Midrasch zu Schemuel I 8:22
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלָ֔ם וְהִמְלַכְתָּ֥ לָהֶ֖ם מֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְכ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לְעִירֽוֹ׃ (פ)
Und der HERR sprach zu Samuel: 'Höre auf ihre Stimme und mache sie zu einem König.' Und Samuel sprach zu den Männern von Israel: 'Geht jeder in seine Stadt.'
Esther Rabbah
“The young woman who will please the king will reign in place of Vashti. The proposal pleased the king and he did so” (Esther 2:4).
“The young woman who will please the king” – who is fitting for this thing? 15Fit to raise the woman who would be chosen as queen. Mordekhai – “there was a Jewish man in the Shushan citadel, and his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5).16This is the immediately following verse. This and the subsequent passages are all cases where the midrash addresses the juxtaposition of two verses. It asks about the first verse: who is fitting for this thing? It then finds the answer in the next verse.
Similarly, “God saw the children of Israel and God knew” (Exodus 2:25). Who is fitting for this matter? Moses – “And Moses was herding” (Exodus 3:1).
Similarly, “Samuel said to the men of Israel: Go, each man to his city” (I Samuel 8:22). Who is fitting for this thing [to be appointed king]? Saul, as it is stated: “There was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish…[and he had a son and his name was Saul…]” (I Samuel 9:1–2).
Similarly, “Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and were greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:11). Who is fitting for this thing [fighting Goliath]? David – “David was the son of that Efrati [from Bethlehem]” (I Samuel 17:12).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said two things. It is written: “He [Yavin king of Canaan] oppressed the children of Israel strongly [beḥozka] for twenty years” (Judges 4:3). What is beḥozka? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: With cursing and blaspheming. That is what is written: “Your words have been harsh against Me” (Malachi 3:13). Who is fitting for this thing? Deborah, as it is written: “Deborah was a prophetess, wife of Lapidot” (Judges 4:4).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said another: “The people, the princes of Gilad, said one to another: Who is the man who will begin to wage war against the children of Amon? He will be the head of all the inhabitants of Gilad” (Judges 10:18). Who is fitting for this thing? Yiftaḥ – “Yiftaḥ the Giladite was a mighty warrior” (Judges 11:1).
“The young woman who will please the king” – who is fitting for this thing? 15Fit to raise the woman who would be chosen as queen. Mordekhai – “there was a Jewish man in the Shushan citadel, and his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5).16This is the immediately following verse. This and the subsequent passages are all cases where the midrash addresses the juxtaposition of two verses. It asks about the first verse: who is fitting for this thing? It then finds the answer in the next verse.
Similarly, “God saw the children of Israel and God knew” (Exodus 2:25). Who is fitting for this matter? Moses – “And Moses was herding” (Exodus 3:1).
Similarly, “Samuel said to the men of Israel: Go, each man to his city” (I Samuel 8:22). Who is fitting for this thing [to be appointed king]? Saul, as it is stated: “There was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish…[and he had a son and his name was Saul…]” (I Samuel 9:1–2).
Similarly, “Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and were greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:11). Who is fitting for this thing [fighting Goliath]? David – “David was the son of that Efrati [from Bethlehem]” (I Samuel 17:12).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said two things. It is written: “He [Yavin king of Canaan] oppressed the children of Israel strongly [beḥozka] for twenty years” (Judges 4:3). What is beḥozka? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: With cursing and blaspheming. That is what is written: “Your words have been harsh against Me” (Malachi 3:13). Who is fitting for this thing? Deborah, as it is written: “Deborah was a prophetess, wife of Lapidot” (Judges 4:4).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said another: “The people, the princes of Gilad, said one to another: Who is the man who will begin to wage war against the children of Amon? He will be the head of all the inhabitants of Gilad” (Judges 10:18). Who is fitting for this thing? Yiftaḥ – “Yiftaḥ the Giladite was a mighty warrior” (Judges 11:1).
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