalekites, that David dwelt in Ziklag two days.   א וַיְהִ֗י אַֽחֲרֵי֙ מ֣וֹת שָׁא֔וּל וְדָוִ֣ד שָׁ֔ב מֵהַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־הָעֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב דָּוִ֛ד בְּצִקְלָ֖ג יָמִ֥ים שְׁנָֽיִם:
2And it was on the third day, and behold, a man came from the camp, from Saul, and his clothes were rent, and there was earth on his head. And it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.   בוַיְהִ֣י | בַּי֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י וְהִנֵּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ בָּ֚א מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ מֵעִ֣ם שָׁא֔וּל וּבְגָדָ֣יו קְרֻעִ֔ים וַאֲדָמָ֖ה עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיְהִי֙ בְּבֹא֣וֹ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ:
and behold, a man came from the camp: It is found in Pesikta (D’Rav Kahana ch. 3:143, Rabb. ch. 12:9) that this was Doeg, but it does not seem plausible to me.   והנה איש בא מן המחנה: יש בפסיקתא שזה דואג ואינו מיושב על לבי:
3And David said to him, "Where are you coming from?" And he said to him, "From the camp of Israel, I have escaped."   גוַיֹּ֚אמֶר לוֹ֙ דָּוִ֔ד אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה תָּב֑וֹא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו מִמַּחֲנֵ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נִמְלָֽטְתִּי:
4And David said to him, "What was the situation? Tell me now." And he said, "That the people fled from the battle, and also many of the people fell and died, and also Saul and his son Jonathan died."   דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֥יו דָּוִ֛ד מֶה־הָיָ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר הַגֶּד־נָ֣א לִ֑י וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אֲשֶׁר־נָ֨ס הָעָם֜ מִן־הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְגַם־הַרְבֵּ֞ה נָפַ֚ל מִן־הָעָם֙ וַיָּמֻ֔תוּ וְגַ֗ם שָׁא֛וּל וִיהוֹנָתָ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ מֵֽתוּ:
5And David said to the youth who told him, "How did you know that Saul and his son Jonathan died?"   הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד אֶל־הַנַּ֖עַר הַמַּגִּ֣יד ל֑וֹ אֵ֣יךְ יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּי־מֵ֥ת שָׁא֖וּל וִיהוֹנָתָ֥ן בְּנֽוֹ:
6And the youth who told him said, "I chanced to be on Mt. Gilboa, and behold, Saul was leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the leaders of the cavalry had overtaken him.   ווַיֹּ֜אמֶר הַנַּ֣עַר | הַמַּגִּ֣יד ל֗וֹ נִקְרֹ֚א נִקְרֵ֙יתִי֙ בְּהַ֣ר הַגִּלְבֹּ֔עַ וְהִנֵּ֥ה שָׁא֖וּל נִשְׁעָ֣ן עַל־חֲנִית֑וֹ וְהִנֵּ֥ה הָרֶ֛כֶב וּבַעֲלֵ֥י הַפָּרָשִׁ֖ים הִדְבִּקֻֽהוּ:
7"And he turned around behind him, and he saw me and called to me, and I said, 'Here I am'.   זוַיִּ֥פֶן אַחֲרָ֖יו וַיִּרְאֵ֑נִי וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֵלָ֔י וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנֵּֽנִי:
8"And he said to me, 'Who are you?' And I said to him, 'I am an Amalekite.'   חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֖י מִי־אָ֑תָּה וָאֹמַ֣ר (כתיב וָיּאֹמַ֣ר) אֵלָ֔יו עֲמָלֵקִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי:
9"And he said to me, 'Stand over me now, and put me to death, for a shudder has seized me, for as long as my life is within me..'   טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י עֲמָד־נָ֚א עָלַי֙ וּמֹ֣תְתֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י אֲחָזַ֖נִי הַשָּׁבָ֑ץ כִּֽי־כָל־ע֥וֹד נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּֽי:
a shudder has seized me: The Midrash Aggadah explains. Because of the iniquity of Nob, the city of priests, which he had slain, concerning whom it is stated: כתנת תשבץ (“a tunic of checkered work”) (Ex. 28:4)   אחזני השבץ: (תרגום:) אחדני רתיתא. ומדרש אגדה (ראה ילקוט שמעוני רמז קמא): משום עון הכהנים שהרג, וכתוב בהן (שמות כח ד): כתנת תשבץ:
For as long as my life is within me: Hasten and put me to death. It is better for me that you put me to death than these (men) slay me and mock me.   כי כל עוד נפשי בי: מהר ומותתני, טוב לי שתמותתני אתה, ואל יהרגוני אלה ויתעללו בי:
