As He sought a pretext. An accusation with which to provoke a confrontation against them.

And discussed [lit. spoke with] the woman. He spoke of the woman¹ with her relatives. This is Targum Yonasan's rendition.

footnotes: ¹ Not “with” the woman.

A colony of bees. A beehive—a swarm of bees.

He dislodged it. This connotes the separation of an attached object. Similarly, with regard to a loaf attached to an oven, separation is described as "dislodging"—² "If one dislodges a loaf from the oven,"³ "If one dislodges his hive,"⁴ as the honey is produced in wax combs attached to the walls of the hive in every area, extending from wall to wall along its circumference. Similarly, Targum Yonasan translates "He removed it."

footnotes: ² Shabbos, 117:b. ³ Shabbos, 95:a. ⁴ The honeycomb from the hive.

His father descended to discuss the woman. With regard to the woman.

Friends. Companions who formed the retinue of wedding attendants.

It was on the seventh day of the week, but not the seventh of the feast. It was, rather, the fourth of the feast days.

Was it to impoverish us that you invited us here. Targum Yonasan renders: Was it to make us poor⁵ that you called us here?⁶

footnotes: ⁵ לְיָרְשֵׁנוּ is not interpreted as “to inherit us,” but as “to make us poor.” ⁶ הֲלֹא is not interpreted as “Did you not? but as “here.”

The seven days. What remained of the seven days, after the fourth day.

Before sunset. Before the sun descended, as they still had time until nightfall.

Plowed with my calf. This is allegorical—if you had not questioned my wife.⁷⁸

footnotes: ⁷ This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. ⁸ Who is cherished as a young calf is cherished. (Sanhedrin, 21:a.)

The Divine spirit. A spirit of power, Divinely inspired.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ This is Targum Yonasan’s translation.

Their garments. The garments which he had stripped from them.

To a Friend. To one of the wedding attendants.