II Samuel · Chapter 21

To Sha'ul. For the sin of Sha'ul, who was buried suddenly in hiding—for the men of Yavesh Gilead stole him and buried him, and he was not mourned according to his honor. And to the house of blood. That he killed Nov, the city of the priests. Because he killed the Gibeonites. When he killed Nov, the city of the priests, he killed from them seven: two woodcutters, and two water-drawers, and a sexton, and a cantor, and a scribe—so it is explained in the Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin (17). And our Sages said: since he killed the priests who were providing them food, the verse attributes it to him as if he killed them. And do not wonder, for the Holy One Blessed Be He was exacting [payment for] His honor and exacting [payment for] the wrongdoing, for so it is written (Zephaniah 2:3): 'who has executed His judgment'—[expounded as] 'in the place of his judgment, there they acted'—so we learn in Yevamot (78b).

"And David inquired of the Lord." One should ask: Why did he not inquire until the third year? Rabbi Saadia Gaon, of blessed memory, explained: In the first year, he considered it a chance occurrence, as is the way of the world. In the second year, he considered that it was due to the sin of Micah's idol, and he destroyed everything he found. When there was famine in the third year, he knew that there was another sin, and he inquired of the Lord to know what it was. And one should ask: Where did Saul kill the Gibeonites? And we answer: When he struck Nob, the city of the priests, the Gibeonites were there with them, as woodcutters and water-drawers, and he killed them. And what is meant by "And the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites"? It is because the priests forgave the blood of their brethren, but they [the Gibeonites] did not wish to forgive. And what is meant by "Give us seven men of his sons"? It is because none of the killers remained except these seven, and concerning them it is said, "And to the house of blood." And they said, "We have no silver and gold with Saul"; we do not wish to take money, but rather lives, for the lives that they killed. And the princes of the congregation swore to them. And what is meant by "And the king spared Mephibosheth"? Rabbi Saadia Gaon explained: "And he rejoiced," because Mephibosheth was not among the killers, for he was young, as the verse states, "For he was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan." Therefore, he explained "And he spared" as "And he rejoiced," similar to "And I will have mercy on you," as a man has mercy on his son who serves him. For a son who serves does not need mercy; rather, a man rejoices in his son who serves him. So too, he explained "And he spared" as "And he rejoiced," and he rejoiced over him that he did not stumble in the matter of the covenant and oath that was between him and Jonathan, and because he loved him greatly, therefore he rejoiced in his son that he did not stumble in this matter and was saved from this death. And that they did not take them down from the trees, contrary to the commandment of the Torah, "His corpse shall not remain on the tree," is explained as follows: The king commanded to hang them, and the king thought that they had taken them down from the trees in the evening, but they did not do so, for they said: The king commanded to hang them, and he will command to take them down. But when the days of harvest passed and the days of rains came, they requested from the king that he command to take them down, due to the righteousness of Rizpah, who was guarding them and did not allow birds of the sky to rest upon them. And what is meant by "The five sons of Michal"? They were the sons of Merab, but Michal raised them, and they were called by her name. This is proven by the fact that she bore children to Adriel, and Michal was not the wife of Adriel, but Merab was his wife, as it is stated, "Whom she gave to Adriel the Meholathite." These questions and answers are arranged thus by Rabbi Saadia Gaon, of blessed memory. And what our Sages, of blessed memory, explained regarding this matter is this: In the first year, David said to Israel: Perhaps there are worshippers of idolatry among you, as it is written, "And you shall serve other gods, and bow down to them," etc., and He closed the heavens. They searched and did not find any. In the second year, he said to them: Perhaps there are transgressors of a sin among you, as it is written, "And the showers were withheld, and there was no latter rain, and you had the forehead of a harlot." They searched and did not find any. In the third year, there was famine. He said: The matter depends only on me. Immediately, "And David inquired of the Lord." What is this? That he inquired through the Urim and Thummim. And GOD said, "[It is because] of Saul and of the house of blood": "Of Saul" — because he was not mourned properly; and "of the house of blood" — because he killed the Gibeonites. Where do we find that Saul killed the Gibeonites? Rather, since he slaughtered Nob, the city of the priests, who used to supply them with water and food, Scripture attributes to him as if he had killed them. David said: "Saul has completed twelve months of mourning, and it is not proper to mourn him any longer. Let us call the Gibeonites and appease them." Immediately, the king summoned the Gibeonites.

"Because he had put the Gibeonites to death." It seems that he [Saul] had already put some of them to death out of his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah, as is mentioned afterward, and sought to strike them all down, and exterminated them from being able to remain within any border of Israel, so that they were forced to flee. And I think he did this because of the stratagem by which the princes of Israel had induced them to swear to them, as is mentioned in the Book of Joshua.

"And David inquired..." He inquired through the Urim. Regarding Saul. Our Sages of blessed memory said (Yevamot 78b) concerning the transgression committed in Saul’s case: he was not mourned in accordance with his honor, for they hastened to bury him in secret. “Unto the house of blood.” And why was the house of Saul called the house of blood? Because he shed blood, and Israel did not protest against him. The text then returns to explain what the blood was that he shed, stating: “Because he slew the Gibeonites.” For when he killed the priests of Nob, he also killed the Gibeonites at that time, who were there chopping wood and drawing water for the House of the Lord (Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 6:7). However, regarding the killing of the priests of Nob, they could not protest against him, on the grounds that he claimed they had rebelled against him and were conspiring with David.

(1–14) The Questions: When did Saul kill the Gibeonites? At first it says "who killed," and afterward it says "and Saul sought to strike them," implying that he only sought to do so but did not actually do it. Why did it not mention that he killed Nob, the city of the priests, which was a more severe sin? Why did the punishment not come in the days of Saul, who sinned, but was delayed until the generation of David? "One man sins, and He is angry with the whole congregation" — for what did Israel sin? What did the Gibeonites gain by killing Saul's sons, who had sinned against them in no way? How did such things come to pass, which contradict the laws of the Torah in three respects: a) that they put sons to death for the sin of their fathers; b) that they killed seven men in one day; c) that they left their corpses on the tree for many days, contrary to the law of the Torah of Moses? What is the meaning of their statement, "We have no silver [claim] with Saul, nor do we have any man to put to death in Israel"? What did they intend by this? Is it not clear that Israel did not sin against them in bloodshed? Why did David then go and take the bones of Saul and his sons and bury them in the tomb of Kish, and why did he not do this until now? And why did he repeat his words, saying first, "David went and took," and then saying again, "And he went up from there," etc.? And what is the meaning of the verse, "And they did all that the king commanded"? Regarding the verse "And there was a famine," the commentators explain, in accordance with what Rabbi Saadia stated, and after him the minister, Maharia [Abarbanel], maintained, with some additional points, that at the time Saul killed Nob, the city of the priests, Gibeonites were also found there and were killed together with them. Abarbanel said that Saul was punished with three punishments: 1. For not observing the word of the Lord at Gilgal, he was punished that his kingdom would not continue to his sons after him; 2. For having mercy on Agag, he was punished that in his days his kingdom was torn away and his days were shortened, so that David, who was anointed in his place, would reign; 3. For having killed the priests of the Lord who were in Nob, he was punished that he and his sons died by the sword, and were not buried and mourned as befits them. And because Israel did not protest against his hand, many of Israel were also killed with him. And for the killing of the Gibeonites, he was not held accountable during his lifetime, because their killing was not so severe; rather, he was held accountable after his death, through his young sons and the sons of his concubine, so that the connection of the punishment to the sin, the connection of its time to its time, and the connection of the transgression to the transgression would be evident. And Israel was also punished with famine for not protesting. And that the punishment was delayed for twenty-two years is among the deep judgments and thoughts of the Lord. And that the sons were punished for the sin of their father — this is conceivable in the judgments of Heaven if they cling to the deeds of their fathers. These are his words in brief. And I say that after the Gibeonites who were found then in the city of Nob were killed — about which it says, "who killed the Gibeonites" — Saul poured out his anger like fire also upon the rest of the Gibeonites found in the cities of Israel, and commanded that they be destroyed or expelled from the land, after he considered that their hand was with the rebellious priests, for they were servants of the altar and priests of the Lord. And although Joshua had sworn to them to keep them alive, he considered that they had broken the covenant by rebelling against the king, in that they were of the remaining Amorites and enemies of Israel, and thorns in the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts. And about this it says, "And Saul sought to strike them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah." And although his counsel did not succeed, nevertheless they were already given over to be despoiled, and each man did what was right in his own eyes regarding them. They became a spoil with no one to rescue them, exiles and outcasts. About this it says, "The one who plotted against us, that we should be destroyed, so as not to survive within any border of Israel." And even after the death of Saul, when Ish-bosheth reigned in his place, the sons of Israel continued to hold the hatred of their father against them, and there was no one to show favor and mercy to the afflicted. And even when David reigned, they did not take to heart to rectify this wrong, for they were considered light and despised in their eyes. And although the priests of the Lord were restored to their honor and strength, these strangers, who were oppressed by the power of their oppressors, had no comforter for their tears. And therefore the anger of the Lord burned against His people in the days of David. And according to the words of our Sages of blessed memory, this was before the incident of Absalom, near the beginning of his reign. And the Lord saw and it was evil in His eyes that there was no justice, and He brought famine upon the land, breaking every loaf of bread, just as these wretched ones were broken and became victims of famine. And the famine lasted for three years, one year after another, because in the first two years they attributed the matter to other sins, such as idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed, as our Sages of blessed memory said, and this sin did not come to anyone's mind to rectify. And in the third year, when they found no sin for which they had sinned, David sought the face of the Lord and inquired through the Urim and Thummim. "And the Lord said to Saul and to the house of blood": This means to Saul, who killed some of them, and to the house of Saul and his helpers, who drove them out from attaching themselves to the heritage of the Lord, and through this they died by famine and poverty. And it also includes the house of Israel, who were drawn along even until today after the decree of Saul. However, the primary attribution of the sin is to Saul, who made them a prey. And the wrath was from the LORD because this generation did not stand in the breach, to say to the prisoners, "Go free," and to those in darkness, "Show yourselves."

