Midras 2 Samuel 6:23: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Bamidbar Rabbah & Bereshit Rabbah

He (the king) must not marry more than eighteen wives. Whence is it deduced? From (II Sam. 3, 2-5) And unto David were born sons in Hebron; and his first-born was Ammon, of Achinoam the Zezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail, the wife of Nebal the Carmelite; and the third, Abshalom, the son of Maachah, the daughter of Thalmai the king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Chaggith; and the fifth, Shepliatiah, the son of Abital: and the sixth, Ithream by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. And the prophet said (Ib., ib. 12, 8) And if that were too little, then would I add unto thee so much more like these, and like these. Now let us see! The number of the wives mentioned in the Scriptures is six. Like this, is six more; and again, like this, is again six more, of which the total is eighteen. But Michal was also his wife, [and why was she not mentioned]. Rab said: "Eglah is the same as Michal. And why was she named Eglah? Because she was beloved to him just as a calf is beloved to its mother." And so also reads the passage (Judges 14, 18) And he said unto them, if he had not ploughed with my calf, etc. But had, then, Michal children? Is it not written (II Sam. 6, 23) And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death? Said R. Chisda: "Prior to that incident she did have a child, but after that incident she did not have a child." But is it not written (Ib. 5, 13) And David took yet more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem. Hence it is to be supposed that he married more? This was to fulfill the number of eighteen. What are wives, and what are concubines? R. Juda said: "Wives are married by betrothal and marriage contract; concubines are wihtout both of these." R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Four hundred children were born to David by the handsome captives. They had long locks and sat in golden coaches. They were placed with the chief officers of the military, and were the men of power of the house of David." R. Juda said again: "Thamar was a daughter of one of the [above-mentioned] handsome women, as it is said (II Sam. 13, 13) But now, O speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. And if she were really his daughter, how could she say that the king would allow a sister to marry her brother? Infer from this, that she was one of the children born of one of the [above-mentioned] handsome women." (Ib. 13, 3) But Annon had a friend … and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. Said R. Juda in the name of Rab: "A shrewd man to do evil."

“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil: the charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of everything that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16).
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest…” – that is what is written: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the prominent” (Proverbs 25:6). If before a king of flesh and blood a person must conduct himself with humility, all the more so before the Omnipresent. We learned: Be bold like a leopard, nimble like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in heaven,²⁷Mishna Avot 5:20. to teach you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent. Eliyahu said: Anyone who increases the glory of Heaven and minimizes his own glory, the glory of Heaven increases and his own glory increases. But anyone who minimizes the glory of Heaven and increases his own glory, the glory of Heaven remains as it was, and his glory is diminished.
There was an incident involving a certain man who was standing in a synagogue and his son was standing opposite him. All the people were responding to the one who passes before the ark:²⁸The prayer leader. Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ Again, the next day he acted in the same manner: All the people were responding to the prayer leader: Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ All those eight days of the festival, his son would respond with matters of frivolity, and he did not say anything to him. Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man died, his wife died, his son and grandson died. Fifteen people from his house died, and only one pair of people remained: one crippled and blind, and a wicked imbecile.
Again there was an incident, involving a certain person who regretted that he had not studied Bible or Mishna. One time, he was standing in a synagogue. When the one passing before the ark reached the sanctification of the Name, he raised his voice and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). They said to him: ‘What did you see that led you to raise your voice.’ He said to them: ‘I have been privileged to study neither Bible nor Mishna; now that I have been given permission, will I not raise my voice and my soul will be calmed?’ Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man ascended from Babylonia to the Land of Israel. They appointed him commander of the emperor’s army and appointed him as the head of all the fortresses in the Land of Israel. They gave him a site, and he constructed a city and settled there. They called him Kilonai,²⁹A term meaning that he did not have to pay taxes. him, his children, and his children’s children throughout all the generations. From here you learn that a person should not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, as anyone who is haughty before Him will be debased. Likewise it says: “For those who honor Me I will honor, but those who scorn Me will be debased” (I Samuel 2:30).
Likewise, you find regarding David king of Israel who did not conduct himself haughtily before the Omnipresent, but rather, he debased himself before Him like a commoner, in order to increase the glory of the Omnipresent. When? It was when he took up the Ark from the house of Avinadav in Giva to bring it to Jerusalem. That is what is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” (II Samuel 6:1). David said: I am not taking up the Ark secretly. He immediately consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds to send throughout the Land of Israel that they should gather to them and go to take up the Ark, as it is stated: “David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with every high official” (I Chronicles 13:1). “David said to the entire congregation of Israel: If it pleases you, and if it is from the Lord our God…so that they gather themselves to us; and let us transfer the Ark of our God to us” (I Chronicles 13:2–3). They all said to him: ‘Do as you wish,’ as it is stated: “The entire congregation said to do so, for the matter was upright in the eyes of the entire people” (I Chronicles 13:4). Immediately, he sent and gathered all of Israel that was in the entire Land of Israel, as it is stated: “David assembled all Israel, from Shiḥor of Egypt until Levo Ḥamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiryat Ye’arim” (I Chronicles 13:5). How many elders did David appoint there? Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: David appointed ninety thousand elders on that day, but he did not appoint Aḥitofel with them. He sanctified them so they would serve as an honor guard before it. That is what is written: “David again [vayosef od] gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” “Vayosef” – thirty thousand; “od” – thirty thousand; and the plain meaning of the verse, thirty thousand; that is ninety thousand.
