I Samuel · Chapter 12

“Behold, I have heard, etc.” This means: Until I had anointed a king, I was unable to rebuke you, lest you think that the ultimate purpose of my words was to prevent the anointing of a king. Therefore, I first listened to your voice and anointed a king.

The Questions: (1-2) What was the intent of this great dispute? What is the meaning of “for all that you have said to me is superfluous language”? And likewise, what is the relevance of “my sons are with you”? And Samuel said: After he had completed the coronation of the king, he came to reason with them. And we have already explained above (chapter 8) that in this request they made to him for a king, they sinned in two respects: 1) Against the honor of Samuel, in that they removed him from being their judge; 2) Against the honor of God, in that they desired to replace the Kingdom of Heaven with a kingdom of flesh and blood. And against these two matters he first reasoned with them; he first reasoned with them regarding what they had sinned against him. He said, “Behold, I have hearkened to your voice to all that you have said to me,” meaning: Even though I was not obligated to listen to you concerning the matter that you desired—that the king should also judge you, for by law it is impossible to remove a judge from his authority as long as no wrongdoing was found in him, and I ought only to have listened to the request that the king be appointed over war, not over judgment—nevertheless, I have hearkened to all that you have said to me, which is what is written: “And let our king judge us.”

And I, I am old, and I have grown gray. Our Sages said: Old age leaped upon him — as it is in the tractate Ta'anit (5b).

“I have grown old and returned.” The return is greater than the old age. And our Sages of blessed memory said that old age “leaped” upon him, for he was only fifty-two years old when he died. And because they would not say of him, nor would the people murmur that he died in the shortness of his days, old age leaped upon him so that he would appear old, for not everyone knew the number of his years. And he chose his death so that Saul would not die while he was still alive. And it is written that the fifty-two years of Samuel: they said that when Hannah prayed on that day, Eli was appointed as judge. Perhaps this was a received tradition among them, for from the verses we do not see this, for it is possible that Eli was not yet a judge, but he was a prophet and High Priest in Shiloh, and later he was appointed as judge. And if so, that on that day he was appointed as judge, it would be found according to this that Samuel was only fifty-two years old, for Eli judged Israel for forty years and died on the day the Ark was taken captive, and it was in the field of the Philistines for seven months, and it was in Kiriath-jearim for twenty years. And David brought it up from Kiriath-jearim after seven years that he reigned in Hebron. Behold, from the twenty years, seven years of David are subtracted, leaving thirteen for Samuel, and forty for Eli, making fifty-three. Subtract from them one year for his gestation, as it is said, “And it came to pass at the turning of the days,” etc., behold, fifty-two. And they are your sons. For you will need them in matters of the Torahs and the laws that they received from me.

"And now." But now, since the king walks before you and has been established in his kingdom, who is there that would set his heart to remove him from his kingdom? Moreover, I have grown old, and my strength has failed to continue holding onto the rule. And my sons—behold, they are with you, ready for the service of the king and desiring him as you do. Therefore, there is no longer room to say that another spirit is with me. For this reason, I will now speak my words: “And I have walked about.” This means: Furthermore, was I not walking before you from city to city to judge you, not for one day or two days, but from my youth until this day? If so, you all know and recognize me, that I do not walk in deceit and cunning.

And I am grayheaded. Hoary age is more advanced than old age. Behold them. Behold, they are here.

“And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I have grown old and grayheaded,” meaning: I have not attained any benefit in return for the service I performed on your behalf. I have grown old due to excessive labor and the burden of the community, which caused old age to overtake me prematurely (for he was then only fifty years old). Moreover, my sons have not inherited my greatness, for they are among you like any other member of the people, removed from their greatness. Although I have walked before you from my youth until this day, it was not fitting to remove me, neither because I neglected the service of the community—for from my youth until this day I have been engaged in your service—nor because you found in me any wrongdoing, such as perverting justice or taking bribes. Regarding this,

Whose ox have I taken? For my service. And whose donkey have I taken? When I was going from city to city to judge them concerning their needs, I was going upon my donkey, and it was fitting for me to take from theirs. Whom have I oppressed? All the language of 'merutzah' adjacent to oppression is the language of oppressed and crushed — robbed the poor and crushed. And I closed my eyes to it. In order to close my eyes to the judgment for the sake of money. And I will return to you. Everything that you will say.

"I took." That is to say, for my service: “And whom have I defrauded?” In matters of money. “Whom have I crushed?”—in his body. And likewise, “oppressed and crushed,” and Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: “Whom have I oppressed? Whom have I coerced?” And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: “I have oppressed” through coercion; “I have crushed” through willing submission. That is to say, even when he was willing, I did not take his property. And according to their interpretation, “I have crushed” derives from “willing,” even though it is not from its root. Kofer. To pervert justice: "And I will hide my eyes from him." If he is ashamed to say it in my presence, I will hide my eyes so that I will not look at him, and he will say to you, and I will answer accordingly. My master and father, of blessed memory, explained this. And Yonatan explained it in terms of the legal ruling, and so did he translate: "And from whose hand have I received money falsely, and shut mine eyes from him in judgment? And I will restore it to you."

"Hineini" – meaning: While I am still here, rebuke me before the Lord and before the king anointed by the Lord. “I have taken a ransom: a redemption for his sin.” “And I hid my eyes at it.” And because of the bribe, I concealed my eyes from him, so as not to punish him with the punishment he deserved. "And I will answer you." This means: "And when you will answer Me with something while I am still here, behold, I will answer you regarding your words."