And he said to them. Words of appeasement—that they should pass beyond their strict standards and forgive Sha'ul and his house. And the Gibeonites are not of the sons of Israel. Meaning: and they themselves showed the quality of cruelty—they are not from the seed of Avraham our father, and they are not worthy to cleave to Israel; therefore David decreed upon them that they should not come into the congregation. He said: three signs are in this nation—they are merciful, and modest, and doers of kindness; whoever has these three signs is worthy to cleave to them. They swore to them. In the days of Joshua, when they made them woodcutters and water-drawers for the altar (Joshua 9:15). In his zeal for the sons of Israel. In his intention to cleanse and purify Israel and to do their needs—he sought to kill them, and this zeal is for good, as (Numbers 11:29): 'Are you jealous for my sake?' And so (II Kings 10:16): 'In my zeal for the Lord'—these are the words of Yehu. This is the plain meaning. And according to its midrashic interpretation, he intended to kill only the priests; and this zeal mentioned here is not for good, but for evil—for he knew that his kingdom would not endure, since the day he did not keep the commandment of the Holy One Blessed Be He concerning Amalek, and from then on he became jealous of them.

"And He said to them." He said to them: "What is their desire, that He should do for them?" Just as He said, "What shall I do for you?" And He interrupted the matter to explain what was the nature of their complaint. And He also explained that they were from the remaining Amorites, and not from the children of Israel, so that they should have mercy on their blood. And He said, "And the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel." And our Sages of blessed memory said: Anyone who does not accept appeasement is not of the children of Israel, as it is said, "And the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel." "And Saul sought to strike them." Explanation: [meaning] "and he struck them"; and likewise, "to kill him through deceit" [meaning] "and he killed him"; "to lie with the House of Jacob" [meaning] "and he lay with it." In his zealotry. We have already explained it:

"And he said to them" — these were words of appeasement, to pardon the matter for the children of Israel and to bless them, not to complain and to arouse judgment against them. They are not of the children of Israel. This means to say: They did not show mercy upon them, because they were not of the children of Israel, but rather from the rest of the Amorites, and they were enemies to Israel. "And the children of Israel swore to them." This means: Although the Torah stated regarding the men of the Amorites (Deuteronomy 20:16): "You shall save alive no living thing," nevertheless, against their will, they kept them alive, because the children of Israel had sworn to them in the days of Joshua to keep them alive. "And Saul sought to strike them." He sought to kill them all, at the time that he was zealous with anger against Israel and Judah, because they had not informed him [Saul] of the matter of David's rebellion, and he then found a pretext against them, to say that they too had known of David's rebellion while he [David] was in their city, Nob. And therefore he sought to strike them all, but it did not succeed in his hand, and he killed some of them, and the rest fled for their lives.

In His jealousy. A matter of anger, as (Deuteronomy 32:21): they have made me jealous with a no-god.

And the king called to the Gibeonites and said to them: The explanation is that he informed them that because of them, the anger of the Lord had been kindled against His people. The statement that the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel means that at that time their true nature was revealed, for they were not regarded as part of the children of Israel. Had they been considered as genuine proselytes, they would have shared in the community's distress and would have forgiven and been appeased. And so our Sages of blessed memory explained in Yevamot, page 79, that at that time it was shown that they lacked the qualities of the children of Israel: being modest, merciful, and performing acts of loving-kindness. Instead, they acted insolently before David, showing neither mercy nor kindness. Nevertheless, the Lord took up their cause, because the children of Israel had sworn an oath to them. The great wrath was directed at what Saul had sought to do in striking them, out of his zeal for the children of Israel, by regarding them as rebels and enemies of Israel, which was not the case. Moreover, this decree that he sought to enact—to strike them and destroy them—was not annulled at that time, for the people acted toward them as they pleased, as stated above. Therefore, the wrath emerged specifically in that generation.

And bless the heritage of the Lord. They prayed for them.

“What shall I do for you?”—What is the judgment that I shall execute on your behalf, and by what means shall I atone to remove the anger from you? Shall it be through taking vengeance, or through monetary compensation? "And you shall bless." In order that you may bless and pray for the inheritance of the people of God, that the land may yield its produce.

I will atone. A matter of cancelling anger, as (Genesis 32:21): I will appease his face.

And David said: “What shall I do for you in the future to rectify the distortion, and by what means shall I atone for the sin of the past?” And bless the heritage of the Lord, which is the land of the Lord, which had become a curse.

We have no silver and gold with Sha'ul. But rather lives—he sought to appease them with money, and they did not want it. He said, perhaps they are ashamed of one another—he went and appeased each one individually, and they were not appeased; therefore it is written: 'I have no silver and gold,' etc.—in the singular. This I saw in the Jerusalem Talmud (Sanhedrin 6:7). And we have no one to put to death. Among all the rest of the sons of Israel, who did not sin against us.

"I have no silver or gold." The word "li" (to me) is the ketiv, and the qere is "lanu" (to us), and the meaning is the same, for such is the manner of Scripture: sometimes it speaks in the plural, sometimes in the general, and sometimes in the particular. There is also a midrashic interpretation: [David] asked them [the Gibeonites] to forgive the blood of their brothers and he would give them money, but they did not wish to do so. David said, "I will ask each one individually, perhaps they are embarrassed by one another to take money for this matter." And he did so, and each one said to him, "I have no silver or gold with Saul and his house."

"We have no silver, etc." This means: "No one has taken anything from us, so that we might seek silver and gold, and we have no grievance against Israel to put any of them to death." What are you saying? He means: And what is the judgment that you desire? Say it, and I will do it.

“And they said, ‘We have no silver, etc.’” This means that the Israelites had robbed them and taken all that they possessed, for the reins were loosened by the king’s command, only that they did not put them to death; rather, it was Saul who put some of them to death, as stated above. They replied that from Saul and his house they do not demand the silver and gold that were taken from them, for this they seek from the people, that they should return the stolen property. And from the people they do not demand lives, for this was done by Saul and his house, who put them to death.

He who planned against us that we should be destroyed. He said in his heart that we would be destroyed by him, [preventing us] from surviving [in all the border of Israel], etc.—for he intended to destroy us. He plotted against us. He planned against us to destroy us.

The man. The judgment of the man who annihilated us from that land, and thought to strike us, and by this we were destroyed from standing in all the border of Israel, for against our will we went out from it, to save our souls:

Thought. Considered, as (Judges 20:5): they thought to kill me. We were destroyed. From the word destruction and ruin.

And they said to the king, "The man who destroyed us"—meaning to say: after he had done two things to us: 1. "Who destroyed us"—this refers to what he actually killed of them in action at Nob; 2. And "who planned against us that we be destroyed"—for according to his decree and his thought which he conceived against us, we would have been destroyed from standing in all the borders of Israel, we would have been driven out from the cities of Israel, and we would have become prey—and this is still the case even now. And if we pardon him for what he killed from among us, the matter will not be rectified in the future, for we have already been counted as sheep for the slaughter, and the people will not take a lesson and act toward us as they please; and all the more so will they not return to draw us near, to restore what is ours, and to give us sustenance in the land. And therefore, this is to erect a safeguard, and so that the people may hear and fear:

And we will hang them. Hanging. For the Lord. For the Name of the Omnipresent, to publicize His judgment. The chosen of the Lord. A bat kol went out and said: 'The chosen of the Lord' (Berachot 12b).

"Yinnaten lanu." So is the ketiv, and the qere is "yitten"; both express the same meaning. However, the ketiv "yinnaten" is in the nif'al (passive) conjugation, and the qere "yitten" is in the kal (basic) conjugation, and there is a slight difference between them. For the meaning of the ketiv "yinnaten" is: even if you do not give them up, the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact retribution from them for us. And the meaning of the qere "yitten" is: that you shall give them up. "And we hanged them." And we hung them, as the Targum translates, "and we crucified them." They sought for themselves this form of death, so that all Israel would see their vengeance, and Israel would take care not to touch (harm) them again. "To Hashem." To make known His judgment, that He desires to take vengeance for our vengeance upon them. "Chosen of the LORD." That is, God chose him [Saul] to be king. And in the midrashic interpretation: it was not they [the people] who said "Chosen of the LORD," but rather a heavenly voice (bat kol) went forth and said, "Chosen of the LORD," meaning that his sins were atoned for him.

"And we hanged them up." This is from the root meaning "hanging," for in hanging the soul departs from one who is suspended, even without a wound or injury.

"Give to us." The proper judgment is that He should give to us seven men from his sons, a life for a life, because Saul had killed seven men from the Gibeonites. So our Sages of blessed memory said (Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 6:7). "To the Lord." On account of the Lord, for Israel had taken an oath by the Lord to spare their lives, and Saul came and transgressed the oath. On Saul’s hill. The place of his royal city, so that all would know that they are his sons: "The Chosen One of the Lord." Our Sages of blessed memory said (Berakhot 12b): They said, "On the hill of Saul," and a heavenly voice went forth and said, "He is the Chosen One of the Lord." "I will give." You shall not choose, but rather I [will choose], and his intention was to show compassion to Mephibosheth.

And they hanged them up. A matter of hanging, as (Numbers 25:4): and hang them up to the Lord.

"Let seven men of his sons be given to us, and we will impale them before the Lord." By this, the people would learn an a fortiori argument: if the king's sons are subjected to a strict judgment because they harmed us, how much more so should the rest of the people be held accountable. We would impale them on the hill of Saul, where the sons of Benjamin and the family of Saul still follow his ways, so that they would see and be afraid, and would not act presumptuously again. According to this view, they did not wish to do this out of vengeance, but rather as a safeguard and to remove the stumbling block, so that they would no longer be pursued in the future. And by this, all the people would see that the Lord takes the life of those who take life [cf. Proverbs 22:23], and they would improve what they had done wrong. And the reason they asked for only seven men was that there were no more, for they knew that Jonathan had not agreed with Saul's counsel to harm the priests and them, because he was David's ally. The king said, "I will give them," because this matter is contrary to the law of the Torah, which states that one should not kill two people on the same day, and that sons should not be put to death for the sins of their fathers. Likewise, the fact that they hung their corpses on the tree could only be done by the law of the king, as the Rambam wrote (Chapter 3 of the Laws of Kings, Law 10): that the king may kill many people on one day and hang them, leaving them for many days, in order to instill fear and break the power of the wicked of the world. This principle was derived from the incident with the Gibeonites here. And as it is stated in Yevamot (page 79a), that this was a rectification for the world, to instill fear and dread so that people would not extend their hand against these attached converts. Therefore, the king said, "I will give them," based on the law of the king, for only in his hand was the authority to do such a thing.

