There was a man in Ma'on. The name of the city.¹

footnotes: ¹ Not to be mistook for מָעוֹן meaning a dwelling, as in Tehillim 26:8, but rather, it is the city mentioned in Yehoshua 15:55, and it was located in Yehudah’s territory, the tribe of which Novol was a member.

Whose business. His cattle and possessions.

Wealthy. [Literally 'very great'], meaning wealthy.

It was the time when he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. One day, when the time of his sheep shearing came around, he was in Carmel. His custom was to make a party and a festive day for the sheep shearers.

A Calebite. Of the house of Caleiv.²

footnotes: ² Or, his evil nature was similar to that of a dog [= כֶּלֶב]; i.e., he was stingy and refused to share his food with others.—Ralbag

So. So will he be [shearing] in the coming year.³ So shall be in the coming year, living and enduring.) Another version is: So to the living. Say this concerning his meal and his wine that you will see, "So is befitting a live man, i.e., an active and esteemed man," as in "…was a live man of many heroic deeds,"⁴ [i.e.] alive and active in all his deeds.

footnotes: ³ See Rashi in Bereishis 18:10. ⁴ II Shmuel 23:20.

May it always be so. Good and enduring.

Peace unto you… So shall it be for a long time.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ And to emphasize its longevity, they mention שַׁלוֹם [=peace] three times in their statement.

We did not shame them. If they needed us for anything, we did not send them back empty-handed.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ We did not cause them physical harm.—Targum Yonoson.

Not a thing of theirs was missing. Of your flocks, for we were watching them.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ And we protected them from attack by wild animals.—Mahri Kra.

May the youths find. My youths, find favor in your eyes, for the kindness which your servants will tell concerning them.

For we have come on a festive day. Relying on the party and festive day which you have, we have now come to ask.⁸ Another explanation is, that this was the eve of Rosh Hashonoh [so they said,] "We are in need of a holiday feast."⁹

footnotes: ⁸ Without burdening you additionally because you already have prepared a lavish feast.—Radak. ⁹ Rosh Hashanoh is a holiday in which Scripture [Nechemyah 8:10] stresses to send food to the needy.

And spoke to Novol in accordance with all these words, in Dovid's name, and then they rested. They were tired from traveling, yet they were quick to execute Dovid's command, and did not rest until they spoke to him, and afterward they rested. Targum Yonson renders, however, and they ceased, i.e., they stopped speaking further, until they would hear his reply.

Who is Dovid. Of what importance is he that I should give him mine? Is he not descended from Rus the Moavite?¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ And as such, Novol questioned Dovid’s right to the throne. See Talmud Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 2:3.

And Dovid too, girded his sword. From here [we learn] that we commence, in cases involving capital punishment, from the less significant first.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ See Maseches Sanhedrin 36a, that learns from here that the polling the judges’ opinions in cases involving capital punishment, starts with the less important judges; otherwise, they may feel intimidated and swayed by the opinions of the others.

With the equipment. To guard their tents and equipment.

One from among the youths. Of hers.

But he chased them away. He drove them away with words, an expression of עַיׅט [=bird].¹²

footnotes: ¹² Bereishis 15:11. Others translate וַיָעַט as ‘he kicked them out’ from the root בעט, as in Devarim 32:15.

We were not shamed. We were not disgraced.

For the evil has been decided. By Dovid against him.

He is too wicked a person to speak to. Our master is such a base person¹³ so that I cannot tell him that which I am telling you, because he will become angry with us.

footnotes: ¹³ Or, the phrase refers to Dovid, that Dovid is such a base person that he is capable of attacking without warning.—Radak.

Prepared. Targum Yonoson renders תַּכְבְּרָא, filled with finely cut meat and eggs; farcides in O.F., as we learned in [Maseches] Pesachim:¹⁴ And he places the feet and its intestines inside [the Paschal lamb]; Rabbi Tarfon calls it תַּכְבְּרָא. That which is inside, is placed outside,¹⁵ according to Rabbi Akiva, who says that the intestines are hung outside of it. Thus is stated in the Tosefta, and Rabbi Klonimos of sainted memory, from Rome, thus explained it to us.

footnotes: ¹⁵ I.e., תַּכְבְּרָא is a combination of two words תּוֹךְ [=inside] and בְּרָא [=outside].

Raisins. Dried grapes.

Cakes of pressed figs. Round cakes of dried figs, trodden and pressed in a vessel.

Were going down toward her. There was a valley between the two mountains. She was going down one mountain, and they were going down the opposite mountain.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ And neither party saw the other.—Radak.

Dovid said. To himself when his youths told him of Novol's insults, 'It was for naught that I guarded, etc.'

Even one dog. Targum Yonoson renders, 'one possessing intelligence,' one who sets the walls of his heart. Another explanation is, 'even a dog whose manner is to urinate against a wall.'¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ See Maseches Bava Basro 19b.

My master, with me lies the sin. First she said this so that he would pay attention to her words.¹⁸ At the end, however, she told him the truth, that "I, your handmaid, did not see my master's youths."¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁸ And thereby protect her household from Dovid and his men. ¹⁹ Below, verse 25.

[Adonoy] has prevented you. Who sent me toward you to refrain you from committing bloodshed.

And from avenging yourself by your own hand. From personally avenging yourself and being punished.

May all your enemies be like Novol. She prophesied with the Divine Spirit²⁰ that Novol will not live long.

footnotes: ²⁰ Avigayil is mentioned among the seven prophetesses, in Maseches Megillah 14a.