Musar zu Könige II 1:13
וַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שְׁלִשִׁ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֡עַל וַיָּבֹא֩ שַׂר־הַחֲמִשִּׁ֨ים הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י וַיִּכְרַ֥ע עַל־בִּרְכָּ֣יו ׀ לְנֶ֣גֶד אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּתְחַנֵּ֤ן אֵלָיו֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים תִּֽיקַר־נָ֣א נַפְשִׁ֗י וְנֶ֨פֶשׁ עֲבָדֶ֥יךָֽ אֵ֛לֶּה חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
Und wieder schickte er den Kapitän eines dritten Fünfzig mit seinem Fünfzig. Und der dritte Hauptmann von fünfzig ging hinauf und kam und fiel vor Elia auf die Knie und flehte ihn an und sprach zu ihm:'Oh Mann Gottes, ich bitte dich, lass mein Leben und das Leben dieser fünfzig deiner Diener in deinen Augen kostbar sein.
The Improvement of the Moral Qualities
Dost thou not see that humility is the highest degree of the nobles and of the prophets, distinguished by their divine rank?3Cf. Bahya, vi. 8 and 10; Briill (p. 75, note i). One of them said (Gen. xviii. 27), "I am but dust and ashes "; another said (Ps. xxii. 7), "I am a worm and no man"; and so forth. They were praised for their actions and were honored. A man of intelligence should know that lowliness and meekness cause him to realize his desire in regard to present things, as thou knowest from the account of what happened to the captains of Achaziah, because of their folly; and what happened to the third captain who gently spake to Elijah (II Kings i. 13), "I pray thee let my life and the life of these thy fifty servants be precious in thy sight." Him there befell the reverse of what had befallen the former. Verily, fame and glory will be the reward of whosoever is lowly. The recompense of meekness is honor and prosperity, and also the deserving of honor. Thus it is said (Prov. xxii. 4), "The reward of humility and the fear of God are riches, and honor, and life."
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