And the king had compassion. He prayed that the ark should not swallow him—for they passed them before the ark; anyone whom the ark swallows is put to death (Yevamot 79a).

"And the king had compassion." We have already explained it:

The son of Jonathan. Meaning: on account of his being Jonathan's son, it is fitting to have mercy on him, for it was not Jonathan's intention to kill the Gibeonites, and on account of David, for he [Jonathan] was a friend to David, because there was an oath of the Lord between them. And he returns to explain: "between David," etc.:

Among them. Like 'among them'.

"And he showed mercy": Once he had this matter in his hands, he saved Mephibosheth, because his father had not been part of that counsel, since he was bound by an oath to David. And by this, the difficulty is resolved: how could sons be put to death for the sins of their fathers? For the law of the king is different in this respect from the law of the Torah. And even though Amaziah, king of Judah, did not put to death the sons of those who had struck [his father] (2 Kings 14:6), there it was not a matter of immediate necessity, unlike here, where it was a matter of immediate necessity.

The children of Michal, daughter of Sha'ul, whom she bore to Adriel. Did Michal bear children, and was not Mirav who bore them to him? Only Mirav bore them, and Michal raised them; therefore they are called after her name. And whoever raises an orphan boy and girl in his house, as if he bore them and they are called after his name (Sanhedrin 19b).

"Et Armoni." [Spelled] with a resh. The sons of Michal: They were actually the sons of Merab, but Michal raised them, and they were named after her, as it is stated, "A son was born to Naomi." And so too the Targum [renders] "sons of Merab" as "whom Michal raised" [דרביאת מיכל]. And so too it says, "whom she bore to Adriel," and it was Merab who was the wife of Adriel, not Michal, as it is written concerning Merab, "and she was given to Adriel the Meholathite." And so too it is written, "These are the generations of Aaron and Moses," yet it mentions only the sons of Aaron, because Moses raised them and taught them, as if they were his own descendants.

And the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel. It is known that Adriel was the husband of Merab, Michal's sister, as was related above, and therefore it is clear that these were not Michal's sons. Furthermore, for it says above, 'And Michal daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death.' And therefore it is clear that the intention here is that she raised them up.

The sons of Michal. Behold Michal did not bear children, nor was she married to Adriel, but rather Merab her sister, and she bore them, and Michal her sister raised them, and on this account they were named after her (Sanhedrin 19b):

At the beginning of harvest. In the days of Nissan.

“Before the Lord.” For the Ark was there, together with the Urim and Thummim. When David and Israel assembled to inquire of the Lord concerning the famine, they did not depart from there until they summoned the Gibeonites and the matter was concluded. “And they fell seven times.” It is written with a yod, meaning two times seven, like “sevenfold shall Cain be avenged,” and it was said “sevenfold” because no seed remained from them. So too is this verse interpreted. And another interpretation says it refers to Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, who was lacking from them. And the reading is “their seven,” meaning they are the seven, like “and the three of them went out,” meaning they are the three. And what it says that they fell together, because they were impaled together, and the falling is the death. "Vehem." This is the ketiv, and the qere is "vehemah"; both are the same. And I have already written concerning this and similar cases, that manuscripts were found after the exile, and the reading followed the majority. So too, it is written "techilat ketzir se'orim" [ketiv] and read "bitchilat" [qere]; [and elsewhere] it is written "telum sham ha-pelishtim" [the Philistines had hung them there — ketiv] and read "tela'um shamah pelishtim" [qere], and both mean the same. "At the beginning." In the early days of the barley harvest, as explained in the phrase "at the beginning of the barley harvest."

On the mountain. Which is on the hill of Saul: "Before the Lord." In His domain; for they were brought before the Ark and were captured, so too did our Sages of blessed memory say (Yevamot 79a): And they fell. They were killed, as one. "In the first ones." In the first days of the days of the harvest. And he returns and explains: "At the beginning of the harvest of the barley," which are harvested first of all harvests.

And they hanged them up. And they hung them: Seven times. From the word seven.

And they were killed in the days of the harvest, for then, when the people saw that 'the reaper did not fill his hand, nor the binder of sheaves his bosom' [i.e., the harvest failed], he sought the presence of the Lord, and immediately he saw how to repair what he had done wrong.

Until the waters fell. In the rainy season in Tishrei—they did not give them burial; and is it not written (Deuteronomy 21:23): 'His corpse shall not remain overnight'? Rather they said: it is better that one letter be uprooted from the Torah, and the Name of Heaven be sanctified in public — for passersby would say: 'What is the nature of these?' They would say to them: 'They are of the sons of kings; and what did they do? They stretched out their hand against forced proselytes [who had converted only under duress].' They would say: 'There is no nation worthy to cleave to like this nation' (Yevamot 79a).

"And she spread it for herself on the rock." Upon the rock they were hanged, as it says, "And they impaled them on the mountain." And "she spread the sackcloth on the rock" to cover herself beneath it, day and night. And in the midrashic interpretation: What is [the meaning of] "and she spread it for herself on the rock"? That she said, "The Rock, His work is perfect" [Deuteronomy 32:4], for she justified the judgment upon herself.

And she spread it out for herself. She stretched and spread the sack for herself to sit under it, to guard the hanged [bodies] from the beasts and the birds: "The Rock." It is the mountain on which they were hanged. "Until the waters were poured out." She guarded them from the time they were hung, until the waters were poured upon them; for then they took them down. And by the providence of the Omnipresent a little rain fell, so that they might take them down, and so that it be known that the withholding of the rain was due to the sin of their father, for they saw that after the judgment had been executed, the rains began to fall. "And she did not permit." While they were still hanging:

The sackcloth. A thick cloth. The rock. The rock: It poured. It spilled, as (Exodus 9:33): and rain did not pour down upon the earth. To rest. Meaning: to delay.

"And she took, etc., until 'water was poured upon them' [i.e. rain fell from the sky]: so that when rain would descend from heaven, they would know that the Lord had visited His people, and that the stumbling block had been removed."

"And it was told to David." For she had done a great deed, and therefore his heart was moved with compassion, and he commanded that they be buried. And in the Midrash: he [David] perceived that she was a woman of valor, and he took her as a wife. And we have already written what our Sages of blessed memory explained, that they were hanged from the sixteenth of Nisan until the seventeenth of Marcheshvan, which is the season of rains. And why was this so? In order that the Name of Heaven be sanctified through them. And it appears that the will of God in this matter was that they remain impaled until the time of the rains, so that it would be known that the withholding of the rains was due to their sin. And what is meant by "until the waters drop upon them"? That a little rain fell to indicate that they should be buried. And after they had buried them, God was entreated for the land, and abundant rains fell, as it is stated: "And God was entreated for the land afterward."

And he took the bones of Sha'ul. For it was said to him [David] concerning it [the famine], 'because of Sha'ul' — that he [Saul] had not been mourned properly.

"And David went." When he heard of the act of kindness that Rizpah had performed for the dead, and that they were still intact and had not been eaten by beasts and birds, he too was moved to perform an act of kindness for them, to bury them with the bones of Saul and Jonathan. "And he took the bones of Saul." Because it was said to him, "concerning Saul," [i.e., that the famine's cause was attributed to him], that he was not mourned properly, for he was buried in secret; therefore, he took his bones to bury him again in his father's tomb, and to mourn him properly. “From the street.” And at the end of 1 Samuel it is stated: “From the wall,” for the wall turned toward the street.

Masters. Lords:

"And David went" – We have already mentioned that the Lord scrutinized Saul, His chosen one, with the precision of a hair's breadth, and he received punishment for all his sins. After the iniquity of the slaughter of the priests of the Lord, he and his sons were put to death. His punishment for the sin concerning the Gibeonites was that he was not mourned according to proper law, and his iniquity had already been atoned for. However, since this evil produced fruit even after his death, and his house after him, and Israel in the days of David mistreated these homeless [Gibeonites], punishment came upon him a second time in order to rectify the matter for the future, as a safeguard. And since another punishment now came upon him, the first punishment—that he was not buried and mourned as befitting him—became null and void. Therefore, our Sages of blessed memory explained that the answer was, "It is upon Saul and upon the house of blood"—regarding Saul, that he was not mourned according to proper law; they mean to ask: After the iniquity of the Gibeonites in that generation, why was Saul not mourned as was fitting for him? Was not the sin still standing, and would another punishment come upon him? Therefore, David went and took the bones of Saul. He rectified two matters: 1. That he was buried not in the tombs of his fathers; regarding this it says, "and he took... from the men of Jabesh-Gilead."

And they gathered the bones. The seven who were hung.

"And he brought up from there." David brought up from Jabesh-gilead the bones, etc. "The impaled." Those who were hanged at Gibeah of Saul:

The impaled. The hanged:

B. Since they had not mourned him properly, it is stated, “And he went up from there, etc., and they gathered the bones of those who were struck down,” meaning that they collected them and carried them through all the tribes of Israel, as our Sages of blessed memory stated, “And they all assembled in his honor to mourn for him.” And even though the time for mourning had passed, he brought up the bones of those who had been struck down within twelve months, and along with them, they also mourned for their ancestors.

All that the king commanded. To mourn for them in all the cities of Israel.

"By the side." The accent is on the final syllable, and it is a proper noun denoting a place, as mentioned in the Book of Joshua: "Zela and Eleph." “And they did all that the king commanded.” To bring the bones and to bury them, as he had said; he added nothing, but rather this is the manner of Scripture to repeat the words when the action is emphasized. And in the midrashic interpretation, this comes to add that the king commanded that they should be mourned in every place where they passed through the cities of Israel.

"And God was entreated for the land after this." That is to say, after they had exacted the Gibeonites' vengeance from the sons of Saul, and buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and the bones of those who had been hanged, in the tomb of Kish, Saul's father, as the king had commanded. Now he mentioned earlier that the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel; for according to what they had requested, there was in it [the request] a measure of cruelty and lack of compassion, as if to say that this trait was not [Israel's own], for they were not of the children of Israel.

“And they buried the bones of Saul.” The bones of those who were hanged were buried with the bones of Saul, etc. "All that He commanded." [This refers to the command] to eulogize him as befits his honor, and David himself had already eulogized him, as it is written (above 1:17): "And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul..." "Afterward." After he had carried out the judgment of the Gibeonites, and after he had eulogized Saul properly, the Omnipresent was appeased on their behalf, and rain descended in sufficient measure to satisfy their needs.

At Zela. A place name: And God was entreated. A matter of acceptance, as (Genesis 25:21): and the LORD was entreated of him.

And they buried him opposite the first [point], namely that he was buried not in his proper place; therefore it says, "And they buried him in Zela," adjacent to Jerusalem (as it is stated, "and Zela-haeleph, and the Jebusite," Joshua 18:28), in the tomb of his father Kish. And opposite the second [point], namely that he was not mourned according to the proper law; therefore it says, "And they did according to all that the king had commanded," concerning his honor and his mourning. And by virtue of this, "God responded to the plea for the land."

"And David became weary." The first radical of the verb is vocalized with a patach, to facilitate the reading; and so also "and the people became weary." But "and one flew to me" is vocalized with a qamats, to distinguish between them, since their meanings are distinct.

"And David grew weary." This means that he was weary and exhausted, and for this reason he withdrew somewhat from his servants, and Ishbi-benob, who was one of the children of the Raphah, found him and intended to strike him down, had God not arranged that Abishai son of Zeruiah became aware of this and went to David to save him.

"And there was yet a battle..." This means: In addition to the war mentioned above, in which the Israelites fought one another regarding the matter of Absalom, there was another war, between the Philistines and Israel. And David was weary. He became exhausted and weakened.

"And there was yet war" – this is correct according to the order of the narratives, as stated by Mahari"a. All that is recounted here occurred after the incident of Absalom, at the end of David's days and the end of his wars, for after these wars he had peace all around, since they had found the site of the Temple in the field of the forest, and He gave them rest from all their enemies, as the prophet had foretold (above, ch. 7). And the last war in which David himself went out with his servants was against the Philistines, and David became weary, for he was old and feeble.

And the weight of his spear[-socket]. It is like a sheath that sits atop the haft of the spear-shaft, which they call 'aristoil' in Old French, and it is made like a helmet; and there is an example of it in Zevachim (88b, see Shita Mekubetzet there): 'To what are the pomegranates of the robe [meil] comparable? To a kind of small helmets that are on the heads of infants' — 'small helmets' is 'heilmash' in Old French. And he was girded. With a new belt; and I have heard that on that day he was initiated to bear the weapons of war. And the way of those initiated is to achieve victory and heroism on the day of their initiation, to acquire a name; therefore 'and he said to strike David.'

"Ishbi-benob." This was his name, and it is written [in the text] with a vav and read with a yod. And in the midrash, "Ishbi-benob" [is explained as] a man who came on account of the matter of Nob — that is, he came on account of Nob, the city of the priests, whose slaying David had caused — so it happened to David that he was in danger. And they interpreted "and Abishai helped him" to mean that he helped him through prayer; but all this is far-fetched, and some of them said that he helped him in actuality. And it says "the earth leaped before him," for Abishai was not there with David, since he and Joab were fighting the Ammonites; and a dove passed before Abishai, plucked in its wings, and he knew that David was in danger and distress, and the earth leaped before him, and he went there and helped David, and killed Ishbi-benob. "Harafah." Like "ha-anak" [i.e., the giant], and he was one of the Rephaim, and it is written with a heh and with an aleph. Thus wrote my master and father, of blessed memory. And Targum Yonatan renders it "gavra" [a man]. And we have already written above the view of the midrash, that it is the name of the mother. "His spear" [kino]. This is the shaft of the spear, and so in Arabic the spear-shaft is called "al-qanah." And the verse did not state the weight regarding the shaft ["kino"], but rather regarding the blade of the spear; yet it calls it "kino" collectively, including the blade together with the shaft. And regarding the blade it said that its weight was three hundred [shekels] weight of bronze, for one does not speak of "weight" regarding wood. And so it says regarding Goliath, "and his spear's blade was six hundred shekels of iron." And the weight of iron and bronze is not equal, for each has its own specific weight, and so too for silver and gold. And Targum [Yonatan renders]: "and the weight of its tip was three hundred selas of bronze." "And he was girded with a new [sword]." A new sword. And similarly, "and his food was fat," means [an ellipsis for] "a fat sheep." And so is the manner of Scripture in many places, and the omission [of the noun] is to be understood according to the context. And he said to strike David. When he saw that David was weary, he planned to strike him, and Abishai assisted him.

And the weight of his "nest" [i.e., spearhead] was three hundred shekels of bronze. I think that he called the blade of the spear his "nest," naming it "nest" because of the hollow [socket] within it, into which the wood of the spear-shaft enters, for it is like a nest. Or perhaps his "nest" is the bronze helmet that was on his head, for it too is like a nest. Or perhaps his "nest" is the wood [shaft] itself, the subject being elided, and the meaning is that it is the blade of his spear.

"Who was among the offspring of the Raphah." Who was of the offspring of the Anakim: A copper shekel. A shekel with which copper is weighed: “And he was girded with a new sword.” In that battle, he girded himself with a new sword, and it is the custom of mighty warriors to exert themselves with all their strength to perform acts of valor when they gird themselves with a new sword. "And he said." He deliberated in his mind and performed an act of self-exertion, to display strength and to strike David, because he saw him weary and exhausted.

And Ishbi-benob. So was his name: The giant. The tall one, as (there 14:5): and they smote the Rephaim. His spear. The name of a weapon, and it has no companion.

(16-17) And by means of this, Ishbi-benob sought to strike the king, and he escaped through the aid of Abishai. And on account of this, they swore that he would no longer go out to war, lest his lamp be extinguished — he who longs for his own place, in the light of life, there he shines.

And he helped him. That he [Abishai] helped him [David] through prayer, as stated in Chelek (Sanhedrin 95a).

"And you shall not extinguish the lamp of Israel." They said this as if to say that all of Israel is watched over [providentially] for David's sake, and it would be as if their lamp were extinguished should he die in battle.

"To him." They swore concerning David, so that he would not go out to war anymore. "The lamp." For the king is likened to a lamp that illuminates and bestows upon all.

And there was yet war. This [battle] already preceded all of them, and it is not recorded here [in its chronological place] except to combine [it with] the death of the four sons of Orpah.

"In Gob, with the Philistines." And in Chronicles it is written "in Gezer." That place had two names, and there are many similar cases. And so here it is written "Saph" and there "Sippai," and they are close to one another.

In Gob. It is Gezer, as is said in Chronicles (I 20:4). Saph. And in Chronicles (there) it is said 'Sippai,' and it is the same.

The second war was at Gob, and in Chronicles it is called Gezer, and Sibbecai struck the giant:

Elhanan. David. Son of Jaare-oregim. That his family were weavers of the curtain for the Sanctuary, which is called 'forest.' Like the beam of weavers. (Targum:) 'Like the beam of weavers,' called 'ensuvla' in Old French — [each row of] weaving comes and stands against [the prior] weaving.

"Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite [killed] Goliath the Gittite." And in Chronicles it is written: "Elhanan son of Ya'ur, Oregim, [killed] Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite." And "Ya'ur," "Ya'ir," and "Ya'arei" are one and the same. And the interpretation of "Goliath" mentioned here is: the one who was with Goliath — namely his brother — whom Elhanan killed at Gob; whereas Goliath himself was killed by David at Ephes-dammim. And this Elhanan was from Bethlehem; therefore he was called "the Bethlehemite." And likewise what is stated in Chronicles, "Lahmi," is like "of Lahmi" [a gentilic], meaning "of the sons of Lehem [Bethlehem]," that is, of the mighty men associated with Bethlehem. And similarly it says there: "and some of the Gadites separated themselves to David at the stronghold," meaning from those associated with Gad. Or the interpretation is: [associated] with "the Bethlehemite," who is David, meaning that David helped him [Elhanan]; and this is what it says there: "Lahmi, with David" — that is, Lahmi, whom David helped him [Elhanan] kill. And according to [Targum] Jonathan, this Elhanan is David himself. And so he translated the verse: "And David son of Jesse, from the curtain-weavers of the Temple, who was from Bethlehem, killed Goliath." He called Jesse "Ya'arei" because he wove curtains needed for the Temple. And the Temple is called a "forest," as it is written: "the forest of Lebanon," and "we found it in the field of the forest." But why he called David "Elhanan," I do not know the reason for it. "Like a weaver's beam." Like the frame of the weavers, which is the beam upon which the weaver rolls the fabric as he weaves it, and "gardain" are weavers. And the Jerusalem Targum [renders] "the work of a weaver" as "the work of the gardai." And likewise, in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, the weaver is called a "gardi." And likewise, "menor oregim" [the weaver's beam] is among the weaver's tools in their words, when they say: "one who makes two heddle-loops, with heddles and with a kirus [rod]."

And the wood of his spear was like a weaver's beam. It is the wood around which they wrap the woven fabric, and it is very thick. And this is one of the things that indicates the might of this Philistine.

And the stock of his spear. It is the handle of the spear:

Jaare-oregim. So was his father's name, and in Chronicles (there, verse 5) it is said 'son of Jair,' and it is the same. Beth-lechemi. Meaning: he smote the Beth-lechemi, and he is Lahmi as is said in Chronicles (there). With Goliath. With Goliath, and it means: even though there was a battle with Goliath, he could not help him, and in Chronicles (there) it is said that he was Goliath's brother. Like a weaver's beam. Targum Yonatan translated: like the beam of the weavers, and so too he translated (Judges 16:14): upon the peg of the loom; and it is the round wood before the weaver, on which the warp threads are wound, and in the Mishnah they call it 'weight' (Shabbat 113a).

The third war was at Gob, and Elhanan struck him. And our Sages of blessed memory, in Midrash Ruth, interpreted this regarding David. But in Chronicles it is written: "And Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi, the brother of Goliath." According to this, the fundamental point is that the giant's name was Lahmi, and he was the brother of Goliath, and the one who struck him down was Elhanan the son of Jair. He was from the family of weavers, meaning the family of Bezalel, head of the weavers and planners of designs. And David also was from this family, which is why he was called the Ephrathite. And the brother of Goliath was a mighty man like his brother, as it is said: "And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam." Until this might and its nature resembled the might of David against Goliath. And because the name of the mighty man was Lahmi, and David, who killed his brother, also [was called] Lahmi, meaning of Bethlehem, the bards composed a proverb, that Lahmi killed Goliath, in order to recall through it the might of David that was similar to this one. And in Chronicles, the parable is explained according to what was actually true.

A man of Madon. As its Targum renders: 'a man of stature.' For the essential [root] of the word is only mem and dalet, as (Psalms 65:8) 'sha'on' [roar]—shin and aleph; and 'hamon' [multitude] (Genesis 17:4)—hey and mem. And in Chronicles (I 11:23) it is written: 'ish middah' ['a man of stature']—meaning very tall, that they estimate how tall he is. Six and six, etc. Our Sages explained in Bekhorot (45b) that it was necessary to say 'twenty-four,' lest you say his two hands have only six fingers, and his feet only six; therefore it says twenty-four. And if it wrote twenty-four and did not say six and six, I would say seven on one and five on the other. And what is 'count'? That they were all counted in order of the fingers on the back of the hand.

"A man of strife." It is written with a yod and read with a vav; and it is the same word as in Chronicles, "a man of stature." And Targum Yonatan renders it "a man who was measured." And if so, the quiescent letter in "madon" occupies the place of the dagesh in "middah." “Six and six, and twenty-four.” If it had stated “six and six” but not “twenty-four,” I would have said that between his hands and between his feet there were only six and six; therefore, “twenty-four” is necessary. And if it had stated “twenty-four” but not “six and six,” I would have said that five were on one side and seven on the other; therefore, it is stated “six and six.” "To Harafah." [Meaning] "to Anak" [the giant]; and it comes with the definite article together with the prefixed preposition "to," as is the rule, but in most cases the definite article is dropped to ease [pronunciation], and similarly [we find] "to this people," "to the band that came to him."

A man of strife. That is to say, a man of contention and war.

Six and six. To each there were six; and lest it be reckoned that in his two hands there were six in total — three to each — and so too in his two feet, three to each, therefore he returned and explained, twenty-four in number:

Madon. From the word measure, and it means one of great measure, and so (Numbers 13:32): men of stature.

And the fourth war was in Gath, and also there was slain a giant of the descendants of the Rephaim, who had twenty-four fingers, by the hand of Jonathan. Thus, all four giants who were among the Philistines fell by the hand of David and his men, except for Goliath, who was slain in earlier times. With this, the wars came to an end, and there was peace for Israel throughout the days of Solomon.

And he reviled Israel. According to what I understand from what he said that there would be no man found in Israel who would fight him, as Goliath said to Saul, this is what appears to us as necessary for the explanation in what we limited in our explanation here in these narratives. And the benefits derived from them are these: The first is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is fitting for every person to do whatever he does after much deliberation and proper counsel, and not rely on his own counsel that appears to him at the beginning of the matter. And for this you will find that although it seemed clear that it was fitting for David to remain in one of the cities of Judah after Saul's death, for David did not flee from there except out of fear of Saul, and furthermore, he had already drawn the heart of the men of Judah to himself by sending to them the spoil of the enemies of God, since the good success of David became known to them, that he conquered his enemies with very few, and the bad success of Saul, that he fell by the hands of his enemies although all Israel was with him, and furthermore, even while Saul was king over Israel, they loved David very much when they saw his success, as was related above -- nevertheless, David did not wish to go there unless he first inquired of God. And for this he inquired whether he should ascend to one of the cities of Judah, and when God answered him through the Urim and Thummim that he should ascend there, he inquired further to which of them he should ascend, and the answer came to him that he should come to Hebron, and there he came by the word of God. The second is to inform that there are places more fitting for one to attain the end than other places, and although God has power to bring about whatever He desires, nevertheless He seeks such things in most matters, causes fitting according to the universal providence, when this is possible, and will not innovate miracles except when necessity brings Him to this, as we have related many times. And for this God chose that David come to Hebron, to reveal the matter there, that from there his kingship would spring up more easily. And for this you will find that immediately after David came there, the men of Judah stirred themselves of their own accord to anoint David king over them, even though it was possible that the sons of Hebron themselves were more complete in their regard for David than others of the men of Judah, and it seems they were caused by David's coming to Hebron to draw the heart of Judah to anoint David king over them. The third is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is fitting for a person to repay good to one who repaid him good. And for this you will find that David brought up with him the men who went with him while he was pursued, in order that they rejoice in his success and it be well with them through it. And for this he settled them in the cities of Hebron, in order that they be near him, even though by this he would also repay him the fitting help. The fourth, and it is in ethics, is to inform that it is fitting for a person when he moves from one place to another to move his wife and household with him when he moves, for in this there is benefit to guard himself from thought of transgression, and to give his wife her due of intercourse, in order to guard her from sin. And in this there is benefit to oversee the moral instruction of the children of the house and not be negligent of them. And for this you will find that the text related that David brought up with him two wives, and that he brought up with him the men, a man and his household. The fifth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is not fitting for a king to keep with him, in his company, the men who walked with him before his becoming king, for because of what they saw of his manner, there came between them companionship before he became king, his fear will not be upon them, and this would be a cause to slight the kingship. Did you not see that although David was commander of these men who were with him, nevertheless they slighted him, until you will find that they said to stone him over the matter of the burning of Ziklag. And for this cause you will find that David did not agree to settle his men in Hebron, but rather he settled them in the cities adjacent to Hebron, as it says, 'And they dwelled in the cities of Hebron.' And for this cause you will find regarding Joab, that he was in that companionship, that he already slighted David over the matter of his weeping over Absalom, as is related in these narratives. The sixth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is fitting for a person when he plans that he will attain an end, and he sees an obstacle to attaining that end, not to shrink from removing that obstacle. And for this you will find that when it became clear to David that the men of Jabesh Gilead labored to do great kindness with Saul, and this was one of the things that would prevent them from agreeing that David be king over them, for they calculated that in his heart upon them for what they showed strong love for the one who was his enemy and pursued him -- behold, he showed them that for what they did of kindness to their master, he praised them. And for this he blessed them and explained to them that he was ready to repay them good reward for what they did of this, for this is one of the things that shows that they are men who are faithful to the kingship. And for this David trusted in them that they were faithful to him, and for this cause he informed them that they should strengthen themselves and be men of valor, and not fear that evil happen to them from this by David, but rather good reward would be repaid to them for this. The seventh is to inform that the king is worthy of his sons in his kingdom always, as the Torah says, 'That he may prolong his days upon the kingdom, he and his sons.' And for this you will find that Ish-bosheth reigned, even though it was well known to all Israel that God chose David to be king over His people Israel, as Saul and Jonathan related this, and Abner also said it, and all Israel remembered it, as is related in what they said to David when all Israel anointed him king over them. The eighth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is not fitting for a person to force the time and hasten the end in matters destined for him, but rather he should wait for them if with fitting causes, lest he hasten more than is fitting and remove those good things from him. Did you not see that David did not labor to fight with the house of Saul to bring the kingship to himself? And for this you will find that it relates that two years Ish-bosheth reigned over Israel before there was war between Ish-bosheth's men and David's men, and even then there was no war between them except because Abner stirred that war. And even after this David did not labor in Ish-bosheth's death in order that the kingship come, but rather he took his vengeance from the one who killed him. The ninth is to inform the uprightness of David's heart and his guarding of the covenant that Saul made with him, that he not destroy his name from under the heavens. And although Saul pursued him with all his might, as was related above, nevertheless David guarded the covenant that was between them, and he did not trouble Ish-bosheth at all to labor in his exaltation, but rather he was satisfied with what he attained of the kingship. The tenth, and it is in ethics, is to inform that it is not fitting for a person to slight the killing of men of God's people, even in the way of war. Did you not see that Abner slighted the killing of the youths when he said that they should arise and play before him and Joab, and it happened to him that he was killed because of what happened to him in this war from the killing of Asahel, as though God repaid him measure for measure? And although it would be calculated that he had no guilt in Asahel's killing, for he was pursuing him, nevertheless Abner was not saved from guilt in what he caused from the killing of those youths, which was the cause of all this. And although he had guilt in this also, when he did not labor to save himself from Asahel without killing, for it was not permitted to one pursued to kill his pursuer when he could save himself from him without killing him -- that is to say, by striking him in a place from which he would not die, which would repay him the salvation -- however, Abner seemed to intend to strike him in a place from which he would die. And for this he intended to strike him at the fifth rib. The eleventh is in ethics, and it is to inform that one should guard against strife and contention, even though it be weak at its beginning, for in whatever it is prolonged it will strengthen. Did you not see that Abner did not think that anything else would come from this except the blows that each of those youths would strike the other, and from this there arose this great war, until were it not that Joab sounded the trumpet to stop the war, the war would have continued to destruction, and it was also prolonged because of this war among them after this, as is related in this narrative. The twelfth is in ethics, and it is that one should not give himself to dangers because of lightness of motion. Did you not see Asahel, for the lightness of his motion, did not fear what Abner said to strike him if he not return from after him, and he was killed by Abner, and the lightness of his feet did not help him. The thirteenth, and it is in ethics, is that one should not persist in war with God's people, even though there be there a strong cause bringing him to this, but rather he should leave room for peace. Did you not see that Joab, although he obtained great acts against Abner from the death of Asahel, nevertheless immediately when Abner asked him to say to the people that they return from pursuing each man after his brother, Joab yielded to his request, and the heat of his heart over his brother's blood did not prevent him from this. The fourteenth, and it is in ethics, is to inform that it is fitting for every person not to slight fearing that which it is possible that evil come to him through it. And for this you will find that although Joab sounded the trumpet that each man return from after his brother, the heart of Abner did not rely on this. And for this it relates that he and his men went all the night. And similarly you will find with Joab, that he did not trust on this. And for this they went all the night, Joab and his men, until their return to Hebron, for were they to delay on the way, it was possible that an army gather against them from the opposite side and kill them. The fifteenth is to inform that if the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor in it. And for this you will find that it relates of David's success and the bad success of Ish-bosheth, until even of Ish-bosheth's servants three hundred and sixty men were counted, and of David's men only twenty died. And when you subtract from this the twelve of the players who died, from each of the parties, you will find that they already killed of Ish-bosheth's men three hundred and forty-eight, and of David's servants only eight died. And it relates also for this cause that the house of David was going and strengthening, and the house of Saul was going and diminishing. And for this cause also you will find that God caused that strife arise between Ish-bosheth and Abner, in order to remove the kingship from Ish-bosheth and bring it to David, for this was the cause that Abner drew all Israel to David, until after Ish-bosheth's death they did not labor to anoint a king over Israel from the house of Saul, but rather they came immediately to David to anoint him. The sixteenth is to inform that it is not fitting for a person when he sees that good come to him that he shrink because of this from seeking other good together with it, which it is possible for him to attain, but rather he should labor that all the good things come to him which he sees it is fitting to attain. And for this you will find that although Abner sent to David, that if he make a covenant with him, he will bring to him all Israel, nevertheless he did not shrink because of this from requesting that he bring to him Michal his wife. And David did not wish to wait for Michal's coming after Abner's coming to him, for if the matter were so from Abner by way of scheme, it was possible that Michal know this and reveal the secret to David, as she revealed to him the secret in what Saul seemed to kill him, and she said to him, 'If you do not save your soul tomorrow, you will be put to death.' And the second cause is that in this there is honor for David, that is to say, if Michal his wife be brought to him while the house of Saul holds the kingship. However, if he not rule in her bringing to him except after the removal of the government from the house of Saul, this would not be honor for David. And this is very clear. The seventeenth is to inform that when the Lord is pleased with a man's ways, even his enemies He will make to make peace with him. And for this you will find that it relates that Abner stirred himself to seek David's peace and labored to restore to him the kingship, in a way that the one who was preventing the kingship from David, he himself became God's instrument to bring the kingship to him and remove it from his family. The eighteenth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is fitting for a person to always fear for what is fitting. Did you not see that because Abner did not fear Joab over his killing Asahel his brother, and did not fear to come to Hebron, and did not ask from King David that he make peace between them -- it happened to him that he died by his hand? And for this cause also we learned that it is not fitting for a person to come to the place of his enemies, even though messengers or a letter come to him, that one of the men in whom he trusts sends to meet him, for he has reason to fear that this scheme be from his enemies. Did you not see that Joab sent to Abner messengers in David's name to return him to Hebron, and David did not know, but rather Joab caused this to kill Abner there. The nineteenth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is fitting for a person when he is clean from a disgraceful act, which it is possible to be calculated that it came from him, that he exaggerate to show that he is clean from it, in a way that it become clear to all that he did not cause this disgraceful act -- all the more so when there be in it what would distance him from the end to which he is tending. And for this you will find that David exaggerated to show how the matter of Abner's killing was difficult in his eyes. And for this he cursed the house of Zeruiah, who were his servants, and cursed Joab with this wonderful curse, that is to say, that there not be cut off from his house one who has a flow, one who has leprosy, one who leans on a staff, one who falls by the sword, and one who lacks bread. And for this King David went after his bier. And although this was not the custom of kings, he raised his voice and wept at Abner's grave, and lamented over him with this lament in which he showed the disgrace of his killers. And for this he also swore that he would not taste bread or anything before the sun came, for all this is what brought all the people and all Israel to believe that it was not from the king to kill Abner. And although Israel believed that truly from the king came great impression to prevent him from the kingship, for the men would not agree to anoint over them one who does not insist upon the killing of the officers and great men by scheme and deceit. And for this cause therefore he commanded to kill the killers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, in order that they not think that it came from him to kill him by this scheme upon his bed. The twentieth is that we already learned from this place by way of allusion that Jerusalem was not divided to the tribes. And for this you will find that when David was king over Judah alone, he dwelled in Hebron, which is of the tribe of Judah. However, after he was anointed king over Israel, he moved to Jerusalem. And this is one of the things that shows that Jerusalem was for all Israel. And our Sages already permitted the doubt in what seems from the book of Joshua that it came to the lot of Judah and to the lot of Benjamin. The twenty-first is to inform that it is fitting for one who perceives that success has arisen for him that he use it to attain from it whatever is possible of good. And for this it relates that because David saw that God exalted his kingship because of His people Israel, and he was now in a manner of divine providence added to what he was before this, he labored to take wives and concubines, calculating that the sons who would be born now would be more fitting for the kingship than the first ones. And so it was, for from the first ones not one reigned, for those who were thought from them for the kingship were killed. And from these sons whom he begot now, Solomon reigned, as is related after this in the book of Kings. The twenty-second is to inform and to make known David's success in all his wars, for God was with him because of his doing that which is right in the eyes of the Lord, as became known in all these narratives, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. And for this also it says, 'And David went and grew great, and the Lord of hosts was with him.' And for this you will find that it relates that David and his men burned the gods of the nations that came into their hands, to inform that David was setting his men aright with all his might to conduct themselves in the ways of the Torah. The twenty-third is to inform that although God has power over all that He desires, nevertheless He seeks in what He does, fitting causes when it is possible for Him, and will not innovate miracles except when necessity brings Him to this. And for this you will find that when David inquired of God whether he should ascend against the Philistines when they were left in the valley of Rephaim, the word of God came to him that he not ascend against them, but rather he should turn behind them opposite the terebinth trees, in a way that the Philistines not see him, and when they hear the sound of going in the tops of the terebinth trees, then he should break forth to ascend against them, for then they would not perceive the sound of the going of David's army, calculating that it was the sound of going that was in the tops of the terebinth trees. And this is one of the things that helps David very much to conquer the Philistines. And it is possible also that there be joined to this matter another cause, and it is that perhaps then would come the time of the trembling of their foot, for God found him also that He wait sometimes, as He says, 'Vengeance is Mine and recompense, for the time their foot shall slip,' and He says, 'And also the wicked shall come to the day of evil.' The twenty-fourth, and it is in commandments, is what we learned from this narrative, that what the Torah said concerning the ark of God, 'upon the shoulder shall they carry it,' is a prohibition, that they not carry it except in this manner. And for this you will find that God broke forth against Uzza for what they did not carry the ark in the manner written in the Torah, as is related in the book of Chronicles concerning this narrative. And for this David labored after this that the Levites carry the ark of God in the manner mentioned in the Torah. The twenty-fifth is to make known the matter of the wonderful holiness of the ark of God, until immediately when one lower something of its holiness, God will bring in a miraculous way these wonderful punishments, as we found in the men of Beth-shemesh, that there was a great pestilence among them, for they saw the ark of God. And in this place, in the matter of the breaking forth against Uzza, for all this is what adds belief in the matter of the holiness of the Torah and that it emanates from God. The twenty-sixth is to inform that whatever is for the service of God and for His honor, it is fitting that it be done with joy and a good heart. And for this it relates of what David did in the exaggeration of joy in this matter, when they brought the ark to its place which David inclined to, and this was so because His service is not a heavy thing for man, but rather it in itself draws men to itself, contrary to the customs of Moloch, for they will not be accepted except by way of coercion and force, for they will burn their sons and their daughters in fire to their gods. The twenty-seventh is to inform that it is fitting for every person to suspect himself in the ways of holiness, and to calculate that perhaps his manner and his thoughts are not in a manner of completeness, which it is fitting to be for one who is in a holy place, for this is one of the things that will set him aright to be careful in his acts and thoughts, that they be fitting according to what is possible. And for this it relates that David feared to bring the ark of God to him, suspecting himself that he could not conduct himself with it in the fitting holiness, and a wonderful punishment happen to him from this, until it became clear to him that God blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that was his because of the ark of God. And when he estimated that the acts of Obed-edom were not more complete and more pure than his acts, he agreed to bring it to him. And for this cause therefore we found in Jacob that he said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God,' to inform that in holy places it is fitting for man to conduct himself in additional holiness. The twenty-eighth is to inform that he who honors the Torah in the fitting manner and conducts himself in it with holiness, the blessing of God will come to him in all that is his, for this is one of the things that will set him aright to stand upon holy matters and conduct himself in them, from which will come the adherence of divine providence to man, as became clear from the words of the Torah. And for this it relates that God already blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that was his, for surely he insisted to conduct himself with it in a manner of additional holiness, out of his fear from the breaking forth against Uzza, and in his seeing that even David feared to bring it to him. The twenty-ninth is in commandments, and it is to inform that at the time when the high places were permitted, the service was permitted to a non-priest. And for this it relates in this place concerning the bringing up of the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom, that David offered burnt offerings before God and sacrificed peace offerings, and afterward blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. And this is what He says, 'For you have not come hitherto to the rest and to the inheritance,' as we explained in our explanation of the words of the Torah. The thirtieth is to inform that the fitting joy in the service of God is not that man sacrifice peace offerings to fill his belly, but rather it is fitting to rejoice in it all those in need. And for this you will find that the Torah was careful in what it commanded us to rejoice in our festivals, that we rejoice in this the poor, and they are the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow, as we explained there. And for this cause you will find in this place that David rejoiced from the peace offerings that he sacrificed before God for all Israel, and he gave to each of them a cake, and it is a large piece from the flesh of the peace offerings, and he completed for them what is needed for joy, bread and wine, in order that this joy include all Israel and their matter be arranged for the service of God, not for the seeking of bodily pleasure. The thirty-first is to inform that the greatest among men it is fitting that he be very humble in his eyes before the exaltation of God, that is to say, in what he was skipping and dancing to show the intensity of his joy for the service of God, and he did not show himself in this matter great above the rest of the men, but rather he humbled himself like them or even more, for so it is fitting. And because Michal disgraced this good manner that David conducted himself in this, and thought that it was not fitting for a king to humble himself so much before God, God prevented from her the fruit of the womb. The thirty-second is to inform that it is not fitting in that which it is possible that complete knowledge come to man that man doubt in deficient knowledge. And the example is that it is not fitting for a prophet to judge in matters by way of estimation and calculation, but rather it is fitting that he wait that the word of God come to him concerning the matter about which he was asked, as we found in Moses that he said, 'Stand you and I will hear what He will command you.' And for this you will find in this place that the prophet Nathan, because he said to David what he said by way of estimation, when David inquired from him whether he build the house of God and put there the ark of God, and he said, 'Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you' -- behold, repentance overtook him, and it is that God already said to him in prophecy that night the opposite of what Nathan said of himself to David by way of estimation. The thirty-third is to inform that in the Tabernacle of Shiloh there was not built a house for the ark of God, and although there was there a building of walls, nevertheless it was not covered from above, but rather there was over it a tent. And for this cause it says, 'For I have not dwelled in a house since the day I brought up the children of Israel from Egypt until this day, and I have been walking in a tent and in a tabernacle.' The thirty-fourth is to inform that the things done to make known the greatness of God's name it is fitting that they be done by one who is greater in the eyes of the men, for in this the exaltation and the glorification will be straightened more to God's name. And when the matter is so, and it is clear in David, that He took him from after the sheep to be king over Israel -- God did not agree that the house of the Temple be built by him, for he came to testify to the greatness of God, which is not something innovated in him after it was not. And for this He chose that Solomon build it, who was the son of a king from birth and from the womb and from conception. And for this cause also we can say that it was afterward that God's desire was in a chosen man, that he be the son of a king from conception, for this God did not command one of the judges and the kings who were before David to build Him a house. And although Ish-bosheth was the son of a king, he was not the son of a king from conception, as will become clear in what is related of the number of years that were between the Exodus from Egypt and the building of the house of the Temple, and we already expanded upon this in the book of Judges. And furthermore, God did not wish that the kingship remain with him. And for this also God chose that this building be done by Solomon, for him and his seed the kingship was given, he and his sons all the days that the world exists, that is to say, when there be kingship in Israel, it will be his. And it is fitting that this be done by him to testify that the greatness of God has no end. And also there was included in this another cause, and it is that it is not the way of God to do except good things, for the evils, when He does them, He does them from the fact that they are good things. And it was fitting that this building not be done by David, for he shed much blood, as the cause became clear in this narrative in the book of Chronicles. However, Solomon was fitting for this, because all his days he had peace and did not fight wars. And since there was already gathered in this another benefit, and it is that when the sin caused the destruction of the house of the Temple, perhaps if it had been built by David, they would relate the destruction of the Temple to David, because of the abundance of the blood which he shed and the abundance of the evils that happened to him in his days and the abundance of the pursuations in which he was pursued, and they would say that his acts also are so, that is to say, it is fitting that difficult cases happen to them, and this would be a cause that they not depart from their sins because of the punishment that God would bring upon them. However, when its building was by Solomon, this accusation was removed, for he was a very successful man and all his days he had peace around him. The thirty-fifth is to inform that the kingship of the house of David will not end and cease an eternal cessation, but rather it will remain forever. And although it will cease for some time, and for this it says, 'And My mercy will not depart from him, as I removed it from Saul' -- that is to say, the kingship will not be removed from him completely to be given to another, as was the matter in Saul. And for this also it says, 'And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever' -- that is to say, all the days that the world exists. And if you doubt us from what Hannah said, 'And he shall sit there forever,' which was not his time except the days of Samuel's life -- we said to you that the matter there requires that the world return to Samuel's time, for it is not possible that he sit there after his death. However, in this place, it returned of necessity to the world, not to Solomon's life. And for this David said, 'The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, and the house of Your servant David, will be established before You,' to inform that the perpetuity of this is like the perpetuity of this. However, the perpetuity of Israel became clear in the Torah in the matter of the curses, as we explained there, and this indicates the eternity of the kingship of the house of David. The thirty-sixth is in doctrine, and it is to explain that the promises which will not take some time but will take all the time, there is in them a condition of necessity, and it is that the recipient be worthy. And for this you will find that when David heard this wonderful promise that God promised him through His prophet, he stirred himself to pray to God that the promise be established for him, for David's prayer can help in this, for already the Holy Spirit rested upon him, as it says, 'The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.' And this already became known from the book of Psalms, which David related with the Holy Spirit. And for this cause you will find in this place, 'And the sons of Belial will not assail him,' for this is required from the covenant of God with the fathers, as we explained in our explanation of the words of the Torah. And it is possible also that what he said here, 'And I will set a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and will be troubled no more' -- is an allusion to the kingship of the Messiah, son of David, for then will this be true, according to what became clear from the book of Daniel and from many places in the book of Chronicles. And God informed him in this discourse the end and success that will be for what springs from David. And after this He explained what will be after David, and He said, 'And the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.' The thirty-seventh is the goodness of David's character, that he did not fight with those nations because of his desire for the wealth, but rather for the exaltation of the true Torah and to humble those who dispute against it. And for this you will find that when David fought with those kings and humbled them, he did not incline to take the spoil for himself, but rather he took it for God, to show that it was not because of his desire for the spoil that he fought with them, but rather because of the destruction of their doctrines and beliefs. And in this there was also benefit to show that God fights for Israel. And for this David consecrated to God the silver and the gold and the copper that came to him, for He is the cause in all this. The thirty-eighth is to make known that the promise that is related in the Torah already became fulfilled, as it says, 'A star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall break the corners of Moab.' For this became true by David, that he laid them on the ground and measured them with two cords, to kill, and with one cord, to let live. The thirty-ninth is to inform the uprightness of David, that he already was doing judgment and righteousness to all his people, he was not closing his eye from one of them, for this character it is fitting that it be for a worthy king. And for this cause it also relates that David was moved if there remained any man of the house of Saul, and he would do him kindness for Jonathan's sake. And for this also it relates that even to Chanan son of Nethan, David labored to do kindness, to repay him a reward for the kindness that his father repaid him. The fortieth is to inform that it is not fitting for a person to give government to his sons in his lifetime. Did you not see what happened to David from evil because of what he did, making his sons rulers? For were it not for this, Amnon would not have sinned with his sister, and Absalom would not have rebelled against him, and Adonijah would not have had what happened to him. And this is very clear. The forty-first is to inform how deep are God's thoughts, that He placed David's doing kindness to Chanan son of Nethan as an instrument to destroy the sons of Ammon and their helpers, for this was the cause that Chanan took David's servants and disgraced them and shamed them to the utmost that is possible. And they themselves were the cause to mislead upon themselves the evil, calculating that they were foul in David's eyes. The forty-second is to inform that it is not fitting for a person to turn to pleasures at the time that his companion is in distress. Did you not see that Uriah the Hittite did not agree of himself to go to his house to lie with his wife, because of Joab and all Israel being in distress, that is to say, they were encamped in the field to besiege Rabbah. And see what happened to David from evil in his giving then to himself the pleasures, until he lusted after Bathsheba, with his knowledge that she was a married woman, and came to her and she conceived for him, for this was the cause that he added transgression to his sin, and labored that Uriah die by the sword of the sons of Ammon, when he saw that what he calculated, that Uriah come and lie with his wife, was not fulfilled for him, in a way that David's disgrace be covered. The forty-third is to inform the fulfillment of God's promises that He promised to David for the sin of Uriah the Hittite's wife, and how deep are His thoughts, to cause that evil spring from his house, and that there come forth from there one who will rebel against him and lie with his wives before the sun and before all Israel. And he was Absalom. And behold, it repaid him fourfold for the ewe lamb in both aspects, and this is that he took one woman, and Absalom took from him ten concubines. And he killed Uriah, and four of his sons died, and they are Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah, and the son then born to Bathsheba. And behold, it is known that the son born to Bathsheba died because of this sin, as is related in this place. And because the matter of Absalom's rebellion sprang from the matter of Amnon's humbling Tamar his sister, and the matter of Adonijah's holding the kingship was the cause of Absalom's matter, for he calculated himself king because he was born after Absalom -- behold, it became true that the death of these three was for this sin, for he also judged that this man's son is of death. However, the prophet Nathan promised him that God removed his sin with the other punishment that He mentioned, and for this he would not die. And behold, he, that all this evil already sprang from his house, for Jonadab, who gave counsel to Amnon, was his brother's son, and Amnon was his son, and Tamar was his daughter, and Absalom was his son. And so was Adonijah's death by the hand of Solomon, who was from his house. The forty-fourth is to inform that although God decreed to bring evil, it is