Immediately, they went to Giva to take up the Ark from there, as it is stated: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda rose and went [to take up from there the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:2). One verse says: “David and all Israel went up to Baala, to Kiryat Ye’arim which is of Judah, to take up from there the Ark of God, the Lord who is seated amidst the cherubs, upon which the Name is called” (I Chronicles 13:6). And one verse says: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda…” How can these two verses coexist? All Israel went to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and waited there for the Ark, until they would bring it from Giva. But David and the elders set out from Baalei Yehuda, which is Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and went after the Ark to Giva to bring it from Giva to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is Baala. From Baala, all of Israel took it with them to Jerusalem.
Some say: Initially they decided they would go only to Baala and send from there to the house of Avinadav, which was in Giva, to take up the Ark of God from there to Kiryat Ye’arim. From there they would all ascend with it to Jerusalem. When he was there, he said to them: ‘It is not in keeping with the honor due the Ark that it should come with individuals. Rather, let us all go there.’ That is why it is written: “David and all the people…rose and went” (II Samuel 6:2).
Why did he initially go only to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim? It is because Giva and Kiryat Ye’arim were located in one area, which is where the Givonites were settled, as it is stated: “The children of Israel traveled, and they came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Givon, Kefira, Be’erot, and Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 9:17). Kiryat Ye’arim fell into the portion of Judah, as it is enumerated in the portion of its inheritance: “Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 15:60), and it was the border between Judah and Benjamin, as it says regarding the border of Benjamin: “Its terminus was at Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye'arim, a city of the children of Judah…” (Joshua 18:14). But Giva, where the Ark was, was on the border of Benjamin, as it is written regarding the cities of Benjamin: “Givon, Rama, and Be’erot; and Mitzpe, Kefira, and Motza” (Joshua 18:25–26). That is why they initially came to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is on the border between Judah and Benjamin, and then they went to Givon.
“Which is called the Name, the name of the Lord of hosts” (II Samuel 6:2) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It teaches that the Name and all His appellations are placed in the Ark. Rav Huna said: It teaches that the tablets and the shards of the tablets are placed in the Ark.
“They mounted the Ark of God [onto a new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3) – they did not carry it as it is in the Torah, as it is written: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give [because the sacred service is upon them, they shall bear on the shoulder]” (Numbers 7:9). Why was he punished to have been rendered oblivious to the verse? It is because he called matters of Torah “songs,” as it is stated: “Your statutes were songs to me…” (Psalms 119:54). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Matters of Torah in whose regard it is written: “If you cast [hata’if] your eyes on it, it is gone” (Proverbs 23:5),³⁰This verse is expounded to mean: If you close your eyes from matters of Torah they will be forgotten. The root ayin-yod-peh in Aramaic means double, so the verse can be understood as: If you double your eyes, meaning cover them with your eyelids. you call them songs? I will cause you to fail regarding a matter that even schoolchildren know: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…,” and he brings it in a wagon. The Ark lifted the priests³¹The reference is to the priests who were carrying the Ark to the wagon. high and slammed them to the ground, lifted the priests high and slammed them to the ground. David sent and summoned Aḥitofel; he said to him: ‘Will you not say to me what we shall do with this Ark, as it is lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground, lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground?’ He said to him: ‘Send and ask those wise men whom you appointed.’ David said: ‘One who knows how to stop it and does not stop it, will ultimately be strangled.’ He said to him: ‘Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Aḥitofel: ‘A matter that the children say in the synagogue each day: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…” you did not say to him, but this great matter you said to him: Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop?’ That is why he was slaughtering when he took it up the second time, so he would not experience this, as it is stated: “It was, when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] walked [six paces, that he would slaughter a bull and a fatling]” (II Samuel 6:13).
