## Rashi on I Samuel Chapter 4

###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:1:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:1:1)

**וַיְהִי דְבַר שְׁמוּאֵל לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל.** נִהְיָה הַדָּבָר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לִשְׁמוּאֵל, וּבָא לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָאֵיךְ הָיָה הַפּוּרְעָנוּת, וַיֵּצֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרַאת פְּלִשְׁתִּים לַמִּלְחָמָה:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**The word of Shmuel went out to all of Yisroel.** The word which was said to Shmuel, was fulfilled, and came to all Yisroel. How did this misfortune befall them? "Yisroel went out to war against the Philistines."¹

footnotes:
¹ When Bnei Yisroel deserved punishment, ‘ה sometimes commanded them to go out and battle the Philistines even though it would end in their defeat.—Radak


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:1:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:1:2)

**הָאֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר.** עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה כֵּן שְׁמָהּ, כִּי בִּימֵי שְׁמוּאֵל נִקְרֵאת כֵּן (שמואל א ז:יב), וְכָאן קָרָא עַל שֵׁם סוֹפָהּ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Even Haezer** [Lit. the rock of help]. This was not yet its name,² for it was first called this name [later] in Shmuel's time, but here Scripture calls it by its future name.

footnotes:
² Obviously, because they were soundly defeated now.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:2:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:2:1)

**וַתִּטֹּשׁ הַמִּלְחָמָה.** וַתִּתְפַּשֵּׁט הַמִּלְחָמָה, כְּמוֹ ״וְהִנָּם נְטוּשִׁים עַל פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ״ (שמואל א ל:טז), וְכֵן ״וַיִּנָּטְשׁוּ בַּלֶּחִי״ (שופטים טו:ט):

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And the war spread.** And the war spread. Similar to, "and behold they were spread out [נְטוּשִׁים] across the face of the entire land"³ and to "and they were spread out [וַיִנָּטְשׁוּ] at Lehi."⁴

footnotes:
³ Below 30:16.
⁴ Shoftim 15:9.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:8:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:8:1)

**בְּכָל מַכָּה בַמִּדְבָּר.** עַל יַם סוּף וְיוֹנָתָן תִּרְגֵּם: ״וּלְעַמֵּיהּ עֲבַד פְּרִישָׁן בְּמַדְבְּרָא״. וּבְסִפְרֵי שָׁנִינוּ: שֶׁהַפָּרָשָׁה הַזּוֹ עֵרוּב דְּבָרִים, מִי שֶׁאָמַר זֶה לֹא אָמַר זֶה, כְּשֵׁרִין שֶׁבָּהֶם אָמְרוּ: מִי יַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד הָאֱלֹהִים הָאַדִּירִים הָאֵלֶּה, וְהָרְשָׁעִים אָמְרוּ: אֵלֶּה הֵם הָאֱלֹהִים הַמַּכִּים אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּכָל מַכָּה, כָּל מַכּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ, עַל הַמִּצְרִים הֱבִיאָם, אֵין לוֹ עוֹד מַכָּה מֵעַתָּה:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**With every sort of plague in the wilderness.** By the Sea of Reeds. Targum Yonoson however, renders, 'and for His people He performed wonders in the wilderness.' In Sifrei we learn that this passage is a combination of statements, whoever made one statement did not make the other. The worthy among them said, "Who will save us from the hand of this mighty God?" while the wicked retorted, "This is the God Who smote the Egyptians with every plague. All the plagues which He had, He brought upon the Egyptians. He has no more plagues [to inflict]."


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:12:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:12:1)

**אִישׁ בִּנְיָמִן.** זֶה הָיָה שָׁאוּל, שֶׁחָטַף אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת מִיַּד גָּלְיָת וּבָרַח לוֹ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**A Binyaminite man.** This was Shaul,⁵ who grabbed the Tablets from the hands of Golyas and fled.

footnotes:
⁵ Perhaps the reason for Scripture not revealing that it was Shaul, was to protect the honor of his kingship being that he was responsible in part for Eili’s death.—Da’as Sofrim


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:13:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:13:1)

**יַד דֶּרֶךְ מְצַפֶּה.** אֵצֶל יַד הַדֶּרֶךְ הָיָה מְצַפֶּה:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**By the road looking out.** By the side of the road, he was anxiously waiting.⁶

footnotes:
⁶ He wanted to be situated in a place where a messenger would have to pass him first, and thus give him the news.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:18:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:18:1)

**מַפְרַקְתּוֹ.** אַפַּרְקוּתֵיהּ, עֶצֶם הַצַּוָּאר:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**His neck.** [Targum renders] אַפַּרְקוּתֵיה, the bone of the neck.⁷

footnotes:
⁷ מַפְרֶקֶת is derived from פֶּרֶק [=link], meaning vertebra of which the bones of the neck and spine are made.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:19:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:19:1)

**לָלַת.** עַל כָּרְחוֹ ׳לָלֶדֶת׳ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ, וְאֵין לוֹ דִּמְיוֹן וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ בְּחֵלֶק ׳יְלָלָה׳, לְפִי שֶׁחֶבְלֵי לֵידָתָהּ בִּילָלָה בָּאוּ לָהּ, וִיסוֹד יְלָלָה, אֵין אוֹת בִּיסוֹדָהּ אֶלָּא לָמֶ״ד לְבַדָּהּ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**To give birth.** Obviously [this word] means 'to give birth.' There is no similar form [in Scriptures]. However, Menachem⁸ placed this verb in the section dealing with the word יְלָלָה 'wailing,' because her birth pangs came upon her with wailing. The root of 'יְלָלָה' is the 'ל' alone.

footnotes:
⁸ Menachem was an authority on grammar and is often quoted by Rashi.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:19:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:19:2)

**נֶהֶפְכוּ.** נִשְׁתַּנּוּ מִכְּדַרְכָּן, לְכָךְ מֵתָה:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Came suddenly.** Differed from what normally occurs, therefore she died.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:19:3
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:19:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:19:3)

**צִרֶיהָ.** צִירֵי דַּלְתֵי בִּטְנָהּ, קרדוני״ל בלע״ז:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Her labor pains.** [צִרֶיהָ=hinges], i.e., 'the hinges of the doors of her womb';⁹*chardonel* in O. F.

footnotes:
⁹ See Bechoros 45a.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:1
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:21:1)

**אִי כָבוֹד.** אֵין כָּבוֹד, וְכֵן ״יְמַלֵּט אִי נָקִי״ (איוב כב:ל), אֵין נָקִי:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**I chavod.** There is no glory; similar to, "He will save "¹⁰אִי נָקִי one who is not innocent, [meaning the same as] אֵין נָקִי.

footnotes:
¹⁰ Iyov 22:30.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:2
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:21:2)

**אֶל הִלָּקַח.** כְּמוֹ עַל הִלָּקַח, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְזוּזוֹ מִלְּשׁוֹן אֶל, לְמִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהָבִין דְּבָרוֹ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Because of the capture of.** Meaning the same as 'to the capture of', but it is unnecessary to remove the expression of 'to' for one who understands its meaning.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:3
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:21:3)

**אֶל הִלָּקַח.** איטיויר״ש לאישטריפו״ש בלע״ז:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Because of the capture of.** *Envers etweirs l'estre pris* in O. F.


###### Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:4
[Rashi on I Samuel 4:21:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20I%20Samuel/r/4:21:4)

**וְאֶל חָמִיהָ.** וְאֶל הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת, שֶׁמֵּת חָמִיהָ וְאִישָׁהּ:

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And because of her father-in-law.** I.e., because of this misfortune that her father-in-law and husband had perished.