וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד לֹ֤א תוּכַל֙ לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֣י הַזֶּ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עִמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־נַ֣עַר אַ֔תָּה וְה֛וּא אִ֥ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֖ה מִנְּעֻרָֽיו׃ (ס)
Aber Saul sprach zu David: Du vermagst nicht zu ziehen gegen diesen Philister, mit ihm zu kämpfen, denn du bist ein Knabe, er aber ein Kriegsmann von Jugend auf.
Midrash Tanchuma
What is written after this passage (in Lev. 21:10)? “And the priest that is highest among his brothers”22Lev. R. 26:9. Why is he called by the name, “high priest?”23THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST, without the addition, AMONG HIS BROTHERS, would normally be translated, HIGH PRIEST. Because he was highest (literally: greatest) in five things: in beauty, in strength, in wealth, in wisdom, and in age.24TYoma 1:6; Yoma 18a; see yYoma 1:3 (39a); cf. ‘Eduy. 2:9; Avot. 6:8. In regard to beauty, because he was more handsome than his brothers. In regard to strength, because he was powerful in strength. Come and consider Aaron. When he waved the Levites (as in a wave offering), he waved twenty-two thousand in one day. How did he wave them? Back and forth, up and down. Ergo, he was highest in strength. With regard to wealth, where would it come from? If he was not wealthy, his brother high priests would magnify (rt.: gdl) him. There is a story about Phineas the Stonecutter. When they appointed him high priest, his brother priests went out and saw him cutting stone. So they filled the quarry before him with gold dinars.25Lat.: denarii. And where is it shown that if he had nothing, his brother high priests would magnify (rt.: gdl) him? Where it is stated (in an alternate translation of Lev. 21:10), “And the priest that is highest (rt.: gdl) because of his brothers.” And [this rule applies] not to the high priest alone, but to the king as well. And so you find in the case of David, when he went to fight with Goliath the Philistine, Saul said to him (in I Sam. 17:33), “You cannot go unto this Philistine […].” David said to him (in vs. 34-36), “Your servant tended his father's sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I would go out after it, smite it, and deliver it out of its mouth…. Your servant smote both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them.” Saul said to him, “And who told you that you could slay him?” Immediately David replied, (vs. 37), “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Immediately (we read in vs. 38), “Saul clothed David with his military garments.” Now it is written (in I Sam. 9:2), “he was a head taller26More literally: TALLER FROM HIS SHOULDERS ON UP. than any of the people.” When he had clothed him in his garments and seen that they were fit for him, he immediately cast a jaundiced eye at him. When David saw that he had offended Saul, he said to him (in I Sam. 17:39), “I cannot go in these, for I am not used to them.” Here you learn that even though a person may be short, when he is appointed king, he becomes tall. Why? Because as soon as he is anointed with the anointing oil, he becomes superior to his brothers. David said, “I rejoiced over the anointing oil with which I was anointed.” It is so stated (in Ps. 16:9), “So my heart rejoices, and my glory exalts; my flesh also dwells in safety.”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
[(Lev. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES: SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS.] What is written after this passage (in vs. 10)? AND THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST AMONG HIS BROTHERS.28Tanh., Lev. 8:4; Lev. R. 26:9. Why is he called by the name HIGH?29THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST, without the addition, AMONG HIS BROTHERS, would normally be translated, HIGH PRIEST. Because he was highest (literally: greatest) in five areas: In beauty, in strength, in wealth, in wisdom, and in age.30TYoma 1:6; Yoma 18a; see yYoma 1:3 (39a); cf. ‘Eduy. 2:9; Avot. 6:8. In regard to beauty, because he was more handsome than his brothers. In regard to strength, because he was heroic in strength. Come and consider Aaron. When he waved the Levites (as in a wave offering), he waved twenty-two thousand in one day. How did he wave them? Back and forth, up and down. Ergo: He was highest in strength. Also in regard to wealth, because if he had not been wealthy, his brother priests would have made him wealthy. There is a story about Pinhas the Stone Cutter. When they appointed him high priest, his brother priests went out and saw him cutting stone. So they would not permit him to continue, but filled the quarry before him with gold dinars.31Lat.: denarii. [And where is it shown] that, if he had nothing, his brother high priests would magnify (rt.: GDL) him? Where it is stated (in an alternate translation of Lev. 21:10): AND THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST (rt.: GDL) BECAUSE OF HIS BROTHERS. And < this rule applies > not to the high priest alone, but to the king as well. And so you find in the case of David, when he went to fight with Goliath the Philistine, Saul said to him (in I Sam. 17:33): YOU CANNOT GO UNTO < THIS > PHILISTINE … David said to him (in vs. 34–36): YOUR SERVANT TENDED HIS [FATHER'S] SHEEP; < AND WHEN A LION OR A BEAR CAME AND CARRIED OFF A LAMB FROM THE FLOCK, > I WOULD GO OUT AFTER IT, SMITE IT, < AND DELIVER IT OUT OF ITS MOUTH >…. < YOUR SERVANT > SMOTE BOTH THE LION AND THE BEAR, < AND THIS UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE SHALL BE AS ONE OF THEM >…. Saul said to him: And who told you that you could slay him? David replied: Hunting32Gk.: kynegia. has trained me, Papa. (Vs. 37:) THE LORD WHO DELIVERED FROM THE PAW OF THE LION… < WILL DELIVER ME FROM THE HAND OF THIS PHILISTINE >. Immediately (we read in vs. 38): SAUL CLOTHED DAVID WITH HIS MILITARY GARMENTS…. Now it is written (in I Sam. 9:2): HE WAS A HEAD TALLER33More literally: TALLER FROM HIS SHOULDERS ON UP. THAN ANY OF THE PEOPLE. When he had clothed him in his garments and seen that they were made for him, he immediately cast a jaundiced eye at him. When David saw that he had offended Saul, he said to him (in I Sam. 17:39): I CANNOT {GO FORTH} [GO] IN THESE, FOR I AM NOT USED TO THEM. Here you learn that even though a person may be short, when he is appointed king, he becomes tall. Why? Because as soon as he is anointed with the anointing oil, he becomes superior to his brothers. David said: I rejoiced over the anointing oil with which I was anointed, in that I shall never move away from my glory. It is so stated (in Ps. 16:9): SO MY HEART REJOICES, AND MY GLORY EXALTS; MY FLESH ALSO DWELLS IN SAFETY.