Uza and Aḥyo were driving the wagon, as it is stated: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav…[Uza and Aḥyo, sons of Avinadav, were driving the new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3), Uza after it and Aḥyo before it. “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav that was in Giva, [with the Ark of God, and Aḥyo was walking before the Ark]” (II Samuel 6:4). To what is the verse “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav” referring? What did they carry with it? It was a chest that the Philistines sent, a gift to the God of Israel,³²I Samuel 6:7–12. upon which a Torah scroll was placed, like that which we learned: The Ark that Moses crafted: “Its length two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits” (Exodus 25:10) – with a cubit containing six handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill? It was twelve handbreadths. Three handbreadths remained. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained in which the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets [of stone]” (I Kings 8:9). Ein rak, an exclusion after an exclusion³³One of the rules used to interpret verses in the Torah is that when an exclusion is followed by another exclusion it comes to teach that there is something which has to be included. (Yoma 43a). is only to include the Torah scroll that was placed in the Ark. You have accounted for the Ark by its length; come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained so that the Torah scroll would enter and exit without difficulty. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is with a cubit containing five handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was twelve handbreadths. One half handbreadth remained; one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall.³⁴A handbreadth is four fingerbreadths if one measures with the thumb, five with the index finger, and six with the pinkie. The midrash here is using the measure of six fingerbreadths to a handbreadth. You have accounted for the Ark by its length, come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. One handbreadth and one half remained. Deduct from them half one handbreadth, one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall. One handbreadth remained, in which the pillars stood, as it is stated: “King [Solomon] made himself a palanquin.… He crafted its pillars of silver…” (Song of Songs 3:9–10).³⁵“King Solomon [hamelekh Shelomo] made himself [lo] a palanquin” is expounded as a reference to the Ark of the King, to whom peace belongs [hamelekh shehashalom shelo]. The chest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israel was placed at its side, as it is stated: “Place the gold objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt offering in a chest at its side, and send it and it will go” (I Samuel 6:8). Upon it, the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “Take this scroll of the Torah, [and place it at the side of the Ark]” (Deuteronomy 31:26). It was placed at its side and not inside it.³⁶Bava Batra 14a.
How, then, do I realize: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets” (I Kings 8:9)? It is to include the shards of the tablets, which were placed in the Ark, because the whole tablets and the shattered tablets were placed on their sides in the Ark, as they were only three handbreadths thick. Before the chest there was a shelf that protruded from the Ark, on which the Torah scroll was placed. That is what is written: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav […with the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:4) – this is the chest upon which the Torah scroll was placed and was standing at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.
“Aḥyo was walking before the Ark” (II Samuel 6:4) – from here they said: Aḥyo was walking before it.
When they were taking it up, ninety thousand elders were walking before it, the priests were bearing it,³⁷The priests placed it in the wagon, and the wagon was led by priests. Uza and Aḥyo were apparently priests (Maharzu). the Levites were playing instruments, and all Israel were reveling; one who had a palm branch in his hand, one who had a drum or a musical instrument. That is what is written: “David and the entire house of Israel were reveling before the Lord [with all kinds of juniper wood, with harps, with lyres, with drums, with timbrels [uvimenaanim], and with cymbals]” (II Samuel 6:5). This is a reference to a palm branch with which a person waves [menaane’a].
“They came to the threshing floor of Nakhon” (II Samuel 6:6) – “Kidon” (I Chronicles 13:9) is written and “Nakhon” is written. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Initially Kidon³⁸Kidon means spear, an instrument of death, as it caused Uza’s death. but ultimately Nakhon.³⁹Nakhon means firmly established, after bringing blessing to the house of Oved Edom.
“Uza reached out to the Ark of God [and took hold of it]” (II Samuel 6:6) – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: The Ark bears its bearers; itself all the more so, as it is written: “It was when the entire people had finished crossing, the Ark of the Lord and the priests passed before the people” (Joshua 4:11) – the Ark bore its bearers and crossed. “Because the cattle had stumbled” (II Samuel 6:6( – why did they stumble? It was because they were taking it in contravention of the Torah. They should have taken it on the shoulder, but they loaded it onto a wagon and it proceeded on its own.
“The wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Uza, and God smote him there al hashal” (II Samuel 6:7) – what is “al hashal”? Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar: One said: Over matters of unwitting actions, and one said: Because he tended to his needs before it.⁴⁰Some say that on a previous occasion he relieved himself before the Ark. Others say that his focus was on personal matters rather than on the matter of the Ark.
“And he died there with the Ark of God” (II Samuel 6:7) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Uza will enter the World to Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God”; just as the Ark is in existence in the World to Come, so too, Uza will enter the World to Come.
“David was distressed [vayiḥar] because the Lord had lashed out [in a breach against Uza]” (II Samuel 6:8) – what is vayiḥar? Rabbi Elazar said: It is that David’s face changed and resembled a loaf baked on coals [ḥarara].⁴¹Wrinkled, dry, and black. What is the reason? It is because af is not written with it.⁴²Typically the word vayiḥar is followed by the word af (see the previous verse), and together they mean: His wrath was enflamed. Here, vayiḥar is not followed by af. Therefore, the Sages attribute an additional meaning to it.
Immediately, David feared to bring it to his home, as it is stated: “David feared the Lord on that day, and he said: How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (II Samuel 6:9). What did David do? He diverted it to the home of Oved Edom to remain there, as it is stated: “David was unwilling to transfer the Ark of the Lord to him…and David diverted it to the home of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:10). Oved Edom was a Levite, as it attributes his lineage with the Levites. Oved Edom and his brethren were sixty-two.⁴³See I Chronicles 26:8. Why was his name called Oved? It is because he served [avad] before the Lord properly. Edom, because he reddened [shehedim] David’s face. He was fearful of the Ark lest it kill him, and he serves before it, and the Holy One blessed be He blessed him. “The Gitite” – it is because he was from Gat.
