פירוש על שמואל א 25:47

There was a man in Ma'on. The name of the city.¹Not to be mistook for מָעוֹן meaning a dwelling, as in Tehillim 26:8, but rather, it is the city mentioned in Yehoshua 15:55, and it was located in Yehudah’s territory, the tribe of which Novol was a member.

Whose business. His cattle and possessions.

Wealthy. [Literally 'very great'], meaning wealthy.

It was the time when he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. One day, when the time of his sheep shearing came around, he was in Carmel. His custom was to make a party and a festive day for the sheep shearers.

A Calebite. Of the house of Caleiv.²Or, his evil nature was similar to that of a dog [= כֶּלֶב]; i.e., he was stingy and refused to share his food with others.—Ralbag

So. So will he be [shearing] in the coming year.³See Rashi in Bereishis 18:10. So shall be in the coming year, living and enduring.) Another version is: So to the living. Say this concerning his meal and his wine that you will see, "So is befitting a live man, i.e., an active and esteemed man," as in "…was a live man of many heroic deeds,"⁴II Shmuel 23:20. [i.e.] alive and active in all his deeds.

May it always be so. Good and enduring.

Peace unto you… So shall it be for a long time.⁵And to emphasize its longevity, they mention שַׁלוֹם [=peace] three times in their statement.

We did not shame them. If they needed us for anything, we did not send them back empty-handed.⁶We did not cause them physical harm.—Targum Yonoson.

Not a thing of theirs was missing. Of your flocks, for we were watching them.⁷And we protected them from attack by wild animals.—Mahri Kra.

May the youths find. My youths, find favor in your eyes, for the kindness which your servants will tell concerning them.

For we have come on a festive day. Relying on the party and festive day which you have, we have now come to ask.⁸Without burdening you additionally because you already have prepared a lavish feast.—Radak. Another explanation is, that this was the eve of Rosh Hashonoh [so they said,] "We are in need of a holiday feast."⁹Rosh Hashanoh is a holiday in which Scripture [Nechemyah 8:10] stresses to send food to the needy.

And spoke to Novol in accordance with all these words, in Dovid's name, and then they rested. They were tired from traveling, yet they were quick to execute Dovid's command, and did not rest until they spoke to him, and afterward they rested. Targum Yonson renders, however, and they ceased, i.e., they stopped speaking further, until they would hear his reply.

Who is Dovid. Of what importance is he that I should give him mine? Is he not descended from Rus the Moavite?¹⁰And as such, Novol questioned Dovid’s right to the throne. See Talmud Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 2:3.

And Dovid too, girded his sword. From here [we learn] that we commence, in cases involving capital punishment, from the less significant first.¹¹ See Maseches Sanhedrin 36a, that learns from here that the polling the judges’ opinions in cases involving capital punishment, starts with the less important judges; otherwise, they may feel intimidated and swayed by the opinions of the others.

With the equipment. To guard their tents and equipment.

One from among the youths. Of hers.

But he chased them away. He drove them away with words, an expression of עַיׅט [=bird].¹²Bereishis 15:11. Others translate וַיָעַט as ‘he kicked them out’ from the root בעט, as in Devarim 32:15.

We were not shamed. We were not disgraced.

For the evil has been decided. By Dovid against him.

He is too wicked a person to speak to. Our master is such a base person¹³Or, the phrase refers to Dovid, that Dovid is such a base person that he is capable of attacking without warning.—Radak. so that I cannot tell him that which I am telling you, because he will become angry with us.

Prepared. Targum Yonoson renders תַּכְבְּרָא, filled with finely cut meat and eggs; farcides in O.F., as we learned in [Maseches] Pesachim:¹⁴ And he places the feet and its intestines inside [the Paschal lamb]; Rabbi Tarfon calls it תַּכְבְּרָא. That which is inside, is placed outside,¹⁵I.e., תַּכְבְּרָא is a combination of two words תּוֹךְ [=inside] and בְּרָא [=outside]. according to Rabbi Akiva, who says that the intestines are hung outside of it. Thus is stated in the Tosefta, and Rabbi Klonimos of sainted memory, from Rome, thus explained it to us.

Raisins. Dried grapes.

Cakes of pressed figs. Round cakes of dried figs, trodden and pressed in a vessel.

Were going down toward her. There was a valley between the two mountains. She was going down one mountain, and they were going down the opposite mountain.¹⁶And neither party saw the other.—Radak.

Dovid said. To himself when his youths told him of Novol's insults, 'It was for naught that I guarded, etc.'

Even one dog. Targum Yonoson renders, 'one possessing intelligence,' one who sets the walls of his heart. Another explanation is, 'even a dog whose manner is to urinate against a wall.'¹⁷See Maseches Bava Basro 19b.

My master, with me lies the sin. First she said this so that he would pay attention to her words.¹⁸And thereby protect her household from Dovid and his men. At the end, however, she told him the truth, that "I, your handmaid, did not see my master's youths."¹⁹Below, verse 25.

[Adonoy] has prevented you. Who sent me toward you to refrain you from committing bloodshed.

And from avenging yourself by your own hand. From personally avenging yourself and being punished.

May all your enemies be like Novol. She prophesied with the Divine Spirit²⁰Avigayil is mentioned among the seven prophetesses, in Maseches Megillah 14a. that Novol will not live long.

Let it be given to the youths. And it will be given to the youths who are going, etc. נִתְּנָה [=it was given] is past tense, וְנִתְּנָה [=it will be given] is future tense.

For Adonoy will surely make for my master an everlasting house. To be king over Yisroel. Therefore, let no evil be found in you. It is therefore not fitting for you to do anything contrary to the law, to spread evil talk concerning your kingship.

Slingshot. A wide piece of leather, with an indentation in the middle of the sling, into which one places the stone.

And may it be when Adonoy does good… And you will reign.

That this not be…an obstacle. As a stumbling block, as in, 'and the stumbling [לְפִיק] of the knees';²¹Nachum 2:11. for had you done this, you would not be able to open your mouth to reprove anyone in future generations, concerning bloodshed.

And that my master has avenged himself. That you avenge yourself.

Who prevented me. You stopped me, as in, 'You shall not stop [תִכְלָא] your mercy,'²²Tehillim 40:12. [and] 'will not stop [יׅכְלֶה] you.'²³Bereishis 23:6.

And from avenging myself with my own hand. This is connected with [the phrase], 'from coming into bloodshed.' The 'מ' [=from] of [מִבּוֹא] is connected to 'and avenging,' meaning, 'from coming into bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.'

When Novol had sobered up. When the wine's effect had left Novol.

And his heart sank within him. He was extremely upset over the gift presented to Dovid.²⁴I.e., because of the great expense of his wife’s gift.—Radak

After ten days. There were seven days of mourning for Shmuel, so the Holy One, Blessed is He, suspended his sentence so that it should not coincide the mourning for this wicked man with his mourning period. Afterward, he became ill for three days and died, as it is stated, "And Adonoy inflicted Novol," and a Talmudist had stated that if one was ill three days and died, it is a death of a plague. However, our Rabbis stated that these are the Ten Days of Repentance which the Holy One, Blessed is He, waited for him to repent. But, some say that they correspond to the ten meals²⁵See above verses 5,9, and Maharsha in Rosh Hashanah 18a. which Novol gave Dovid's servants, for Dovid had sent him ten youths, and he fed them.

The battle of my disgrace. My insult which he insulted me today [saying], 'Nowadays there are many servants who break away.'²⁶Above verse 10.

And has spared His servant from evil. That I did not kill him.