10"And I stood over him and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall, and I took the crown which was on his head and the armlet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord."   יוָאֶעֱמֹ֚ד עָלָיו֙ וַאֲמֹ֣תְתֵ֔הוּ כִּ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יִֽחְיֶ֖ה אַחֲרֵ֣י נִפְל֑וֹ וָאֶקַּ֞ח הַנֵּ֣זֶר | אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וְאֶצְעָדָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־זְרֹע֔וֹ וָאֲבִיאֵ֥ם אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י הֵֽנָּה:
the crown which was on his head and the armlet which was on his arm: and the phylactery which was on his arm.   ואצעדה אשר על זרועו: (תרגום:) וטוטפתא דעל דרעיה:
11And David took hold of his clothes and rent them, and likewise all the men who were with him.   יאוַיַּחֲזֵ֥ק דָּוִ֛ד בִּבְגָדָ֖יו (כתיב בִּבְגָדָ֖ו) וַיִּקְרָעֵ֑ם וְגַ֥ם כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ:
12And they lamented and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the House of Israel for they had fallen by the sword.   יבוַֽיִּסְפְּדוּ֙ וַיִּבְכּ֔וּ וַיָּצֻ֖מוּ עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב עַל־שָׁא֞וּל וְעַל־יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן בְּנ֗וֹ וְעַל־עַ֚ם יְהֹוָה֙ וְעַל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י נָפְל֖וּ בֶּחָֽרֶב:
13And David said to the youth who told him, "From where are you?" And he said, "I am the son of an Amalekite stranger."   יגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד אֶל־הַנַּ֙עַר֙ הַמַּגִּ֣יד ל֔וֹ אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה אָ֑תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בֶּן־אִ֛ישׁ גֵּ֥ר עֲמָלֵקִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי:
14And David said to him, "How did you not fear to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"   ידוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו דָּוִ֑ד אֵ֚יךְ לֹ֣א יָרֵ֔אתָ לִשְׁלֹ֙חַ֙ יָֽדְךָ֔ לְשַׁחֵ֖ת אֶת־מְשִׁ֥יחַ יְהֹוָֽה:
15And David called one of the youths and said, "Go near, fall upon him," and he struck him and he died.   טווַיִּקְרָ֣א דָוִ֗ד לְאַחַד֙ מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיֹּ֖אמֶר גַּ֣שׁ פְּגַע־בּ֑וֹ וַיַּכֵּ֖הוּ וַיָּמֹֽת:
16And David said to him, "Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, "I have slain the Lord's anointed."   טזוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ דָּוִ֔ד דָּמְךָ֖ (כתיב דָּמְיךָ֖) עַל־רֹאשֶׁ֑ךָ כִּ֣י פִ֗יךָ עָנָ֚ה בְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אָנֹכִ֥י מֹתַ֖תִּי אֶת־מְשִׁ֥יחַ יְהֹוָֽה:
Your blood be upon your head: There is no penalty for your death except to yourself.   דמך על ראשך: (תרגום:) חובת קטולך תהי ברישך, אין עונש במיתתך אלא לעצמך:
17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.   יזוַיְקֹנֵ֣ן דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־הַקִּינָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את עַל־שָׁא֖וּל וְעַל־יְהוֹנָתָ֥ן בְּנֽוֹ:
18And he said to teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold it is written in the book of the just.   יחוַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְלַמֵּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֖ה קָ֑שֶׁת הִנֵּ֥ה כְתוּבָ֖ה עַל־סֵ֥פֶר הַיָּשָֽׁר:
And he said to teach the sons of Judah the bow: And David said, Since the heroes of Israel have fallen, the sons of Judah must teach them (to wage) war and to draw the bow.   ויאמר ללמד בני יהודה קשת: ויאמר דוד, מעתה שנפלו גבורי ישראל, צריכין בני יהודה ללמדם מלחמה ולמשוך בקשת:
Behold, it is written in the book of the just: In the Book of Gen., which is the book of the just: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, where is it implied? “Your hand be on the nape of your enemies.” (Gen. 49:8) What type of warfare is it wherein one directs his hand against his forehead which is opposite his nape? We must say that this is the bow.   הנה כתובה על ספר הישר: הלא היא כתובה על ספר בראשית שהיא ספר ישרים, אברהם יצחק ויעקב, והיכן רמיזא, (בראשית מט ח): ידך בעורף אויביך, איזו היא מלחמה שמכוין בה ידו כנגד פדחתו שהוא מול ערפו, הוי אומר זה קשת:
19O beauty of Israel! On your high places shall lie the slain? How have the heroes fallen?   יטהַצְּבִי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַל־בָּמוֹתֶ֖יךָ חָלָ֑ל אֵ֖יךְ נָפְל֥וּ גִבּוֹרִֽים:
O beauty of Israel! On your high places shall lie the slain?: O support of Israel (Saul and Jonathan)! At the peak of your strength you have fallen slain! So did I render this.   הצבי ישראל על במותיך חלל: מצבן של ישראל, על תוקף מעוזכם נפלתם חללים, כן תרגם יונתן:
