## Rashi on I Samuel Chapter 17 ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:1:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:1:1) **בְּאֶפֶס דַּמִּים.** כָּךְ שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **At Ephes Damim.** This was the name of the place.¹ footnotes: ¹ It literally means ‘no more blood’ because it was there that the bloodshed between the Bnei Yisroel and the Philistines ceased.—Radak ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:4:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:4:1) **אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם.** גִּבּוֹר לֵיצֵא מִמַּעַרְכְתּוֹ, לַעֲמוֹד בֵּין שְׁתֵּי הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **A champion.** A mighty person who went out from his battalion, to stand between the two battalions.² footnotes: ² Following the literal meaning of אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם as ‘the man of between.’ However, Maseches Sotah 42b states that the word הַבֵּנַיִם is from the root בנה, to build, i.e., he was as sturdy as a building.—Da’as Sofrim ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:5:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:5:1) **וְשִׁרְיוֹן קַשְׂקַשִּׂים.** כְּמִין קַשְׂקַשּׂוֹת דָּגִים עֲשׂוּיִן מִבַּרְזֶל, נוֹפְלִים עַל גַּב הַשִּׁרְיוֹן [ספרים אחרים נִקְבֵי הַשִּׁרְיוֹן], קַשְׂקֶשֶׂת לְכָל נֶקֶב: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Scaled armor.** Like fish scales, made of iron, spread over the coat³ (another version: the holes of the coat), a scale [covering] each hole. footnotes: ³ Not only was Golyos impressive, but his armor also appeared impregnable. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:6:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:6:1) **וּמִצְחַת נְחֹשֶׁת.** כְּמִין יַד בַּרְזֶל הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַכּוֹבַע כְּנֶגֶד הַחוֹטִים, שֶׁקּוֹרִין נש״ל בלע״ז, וְהָיְתָה מַגַּעַת לוֹ עַד רַגְלָיו: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Copper shields.** A sort of iron handle, extending from the helmet, opposite the nose, called *nasal* in O.F., and it reached his feet. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:6:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:6:2) **וְכִידוֹן נְחֹשֶׁת.** תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וּמְסַחֲפָא דִנְחָשָׁא נָפֵיק מִן קוֹלְסָא וּמְטַל בֵּין כַּתְפוֹהִי״. פֵּירוּשׁ: כְּמִין חֲנִית נְחֹשֶׁת בּוֹלֶטֶת מִן הַכּוֹבַע, וְנִמְשֶׁכֶת בֵּין כְּתֵפָיו, לְהָגֵן עַל צַוָּארוֹ מִן הַחֶרֶב: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **A copper guard.** Targum Yonoson renders, וּמְסַחֲפָא דִּנְחָשָׁא נָפֵיק מִן קוֹלְסָא וּמְטַל בֵּין כַּתְפוֹהִי, meaning, 'a sort of copper javelin, protruding from the helmet, and extending between his shoulders,' to protect his neck from [injury by] the sword.⁴ footnotes: ⁴ Others translate ‘a copper javelin slung between his shoulders’ because he held other weapons in his hands. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:7:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:7:1) **כִּמְנוֹר אֹרְגִים.** תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן ״כְּאַכְסָן דְּגַרְדָּאִין״, אינשובל״א בלע״ז: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Like a weaver's beam.** Targum Yonoson renders, 'like a weaver's beam', *ensouble* in O.F. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:7:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:7:2) **שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שְׁקָלִים.** כָּל הַשְּׁקָלִים הָאֲמוּרִים בִּנְבִיאִים, מָנִים: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Six hundred shekel.** All *shekels* mentioned in the *Nevi'im,* are 'maneh.' ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:8:1) **לָמָּה תֵצְאוּ.** כֻּלְּכֶם לַעֲרוֹךְ מִלְחָמָה, יִלָּחֵם אֶחָד כְּנֶגְדִּי בִּשְׁבִיל כֻּלְּכֶם, וּבִתְנַאי שֶׁהוּא מְפוֹרָשׁ: אִם יוּכַל לְהִלָּחֵם אִתִּי וְגוֹ׳: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Why should you go out.** [Why should] all of you go out to wage war? Let one representing all of you fight against me, and on the condition specified, i.e., "if he will be able to fight me, etc." ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:8:2) **הֲלֹא אָנֹכִי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי.** אֵינִי לֹא שַׂר מֵאָה וְלֹא שַׂר אֶלֶף, אֶלָּא פְלִשְׁתִּי כְּאֶחָד מִן הָאֲחֵרִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּלְחַמְתִּי לָהֶם כַּמָּה מִלְחָמוֹת, אֲנִי הָרַגְתִּי חָפְנִי וּפִינְחָס, וְשָׁבִיתִי אֶת הָאָרוֹן, וְאַתֶּם נַעֲשֵׂיתֶם עֲבָדִים לְשָׁאוּל, וְלֹא הוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם מִיָּמָיו בִּגְבוּרָתוֹ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Am I not the Philistine.