They testified. They gave testimony, similarly (Exodus 20:13): 'you shall not give false testimony'. Whose ox. Whose ox. I oppressed. From the word 'oppression' and 'robbery'. I crushed. A matter of breaking the body, similarly (Deuteronomy 28:33): 'oppressed and crushed'. Bribe. Ransom.

The questions (3–6): What is meant by “Whom have I oppressed? Whom have I extorted?” etc., which is entirely in a doubled expression? Why did He add a second time, “The Lord is witness against you, for ye have found nothing in my hand”? Why did the Lord testify to this, when surely all the people are witnesses? What is meant by “And He said, ‘Witness’” and not “And they said”? What is meant by “The Lord, who made Moses,” which has no connection either to what precedes or to what follows? "Behold, testify against me, for now you will not flatter me in recounting my transgression, since it concerns the Lord; nor will you fear to recount it, since it concerns His anointed, who will render judgment. He proceeds in order, from the severe to the mild: 'Whose ox have I taken by force?' and even, 'Whose donkey have I taken?' Although judges are accustomed to taking a donkey for riding when they travel from city to city to judge the people, he adds, 'Whom have I oppressed?' For oppression is lighter, such as withholding a worker's wages and the like, where one does not steal by force but merely withholds what is due to him. And he adds, 'Whom have I caused to groan?'—to whom did I seek that he give me some gift of his own free will? Or perhaps 'whom have I crushed?' And although crushing is worse than oppression, it comes later in the matter of the greater stringency regarding restitution, for even one who crushes the body must pay with money and return damage, pain, etc., and all the more so must he return the money of the oppressed. And he adds, 'And whose ransom have I taken in my hand?'—if a person became liable for death or lashes, and I took from him a ransom of money in place of corporal punishment, thereby closing my eyes to punishing him according to his judgment, even though this ransom is given willingly by the liable party, and it is not oppression vis-à-vis the giver, but rather a perversion of justice itself in a matter concerning the Lord, nevertheless, I will repay you."

Anything. Any thing at all:

And they said, “You have not defrauded us.” They seized upon the latter, easier matters, and all the more so did he not rob. And they added, “Nor did you take from any man anything,” even as a gift, for he derived no benefit from any person, as our Sages of blessed memory said.

And he said, 'Witness.' A bat kol goes forth and says: 'Witness.' And this is one of three places where the Holy Spirit appeared in a lower court — as it is in the tractate Makkot (23b).

"And he said: He is witness." All Israel said "witness" as one, and therefore it says "and he said" in the singular. And our Sages of blessed memory said that a heavenly voice went forth and said "witness": the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, you bear witness concerning him as to what is open, and I bear witness concerning him as to what is hidden. And this is one of three places where the Holy Spirit appeared in the earthly court.

"The Lord is witness." The Lord shall be a witness, and also His anointed shall be a witness, that you have not found in my hand anything that is improper. And he said, "Witness." This means that each one said: "So be it; let the Lord be witness, and let His anointed one be witness." Or perhaps it was only Saul who said: "I will be witness."

And he said: "Inasmuch as it may happen that although he did not take anything from the hand of a person, nevertheless he received his reward from the public treasury, inasmuch as the public treasury consisted of taxes and charities that were in the hand of the judge, and he had the right, even according to the law, to take his salary and sustenance from there, and this they will not be able to testify to, but only the Lord alone, who knows the hidden things. And regarding this it is said: 'The Lord is Your witness.' For you have not found in my hand anything; even if you search all the treasures of my house, you will not find anything, for I have not taken a salary from the public treasury either. And 'witness' refers back to the Lord mentioned earlier: 'The Lord said, witness.' And so our Sages of blessed memory interpreted: A heavenly voice went forth and said, 'Witness.'"

That made Moshe and Aaron. To be fit for His mission — to bring your fathers out of Egypt.

"Who made Moses and Aaron": Who exalted them and taught them; and likewise, "and the souls that they made in Haran." And the Targum renders it: "Who did mighty deeds by the hand of Moses and Aaron." And the sense of this verse is: "Who made Moses and Aaron" for your redemption, and through them He brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt; He shall be a witness between me and between you.

And behold, Shmuel said: “The Lord, who made Moses and Aaron for the sake of His intense providence over Israel, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.” By this he meant that the Lord, who did all this, shall be a witness between them. Or, he said this in a manner of declaration and intent: It is the Lord who did all this for the sake of His providence over them, and this was revealed through the signs and wonders that were renewed at that time. This latter interpretation is more correct and more closely connected to what follows. After this, he elaborated on the kindnesses that God, blessed be He, did for Israel, yet he was brief in publicizing them, for he did not mention Joshua, who inherited the land for them, nor did he mention the judges whom God, blessed be He, raised up for them, except for four. He did not mention the judge who delivered them from the hand of Sisera, even though he had already mentioned that God, blessed be He, had sold them into the hand of Sisera. It appears that he did not mention these four except to explain to them that it was due to the multitude of the kindnesses of God, blessed be He, that He saved Israel from their enemies: at times through those who were very imperfect, even though they were not worthy of this on their own account, as was the case with Jerubbaal and Jephthah. For Jerubbaal was an idolater when God called to him to save Israel, and regarding Jephthah, we did not see any merit in him other than his bravery. At other times, He saved them through those who were very perfect, as was the case with Bedan and Samuel. As for Bedan, who is Samson, we find in him a degree of perfection, for God already performed a wonder through him, and when he called to the Lord, He answered him. This indicated his perfection and that he was in some way on the level of the prophets, for God does not perform wonders except through those who are worthy, as we explained in the sixth book of Milhamot Hashem. As for the perfection of Samuel, it is very clear. This was due to the intense divine providence over Israel: when it was possible for there to be among them a perfect man, it was fitting that a miracle be performed through him, so He raised him up over them as a judge and saved them through him. And when there was no man among them with this characteristic, He also saved them through an imperfect one, and if he was not worthy of this, it was due to the excess of His providence over Israel. And it is as if he said this to indicate to them that they would not need a king to fight their wars, for the Lord, the God of Israel, is their King, and He will save them when they return to Him, just as He did in the days of the judges, when He sent them judges to save them. And if they stray from the ways of the Torah, the king will not benefit them, but the hand of the Lord will be upon them, just as it was upon their fathers, who did not have a king.

And Samuel said. After they had stated that they found nothing in his hand, he returned to speak his words to reprove them: "The Lord who made." This means: Do you not all know the deeds of the Lord that He did with Moses and with Aaron? That is to say: the wonders that He performed through them and with them. "And that which He brought up" etc. — Through those miracles, He brought [Israel] up from Egypt.

With Moses. Together with Moses, meaning through him.

And Samuel said: "Inform them that this voice which said 'Witness' is the voice of the Lord. This is what is written: 'The Lord, who made Moses and Aaron,' meaning He prepared them to be the judges of Israel. And it is through these faithful judges that He brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. It is He who has now appeared and called 'Witness,' and my righteousness shall answer, like the righteousness of the judges Moses and Aaron."

And I will judge you. I will argue with you.

“And I will judge you.” This means that I will stand in judgment with you before the Lord, between you and the Lord, for He has done righteous deeds with your fathers and with you, and you have done evil deeds.

“And now.” This means: Since you have known, “stand up, and I will dispute with you concerning all the righteousnesses of the Lord,” etc. This means: The victory of the dispute will be with the righteousnesses.

And I will reprove. I will rebuke, similarly (Ezekiel 20:4): 'will you judge them'.

The questions (7–11): What did he mean by “And I will judge you”? What is this reproof from the coming of Jacob, and from the fact that they were sold into the hand of Sisera? And why did he mention Bedan, who is Samson, before Jephthah, when he was later than him? And now, after having reproached them for the sin they committed against him, he began to reprove them for the sin they committed against the Lord. This is what is written: “Now stand by, and I will judge you before the Lord,” saying, “What iniquity did ye find in Him that you rejected His kingship?” Remember all the righteous acts of the Lord that He did for you and for your fathers.

"When Jacob came to Egypt, they cried out." The verse speaks briefly, for when Jacob came to Egypt, they did not cry out, nor did they have cause to cry out. Rather, when Jacob came to Egypt, and the days of his sons and his sons' sons were prolonged there, and a new king arose over Egypt and decreed decrees against Israel, then they cried out to God. "And He settled them in this place." Now, Moses and Aaron had died on the other side of the Jordan; how, then, did He settle them in this place? Rather, He reprimanded them and taught them to walk in the way of the Lord, and therefore they entered the Land, and they are regarded as if He had settled them in this place.

"As he came." This means: And this is the argument with the righteous ones, namely that when Jacob came to Egypt, the end result was that your fathers cried out to the Lord from the hardship of the bondage, and He sent Moses, etc., and they did not then have a king to fight their battle.

And He settled them. From the word 'settling'.

As it expounds initially: “Your fathers,” meaning when Jacob came to Egypt, He did not save them through a king, but only when they prayed before Him did He save them through His prophets. (And it grasps the phrase “when Jacob came to Egypt,” for the affliction of Egypt was distinct from the subsequent afflictions, in that the exile of Egypt was not due to a prior sin, but rather in order to benefit them in their end and to bring them to this place; and by virtue of this, the matter unfolded such that Jacob came to Egypt.)

"And they forgot." And upon their entering the Land, they forgot the Lord, and He delivered them into the hand of the nations. "And they fought against them." This implies that initially they fought against Israel, and afterward the Lord delivered them into their hands.

And He sold. He handed them over, and it is as if He sold them.

And they forgot; and likewise afterward you saw that the Divine Providence of the Lord did not depart from you. And this you saw from two sides: 1) When you rebelled, He immediately chastised you, as a man chastises his son, in His providence over him; 2) When you returned unto Him, He immediately saved you. Regarding the first aspect, it says, “And they forgot the Lord,” and immediately He punished them: “And He sold them,” etc., “and they fought against them.” This means that sometimes He sold them completely into the hands of their enemies, until the enemies dominated them. This was the case with Sisera and with the Philistines in the days of Samson, when Israel was under their power. And sometimes they merely fought against them, yet did not dominate them. This was the case with the Philistines in the days of Samuel, who came up against Israel for war, and with the king of Moab in the days of Jephthah, at which time the children of Ammon (who were allied with Moab) crossed the Jordan to fight against them. Regarding this, the king of Moab said, his argument being based on the fact that they had taken the territory of Moab and that he was over the land of Moab (Judges 11:17).

"And they said: We have sinned." Vayomer (and he said) is written, and vayomru (and they said) is read: the written form follows the general, and the read form the particular.

And they cried out. They prayed to the Lord, but they did not ask for themselves a king to wage their war.

And they cried out, and regarding the second side it says that when they cried out, they were saved.

Jerubbaal. This is Gideon. In Dan. This is Shimshon, who came from the tribe of Dan. And Yiftach. Behold, three of the lesser ones of the world alongside three of the weighty ones of the world, Moshe and Aaron and Samuel — to tell you: the lesser one in his generation is like the weighty one in his generation. Every court that is appointed for the generation needs to follow him, as if he were the hero of heroes.