20Tell it not in Gath. Announce it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.   כאַל־תַּגִּ֣ידוּ בְגַ֔ת אַֽל־תְּבַשְּׂר֖וּ בְּחוּצֹ֣ת אַשְׁקְל֑וֹן פֶּן־תִּשְׂמַ֙חְנָה֙ בְּנ֣וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים פֶּֽן־תַּעֲלֹ֖זְנָה בְּנ֥וֹת הָעֲרֵלִֽים:
21O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor shall you be fields of heave offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was rejected, Saul's shield was as though not anointed with oil.   כאהָרֵ֣י בַגִּלְבֹּ֗עַ אַל־טַ֧ל וְאַל־מָטָ֛ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וּשְׂדֵ֣י תְרוּמֹ֑ת כִּ֣י שָׁ֚ם נִגְעַל֙ מָגֵ֣ן גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים מָגֵ֣ן שָׁא֔וּל בְּלִ֖י מָשִׁ֥יחַ בַּשָּֽׁמֶן:
O mountains of Gilboa: The mountains which are in Gilboa.   הרי בגלבוע: ההרים שבגלבוע:
nor shall you be fields of heave offerings: Let there not be in you enough grain from which to separate a cake (חלה).   ושדי תרומות: (תרגום:) לא תהי בכון עללא כמיסת דיעבדון מניה חלתא:
for there the shield of the mighty was rejected: They had leather shields, which, upon departure to battle, they would anoint with oil, to that the weapon which would strike it would glide off, as it is stated: “Arise, O princes, anoint the shields” (Is. 21:5). And here, with this lamentation, he lamented this: There the shield of the mighty was purged. It rejected its oil and it did not adhere to it. Hence, it became as though not anointed with oil. Every הגלה is an expression of something which casts off that which is placed therein, like: “His bull impregnates and does not cast off (his semen)” (Job 21:10).   כי שם נגעל מגן גבורים: מגיני עור היו להם, וכשיוצאים למלחמה מושחין אותן בשמן, כדי שיהא כלי זיין המכה עליו מחליק, כמה דאת אמר (ישעיהו כא ה): קומו השרים משחו מגן. וכאן כך היה מקונן הקינה, שם נגעל מגן גבורים, פלט שומנו ולא נדבק בו, ונעשה כאלו לא נמשח בשמן כל 'הגעלה' לשון דבר הפולט מה שנותנין בו, כמו (איוב כא י): שורו עבר ולא יגעיל:
22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan's bow did not turn back, nor did Saul's sword return empty.   כבמִדַּ֣ם חֲלָלִ֗ים מֵחֵ֙לֶב֙ גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים קֶ֚שֶׁת יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן לֹ֥א נָשֹ֖וֹג אָח֑וֹר וְחֶ֣רֶב שָׁא֔וּל לֹ֥א תָשׁ֖וּב רֵיקָֽם:
did not turn back: was not accustomed to turn back.   לא נשוג אחור: לא היה רגיל להיות נסוג אחור:
23Saul and Jonathan, his son, who were beloved and pleasant in their lifetime, and in their death they were not separated. They were swifter than eagles, and mightier than lions.   כגשָׁא֣וּל וִיהוֹנָתָ֗ן הַנֶּאֱהָבִ֚ים וְהַנְּעִימִם֙ בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם וּבְמוֹתָ֖ם לֹ֣א נִפְרָ֑דוּ מִנְּשָׁרִ֣ים קַ֔לּוּ מֵאֲרָי֖וֹת גָּבֵֽרוּ:
they were swifter than eagles: To perform the will of their Creator.   מנשרים קלו: לעשות רצון בוראם:
24O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul who dressed you in crimson with delights, who put golden ornaments on your clothes.   כדבְּנוֹת֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל בְּכֶ֑ינָה הַמַּלְבִּֽשְׁכֶ֚ם שָׁנִי֙ עִם־עֲדָנִ֔ים הַֽמַּעֲלֶה֙ עֲדִ֣י זָהָ֔ב עַ֖ל לְבוּשְׁכֶֽן:
who dressed you in crimson with delights: who would dress you in colorful clothing and bring you delights.   המלבישכם שני עם עדנים: (תרגום:) דהוה מלביש לכון לבושי צבעונין ומוביל לכון תפנוקין (לשון תרגום יונתן):
25How did the mighty fall in the midst of the battle? Jonathan, on your high places you were slain!   כהאֵ֚יךְ נָפְל֣וּ גִבֹּרִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן עַל־בָּמוֹתֶ֖יךָ חָלָֽל:
on your high places you were slain!: At the peak of your strength you were slain (explaining ‘high places’ figuratively).   על במותיך חלל: (תרגום:) על בית תוקפך איתקטלתא:
26I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan, you were very pleasant to me. Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women!   כוצַר־לִ֣י עָלֶ֗יךָ אָחִי֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן נָעַ֥מְתָּ לִּ֖י מְאֹ֑ד נִפְלְאַ֚תָה אַהֲבָֽתְךָ֙ לִ֔י מֵאַהֲבַ֖ת נָשִֽׁים:
27How have the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished!   כזאֵ֚יךְ נָפְל֣וּ גִבּוֹרִ֔ים וַיֹּאבְד֖וּ כְּלֵ֥י מִלְחָמָֽה:
How have the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished!: Saul and Jonathan who were Israel’s weapons of war (perished).   כלי מלחמה: שאול ויהונתן, שהיו כלי זיין של ישראל: