## Rashi on I Samuel Chapter 12

###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:2:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:2:1)

**וַאֲנִי זָקַנְתִּי וָשַׂבְתִּי.** אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: זִקְנָה קָפְצָה עָלָיו, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת תַּעֲנִית (ה:ב):

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**I have aged and become gray.** Our Rabbis said that he aged prematurely, as stated in Maseches Ta'anis.¹

footnotes:
¹ 5b.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:3:1)

**אֶת שׁוֹר מִי לָקַחְתִּי.** לַעֲבוֹדָתִי:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Whose ox have I taken?** For my work.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:3:2)

**וַחֲמוֹר מִי לָקַחְתִּי.** כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי הוֹלֵךְ מֵעִיר לְעִיר לִשְׁפּוֹט אוֹתָם עַל עִסְקֵי צָרְכֵיהֶם, הָיִיתִי הוֹלֵךְ עַל הַחֲמוֹר שֶׁלִּי, וְהָיָה לִי לִטּוֹל מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Whose donkey have I taken?** When I used to travel from city to city to judge them concerning their matters, I used to travel on my donkey, although I should have taken theirs.²

footnotes:
² See Bamidbar Rabbah 18:10. And when I brought a sacrifice for their sake, I should have taken their ox. Shmuel took this extra precaution because he witnessed how severely Eili’s sons were punished for having abused the privileges of their office. He therefore avoided any action that could be misconstrued as resembling their behavior.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:3
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:3:3)

**אֶת מִי רַצּוֹתִי.** כָּל לְשׁוֹן מְרַצֶּה הַסָּמוּךְ לְעֹשֶׁק, לְשׁוֹן עָשׁוּק וְרָצוּץ הוּא, חוֹמֵס דַּלִּים וְרוֹצֵץ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Whom have I oppressed?** Every expression of מְרַצֶּה which follows עשֶׁק [robbery], is an expression of "robbed and oppressed,³ one who robs the poor and oppresses them.

footnotes:
³ Devarim 28:33.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:4
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:3:4)

**וְאַעְלִים עֵינַי בּוֹ.** כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלִים עֵינַי מִן הַמִּשְׁפָּט בִּשְׁבִיל הַמָּמוֹן:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**To look away from him.** In order to hide my eyes from the judgment because of the money [bribe].


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:5
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:3:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:3:5)

**וְאָשִׁיב לָכֶם.** כָּל מַה שֶּׁתֹּאמְרוּ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And I will give it back to you.** Whatever you will say.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:5:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:5:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר עֵד.** בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: ׳עֵד׳, וְזֶה אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהוֹפִיעָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת מַכּוֹת (כג:ב):

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And they said [as one], "Witnessed."** A heavenly voice came out and said, '[I am] a witness.' This is one of three places in which the holy spirit entered the earthly court, as it is stated in Maseches Makos.⁴

footnotes:
⁴ 23b. The other two places in which the holy spirit entered the earthly court are in the court of Sheim and in the court of Shlomo.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:6:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:6:1)

**אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹן.** לִהְיוֹת נְכוֹנִים לִשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ, לְהוֹצִיא אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Who produced Moshe and Aharon.** To be prepared for His mission to bring your forefathers out of Egypt.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:7:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:7:1)

**וְאִשָּׁפְטָה אִתְּכֶם.** אֶתְוַכַּח עִמָּכֶם:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And I shall enter into judgment.** I.e., I shall debate with you.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:11:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:11:1)

**יְרֻבַּעַל.** זֶה גִּדְעוֹן:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
****יְרֻבַּעַל. This is Gideon.⁶

footnotes:
⁶ Shoftim 6:32. See Maseches Rosh Hashanah 25a.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:11:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:11:2)

**בְּדָן.** זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן, שֶׁמִּשֵּׁבֶט דָּן בָּא:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Bedan.** This is Shimshon who came from the tribe of Don.⁷

footnotes:
⁷ בְּדָן=“in Don” or בֶּן דָן=בְּדָן meaning “a member of Don’s tribe.”


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:11:3
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:11:3)

**וְאֶת יִפְתָּח.** הֲרֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה קַלֵּי עוֹלָם, עִם שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲמוּרֵי עוֹלָם, מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּשְׁמוּאֵל, לוֹמַר לְךָ, הַקַּל בְּדוֹרוֹ, כֶּחָמוּר בְּדוֹרוֹ, כָּל בֵּית דִּין הַמִּתְמַנֶּה עַל הַדּוֹר, צָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ אַחֲרָיו כְּאִלּוּ הוּא אַבִּיר שֶׁבָּאַבִּירִים:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And Yiphtoch.** Here are three insignificant leaders with three world-important leaders: Moshe, Aharon and Shmuel, to teach you that the insignificant leader in his generation is equal to the important leader in his generation. Every court which is appointed over the generation, must be followed as though its [members] were the mightiest of the nobility.⁸

footnotes:
⁸ Ibid., 25b. Shmuel indicated to the people that every generation must regard its sages and leaders with the same respect they would give to Moshe, Aharon or Shmuel. Therefore, Yiphtoch in his generation was equal to Moshe in his generation. See Rashi in Devarim 19:17.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:14:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:14:1)