Jerubbaal. He is Gideon: "And Bedan." This is Samson, and so Jonathan rendered it; and the meaning of Bedan is "son of Dan," for he was of the family of the Danites. And even though he came after Jephthah, [Scripture] placed him before Jephthah because he was greater than he. "And Samuel." It should have said "And me," but this is the custom of the language in places such as "the wives of Lamech" and "He said to Moses: Go up to the Lord." And in a homiletical interpretation, Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosi ben Zimra: Even Samuel, the master of the prophets, would prophesy without knowing what he was going to prophesy, as it is stated: "And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel." It did not say "me," but rather "and Samuel," because he did not know what he was going to prophesy.

"And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, etc." Although they were not reigning in Israel, the Lord saved you through them from the hands of your enemies who dwelt around you.

Jerubbaal. This is Gideon. Bedan. Son of Dan, this is Samson from the sons of Dan.

“And He sent” means that when He delivered them into the hands of their enemies, He sent Jerubbaal and Bedan, who is Samson, for in those days the enemies ruled over them; and when they only fought against them, He sent Jephthah and Samuel, who helped them in their war, as is explained. And regarding the first [instance], it says, “and He saved you from the hand of your enemies,” meaning that through Jerubbaal and Bedan He saved you from the hand of your enemies, for then you were in their power. And regarding the second [instance], it says, “and you dwelt securely,” meaning that through Jephthah and Samuel you had rest from the war of the enemies, and you dwelt securely without any terrorizer.

And you saw. He means to say: But you, when you saw that war had come upon you, said to Me, “We will not be like our fathers, for whom the judge would go out before them in war; rather, let a king reign over us, and he shall wage our wars.” "And the Lord, etc." But the Lord is your King, and He is the one who fights your battles through the judge who will be there. If so, you have acted foolishly in requesting a king, for did you not say that you found nothing in my hand? And have you not seen that there is no hindrance to the Lord to save through the judge, even without a king?

The questions: Is not the coming of Nahash after Saul was made king? And you saw, and after you saw that the Lord’s providence overshadowed you all day long—to sell you into the hand of the enemy when you rebelled, and to save you when you returned to Him—now that you saw the king of the children of Ammon coming against you, you forgot these two aspects: a) to take heed that an enemy came against you because you rejected His sovereignty and desired the sovereignty of flesh and blood; b) to return from this sin so that He might save you. And you said to me, “No,” meaning not “We will not return from our desire for a king,” but rather “Let a king reign over us,” even though you had tested that the Lord your God is your King. And just as you removed me from being a judge, so too did you reject your God from reigning over you.

"Whom ye have chosen, whom ye have asked for." The aleph is with a segol; and likewise, "have ye not asked them that go by the way?" “The Lord has set a king over you.” Explanation: To save you.

"And now, behold, the king." But as for the present, what has passed is no more, for behold, the king is reigning and standing firm. "Whom you have chosen." This means: Is this not the king whom you chose because of the salvation that he effected? After you requested a king and the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed to your request and anointed him king, you returned and chose him of your own accord. If so, after all this, there is no longer any response to be made, and "he shall reign."

The questions: Why is there a duplication of “which you have chosen” and “which you have asked for”? And why does it say, “And behold, the Lord has given”? “And now, behold, the king...” – This means that this king has two aspects: on one hand, he is the king whom you chose, not God, for he was not appointed by God’s will but by your will, as you requested. The commentator explains that even though you did not specifically choose this man, Saul, nevertheless he is attributed to your choice because you asked for a king, and through this request God chose him. On the other hand, “behold, God has set over you a king” – meaning that the selection of the specific individual, namely Saul, was done by God. According to this interpretation, the king is attributed on one hand to your choice, contrary to God’s will, and on the other hand, he is attributed as God’s chosen one.

And you also will be. And you also will continue for a long time — you and the king.

If you fear the Lord:

"If you shall fear." He means to say: But if you fear the Lord, etc., then all of you shall follow after the Lord, for He will go before you in battle, and you shall walk after Him.

You have rebelled. From the word 'rebellion' and 'revolt'.

If you fear Him, and therefore there are two possibilities in it: if you fear the Lord and serve Him, and besides this you keep His commandments and heed His voice in positive commandments, and you do not rebel against the word of the Lord in negative commandments, then you will be related to the choice of the Lord, for then you and the king as well will follow the Lord your God, meaning that then the Lord will be your King who goes before you to fight for you and to save you, and he [the king] will be after Him as a worthy army that marches under His command, and he will be the intermediary between the Lord and you.

And the hand of the Lord will be upon you and upon your fathers. Meaning: and it will be upon you, after it was upon your fathers. And our Sages said (Yevamot 63b): 'Upon you and upon your fathers' — chituti shekavi — and it is a plague of disgrace upon the dead.

"And your fathers" – Just as it says "and your king," for the master is to his people as the father is to his son. And similarly it is stated, "He made me father to Pharaoh." And the Targum [renders it]: "As it was with your ancestors." And our Sages of blessed memory explained [it as referring to] "bones that are dug up," as the Master said: "Because of the sins of the living, the dead are dug up." That is to say: If you rebel against the word of the Lord, the hand of the Lord will be upon you, and also upon your rebellious fathers who have died, so that they will be brought out from their graves to disgrace.

The hand of the Lord. The stroke of the hand of the Lord: "And to your fathers. And to your kings," for every leader and ruler is called by the language of "father," as it is written: "And he made me father to Pharaoh" (Genesis 45:8).