** I am neither an officer over a hundred, nor an officer over a thousand. I am a Philistine like one of the others, even though I have fought many wars for them. I killed Chofni and Pinchas, and I captured the Ark, while you have become servants to Shaul, and he never saved you with his might. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:3 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:8:3) **בְּרוּ לָכֶם.** בָּרְרוּ לָכֶם: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Choose for yourselves.** Choose [בָּרְרוּ] for yourselves. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:4 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:8:4) **אִישׁ.** אֶת שָׁאוּל, וְיֵרֵד אֵלָי: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **A man.** Shaul, and let him come down to me. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:12:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:12:1) **אֶפְרָתִי.** בֵּית לֶחֶם יוֹשֶׁבֶת בְּאֶרֶץ אֶפְרָת: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Ephrathite.** Beis Lechem is located in the land of Ephros.⁵ footnotes: ⁵ See Bereishis 35:19. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:12:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:12:2) **וְלוֹ שְׁמֹנָה בָנִים.** וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב (בדברי הימים א ב:טו): ״אֹצֶם הַשִּׁשִּׁי דָּוִד הַשְּׁבִיעִי״ וְלֹא כָתַב יוֹתֵר, יֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁאֶחָד מֵת בְּלֹא בָּנִים, וּלְפִיכָךְ לֹא כְּתָבוֹ שָׁם: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **And he had eight sons.** And that which is stated, 'Otzem, the sixth, Dovid the seventh,'⁶ and no more is stated. This may be reconciled that one died childless and therefore, he was not mentioned there. footnotes: ⁶ I Divrei Hayomim 2:15. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:12:3 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:12:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:12:3) **בָּאֲנָשִׁים.** נִמְנֶה בִּכְנֵסִיּוֹת הַחֲשׁוּבִים: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Among the elders.** Counted in the gatherings of important people.⁷ footnotes: ⁷ See Maseches Berachos 58a, which states that wherever Yishay went he was accompanied by a large crowd. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:14:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:14:1) **וְדָוִד הוּא הַקָּטָן.** שֶׁהָיָה בְּבֵית שָׁאוּל מִקֹּדֶם לָכֵן לְנַגֵּן לְפָנָיו: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Dovid was the youngest.** Who had previously been in Shaul's palace to play music before him. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:15:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:15:1) **וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ.** הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וָשָׁב תָּמִיד מֵאֵצֶל שָׁאוּל לְבֵית אָבִיו: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Dovid would go.** Would always go back and forth from Shaul to his father's house.⁸ footnotes: ⁸ Dovid was not permanently assigned to be with Shaul. Dovid played music for Shaul when the evil spirit rested upon him. At all other times he would return home to tend his father’s sheep. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:16:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:16:1) **הַשְׁכֵּם וְהַעֲרֵב.** אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סוטה מב ב): כְּדֵי לְבַטְּלָם מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Morning and evening.** Our Rabbis said, to prevent them from reciting 'shema.'⁹ footnotes: ⁹ See Maseches Sotah 42b. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:18:1) **חֲרִיצֵי הֶחָלָב.** (תרגום:) ״גוּבְנִין דְּחַלְבָּא״: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Cheeses.** [Targum Yonoson renders] 'cheeses.' ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:18:2) **לְשַׂר הָאָלֶף.** אֲנִי אוֹמֵר: לְשַׂר שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ אֶלֶף שֶׁאֶחָיו (ספרים אחרים שֶׁאֲנִי) מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁלְּכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים הָיוּ שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים לְפִי אַלְפֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי: לְשַׂר הָאָלֶף זֶה יְהוֹנָתָן, שֶׁאָמַר עָלָיו (שמואל א יג:ב): וְאֶלֶף הָיוּ עִם יוֹנָתָן בְּגִבְעַת בִּנְיָמִין: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **To the captain of the thousand.