When David returned to Jerusalem, Aḥitofel came and said to him: David, should you not have learned from a small verse that the children read: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, [because the service of the sacred objects was upon them; they bore them upon their shoulders]” (Numbers 7:9)? The Levites bear the Ark; the priests do not bear the Ark. On a shoulder they bear the Ark, not on a wagon. From where is it derived that this is so? For you find when he took it up the second time, there was neither priest nor wagon there, as it is stated: “Then David said not to bear the Ark of God, other than the Levites” (I Chronicles 15:2). And it is written: “The children of the Levites bore the Ark of God [as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord, on their shoulders with the poles on them]” (I Chronicles 15:15).
“The Ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:11) – our Rabbis said: There were two items that were sacred and great, but people believed that they were harsh. So as not to disseminate slander in their regard, it wrote a conspicuous instance of praise and blessing in their regard. These are: Incense and the Ark. Incense, so that a person would not say that the incense is harsh. It was by its means that Nadav and Avihu died; by its means the assembly of Koraḥ were burned; by its means Uziyahu was afflicted with leprosy. That is why the Holy One blessed be He wrote a significant virtue regarding the incense, that Israel was saved by its means, as it is stated: “Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, [and behold, the plague had begun among the people; he placed the incense, and atoned for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked]” (Numbers 17:12–13). The Ark, so that a person will not say that the Ark is harsh. It smote the Philistines, it killed the residents of Beit Shemesh, it killed Uza. That is why it wrote a blessing in its regard, as it is stated: “The Ark of the Lord stayed [in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite for three months, and the Lord blessed Oved Edom and his entire household]” (II Samuel 6:11). It is to teach you that incense and the Ark do not kill, but rather sins kill.
With what did the Holy One blessed be He bless the home of Oved Edom? Rabbi Yosei says: With children; that is what is written: “Oved Edom had sons: Shemaya the firstborn…Yoaḥ the third, and Sakhar the fourth, and Netanel.… Peuletai the eighth, [for God had blessed him]” (I Chronicles 26:4–5). They asked before Rabbi Yoḥanan: What is Peuletai? He said to them: It is because he performed a great action [peula] on behalf of the Torah. What great action did he perform? He would kindle a lamp before the Ark, one lamp in the morning and one lamp in the evening.
Rabbi Yosei rendered it words of parting: If for the Ark that did not eat and drink and requires attention only due to the two tablets that were in it, the home of Oved Edom the Gitite was privileged to be blessed on account of it, one who receives Sages and students with food, drink, and made beds, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will pay him his reward. They said regarding Oved Edom: He had eight sons and eight daughters-in-law, and each and every one of them would give birth to two in one month. How so? She would be impure for seven,⁴⁴Seven days. pure for seven, and give birth; impure for seven, pure for seven, and give birth. Sixteen for each month; for three months that is forty-eight. The sons of Shemaya were six, as it is written: “To Shemaya his son were born sons.… The sons of Shemaya: Otni…” (I Chronicles 26:6–7);⁴⁵According to the midrash, these six sons of Shemaya were born before the Ark arrived. that is fifty-four. His eight, as it is written: “Oved Edom had sons…” (I Chronicles 26:4–5), that is sixty-two. That is what is written: “All these were of the sons of Oved Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, capable men with strength for the service: sixty-two for Oved Edom.” (I Chronicles 26:8). That is, “for God had blessed him” (I Chronicles 26:5). That is why it is stated: “[The Ark of God remained with the household of Oved Edom, in his house three months,] and the Lord blessed the house of Oved Edom…” (I Chronicles 13:14).
David heard after three months that the Holy One blessed be He had blessed Oved Edom and his household. He gathered the elders of Israel, the leaders, and the leaders of the priests and Levites to take up the Ark with great rejoicing, as it is written: “It was told to King David, saying: The Lord has blessed the house of Oved Edom…[David went and took up the Ark of God from the house of Oved Edom to the City of David with rejoicing]” (II Samuel 6:12). And one verse says: “David, and the elders of Israel, [and the captains of thousands, who were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Oved Edom, were joyful]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Who took it up? The Levites took it up. When David saw that the Levites took it up and were not harmed, as Aḥitofel had said to him, he added and slaughtered more offerings before it as Aḥitofel had said initially. That is what is written: “It was as God helped the Levites, [carriers of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams]” (I Chronicles 15:26).
One verse says: “They sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams” (I Chronicles 15:26). And one verse says: “It was when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] would walk six paces, he would slaughter a bull and a fatling” (II Samuel 6:13). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Mana: One said: For each pace a bull and a fatling, and after seven, seven bulls and seven rams. And one said: For each pace seven bulls and seven rams, and at the end a bull and a fatling. The Rabbis say: One verse explains the other: For each seven⁴⁶It should read six paces (Matnot Kehuna). paces, seven bulls and seven rams.⁴⁷Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 10:2. Rav Pappa bar Shmuel said: For each and every pace, a bull and a fatling; for every six steps seven bulls and seven rams. Rav Ḥisda said to him: If so, you have filled the entire Land of Israel with altars. Rather, Rav Ḥisda said: For every six paces, a bull and a fatling, and for every six sets of six paces, seven bulls and seven rams.⁴⁸Sota 35b.