And if, on the other hand, you do not heed the voice of the Lord in positive commandments, and you rebel against the word of the Lord in negative commandments, then it will be attributed to your choice, and do not think that He will then withdraw His providence; rather, "the hand of the Lord will be upon you," just as it was upon your ancestors, whom He struck whenever they rebelled against Him.

Stand and see, and so on. And just as through my prayer I am able to change the seasons, so if war strikes you, there would be power in my prayer to stand against the enemy. And you would not need to ask for a king in my lifetime — even though I am old.

“this great thing.” What was this “great thing”? That it rained during the harvest season. This occurs frequently, as my father, of blessed memory, explained: In the Land of Israel, rain does not fall at all during the days of the harvest. This is what the verse states: “He who gives rain, the early rain and the latter rain, in its season” (Jeremiah 5:24), and “Shavuot, the appointed time of harvest, shall be kept for us” (Jeremiah 5:24). Similarly, it is stated regarding Rizpah, daughter of Ayah: “From the beginning of the harvest until the waters fall upon them” (2 Samuel 21:10). Our Sages of blessed memory stated: From the seventeenth of Nisan until the seventeenth of Marcheshvan is the time of rain. Since rain during the harvest was a great novelty to them, they were greatly afraid and said, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we not die.” And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: If Nisan passes and rains fall, it is a sign of a curse, as it is said, “Is not wheat harvest today?” (1 Samuel 12:17). And Samuel did all this to inform them that it was evil in the eyes of the Lord what they had requested—a king. Even though they believed Samuel, there were among them sons of Belial whose hearts were hardened against Samuel’s words, just as they did when he anointed Saul as king, saying, “How can this man save us?” (1 Samuel 10:27). And even though he told them that it was by the word of the Lord that they were given to him, and they saw that he was caught in the Urim and Thummim or by lot through the casting of lots, therefore Samuel performed for them a sign that all would see and could not deny. Therefore it is stated: “And all the people feared the Lord greatly, and Samuel” (1 Samuel 12:18).

“Even now.” This means: If you were to reply and say, “If the king’s request was evil in the eyes of the Lord, why did He agree to it through us?” to this I will answer you: “Even now,” after He has agreed, stand and see, etc., and from this you will discern and understand the ways of the Lord, that He fulfills the request of the petitioner even if it is evil in the eyes of the Lord, and even if for the petitioner it is not considered a good thing.

"Even now, stand still and see, for His providence is attached to you, to perform wonders before your eyes, to subvert nature:"

Is not the wheat harvest today? And rain is a sign of a curse. And it is difficult in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, to bring a calamity without cause. Even so, there is power in me, and I will call to the Lord, and He will give thunders and rain. And know and see. That you did not need to ask for a king to slight me.

Is it not wheat harvest? And behold, Samuel showed the people a sign that they had sinned greatly against the Lord when they asked for a king, and he said, “Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain.” Indeed, he said this because the wheat harvest was then, surrounding the Feast of Weeks. And behold, the time was then, according to nature, hot; nor was the preceding season, by its nature, cold and moist. And it is not possible, according to natural custom, that vapors should be there at that time, from which thunder and lightning would be formed. And this was the sign that He gave, according to what I consider: if there had not been a sign other than the sending of thunder and rain when Samuel called to the Lord, he would not have needed to say, “Is it not wheat harvest today?” And it is possible to say that “Is it not wheat harvest today” was stated to indicate the clearness of the air, for the people were harvesting wheat, and this indicates that that time was without clouds and not suitable for rain. And behold, the first explanation is more correct, according to what I consider. And the people perceived this sign and acknowledged that they had sinned greatly when they asked for a king. And after this, Samuel set them aright through this action, so that they would conduct themselves in the ways of the Torah and not turn aside from following the Lord, blessed be He, for he that turns aside from following Him goes after the void, which will not benefit nor save.

Is it not the time for harvesting wheat today? And if so, the rain at this time would be considered a curse, and it is also an evil in the eyes of the Lord, to bring a curse into the world for no reason. "I will call out, etc." And despite all this, when I call out to the Lord for rain, He will hear my voice and give forth the sounds of thunder and rain, for thus He fulfills the request of the petitioner, whether it is for good or for evil. "And know." And by this, know that your evil has increased, as I have said. And even though the Omnipresent has agreed with you—for such is the deed of the Lord—the truth is that you have done evil to yourselves, and it is also evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Great. Great.

The questions: How did he prove to them, by means of this miracle, that they had done evil in asking for a king? “Is not the wheat harvest today?” From this you shall see: a) that His miraculous providence clings to you; and if so, you should not have chosen a king to save you according to nature, since you are saved by [Divine] providence. And what is written, “For your evil is great which you have done in the sight of the Lord,” means that you acted against the sight of the Lord and His providence over you. b) Since this miracle was brought about through my prayer, you should not have betrayed me, for I could have thundered again with a loud voice against the Philistines, as then (above 7:10). And what is written, “I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain,” thereby He gave a sign against the two matters with which He rebuked them, as stated above. c) From the sign itself, namely the rain and the thunders, which are good at the time of sowing but harmful in the summer, you shall understand that likewise you asked for something not in its proper season. For if the king were good for you after my death, when you are subject to nature, he is bad for you while I am still alive and while the Lord of Hosts defends you. And concerning this it says, “Know and see…”

And Samuel called. Concerning the rain, as he said: "the Lord." On account of the sin of asking for a king: "And Samuel." Because they made a king during his lifetime, it was as though they rejected him.

And all the people feared greatly both the Lord and Samuel, because they saw that they had done evil, for they had sinned against the Lord and betrayed His prophet.

“Over all our sins.” Regarding the sins that we have committed up to now, we added further to do evil by requesting the king.