not fitting for a person to refrain from praying to Him to remove the evil, for He is gracious and will repent of the evil. And for this you will find that although God promised to David through His prophet that the child would surely die, nevertheless David did not refrain from praying for him, and from fasting and weeping, and he was lying on the ground to the utmost of submission before God, perhaps God would have mercy on him and the child live. And from this place we learned that what the Torah said, 'And when you go out to battle against your enemies in your land, against him that oppresses you, and you blow with the trumpets and you are remembered,' -- behold, the intention is with prayer and fasting, as we explained in our explanation of the words of the Torah. The forty-fifth is in commandments, and it is to inform that it is not fitting to fast and pray over the distress after it has already come, for it is not fitting to pray over something impossible for God, unless the one praying be a prophet, and he was asking this by way of miracle. And for this David said, 'Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?' And we already explained this in the explanation of the Torah, from what He says concerning him that oppresses, not that He already oppressed. The forty-sixth is to inform that Solomon was already chosen from birth and from the womb and from conception. And for this his name was called by God, Jedidiah, to inform that God loved him. The forty-seventh is to inform that whatever individuals conquer of Israel, the holiness of the land of Israel will not be practiced in it. And for this Joab was careful at the time that he captured the city of Rabbah and his name was called upon it. And for this he sent to David that he come there with the rest of Israel, in order that the king and all Israel be there, and this honor be attributed to them all. The forty-eighth is to inform to every person that it is fitting that he guard against the counsel of evil counselors and against disgraceful acts. Did you not see what happened to Amnon because of his hearing Jonadab's counsel, although there was in his words some appeasement for him? The forty-ninth is to inform that the seed of one fair, which will be from the first intercourse when she was violated in her idolatry, is not attributed to the father at all. And for this it relates that Tamar was not forbidden to Amnon, as she says, 'Now therefore, speak, I pray you, to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.' The fiftieth, and it is in commandments, is what we learned that the matter of hatred is recognized to us when he not speak with his hater from evil until good, as it says, 'And Absalom spoke not to Amnon from evil until good, for Absalom hated Amnon.' And from this place we learned that what the Torah says in one who kills a soul by mistake, 'And he was not his hater from yesterday or the day before,' will be recognized in this manner. For we will not know what is in his heart. But if we see that he did not speak with him for three days, we will know that he is his hater, and he will not be exiled for that killing, for his guilt is greater than can be atoned for by exile. The fifty-first is to inform that it is fitting for a person to deliberate in what is asked from him, if it is possible that damage come from him, before his agreeing to the request. Did you not see that David, because he did not deliberate over what was asked from him, that Amnon go with him, he gave him his request, and this was the cause of Amnon's death, for it was already fitting for David to give heed to the matter of the hatred with which Absalom hated Amnon over the matter of Tamar his sister. And although this was caused by God to raise against David evil from his house, for Amnon's killing was the path and way to that end, as appears from the words of this narrative. The fifty-second is to inform that it is not fitting to request a thing from a man, even if it be clear that he will not grant his request. And for this perhaps Joab did not stir himself to labor with King David to return Absalom, until he knew that David's heart was upon Absalom, for he was comforted over Amnon because he died. The fifty-third is to inform that he from whom it is feared, when they request from him something, whether judgment or kindness, that he will prevent them -- it is fitting that they come to him in matters similar to that thing, in which it can be estimated that he will judge according to what is required. And after this, when he be turned to the subject in which will be the request, it will not be possible for him to prevent what he already judged that it is fitting. And for this it filled for Joab, for because he feared to request from King David to return his exile, lest he prevent him from his request, for his heart be hot over Amnon's blood, he caused to turn him to what is similar to this, from what the woman of Tekoa told him. And when it became clear from his words that he pitied the one who killed, and swore that no hair of his head fall to the ground, then it was easy to turn the request to that the king return his exile. And in this the king agreed to do Joab's request. The fifty-fourth is to inform that there is a kind of the nazirite vow in which a person is a nazirite forever and he shaves from year to year, as appears from the matter of Absalom, in what he was shaving his head from year to year, for it was heavy upon him, according to what we related in our explanation of this narrative. The fifty-fifth is to inform that the seed that comes forth from one fair is not fitting, as the Torah testified against it in the parashah, 'When you go out to battle,' as we explained there. Did you not see how the matter of Absalom was to the utmost of evil, and he was the son of one fair, according to what will become clear from the matter of Tamar. The fifty-sixth is to inform how God punished Absalom, that he already had three sons and they all died before his death, because he was compelled to build a monument and call his name upon it, for he said, 'I have no son to call my name.' The fifty-seventh is to inform that beauty is not evidence of uprightness of heart and uprightness of words, for sometimes a person does this by way of scheme, as we found in Absalom, that from his words to Israel it appeared that he was a pious man and a pursuer of righteousness and uprightness, and this was all by way of scheme to draw the heart of Israel to him. And although he was the most handsome of Israel, he was not good, but rather he was to the utmost of evil. And behold, Absalom stole by this scheme the heart of Israel, and with them the elders of Israel, for they all were agreed in David's killing, as became clear from Ahithophel's counsel. The fifty-eighth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is not fitting that a person be negligent in taking counsel from two sides, at the exaggeration of the evil of the cases that will happen to him. And for this you will find that David conducted himself with wonderful wisdom in all this matter, in his fleeing from Absalom his son. And this is that he feared, were he remain there, that Absalom his son overcome him, for already the prophet promised that God would raise evil from his house, and his wives be given to his neighbor, and he lie with them before the sun and before all Israel. And this was not possible to be fulfilled if David remain there, unless David fall by Absalom's hands. And David did not wish to take all his wives with him in his fleeing, for already from this would also come, if God's promise be fulfilled, that Absalom overcome him in the place to which he fled. And for this David left there only the concubines, for there was for him less disgrace and pain from this if Absalom lie with them, than what would be called to him from this if he lie with his wives. And behold, the king fled on his feet, in order that all who see him not recognize that he is the king, for in this it was possible for him to complete the escape from Absalom. And for this cause also he did not wish that they carry for him the ark of God, and he left there good men, in whom he could trust, that they inform him the truth, to inform him what Absalom would agree to pass against him. And he labored to send there a wise man, in order that he frustrate Ahithophel's good counsel. And with his preparation for the good counsel, he prepared himself for prayer. And for this he prayed to God that He baffle Ahithophel's counsel. And with this, David's heart was broken and he was humbled, and he was going and weeping, and his head was covered, and he endured the intense curses with which Shimi son of Gera cursed him, to submit to the utmost that is possible before God, perhaps his Creator have mercy on him and repent of the evil. And he prepared himself with this for war, according to the fitting arrangement. And for this he placed with his camp commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. The fifty-ninth is to inform that even at the time of evil upon the righteous, God will not leave him in the hand of the wicked, and will not remove His providence from him completely. Did you not see that although David was pursued, we proved many things to him for his salvation, until even in the chosen ones who were there, the sons of Yehimi, who were fitting to hate David, there was prepared there a woman who hid Ahimaaz and Jonathan, in a way that they completed what was requested of David, for the evil that Absalom and Israel would agree to do, in order that he be able to take counsel to escape from what they planned to do against him. And he also found on his way many who brought him gifts, and to the people that were at his feet, for God will not remove His eye from a righteous man. And at the time of the war also, Absalom's army fell, and Absalom by the hands of David's men, for God already caused that Israel scatter hither and thither to flee, and this was the cause that Absalom fell by David's servants and could not flee, for God already caused it, and he was hanging in the terebinth. The sixtieth is to show the intensity of David's trust in God, until he commanded Joab and Abishai and all the people that they spare the young man Absalom and not kill him, leaning on that Absalom already would be overcome, and the army of Israel that was with him, because of their pursuing him for no violence in his hand. And this also indicates the goodness of David's character, that he did not wish to repay him measure for measure. However, David could not prevent this, for from heaven they fought with Absalom, that he fall by his sins. And with this the matter was straightened that the kingship be Solomon's, as God decreed. And behold, David's character was strong in this matter, until he already mourned over Absalom this wonderful mourning related in this narrative. The sixty-first is to inform that it is not fitting for a good man to announce tidings to a great man in which he will not rejoice. And for this Joab distanced Ahimaaz from announcing to King David the matter of Absalom's killing. And for this he said to him, 'You are not a man of tidings today.' For this matter, and in another day, when a good thing happen, David will rejoice in it, then I will send the tidings by your mouth. And because Ahimaaz calculated that David would rejoice in it, he requested that he run to announce to the king this tidings. And when he perceived that the king was grieved by this, he did not wish to announce this tidings. And similarly you will find that King David said, 'He is a good man, and no good tidings shall he bring.' We learned from this that it is not the way of a good man to announce bad tidings. The sixty-second is to inform that it is fitting that man conduct himself with wisdom even at the time of mourning and distress, and wisdom not depart from him, the good counsel. Did you not see that immediately when David perceived what would happen to him from damage if he appear to his servants that he is grieved and constrained over Absalom's death -- and for this cause he arose and sat in the gate to show that he is not constrained over his death? And for this you will find that David conducted himself with wonderful wisdom in the matter of his return to his kingship. And for this cause he sent to seek with words of peace and love and brotherhood from those most near to him, that they labor in his return, in order that they not see that it is in his heart upon them for what they rebelled against him and anointed Absalom king over them. And he sent to them that the word of all Israel came to restore the king, in order that they hasten to restore him, in a way that the men of Israel not precede them, for this would be disgrace to them. And for this cause also he sent to Amasa in this manner, and he swore to him that he would make him commander of the army in place of Joab. And behold, the king desired that the elders of Judah agree, for he did not know what the day would bring, for God would raise for him an adversary, for with a little cause Israel would agree to anoint him over them, their disgrace over the matter of David, and calculating that they were foul in his eyes. And for this cause you will find David that he forgave Shimi son of Gera the matter of the curses that he cursed him, and he swore to him that he would not die, out of his fear that he be an adversary to him. And for this also you will find that when Sheba son of Bichri arose to be David's adversary, David hastened to overthrow him before his matter strengthen, for then it would be heavier for him, and perhaps many of Israel die. And for this he labored to hasten to kill him alone. The sixty-third is in ethics, and it is to inform that one should distance oneself from receiving slander. Did you not see that over the slander that Ziba told concerning Mephibosheth, David punished Mephibosheth, and gave to his servant the field that was Saul's. And when it became clear that those words were false, he was compelled to leave of that punishment some of the two benefits with which Ziba had benefited him at the time he was pursued. And behold, the Sages agreed that in all that David said to Mephibosheth, 'You and Ziba shall divide the field' -- David was punished when the kingdom was divided, part to Rehoboam and part to Jeroboam. And this was so because the sin of receiving slander is very severe. Did you not see because Israel received slander from Absalom against David, many souls of Israel died? The sixty-fourth is in ethics, and it is to inform that it is fitting for the receiver of kindness to repay a reward to the benefactor for his kindness. And for this it relates that David already became attached to Barzillai, and he brought him over the Jordan, to benefit him, as Barzillai requested. The sixty-fifth is to inform that it is fitting for every person to always be in fear when there is a cause bringing to this, and if already at the beginning of thought he see that the matter did not straighten to the end, that damage come to him. Did you not see that Amasa, although he was fitting to fear Joab, that he kill him, in order that he not descend from his greatness, that is to say, not descend from being commander of the army, and the sword was in Joab's hand -- nevertheless he did not fear, calculating that this was not with intention, that he strike him, but rather it was an accident that the sword fell from his belt. And it happened to him from this death. The sixty-sixth is to inform that it is not fitting that the citizens give their lives to death for the saving of one man's life of Israel, when that man was obligated to death, as Sheba son of Bichri. And from this it also becomes clear that if he not be obligated to death, as Sheba son of Bichri, this was not permitted to them, for the general places that we related in the opening of our explanation of the words of the Torah. And for this you will find that the men of that city agreed to kill Sheba son of Bichri, to remove from themselves the men of war who were laboring to destroy the city in its entirety because of Sheba son of Bichri, if they not give him to them, for if they not agree to this, they also are rebels to the kingship, and would be obligated to death. And for this cause it relates that the wise woman that was there said that the men of that city are not rebels to the kingship, but rather they are the peaceful ones, the faithful in Israel. The sixty-seventh is to inform that the punishment will not come without sin. And for this it relates that there was already famine in David's days three years, year after year, and this was a very strange thing to them, for the strength of God's providence over David. And for this they sought to know in what this sin was. And when it became true to them that it was because of the sin of the Gibeonites, for what Saul pursued them and killed them and destroyed them from standing in all the border of Israel, for he already transgressed in this the oath that the princes of the congregation swore to them -- they appeased them in another way, and they did not agree until they agreed in this manner in which they requested, in which there was cruelty, not to be hidden. And behold, it relates that in this God answered for them the land. The sixty-eighth is to inform that God will take vengeance from one who oppresses the lowly and pursues them, calculating that there is in the gate no help for them. And for this you will see that Saul was punished more for the killing of the Gibeonites and pursuing them, than for what he was punished for the killing of Nob, the city of the priests. And this was for two causes: the first is that he who entangles himself in this lesser character, that is to say, to pursue the lowly, will always find something, which is not so in pursuing the non-lowly. And the second is that in the killing of the priests who were in Nob, Saul was an instrument to complete what God promised of evil to the house of Eli. And for this we did not find, when the sin of Saul was mentioned, that this sin be remembered. And he expanded in the details of these narratives to add the belief in them.

And he taunted. He taunted Israel with words:

And he taunted. A matter of disgrace.