“David was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14) – come and see to what extent David debased himself for the glory of the Holy One blessed be He. David should have been walking before it like a king clad in his royal garments. [He was] not, but rather David donned fine garments in honor of the Ark and reveled before it in any describable manner saying whatever he could say, as it is stated: “David was wrapped in a fine linen robe along with all the Levites who were bearing the Ark…[upon David there was an ephod of linen]” (I Chronicles 15:27).
And it is written: “David was mekharker before the Lord bekhol oz” (II Samuel 6:14) – what is “bekhol oz”? It is with all his might. What is “mekharker”? It is that he was clapping his hands one upon the other and saying: Exalted Lord [kiri ram]. Israel were shouting and sounding the shofars, trumpets, and all musical instruments, as it is stated: “All the house of Israel were taking up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sounding of the shofar” (II Samuel 6:15). And one verse says: “All Israel were taking up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [with shouts, and with sound of a shofar, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with lyres and harps]” (I Chronicles 15:28).
When they arrived in Jerusalem, all the women were peering at David from the rooftops and from the windows and saw him dancing and reveling, but he did not care. That is what is written: “It was, as the Ark of the Lord was entering the City of David [that Mikhal daughter of Saul peered through the window]” (II Samuel 6:16). You see that his wife was peering at him. From where is it derived that the same is true of all the women of Jerusalem? It is as she says: “How honorable today is the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants” (II Samuel 6:20).
“She saw King David mefazez umkharker…” (II Samuel 6:16) – when she saw him conducting himself like a commoner, he was contemptible in her eyes. What is mefazez umkharker? What would he do? Our Rabbis said: He was wearing refined gold garments similar to pure gold [paz]. He would strike his hands one on another and clap, and he would cry kiri ram. He would mefazez. What is mefazez? The refined gold that was on him would produce a clinking sound. Could it be that David did not do any more than that? No. Rather, he would reverse his cloak and leap before it, as it is written elsewhere: “And saw King David dancing and reveling…” (I Chronicles 15:29). All the women were peering at him from the rooftops and the windows, and he did not care. From where do you learn that David would reverse his cloak and leap?⁴⁹The midrash returns to this question later.
It is as you find that once they took it into the City of David, they displayed it in the place that David had prepared for it, and he and Israel offered up burnt offerings before it, as it is written: “They brought the Ark of the Lord, and they displayed it [in its place, within the tent that David had pitched for it]” (II Samuel 6:17). Elsewhere it is written: “They presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God” (I Chronicles 16:1) – after he concluded the offering, he blessed the entire people because they honored the Ark. He gave gifts to them all as an expression of joy for the Ark, and to the women, as it is stated: “David concluded offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, [and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts]. He distributed to all the people, to the entire multitude of Israel, [both men and women, to each, one loaf of bread, one portion of beef [eshpar], and one raisin cake [ashisha]]” (II Samuel 6:18–19). What is eshpar? It is one-sixth [eḥad mishisha] of a bull [bapar]; ashisha, one-sixth of an ephah. Some say: Ashisha – a cask of wine, just as it says: “And lovers of goblets [ashishei] of grapes” (Hosea 3:1).
After all Israel took their leave from him, he turned to bless his household and to bring them joy, due to the overwhelming celebration of the Ark. Mikhal emerged to meet him and disgraced him for debasing himself before the eyes of the women in honor of the Ark. That is what is written: “David returned to bless his household. [Mikhal daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and she said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants, in the manner that one of the idlers is exposed]” (II Samuel 6:20). She did not enable him to enter into the house, but she went out and verbally lambasted him. “She said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” From here you learn that he reversed his cloak and leapt, as she said to him: “Who was exposed today.” She began instigating a quarrel with him, seeking to utterly shame him. She said to him: ‘Have you seen your glory?’ “How honorable today was the king of Israel”? ‘Now you have let it be known that you are king?’ “Who was exposed today” – if only it had been privately, but rather it was “before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” These are the women of Israel, whom she characterizes as maidservants. “In the manner that one of the idlers is exposed” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The idlest of the idlers is the dancing jester, as there is no one idler than he is from any mitzva. That is how David was dancing before the Ark.
She said to him: ‘Today the glory of father’s household has been revealed. Come and see what the difference is between you and father’s household. All members of my father’s household were modest and holy.’ They said about the household of Saul that neither heel nor big toe of theirs was ever seen. That is what is written: “He came to the sheep enclosures upon the way, and there was a cave there. Saul came [to relieve himself]” (I Samuel 24:3). What is, “he came to the sheep enclosures [gidrot]”? Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Elazar: He entered a sheep pen, a gate within a gate. “Saul came to relieve himself [lehasekh et raglav]” – he made himself like a booth [sukka], wrapped in flowing robes and sat in the lavatory. He would lower his garment a bit and raise it a bit, lower it a bit and raise it a bit. David said: It is not proper to harm so modest a body. That is what is written that he said to him: “Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and one said to kill you, and I vataḥas on you” (I Samuel 24:10). It is not written here, “I had compassion [vaaḥus] on you,” but rather, “it has compassion [vataḥas] on you” – your modesty caused there to be compassion on you. That is what Mikhal said to him: ‘The members of father’s household were so modest, and you stand and expose your garment like one of the idlers.’