"You have done all this evil." [This refers to your] request for a king. "But do not fear, if you do not turn away from following the Lord." And the Targum [renders] "all this evil" as referring to the rain, which it translates as: "You have caused all this evil." And in some manuscripts it reads: "You have done."

"You have done it." This means: Indeed, you have already done it, and there is no reply to that; yet, do not stray from the Lord, and the sin will be atoned for.

Questions (20–24): Regarding what is stated, “Do not fear; you have done all this evil,” surely for this very reason they should fear and be afraid? Regarding what is stated, “Only do not turn aside,” is “do not turn aside” a redundancy? And why does he conclude with, “Only fear the Lord,” which was already included in the beginning of his statement? “Do not fear.” You have committed all this evil. That is to say: if the Lord had been angry with you without cause, you would have had reason to fear, since His will toward you would have changed from good to evil. But since the cause of this evil depends on your wicked deeds, and therefore the Lord’s will to do good to you has not changed if you improve your deeds, therefore do not fear. Rather, do not turn away from following the Lord, for then He will return to rejoice over you for good. “Do not turn away,” etc., and “you shall serve,” I say: a) It is fitting that you not turn away and that you serve the Lord for His own sake, out of love for Him due to His greatness and exaltation. This is service out of love, which is what is written: “with all your heart.” That is to say, not on account of external considerations of reward and punishment, for if so, even if you knew that there would be benefit for you in serving other gods, it would still be fitting that you not turn away from the Lord. b) He adds, and besides this,

"And you shall not turn aside" – after the emptiness. Explanation: "And you shall not turn aside from following the Lord; for if you turn aside from following Him and turn aside after the emptiness, these are the idols that will not benefit you nor save you, for they are emptiness." Or, alternatively, the explanation is: "And you shall not turn aside after the emptiness, for they are those that will not benefit you nor save you."

"And you shall not turn aside..." — "You shall not turn aside" from the Lord to go after idolatry, for that going is the going after vanity, etc., which have no substance.

The nothing. It is a thing that has no substance, similarly (Genesis 1:2): 'and the earth was without form'. They will profit. From the word 'benefit'.

"And you shall not turn aside" – it is impossible for you to turn away from Him at all, for you should not expect to derive any benefit from the service of foreign gods, since after the vanity [of them], they will not provide any benefit nor save from any harm. And do not think that they will help by way of a special remedy, for they are completely futile.

For His great Name. That His Name has gone out upon you that He saves you. And so that the name of His greatness not be diminished. For the Lord has sworn. He swore — like (below, 14:24): 'vayo'el Sha'ul et ha'am.'

"For He will not forsake." For even though you sin before Him, He will not forsake you for the sake of His great Name. This means that it has already become known among the nations that He desired you to be His treasured people. And if He were not to endure you, and repay you according to your sins, and destroy you, behold, it would be as if His Name were diminished among the nations, and they would say, "He was not able to save them." And so Moses said, "And the nations, who have heard of Your fame, will say, 'Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which He promised them...'" And so Joshua said, "What will become of Your great Name?"

And He made known that God, blessed be He, will not abandon His people for the sake of His great Name, and therefore He watches over them in this manner and in the wondrous way mentioned.

"For the Lord will not forsake." He provides the reason why they need not fear what they have done, and says: For the Lord will not forsake His people, for the sake of His great Name, so that it not be profaned. For since. He means to say: It has already been heard that He desired for you to be His treasured nation, and if He were to abandon you, even when you improve your ways from this day onward, they would then say that He abandoned them out of inability.

He will abandon. He will leave. He was pleased. He desired, similarly (Exodus 2:21): 'and Moses was pleased'.

For — it refers back to the above, “Do not fear, for He will not forsake you,” intending to say that if you serve Him, you need not fear that His will will change toward you, for this is impossible: 1) because of His great Name, which has become known as a refuge through you, and now the nations would say it is due to inability; 2) furthermore, since the Lord has begun to make you His people, it cannot be conceived that His infinite will would change.

Also I, far be it from me. After you will do your part to return to the Lord, also I, far be it from me to cease praying on your behalf.

"From sin against the Lord." For after you have returned to the Lord and confessed your sins, I would be a sinner if I did not pray on your behalf.

And he said to them: "Far be it from me to sin against the Lord by failing to pray for them, so that they not die for this sin that they sinned against the Lord by asking for a king."

“Also I.” This means: Just as the Omnipresent will atone for this sin, so too I will forgive the insult done to me, for it is far from me to sin against the Lord by being cruel and refusing to forgive, and by ceasing to pray on your behalf. For indeed, I will pray as you have said, and moreover, I will instruct you in the good way.

Far be it. Trifles and disgrace. And I will teach. I will instruct, similarly (Isaiah 28:9): 'who teaches understanding'.

"And also, what will you fear, because I will cease to intercede for you on account of my merit? And also, far be it from me to sin against the Lord and to cease interceding for you in two matters in which I had been interceding for you until now: 1. to pray on your behalf; 2. to instruct you in the good way."

"Fear the Lord." The aleph is not pronounced. He has dealt bountifully with you. He has dealt bountifully with you by doing good deeds, or its meaning is that He did a great thing in giving thunder and rain on the day of harvest, and it is right that you should fear Him on account of it, seeing that He does as He pleases with you, for good or for evil, according to your deeds; and do not think that He does not see and oversee your deeds.

