Midrash sur Le Deutéronome 2:4

(Deut. 2:2–4:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO ME, SAYING: YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF GOING ABOUT THIS HILL COUNTRY. <TURN NORTH. > NOW CHARGE THE PEOPLE, SAYING: <YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE TERRITORY OF YOUR KINDRED, THE CHILDREN OF ESAU, WHO DWELL IN SEIR. THOUGH THEY WILL BE AFRAID OF YOU, YOU ARE TO BE VERY WARY.> This text is related (to Ps. 60:1): TO THE DIRECTOR: ACCORDING TO SHUSHAN EDUTH; A MIKHTAM OF DAVID; FOR INSTRUCTION. When? (According to vs. 2) WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM AND ARAM-ZOBAH.³Tanh., Deut. 1:3; see Gen. R. 74:15. Now was it not already stated (in I Kings 11:15–16): [AND HE (Joab) SMOTE EVERY MALE IN EDOM;] FOR JOAB <AND ALL ISRAEL> STAYED THERE SIX MONTHS, <UNTIL HE HAD ANNIHILATED EVERY MALE IN EDOM>? Still it says next (here in Ps. 60:2, cont.): JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE <TWELVE THOUSAND> EDOMITES IN THE VALLEY OF SALT. This text is related (to Is. 50:8): MY VINDICATOR IS AT HAND. WHO WILL CONTEND WITH ME? LET US STAND TOGETHER…. The Holy One gave Torah to Israel, so that through it they would attain vindication before all peoples. You find that Joab was head of the Sanhedrin,⁴Gk.: Synedrion. as stated (in II Sam. 23:8) {AND} THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE WARRIORS WHOM DAVID HAD: ONE WHO SITS IN THE SEAT OF WISDOM.⁵These words are commonly understood as the proper name, JOSHEB-BASSHEBETH, A TAHCHEMONITE, but this and other citations of the verse in rabbinic literature tend to understand the verse as translated here. See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:12, and the note there; also Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 10:9.: Cf. MQ 16b, for an interpretation that identifies this sage with David himself. This was Joab; but David was wiser than all, since it is stated (in II Sam. 14:20 with reference to David): MY LORD IS AS WISE [AS THE WISDOM OF AN ANGEL OF GOD.] Still, they only acted on something in accord with the Sanhedrin, as stated (in Ps. 60:1): TO THE DIRECTOR: ACCORDING TO SHUSHAN EDUTH (i.e., LILY OF WITNESS); A MIKHTAM OF DAVID. SHUSHAN EDUTH refers to the Sanhedrin, since it is stated (in Cant. 7:3): <YOUR BELLY IS A HEAP OF WHEAT> FENCED IN WITH THE LILIES (shoshanim). WITNESS (EDUTH) <is mentioned> because of the Torah, which is called a witness.⁶For this interpretation, see William G. Braude, The Midrash on Psalms (“Yale Judaica Series,” 13; New Haven: Yale, 1959), vol. 2, p. 477, n. 2 on Ps. 60, who explains that wheat symbolizes Torah and lilies represent the sages. Thus SHUSHAN EDUTH, “Lily of Witness,” alludes to the sages in the Sanhedrin, who teach from their knowledge of the Witness or Torah. See also above, Tanh. (Buber), Exod 9:1; Numb. 1:4, and the notes there. MIKHTAM refers to David, who made himself humble (Makh) and innocent (tam), because he walked in innocence with his Creator. When? (According to Ps. 60:2) WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM. What does that mean? When Joab went to fight with ARAM-NAHARAIM, they came out toward him. They said to him: You are one of the children of Jacob, but we are from the children of Laban. Now here is their confirmed agreement, as written (in Gen. 31:52): THIS MOUND IS A WITNESS, <AND THE PILLAR⁷Matstsebah. Cf. Braude, ibid., n. 1 to Ps. 60, who suggests that the mikhtam of Ps. 60:1 may denote a pillar. IS A WITNESS THAT I WILL NOT PASS BEYOND THIS MOUND AND THIS PILLAR UNTO YOU WITH EVIL INTENT>. When Joab heard <that>, he returned to David. He said to him: What do you say to that? Here is our ancestor Jacob's sworn agreement. They immediately convened a Sanhedrin, (in the words of Ps. 60:1) A SHUSHAN EDUTH (i.e., LILY OF WITNESS) < … > [FOR INSTRUCTION]. They instructed him and said: It really was so, but they transgressed it first. Why did Balaam the Wicked transgress it? Does it not say so (in Numb. 23:7): IT IS FROM ARAM THAT BALAK HAS BROUGHT ME, THE KING OF MOAB <FROM THE HILLS OF THE EAST> …? Moreover, did not Cushan-rishathaim (of Aram-naharaim) enslave us, as stated (in Jud. 3:8): AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SERVED CUSHAN-RISHATHAIM EIGHT YEARS? <Thus> they have committed two wicked acts against us. When the court had so {thanked} [instructed] him, he immediately turned back against them and slew them, as stated (in Ps. 60:2): WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM <AND ARAM-ZOBAH, JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE EDOM, TWELVE THOUSAND, IN THE VALLEY OF SALT>. Did he not make war with Aram (i.e., Syria)? What is the meaning of AND SMOTE EDOM? It should have said "Aram" and not EDOM.⁸In Hebrew block letters “Aram” and “Edom” look almost identical. It is simply that when Joab came to fight with Aram, the children of Edom stood up to him and said to him: Did not the Holy One say to you (in Deut. 2:5): DO NOT ENGAGE THEM IN BATTLE? Joab answered them: Did he not say this to us (in vs. 4): YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE TERRITORY OF YOUR KINDRED, THE CHILDREN OF ESAU? Allow us to pass! But they did not want to <do so>. Joab said to them: If we eradicate Edom now, we shall find nothing to eat or drink on our return. Instead let us leave them alone until we have smitten Aram, and then we shall turn back against them. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 60:2 [1]): <WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM <AND ARAM-ZOBAH,> JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE EDOM, TWELVE THOUSAND, IN THE VALLEY OF SALT>. The Holy One said: You are to eradicate Edom little by little. When the time comes, I will destroy and eradicate it, as stated (in Obad. vs. 19): {HE SHALL TAKE POSSESSION OF THE NEGEB AND THE MOUNTAIN} [THE NEGEB SHALL TAKE POSSESSION OF THE MOUNTAIN OF] <ESAU>…. It also says (in vs. 20): AND THE EXILES IN THIS ARMY <OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL>…. And it says (in vs. 21): FOR SAVIORS SHALL GO UP ON MOUNT ZION TO JUDGE THE MOUNTAIN OF ESAU. At that time (ibid., cont.): THE KINGDOM SHALL BELONG TO THE LORD.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 3:23): I BESOUGHT <THE LORD>. This text is related (to Is. 30:19): INDEED, O PEOPLE IN ZION, INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, [YOU SHALL SURELY WEEP NO MORE. <HE WILL SURELY SHOW YOU COMPASSION (rt.: HNN)>…. ] What is written above on the matter (in Deut. 3:12)?¹⁵Tanh., Deut. 2:4. <…> AND ITS CITIES I GAVE {TO THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND TO THE CHILDREN OF GAD} [TO THE REUBENITES AND TO THE GADITES]. Moses taught <all> who come into the world that one should not say that, whereas he is dangerously ill, has made a will,¹⁶Gk.: diatheke. and divided all that he has. He should not say that, whereas he has made a will, he will no longer pray. Rather he should pray, because the Holy One does not disqualify the prayer of [any] creature. See here. Moses made a will, as stated (in Deut. 23:12): < … > AND ITS CITIES I GAVE TO THE REUBENITES AND TO THE GADITES [….: (vs. 14:) JAIR BEN MANASSEH <RECEIVED>…. (vs. 15:)TO MACHIR I GAVE GILEAD. (vs. 16:) AND TO THE REUBENITES AND THE GADITES I GAVE [….: (vs. 18:) THEN I CHARGED YOU AT THAT TIME, SAYING [….] (vs. 21:) I ALSO CHARGED JOSHUA [AT THAT TIME], SAYING: [Ergo, <Moses made> a will. Lest you say: He ceased and did not pray, the text reads (in vs. 23) I BESOUGHT THE LORD.]