When she finished her words, he said to her: ‘Was I reveling before a king of flesh and blood? Was it not before the King of kings that I was reveling, who chose me over your father and his entire household? Were your father more righteous than I, would God have chosen me and rejected your father’s household?’ That is what is written: “David said to Mikhal: Before the Lord, [who chose me over your father and over his entire household, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel, I will revel before the Lord]” (II Samuel 6:21). He said to her: ‘Your father was king over Israel alone; I am ruler over Israel and Judah.’ That is what is written: “Over the people of the Lord” – this is the tribe of Judah. “Over Israel” – these are the rest of the tribes.
Another matter: He said to her: ‘The members of your father’s household sought their own glory and forsook the glory of Heaven. I do not do so, but rather, I forsake my own glory and seek the glory of Heaven.’ That is what is written: “I would be demeaned even more than this, [and I would be lowly in my eyes; but with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored]” (II Samuel 6:22). ‘Do not say that I was lowly in the eyes of others and not contemptible in my perception’; the verse states: “And I would be lowly in my eyes.” “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored” – he said to her: ‘Those women whom you characterized as maidservants are not maidservants [amahot], but mothers [imahot]. If only I will have a portion with them in the future.’ That is what is written: “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke” – if only, “with them, I would be honored.”
Because Mikhal said this, she was punished, as it is written thereafter: “Mikhal daughter of Saul did not have a child until the day of her death” (II Samuel 6:23). But is it not written: “Yitre’am, to Egla his wife” (I Chronicles 3:3)? She lowed like a calf [egla] and died.⁵⁰The reference is to Mikhal and that she died in childbirth. That is what is written: “[Mikhal…did not have a child] until the day of her death” – but on the day of her death she had.
There is no person in Israel who debased himself for the mitzvot more than David. That is what is written that he said: “Lord, my heart was not haughty” (Psalms 131:1) – when Samuel anointed me as king; “nor my eyes lofty” (Psalms 131:1) – when I killed Goliath; “and I did not aspire to greatness” (Psalms 131:1) – when they restored me to my kingdom; “or to what is beyond me” (Psalms 131:1) – when I took up the Ark. “Instead I have composed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child on his mother” (Psalms 131:2) – just as this child is not ashamed to be exposed before his mother, so, I have composed myself before You that I was not ashamed to debase myself before You in Your honor. “My soul is like a weaned child” (Psalms 131:2) – like this infant who emerges from his mother’s womb, and he has no haughtiness of spirit to refrain from nursing from his mother’s breasts, so my soul is upon me, as I am not ashamed to study Torah from the insignificant of Israel. Rabbi Ada bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have rendered yourself like a weaned child; as you live, just as this child has no iniquities, so, you have no iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has expunged your sin; you will not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
From here you learn that a person may not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, but rather, he should debase himself for His glory. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The actions of the Holy One blessed be He are unlike the actions of flesh and blood. Why? The cook of flesh and blood has fine garments. When he goes out to the marketplace he wears them, but when he stands and cooks, he removes the nice ones and wears tatters and an apron. Moreover, when he sweeps the stove and the oven, he wears lower-quality garments than those. But before the Holy One blessed be He, when the priest sweeps the altar and removes the ashes, he dons excellent garments, as it is stated: “The priest shall don his linen vestments…” (Leviticus 6:3), so that “he shall remove the ashes” (Leviticus 6:3). Why is it so? It is only to inform you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent.
Likewise, you find that Elazar the priest would comport himself with humility before the Omnipresent. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Elazar was the head of heads, the prince of princes, as it is stated: “The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar son of Aaron the priest…” (Numbers 3:32). See the authority that he possessed, and you assume that because he was a prominent man he would delegate others to bear the vessels that he was supposed to bear. No; rather, he himself would bear them, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest [is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil]” (Numbers 4:16). How did he bear all these? Our Rabbis said: This is how he bore them: The anointing oil in his right, the incense of the spices in his left, and the meal offering of the daily offering of the morning was suspended from his forearm. Where was the one brought in the afternoon placed? Rabbi Aḥa said that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: He would suspend a type of small bowl from his belt, because his loins were girded with a belt like a servant before his master. This is to inform you that there is no haughtiness before God. “The charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16) – as it was he who would give them the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, and the altars and all their utensils, just as it says: “Their commission: The Ark, [the table, the candelabrum, the altars, and the sacred vessels with which they would serve, and the screen, and all its work]. The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar…” (Numbers 3:31–32).