** I say 'to the captain of that thousand to which his brothers belong,' for all the tribes had captains of thousands according to their thousands. But I have heard, that 'to the captain of the thousand' refers to Yonoson, concerning whom [Scripture] stated, 'And a thousand were with Yonoson in Givas Binyomin'.¹⁰ footnotes: ¹⁰ Above 13:2. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:3 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:18:3) **וְאֶת עֲרֻבָּתָם תִּקָּח.** וְאֶת עֲרוּבַת הַצָּלָתָם וּשְׁלוֹמָם, תִּקַּח בְּאָזְנֶיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ, וְתַגֵּד לִי וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וְיַת טִיבֵיהוֹן תַּיְתִי״: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **And take the tidings of their welfare.** The assurance of their salvation and their welfare you shall take into your ears and to your heart, and tell it to me. And so did Targum Yonoson render, 'and their welfare you shall bring.' ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:4 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:18:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:18:4) **עֲרֻבָּתָם.** לְשׁוֹן הַצָּלָה, כְּמוֹ ״עֲרֹב עַבְדְּךָ לְטוֹב״ (תהלים קיט:קכב), גרנטי״ש בלע״ז וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (שבת נו א): גֵּט כְּרִיתוּת יִקַּח מֵאִתָּם וְיָבִיא לִנְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם, לְהַפְרִיד עֵרוּב שֶׁבֵּינוֹ לְבֵינָהּ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Tidings of their welfare.** This is an expression of salvation, as in 'Assure your servant for good';¹¹*garantis* in O.F. Our Rabbis said [it means] that he should take a divorce from them, and deliver it to their wives, to break the connection [עֵרוּב] between him [husband] and her [wife].¹² footnotes: ¹¹ Tehillim 119:122. ¹² It was customary for soldiers to divorce their wives upon leaving for war. This was done to spare the wives from any difficulty to remarry in case they did not return. See Maseches Kesubos 9b and Maseches Shabbos 56a. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:20:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:20:1) **הַמַּעְגָּלָה.** סְבִיבוֹת הַמַּחֲנֶה עוֹשִׂים מַעְגָּל, וְהַיּוֹצֵא חוּץ, לְפָנִים אוֹ לְאָחוֹר, מִתְחַיֵּב. לְפָנִים, שֶׁמָּא יָרוּצוּ עָלָיו בְּנֵי מַעַרְכוֹת הָאוֹיְבִים, לְאָחוֹר, מְבַקֵּשׁ הוּא לָנוּס: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **To the barricade.** They would form a circle around the camp, and whoever would go out [of the circle], either in front of, or behind the camp, would be endangered; in front [of the circle] he might be attacked by the men of the enemy armies, and behind [the circle] because he [apparently] seeks to desert. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:21:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:21:1) **וַתַּעֲרֹךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל.** מַעֲרֶכֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Yisroel deployed.** Referring to Yisroel's battalions.¹³ footnotes: ¹³ That is why the feminine form [וַתַּעֲרֹךְ] is used because it is referring to מַעֲרָכָה which is grammatically feminine. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:22:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:22:1) **שׁוֹמֵר הַכֵּלִים.** שֶׁל בְּנֵי הַצָּבָא: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **The keeper of the equipment.** Of the soldiers. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:23:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:23:1) **מִמַּעֲרוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים.** כְּתִיב, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (סוטה מב ב): מֵאָה בְּנֵי אָדָם הֶעֱרוּ בְּעָרְפָּה אִמּוֹ, כְּשֶׁפֵּרְשָׁה מֵאַחֲרֵי רוּת וְנָעֳמִי חֲמוֹתָהּ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **From Philistines camp.** [The text] is written מִמַּעֲרוֹת; our Rabbis expounded [from the word מַעֲרוֹת]¹⁴ that one hundred men had relations with his [Golyas'] mother Orpoh, after she left Rus and her mother-in-law Naomi.¹⁵ footnotes: ¹⁴ The root being ערה and the noun ערוה. See Rashi Vayikra 20:18. ¹⁵ See Maseches Sotah 42b. Golyos was born from these relations and no one knew who fathered him so he became known as אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם ‘a man from between them.’ See above verse 4. Da’as Sofrim suggests that מְעָרוֹת [=caves] may have been dug out in the mountain the Philistines as a defensive measure in the case of an attack by the Bnei Yisroel. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:25:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:25:1) **יַעֲשֶׂה חָפְשִׁי.** מִדְּבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בְּמִשְׁפְּטֵי הַמְּלוּכָה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **He will exempt.** From the listed royal obligations.¹⁶ footnotes: ¹⁶ See above 8:11–17 for details of these obligations. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:34:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:34:1) **וּבָא הָאֲרִי וְאֶת הַדֹּב.** (תרגום:) ״וַאֲתָא אַרְיָא וְאַף דֻּבָּא״: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **The lion came with a bear.** The lion and bear came [at the same time]. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:36:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:36:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:36:1) **גַּם אֶת הָאֲרִי גַּם הַדֹּב.** הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ רִבּוּיִין, אֲרִי וּשְׁנֵי גוּרָיו, וְדֹב וּשְׁנֵי יְלָדָיו: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Even the lion and the bear.** These words [גַּם, אֶת, גַּם] are of inclusive nature, meaning a lion and its two whelps, and a bear and its two cubs.¹⁷ footnotes: ¹⁷ And Dovid slew all six. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:37:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:37:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:37:1) **ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הִצִּילַנִי מִיַּד הָאֲרִי.** יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁלֹּא לְחִנָּם נִזְדַּמֵּן לִי הַדָּבָר הַהוּא, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד אֲנִי בָּא לִידֵי כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ לִתְשׁוּעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶסְמֹךְ עָלֶיהָ וְאֵצֵא וְזֶה אֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵי צַדִּיקִים שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם רֶמֶז, וְחָשׁוּ לְהַשְׂכִּיל לַדָּבָר, דָּוִד וּמָרְדֳּכַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ב:יא): ״וּבְכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם מָרְדֳּכַי מִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי חֲצַר וְגוֹ׳״, אָמַר: לֹא לְחִנָּם עָלְתָה בְּצַדֶּקֶת זוֹ שֶׁנִּתְפְּסָה בְּמִשְׁכַּב הֶעָרֵל הַזֶּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁעֲתִידָה הִיא לַעֲמוֹד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹם צָרָה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Adonoy Who saved me from the claws of the lion.** I know that this incident did not occur to me for naught, but as an indication that in the future, I would be confronted with similar circumstances, as a salvation for Yisroel. I will therefore rely on this, and go out. And he was one of two righteous men, to whom [God] gave a hint, and they understood the matter, Dovid and Mordechai, as it is stated: "And every day Mordechai would walk before the courtyard…"¹⁸ He said [to himself], 'It is not for naught that this righteous woman [Esther] has been taken into the bed of this uncircumcised one [Achashveirosh]. It can only mean that she is destined to stand up on behalf of Yisroel at a time of distress.' footnotes: ¹⁸ Megillas Esther 2:11. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:38:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:38:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:38:1) **אֶת דָּוִד מַדָּיו.** נֶהֶפְכוּ לִהְיוֹת כְּמִדַּת דָּוִד מִשֶּׁנִּמְשַׁח בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, אַף שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל שָׁאוּל שֶׁהָיָה גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הָעָם מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמַעְלָה (שמואל א ט:ב), וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שָׁאוּל כֵּן, הִכְנִיס בּוֹ עַיִן הָרַע, וְהִרְגִּישׁ דָּוִד בַּדָּבָר: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Dovid in his own battle garments.** They changed and became Dovid's size,¹⁹ since he had been anointed with the anointing oil,²⁰ although they belonged to Shaul who was taller than all of the other people, from his shoulder and upward.²¹ And when Shaul noted this, he cast an envious glance toward him, and Dovid realized it. footnotes: ¹⁹ The word מַדָיו is derived from מִדָה [=measure]. ²⁰ See Maseches Yevamos 76b. ²¹ Above 9:2. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:39:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:39:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:39:1) **וַיֹּאֶל לָלֶכֶת.** תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וְלָא אָבָה לְמֵיזַל״. יֵשׁ תֵּיבוֹת מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת לָשׁוֹן וְחִלּוּפוֹ, כְּמוֹ ״מְסָעֵף פֹּארָה״ (ישעיהו י:לג); ״וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים״ (תהלים נב:ז): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **But he did not want to go out.** Targum Yonoson renders "and he did not want to go."²² There are words which have two opposite definitions, as in "will cut off [מְסָעֵף] a branch,"²³ [derived from סָעִיף, a branch]. [Also,] "and he will uproot you [וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךְ] from the land of the living," [derived from שׁוֹרֶש, a root].²⁴ footnotes: ²² Although וַיאֶׁל usually means ‘he wanted’ as in Shemos 2:21. ²³ Yeshayahu 10:33. ²⁴ Tehillim 52:7. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:39:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:39:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:39:2) **כִּי לֹא נִסָּה.** (תרגום:) ״אֲרֵי לָא אַלִּיף״: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **For he was not accustomed.** I.e., because he was not accustomed. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:39:3 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:39:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:39:3) **כִּי לֹא נִסִּיתִי.** (תרגום:) ״אֲרֵי לֵית בְּהוֹן נִסָּא״, אֵין שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל נֵס בְּכָךְ. לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: וַיּוֹאֶל לָלֶכֶת, רָצָה לָלֶכֶת וְלִנְסוֹת, וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁהָיוּ כְּבֵדִים עָלָיו, הֱסִירָם: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **For I am not accustomed.** [Targum renders] 'for their is no miracle [נֵס] in them,' [meaning] there will be no praise for the miracle in this manner.²⁵ Another explanation of ,וַיאֶׁל לָלֶכֶת is, 'he wanted to go, and to try [wearing Shaul's battle garments],' but when he saw that they were too heavy for him, he took them off. footnotes: ²⁵ Dovid wanted it to be clear to all that his victory was achieved solely by the intervention of ה׳. Another explanation why Dovid refused to wear Shaul’s battle garments was because he feared that by doing so would arouse Shaul’s jealousy thereby aggravating Shaul.—Da’as Sofrim ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:40:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:40:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:40:1) **חַלֻּקֵי אֲבָנִים.** אֲבָנִים דַּקּוֹת וַחֲלָקוֹת: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Smooth stones.** Thin and smooth stones. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:40:2 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:40:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:40:2) **וּבַיַּלְקוּט.** (תרגום:) ״וּבְתַרְמִילֵיהּ״: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **And in his pouch.** [Targum Yonoson renders] 'and in his pack.' ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:44:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:44:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:44:1) **וְלִבְהֶמַת הַשָּׂדֶה.** אֵין דֶּרֶךְ לִבְהֵמוֹת לֶאֱכֹל אָדָם, אָמַר דָּוִד: כְּבָר נִטְרְפָה דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, שֶׁלִּי הוּא, בָּא דָוִד וְאָמַר לוֹ: **וְנָתַתִּי פֶּגֶר מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים וְגוֹ׳ וּלְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ**: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **And to the cattle of the field.** It is not customary for cattle to eat human flesh. Dovid said [to himself], 'This one's mind is already deranged; He is mine.' Dovid [seeing this] said, 'and I will offer the carcasses of the Philistine camp …and to the beasts of the earth.' ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:49:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:49:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:49:1) **וַיִּפֹּל עַל פָּנָיו.** לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לִפּוֹל אֶלָּא לַאֲחוֹרָיו, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַל מִצְחוֹ הֻכָּה, אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָעֵר דָּוִד לֵילֵךְ וְלַחְתֹּךְ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ, שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּכֵּר דָּוִד עַכְשָׁיו שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אַמּוֹת וְזִרְתַּיִם, שֶׁקּוֹמָתוֹ שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת וָזֶרֶת, נִשְׁתַּכֵּר מְלֹא קוֹמָה לַאֲחוֹרָיו, וּמְלֹא קוֹמָה לְפָנָיו (במדרש תהלים): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **And he fell face downward.