Vayikra Rabbah
What is written after the matter? “The priest who is greater than his brethren” (Leviticus 21:10); why is he called the High Priest?40Or, literally, the Great Priest. It is because he is great regarding five matters: Wisdom, strength, beauty, wealth, and years. In beauty, that he is fairer than his brethren; in power, that he is physically strong. Come and see; when Aaron waved twenty-two thousand Levites, he waved them on one day.41See Numbers 8:5–22. How did he wave them? He would wave to and fro [to each side], and raise and lower them; that is, that he was great in strength.
In wealth, from where is it derived that if he was not wealthy, that his brethren, the priests, make him wealthy? There was an incident involving Pinḥas the stonemason, that they appointed him High Priest. His brethren, the priests, went out and saw him hewing stones. They filled the quarry before him with gold dinars. From where is it derived that his brethren elevate him if he does not have? As it is stated: “The priest who is greater than his brethren [me’eḥav].”42This can be interpreted to mean that he becomes great through his brethren [me’eḥav].
Not only the High Priest, but the king is similar. Likewise, you find regarding King David, when he went to battle with Goliath, Saul said to him: “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth” (I Samuel 17:33). David said to him: “Your servant was a shepherd for his father among the sheep, and the lion or the bear would come and carry off a lamb from the flock. I would go out after it, smite it, and save it from its mouth. It rose against me, but I grabbed its beard, smote it, and killed it. Both the lion and the bear, your servant smote, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them” (I Samuel 17:34–36).
Saul said to him: ‘Who said to you that you are able to kill him?’ Immediately, David answered him: “The Lord who delivered me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (I Samuel 17:37). Immediately, “Saul dressed David in his garments” (I Samuel 17:38). It is written regarding Saul: “From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” (I Samuel 9:2). When he dressed him in his garments and saw that they were appropriate for him, he immediately cast an evil eye on him. When David saw that Saul was humiliated, he said to him: “I will be unable to walk with these, as I am inexperienced. David removed them from upon him” (I Samuel 17:39). You learn that even if a person is short, and becomes king, he becomes taller. Why to that extent? It is because when one is anointed with the anointing oil, he becomes the most outstanding of all his brethren. David said: ‘I rejoice in the anointing oil with which I was anointed,’ as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart rejoices, my being exults; my flesh, too, rests securely” (Psalms 16:9).
In wealth, from where is it derived that if he was not wealthy, that his brethren, the priests, make him wealthy? There was an incident involving Pinḥas the stonemason, that they appointed him High Priest. His brethren, the priests, went out and saw him hewing stones. They filled the quarry before him with gold dinars. From where is it derived that his brethren elevate him if he does not have? As it is stated: “The priest who is greater than his brethren [me’eḥav].”42This can be interpreted to mean that he becomes great through his brethren [me’eḥav].
Not only the High Priest, but the king is similar. Likewise, you find regarding King David, when he went to battle with Goliath, Saul said to him: “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth” (I Samuel 17:33). David said to him: “Your servant was a shepherd for his father among the sheep, and the lion or the bear would come and carry off a lamb from the flock. I would go out after it, smite it, and save it from its mouth. It rose against me, but I grabbed its beard, smote it, and killed it. Both the lion and the bear, your servant smote, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them” (I Samuel 17:34–36).
Saul said to him: ‘Who said to you that you are able to kill him?’ Immediately, David answered him: “The Lord who delivered me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (I Samuel 17:37). Immediately, “Saul dressed David in his garments” (I Samuel 17:38). It is written regarding Saul: “From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” (I Samuel 9:2). When he dressed him in his garments and saw that they were appropriate for him, he immediately cast an evil eye on him. When David saw that Saul was humiliated, he said to him: “I will be unable to walk with these, as I am inexperienced. David removed them from upon him” (I Samuel 17:39). You learn that even if a person is short, and becomes king, he becomes taller. Why to that extent? It is because when one is anointed with the anointing oil, he becomes the most outstanding of all his brethren. David said: ‘I rejoice in the anointing oil with which I was anointed,’ as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart rejoices, my being exults; my flesh, too, rests securely” (Psalms 16:9).