**וִהְיִתֶם גַּם אַתֶּם.** וְתִתְקַיְּמוּ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים גַּם אַתֶּם גַּם הַמֶּלֶךְ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Then both you.** You will live to a ripe old age, both you and the king.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:15:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:15:1)

**וְהָיְתָה יַד ה׳ בָּכֶם וּבַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם.** כְּלוֹמַר וְהָיְתָה בָּכֶם אַחַר שֶׁהָיְתָה בַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (יבמות סג ב): בָּכֶם וּבַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, חִטּוּטֵי שְׁכָבֵי, וְהִיא מַכַּת בִּזָּיוֹן עַל הַמֵּתִים:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Then Adonoy's hand will be against you and against your forefathers.** Meaning it will be against you after it was against your fathers. Our Rabbis however said, "against you and against your fathers" refers to the digging up of the dead, which is a disgrace upon the dead.⁹

footnotes:
⁹ Maseches Yevamos 63b. When people sin, the past generations are also punished by having their grave sites disturbed.—Radak


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:16:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:16:1)

**הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ וְגוֹ׳.** וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁעַל יְדֵי תְּפִלָּתִי אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת הָעִתִּים, כָּךְ אִם פָּגְעָה בָּכֶם מִלְחָמָה, הָיָה כֹּחַ בִּתְפִלָּתִי לַעֲמֹד עַל הָאוֹיֵב, וְלֹא הֱיִיתֶם צְרִיכִים לִשְׁאֹל מֶלֶךְ בְּחַיַּי, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי זָקֵן:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Stand up and see…** And just as through my prayer, I am able to change the seasons, similarly, if a war befell you, my prayer would have the power to protect you against the enemy, and you had no need to ask for a king during my lifetime,¹⁰ even though I am old.

footnotes:
¹⁰ Shmuel demonstrated to the nation how unnecessary their request for a king was. Just as ‘ה responded immediately to Shmuel’s prayers for rain, so too would ‘ה answer his prayers to save the Bnei Yisroel from their enemies.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:17:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:17:1)

**הֲלֹא קְצִיר חִטִּים הַיּוֹם.** וְהַגְּשָׁמִים סִימַן קְלָלָה, וְקָשֶׁה בְּעֵינֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהָבִיא פֻּרְעָנוּת חִנָּם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יֵשׁ בִּי כֹּחַ, וְאֶקְרָא אֶל ה׳ וְיִתֵּן קוֹלוֹת וּמָטָר:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Is today not the [season of the] wheat harvest?** And rain is a sign of a curse,¹¹ and the Holy One, Blessed is He, is reluctant to visit punishment unnecessarily. Nonetheless, I have power, and I shall call to 'ה, and He will make it thunder and rain.

footnotes:
¹¹ Maseches Ta’anis 12b.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:17:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:17:2)

**וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ.** כִּי לֹא הֱיִיתֶם צְרִיכִים לִשְׁאֹל מֶלֶךְ לְזַלְזֵל בִּי:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Then you will know and see.** That it was unnecessary for you to ask for a king and to show disrespect towards me.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:22:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:22:1)

**בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל.** אֲשֶׁר יָצָא שְׁמוֹ עֲלֵיכֶם שֶׁהוּא מוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם, וּלְמַעַן לֹא יִתְמַעֵט שֵׁם גָּדְלוֹ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**For the sake of His great Name.** For His fame has spread because of you, that He is your savior, and lest the fame of His greatness be lessened.¹²

footnotes:
¹² This verse indicates that ‘ה will not abandon the Bnei Yisroel because of the lack of their own merits, in order to uphold His own Name.—Radak


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:22:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:22:2)

**הוֹאִיל ה׳.** נִשְׁבַּע, כְּמוֹ (שמואל א יד:כד): ״וַיֹּאֶל שָׁאוּל אֶת הָעָם״:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Adonoy has sworn.**הוֹאִיל meaning he swore, as in, "And Shaul made the people swear ]וַיֹאֶל[."¹³

footnotes:
¹³ Below 14:24.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 12:23:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 12:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/12:23:1)

**גַּם אָנֹכִי חָלִילָה לִי.** מֵאַחַר שֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ אַתֶּם אֶת שֶׁלָּכֶם לָשׁוּב אֶל ה׳, גַּם אָנֹכִי חָלִילָה לִּי מִחֲדֹל מֵהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And as for me, far be it from me.** Since you will do your part by returning to 'ה, I also, far be it from me to stop praying on your behalf.¹⁴

footnotes:
¹⁴ From this verse, the Gemara in Maseches Berachos 12b, derives, that if a person knows that his prayers will be answered if he prays for mercy for his fellow but refrains from doing so, he is considered to have sinned.