“A man or woman...” – this is what is written: “All the kings of the earth will praise You [yodukha], Lord, as they heard the words of Your mouth” (Psalms 138:4). Rabbi Pinḥas said: The kings of the nations of the world heard three matters from the Holy One blessed be He, and they stood from their thrones and praised [vehodu]. When the Holy One blessed be He gave the Torah to Israel and said: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), the kings of the nations of the world said: He is saying as we would. What king would want another to reject him? Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He, when He said: “You shall have no [other gods]” (Exodus 20:3), they said: What king would want to have a partner? Likewise, when He said: “You shall not take [the name of the Lord your God in vain]” (Exodus 20:7), they said: What king would want people taking oaths in his name and lying? Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He, when He said: “Remember the Shabbat day” (Exodus 20:8), they said: What king would want people not to honor the day that he rested? But when He said: “Honor [your father and your mother]” (Exodus 20:12), they said: According to our protocols, anyone who registers himself to be subservient to the king, he renounces his parents; but this One declares and says: “Honor your father and your mother”? They arose from their thrones and praised him.¹¹All the more so they praised him regarding the prohibitions against murder, adultery, stealing, bearing false testimony, and coveting.
When the Holy One blessed be He said: “For what he misappropriated from the sacred he shall pay” (Leviticus 5:16), they said: According to our protocols, anyone who misappropriates a spinning hook from the emperor must give him the blade of a plow,¹²He is punished much more severely than a person who stole from a commoner, whereas the punishment for one who steals from the sacred (Leviticus 5:16) and one who steals from a commoner (Leviticus 5:24) is the same. but this One declares and says: “For what he misappropriated from the sacred he shall pay”? Moreover, He was more stringent regarding [sins against] with the commoner than He was regarding [sins against] the Most High, as regarding the Most High it is written: “A person who will commit a trespass, [and sins unwittingly]…” (Leviticus 5:15), and regarding a commoner it is written: “A person who shall sin, [and commit a trespass against the Lord]” (Leviticus 5:21); the Torah renders it as though it were intentional.¹³Although in both cases, one incurs liability to bring an offering only if the act was unwitting, regarding the trespass against the commoner, the word unwitting is not mentioned. Moreover, regarding this one, it precedes trespass to sin, while regarding that one, it precedes sin to trespass. This is true not only regarding an Israelite, but it is so even regarding one who robs a proselyte. Who is a God like this who loves those who love Him, and draws near the distant like those who come near in His name? They stood from their thrones and praised him.
Do not say it is only righteous proselytes who converted for the sake of Heaven that the Holy One blessed be He draws near; but even those who converted not for the sake of Heaven, the Holy One blessed be He demands an accounting for the affront to them. That is what is written: “There was a famine in the days of David [for three years, year after year, and David entreated of the Lord. The Lord said: For Saul, and for the bloody house, in that he put the Givonites to death]” (II Samuel 21:1). What is “year after year”? It teaches that they were three consecutive years. When David saw that the famine began to come in his days, he said: Due to the iniquity of five matters rain does not fall: It is due to the iniquity of idolaters, of engagers in illicit relations, of shedders of blood, of pledgers of charity in public who do not give, and due to the iniquity of those who do not distribute their tithes properly.
Due to the iniquity of idolaters, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Beware, lest your heart be seduced [and you stray and serve other gods]” (Deuteronomy 11:16), and it says: “The wrath of the Lord will be enflamed against you, [and He will restrain the heavens and there will be no rain]” (Deuteronomy 11:17).
Due to the iniquity of engagers in illicit relations, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “You defiled the land with your licentiousness…” (Jeremiah 3:2), and it says: “Raindrops were withheld and [there was no] late rain” (Jeremiah 3:3).
Due to the iniquity of shedders of blood, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “For blood defiles [yaḥanif] the land” (Numbers 35:33); blood will cause wrath to settle [yiḥan af] upon the land.¹⁴From the previous derivation, the result of wrath is: ”And He will restrain the heavens and there will be no rain.”
Due to the iniquity of pledgers of charity in public who do not give, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Clouds and wind but no rain” (Proverbs 25:14). Why? [Because of] “a man who glories in a false gift” (Proverbs 25:14).
Due to the iniquity of those who do not distribute their tithes properly, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Bring all the tithe to the storehouse…[test Me now with this…if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out an endless blessing for you]” (Malachi 3:10).
During the first year, David began admonishing his generation during the pilgrimage festival, and he said to them: Are there, perhaps, people among you who are idolaters, as the heavens are restrained from having rain fall only due to that iniquity? They went out and sought, but did not find. The second year, he said to them: Are there, perhaps, illicit sexual relations among you, as the heavens are restrained only due to that? They went out and sought, but did not find. The third year, he said to them: Are there, perhaps, shedders of blood, pledgers of charity in public who do not give, or withholders of tithes among you, as the heavens are restrained only due to them? They went out and sought, but did not find.
From then on, David said: The matter is dependent solely upon me. He began consulting the Urim and the Tumim. That is what is written: “David entreated of the Lord” (II Samuel 21:1). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: That [indicates] he consulted the Urim and the Tumim. Rabbi Elazar said that the source of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish is that he derives a verbal analogy: penei, penei. Here it is written: “David entreated of the Lord [penei Hashem],” and there it is written: “Before [velifnei] Elazar the priest he shall stand, and he will inquire for him [regarding the judgment of the Urim before the Lord]” (Numbers 27:21).
