Midrasch zu Schemuel I 17:23
וְה֣וּא ׀ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֣ה אִ֣ישׁ הַבֵּנַ֡יִם עוֹלֶ֞ה גָּלְיָת֩ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֨י שְׁמ֤וֹ מִגַּת֙ ממערות [מִמַּעַרְכ֣וֹת] פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע דָּוִֽד׃
Und als er mit ihnen sprach, siehe, da kam der Champion, der Philister von Gath, Goliath mit Namen, aus den Reihen der Philister und sprach nach denselben Worten; und David hörte sie.
Ruth Rabbah
“They raised their voices, and wept again. Orpa kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth cleaved to her” (Ruth 1:14).
“They raised [vatisena] their voices, and wept.” [The word vatisena appears in this verse] without an alef [indicating that] their strength was weakened,118The word is missing a letter to allude to the fact that their strength became lacking. as they were walking and weeping. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked forty paces with her mother-in-law [before leaving], and [therefore] her descendant’s [sentence] was in abeyance for forty days, as it is stated: “The Philistine approached morning and evening [and stood for forty days]” (I Samuel 17:16).119The midrash claims that the Philistine warrior Goliath was a descendant of Orpa. He challenged the Israelites for forty days until David confronted him and killed him. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked four mil with her mother-in-law, and four mighty men came from her, as it is stated: “These four were born to the giant [harafa]”120An allusion to Orpa. (II Samuel 21:22). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Throughout that night that Orpa took her leave from her mother-in-law, the nakedness of one hundred gentiles was intermingled with her; that is what is written: “He spoke with them…from the ranks [mima’arkhot] of the Philistines” (I Samuel 17:23) – mime’arot is written; from one hundred foreskins [me’a orlot] of gentiles that were inserted into her throughout the night. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: One dog, too, as it is written: “The Philistine said to David: Am I a dog?” (I Samuel 17:43).
“They raised [vatisena] their voices, and wept.” [The word vatisena appears in this verse] without an alef [indicating that] their strength was weakened,118The word is missing a letter to allude to the fact that their strength became lacking. as they were walking and weeping. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked forty paces with her mother-in-law [before leaving], and [therefore] her descendant’s [sentence] was in abeyance for forty days, as it is stated: “The Philistine approached morning and evening [and stood for forty days]” (I Samuel 17:16).119The midrash claims that the Philistine warrior Goliath was a descendant of Orpa. He challenged the Israelites for forty days until David confronted him and killed him. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked four mil with her mother-in-law, and four mighty men came from her, as it is stated: “These four were born to the giant [harafa]”120An allusion to Orpa. (II Samuel 21:22). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Throughout that night that Orpa took her leave from her mother-in-law, the nakedness of one hundred gentiles was intermingled with her; that is what is written: “He spoke with them…from the ranks [mima’arkhot] of the Philistines” (I Samuel 17:23) – mime’arot is written; from one hundred foreskins [me’a orlot] of gentiles that were inserted into her throughout the night. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: One dog, too, as it is written: “The Philistine said to David: Am I a dog?” (I Samuel 17:43).
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