And behold, he also showed them throughout all his days the good and upright path. He did not depart from this because of what they had done against him by asking for a king, as if they had rejected him from ruling over them. Rather, he warned them to fear the Lord and serve Him, who had dealt wondrously with them in kindness; and if they were to turn away from Him, they and their king would be destroyed. However, the benefits derived from this narrative are these: The first is to inform that it is fitting for a ruler to be meticulous in the upbringing of his sons, so that it be done in a proper manner, and not to be lax in this matter due to the multitude of his concerns in governing the people. Do you not see what happened to Samuel because he was not meticulous in the upbringing of his sons in a proper manner? This was the cause that the government departed from his lineage, and it resulted from this that Israel asked for a king, which was ultimately the cause of Israel’s exile from their land, as we have mentioned. Similarly, this happened to Eli because he was not meticulous in the upbringing of his sons in a proper manner; for this was the cause that his sons died, and the priesthood departed from the house of Eli, and the High Priesthood was given to the lineage of Phinehas son of Eleazar. The second is to inform that it is fitting for a ruler, when he sees that people are inclined toward that which will ultimately harm them, to strive to remove them from this to the extent possible. Therefore, it was difficult for Samuel when he saw that Israel was asking for a king, knowing the harm that would ultimately befall them. He prayed to the Lord, and He informed him how to conduct himself in this matter to remove them from this issue. A prophecy was revealed to him that this request was against the Lord, blessed be He, and not against Samuel alone. The Lord, blessed be He, commanded him to show Israel that he was willing to listen to their voice in this matter, but to inform them of the manner of the king who would reign over them, and the heavy burden which He would impose upon them, so that they would abandon this choice of their own accord. The third is to inform that when it is impossible for a person to remove people from a bad choice they have made, it is fitting that he strive, to the extent he can, to mitigate the evil from it as much as possible. For this reason, it is mentioned that the Lord, blessed be He, had already said to Samuel that he should listen to their voice to anoint a king for them. And God chose from among them the most complete one, who was worthy of this rank due to his beauty and goodness, to the extent that he was already among the prophets, so that his governance would be to straighten the people to serve the Lord. And He warned the people through Samuel, warning after warning, that they should conduct themselves in the ways of the Torah and not turn away after the Lord, lest they and their king be destroyed. For the king would not be of benefit if the hand of the Lord were not with them if they turned away after Him. And if they listened to the voice of the Lord, the king would not be of benefit to them, for the Lord, blessed be He, was their King, and He would raise up judges for them when they returned to Him to save them from the hands of their enemies. And for this reason, their request for a king was only for evil. And this is one of the things that would prevent Israel from turning away after the Lord, lest they and their king be destroyed. The fourth is to inform that a person ought to be diligent in guarding his possessions as is proper. For this reason, it is mentioned that Kish did not rely on sending one of the young men to seek the donkeys if his son did not go with him, for perhaps the young man would not be diligent in seeking them; if he found them for himself, he might sell them and not inform his master. And behold, Saul went and was very diligent in seeking the donkeys, even though he had already sought them in all the places mentioned in this narrative, and he came to the prophet to inquire of God concerning this. The fifth is to inform of the completeness of Saul’s understanding, in that he said, “Lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and worry about us.” For such was the matter, as explained by what is recounted in this narrative. And behold, the power of this is explained in the matter of prophecy. The sixth is to inform that it is not fitting for a person to exert himself excessively in seeking his lost possessions beyond what is proper, for this sometimes leads to the damage being greater than the benefit, and even if the loss is found, all the more so if it is not found. The seventh is to inform that it is fitting for a prophet to direct his thoughts toward those to whom he wishes prophecy to come regarding their matters. For this reason, it is recounted that it was the custom to give something to the prophet when inquiring of him a matter of prophecy. And to indicate that such was the custom, he said, “Behold, we are going, and what shall we give to the man of God?” And his young man said to him, “Behold, I have found in my hand a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God.” And it is clear that he did not accept these gifts in exchange for benefits, for this was not his custom, as was explained in what he said, “Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken?” All the more so regarding these small gifts, which were not fitting to be given to the lowliest of men, all the more so to one who ruled over Israel. The eighth is to inform that it is fitting for a person to listen to good counsel, even if the counselor is lowly and lesser than him. For this reason, it is recounted that Saul listened to his young man in what he counseled him, that they go to the man of God, and that He would tell them of their coming. The ninth is to inform that it is fitting for one who wishes to speak with a person to first inquire where he may be found, so that his heart may be straightened to come to him with diligence, for perhaps if he does not inquire into this, his way will be in vain. For this reason, it is recounted that Saul and his young man inquired of the girls going out to draw water whether the prophet was there before they wished to enter the city. The tenth is to inform one who inquires of him something, that he should not be brief in straightening the inquirer, even in matters he did not ask, which he needs to inquire about according to what appears to be necessary. For this reason, it is recounted that when Saul asked Samuel, “Where is the house of the seer?” he did not inform him of this, for he already knew that his intention was to speak with him. And for this reason, he was compelled to inform him that he was the seer, for this was the ultimate intention of Saul in this question. And for this reason as well, it is recounted that those girls were not satisfied with answering what they were asked, “Is the seer here?” but they wished to straighten them in this, how it is possible that they might find him more easily. And for this reason, they gave him counsel to hasten before he goes up to the high place to eat, so that they would not be delayed from speaking with him until after the meal. And they informed him with this that if they hastened, they would find him on the high place, and if they could not hasten so much, behold, they would find him there on that day when Saul came there. And this is because the Lord, blessed be He, had already revealed to Samuel’s