Another interpretation (of Deut. 2:3): <YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF> GOING ABOUT THIS MOUNTAIN.¹⁹Although various biblical translations render this word as HILL COUNTRY, MOUNTAIN better fits the sense of the midrash. What does it signify regarding the Temple, of which it is written (in Ps. 48:3 [2]): MOUNT ZION FAR IN THE NORTH? Is it not enough for you that you do not accept his mountain? Rather he enters your mountain and destroys it. (Deut. 2:3, cont.:) TURN NORTH. Prepare yourselves for the empires, because they are coming upon you, as stated (in Jer. 1:15): FOR BEHOLD, I AM CALLING ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE NORTH,²⁰Cf. the Masoretic text, which reads ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE KINGDOMS OF THE NORTH. (Deut. 2:4:) COMMAND THE PEOPLE, SAYING. <These words are> to teach the generations coming after you that they charge each other to be wary of Esau.²¹Cf. Deut. R. 1:20.

(Deut. 2:4:) YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH <THE BORDERS OF YOUR KINFOLK, THE CHILDREN OF ESAU, THE INHABITANTS OF SEIR>. It is a good sign²²Gk.: semeion. for them that you are passing through. Why? When it comes to divine retribution, it only comes upon the inhabitants. It is so stated (in Is. 24:17): TERROR, THE PIT, AND THE SNARE ARE UPON YOU, O INHABITANT OF THE LAND!

(Deut. 2:4:) YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE BORDERS OF YOUR KINFOLK, THE CHILDREN OF ESAU, <THE INHABITANTS OF SEIR>; and the prophet cries out (in Obad. vs. 7): ALL YOUR ALLIES HAVE DRIVEN YOU TO THE BORDER.

(Deut. 2:4, cont.:) THEY WILL BE AFRAID OF YOU, BUT BE VERY CAREFUL. Even though they are afraid of you, BE VERY CAREFUL. Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel has said: When they are afraid of you, <Scripture> has said to us, BE VERY CAREFUL. How much the more <must> we <be careful>, when absorbed among them.