** He should have fallen backwards since he had been struck on his forehead.²⁶ But, in order that Dovid should not be troubled to walk [the extra distance] and cut off his head, for Dovid now saved twelve *amos* and two *zeres;* for his height was six *amos* and a *zeres,* Dovid saved [walking] his entire height back and hs entire height forward.²⁷ footnotes: ²⁶ The impact should have made him fall backwards. ²⁷ Another reason why he fell face downward is because ה׳ had decreed that the mouth that blasphemed shall lick the dust of the earth. ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:53:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:53:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:53:1) **מִדְּלֹק.** מִרְדֹּף, כְּמוֹ ״דָּלַקְתָּ אַחֲרָי״ (בראשית לא:לו): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **From pursuing.** Meaning the same as מִרְדׂף [=pursuing] as in "you have pursued [דָלַקְתָּ] me."²⁸ footnotes: ²⁸ Bereishis 31:36 ###### Rashi on I Samuel 17:55:1 [Rashi on I Samuel 17:55:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/17:55:1) **בֶּן מִי זֶה הַנַּעַר.** וְכִי לֹא הָיָה מַכִּירוֹ, וַהֲלֹא כְּתִיב (שמואל א טז:כא): ״וַיֶּאֱהָבֵהוּ מְאֹד וַיְהִי לוֹ נוֹשֵׂא כֵלִים״, אֶלָּא רָאָהוּ מִתְנַהֵג בְּטַכְסִיסֵי מַלְכוּת, אָמַר שָׁאוּל: אִם בָּא מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת פֶּרֶץ, מֶלֶךְ יִהְיֶה, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ פּוֹרֵץ גָּדֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ וְאֵין מְמַחִין בְּיָדוֹ, וְאִם מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת זֶרַח בָּא, חָשׁוּב יִהְיֶה. אָמַר לוֹ דּוֹאֵג: עַד שֶׁאַתָּה שׁוֹאֵל אִם בָּא מִמִּשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא הָגוּן לַמַּלְכוּת אִם לָאו, שְׁאַל אִם רָאוּי לָבֹא בַּקָּהָל אִם לָאו, שֶׁהֲרֵי מֵרוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה בָּא. אָמַר לוֹ אַבְנֵר: שָׁנִינוּ עַמּוֹנִי וְלֹא עַמּוֹנִית. אָמַר לוֹ דּוֹאֵג: אִם כֵּן מַמְזֵר וְלֹא מַמְזֶרֶת. אָמַר לוֹ: כָּאן נֶאֱמַר (דברים כג:ה): ״עַל דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדְּמוּ אֶתְכֶם בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמַּיִם״, וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ אִשָּׁה בְּכָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: הָיָה לָהֶם לְקַדֵּם אֲנָשִׁים לִקְרַאת אֲנָשִׁים, וְנָשִׁים לִקְרַאת נָשִׁים. נִשְׁתַּתֵּק אַבְנֵר, אָמַר לוֹ שָׁאוּל: **שְׁאַל אַתָּה בֶּן מִי זֶה הָעֶלֶם.** לְמַעְלָה כְּתִיב ׳הַנַּעַר׳, וְכָאן כָּתוּב ׳הָעֶלֶם׳, אָמַר לוֹ: הֲלָכָה זוֹ נִתְעַלְּמָה מִמְּךָ, צֵא וּשְׁאַל בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּיבָמוֹת (עו ב): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Whose son is this youth.** Our Rabbis said, "Did he not recognize him? Is it not stated, "He loved him very much and he became his arms bearer"?²⁹ But, he saw him behaving in a kingly manner. Shaul said, 'If he comes from the family of Peretz, he will become king, for the king may break fences to make way for himself, and no one may object. If, however, he comes from the family of Zerach, he will become an important person. Do'eg said to him, 'Before you ask whether or not he is descended from a family which qualifies him for the throne, ask whether or not he is qualified to enter [by marriage] into the congregation [of Yisroel], because he is descended from Rus the Mo'avite.' Avneir responded to him, 'We have learned that an Ammonite [is forbidden]³⁰ but not a female Ammonite [the same holding true for a female Moavite].' So Doeg said to him, 'If so, only a male *momzer* and not a *momzeres* [=female *momzer*] should be foridden.' He replied, 'It is stated here, "because they did not meet you with bread and water,³¹ and it is not customary for a woman to do so."' He said to him, 'Men should have met men, and women should have met women [with bread and water].' Avneir became silent. Then Shaul said to him": **Ask whose son this young man is.** Above it is written 'הַנַּעַר'³² and here it is written 'הָעָלֶם'. He said to him, "This law has escaped your memory [נִתְעַלְּמָה]. Go out and ask in the house of study," as it is stated in [Maseches] Yevomos.³³ footnotes: ²⁹ Above 16:21. Ralbag suggests that Dovid would now marry his daughter and Shaul therefore inquired about his genealogy. ³⁰ Devarim 23:4. ³¹ Ibid., verse 5. ³² Verse 55.