ear the day before that He would send to him tomorrow a man from the land of Benjamin and anoint him as prince over Israel. And for this reason, it seemed that Samuel came on that day. The eleventh is to inform of the greatness of Samuel’s rank in prophecy, to the extent that prophecy came to him while awake. For this reason, it is recounted that when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord answered him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you; this one shall restrain My people.” The twelfth is to inform of the truth of prophecy, for in believing it, the predictions of the prophets are fulfilled. For this reason, it is mentioned that Samuel immediately told him the matter of the donkeys, as it was according to what is mentioned later, and he told him the matter of the kingship, as it also was. The thirteenth is to inform that it is fitting for a person to flee from authority. For this reason, it is mentioned that Saul distanced himself from being king due to the lowliness of his tribe and family. And even when the lot fell upon him for this, he hid to flee from the authority. And for this reason as well, Saul did not tell his uncle the matter of the kingship, for he did not wish to boast in this. The fourteenth is to inform that it is fitting to give honor to people according to the rank they are destined to be in, even if it is not in their hand now. For this reason, it is recounted what Samuel allotted to Saul of honor, to give him a choice portion and to place him at the head of those invited, even though he had already done this to establish in Saul’s heart that he would reign over Israel. And for this reason as well, he gave him the signs mentioned, which all came to him according to what came in this narrative. And in what is mentioned in these signs, it is explained that prophecy comes to a prophet even in informing of matters which people attribute to chance and coincidence, as we have explained in the second book of the Wars of the Lord. The fifteenth is to inform that from the Lord is every judgment of the lot. For this reason, it is recounted that the lot already fell upon Saul for kingship, as Samuel said from the prophecy. The sixteenth is that it is fitting for people to give honor to the king and to bless him. For this reason, it is recounted that all the people already said, “Long live the king,” and the army went with him, those whom God touched in their hearts. The seventeenth is to inform that it is not fitting for a ruler to be affected by what people say against him, all the more so to be affected if they do not honor him. Rather, it is fitting that he endure this. For this reason, it is recounted that Saul was like one who kept silent regarding the insults with which those wicked ones insulted him, and regarding the fact that they did not bring him a gift, even though this too was fitting for him because he was now at the beginning of his kingship, and perhaps with a slight cause they would remove it from him. The eighteenth is to inform that when a man is appointed to authority, he will need, on account of it, an increase in expenses. It is fitting for those under him to bring him a gift according to their ability, in a way that he can conduct himself with honor according to that authority, and not let the smallness of his possessions prevent him from this. For this reason, it is recounted regarding these wicked ones that they did not bring Saul a gift, to indicate that it was already fitting for them to bring him a gift so that he could conduct himself with honor according to the custom of a king. And for this reason, Saul was not yet conducting himself according to the custom of a king, combined with this, what was his disposition to flee from the authority. And for this reason, it is recounted after this that Saul was already coming after the cattle from the field. The nineteenth is to inform that it is not fitting to conduct oneself with the trait of cruelty. Do you not see that Nahash the Ammonite, were it not for his cruelty, would have ruled over the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead? He was not willing to make a covenant with them except by gouging out every right eye. And on account of his cruelty, he fell into the hands of Israel, and they struck them a great blow. The twentieth is to inform that it is fitting for a ruler to have the trait of bravery in places fitting to save the persecuted who are of his people. For this reason, it is recounted the deeds of Saul concerning the matter of Nahash the Ammonite, even though Israel was not yet conducting themselves toward him according to the custom of a king, and he himself was not conducting himself in the custom of a king. The twenty-first is to inform that it is not fitting to hasten to kill people, but rather to guard against this to the extent possible. For this reason, it is recounted that Saul did not agree that those men who had insulted him should die. The twenty-second is that it is fitting for a king to be in a manner that people fear him. And since nothing new had occurred regarding Saul’s election, it would bring into the hearts of people that he was like a new creation. And for this reason, he did not seem to them like a king, and he himself was not conducting himself according to the custom of a king. And behold, Samuel considered renewing the kingship before the Lord at Gilgal, and to sacrifice there peace offerings before the Lord, to settle in their hearts that he was like a new creation, and to bring this to that they fear him as is proper. And for this reason, it seems that Hannah said, “And He will give strength to His king,” for until the Lord, blessed be He, gave him strength in the matter of the war against the children of Ammon, he was not in the rank of a king. The twenty-third is to inform that the Lord, blessed be He, establishes the word of His servant. For this reason, He listened to Samuel to give thunder and rain when he asked this of Him, to show Israel what was of the sin in this request, that its fruit is only for evil, just as there is no benefit in thunder and rain in the days of wheat harvest, only to ruin. The twenty-fourth is to inform that one who is able to seek mercy for his fellow and does not seek it is called a sinner, as it is said, “And also I, far be it from me to sin against the Lord,” etc. And so is the matter in every good that a person could do for his fellow. And for this reason, he said, “And I will teach you the good and upright way.” The End.

But they shall see, etc. For then my prayer will be effective: "Who has dealt bountifully with you"—that He has dealt bountifully with you in forgiving this sin.

“Yet even this, that I will stand at your right hand, depends on this: if you will fear the Lord. For without this, my prayers and my Torah study would be of no avail.”

"Ye shall do wickedly." If you make your doings evil. “Even you, even your king”: The word “even” serves to include one over the other. Similarly, “even your sheep, even your cattle.” And it says “your king,” to teach that if he does not admonish them, he will be punished on their account.

“And you also, etc.” This means: My prayer will not be effective, the King will not save you, and you will not aid Him, and you will all be cut off.

Be consumed. A matter of destruction, similarly (Jeremiah 8:13): 'I will utterly consume them'.

And 'if' [in the verse] means to say: If you improve your deeds, the king will not harm you; but if you do evil, it will not benefit you, for you will all be swept away.