The Holy One blessed be He said to him: David, you are protected from sin; rather, it is due to Saul and the bloody house. That is what is written: “The Lord said: For Saul, and for the bloody house, [in that he put the Givonites to death]” (II Samuel 21:1). “For Saul” – because you did not perform kindness with him and he was not eulogized properly. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: David, is he not Saul who was anointed with the anointing oil? Is he not Saul, who, during his reign, no idol worship was performed in Israel? Is he not Saul, whose portion is with Samuel the prophet, and you are in the land [of Israel] and he is outside the land?¹⁵He is buried in Yavesh Gilad, which is located east of the Jordan River.
“And for the bloody house in that he put the Givonites to death” (II Samuel 21:1) – Where do we find that he put the Givonites to death? Rather, due to the fact that he killed [the residents] of Nov, the city of priests, to whom they would supply water and food, the verse ascribes to him as though he put them to death.¹⁶The Givonites would earn their livelihood by supplying food and water to Nov. Rabbi Elazar said: It is written: “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have performed his judgment” (Zephaniah 2:3). What is “who performed his judgment”? It is that he implements His judgment and His reward for performance simultaneously. You find the Holy One blessed be He demanding justice for the Givonites from Saul, and remembering Saul’s deeds in order to pay him a good reward.
At that moment, David said: Is it on behalf of these proselytes that the Holy One blessed be He did so to His people? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: If you distance the distant, ultimately, you will distance those who are near. Come and learn from your master Joshua, who, when the Givonites said: “Come up to us quickly, and save us and help us” (Joshua 10:6), Joshua said: Will we burden the community on behalf of these proselytes? The Holy One blessed be He said to Joshua: If you distance the distant, ultimately, you will distance those who are near. Go out and learn from where are your origins? Are they not from strangers, as it is stated: “To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born…[Manasseh and Ephraim]” (Genesis 46:20), and it is written: “For the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea¹⁷Hoshea is Joshua (Numbers 13:16). son of Nun (Numbers 13:8)?
Immediately, “the king summoned the Givonites and spoke with them. The Givonites [were not of the children of Israel…and the children of Israel had taken an oath to them]” (II Samuel 21:2). “The Givonites were not of the children of Israel” – how is this matter relevant here? Rather, this is what the verse is saying: Because David summoned the Givonites and spoke with them, but they did not accept it¹⁸His offer of compensation. from him, that is why “the Givonites were not of the children of Israel,” as David arose and distanced them that they may not marry with the congregation [of Israel]. That is what we learned: The netinim¹⁹This is a reference to the Givonites, based on the verse: “Joshua rendered them [vayitnem] that day hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:27). may not enter the congregation.²⁰See Mishna Yevamot (78:2). At that moment, David said: The Holy One blessed be He gave three gifts to Israel: Being merciful, self-effacing, and performers of acts of kindness. Merciful, as it is stated: “He will give you mercy, and He will be merciful to you, and He will increase you” (Deuteronomy 13:18). Self-effacing, as it is written: “So that His fear will be on your faces, so that you will not sin” (Exodus 20:17) – this is a sign for the self-effacing that they do not sin. Anyone who does not have the quality of self-effacement, it is a certainty that his ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai. Performers of acts of kindness, as it is stated: “So that he shall command his children and his household [after him…to perform righteousness and justice]” (Genesis 18:19), and it is written: “The Lord your God will maintain for you the covenant and the kindness” (Deuteronomy 7:12). And these have none of these qualities in them. Immediately, he arose and distanced them. That is what is written: “The Givonites were not of the children of Israel” – they are not worthy to become intermingled with them. Even though they are proselytes, their ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai, because they are considered to be of the Canaanites. That is what is written: “But rather from the remnant of the Emorites” (II Samuel 21:2). What is written in their regard? “You shall not marry them” (Deuteronomy 7:3). These too, like them, are not worthy to cleave to Israel.
One verse says: “The men of Israel said to the Hivites…” (Joshua 9:7), but here, it calls them Emorites. Rather, they were from the Emorites. Why, then, does it call them Hivite? It is because they performed the act of the serpent.²¹Serpent is ḥivya in Aramaic. The serpent said: I know that the Holy One blessed be He said to you: “As on the day that you eat of it you will die” (Genesis 2:17). Rather, I will go and deceive them. They will eat and be punished, and I will inherit the earth for myself. The Givonites did the same. They said: We know that the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “Rather, you shall destroy them, the Hittites, the Emorites…” (Deuteronomy 20:17), “You shall not make a covenant with them…” (Deuteronomy 7:2). Rather, we will go and deceive them, and they will make a covenant with us. Perforce, either they will put us to death and will violate the oath or they will sustain us and will violate the decree. In any case they will be punished, and we will inherit the land for ourselves. Therefore, when Joshua saw that this was so, he said to them: “Why did you deceive us…?” (Joshua 9:23). Joshua said to them: You performed the act of the serpent; therefore, you will receive the retribution of the serpent. Rabbi Elazar said: He cursed them like the serpent, as it is written: “Now, you are accursed” (Joshua 9:23), just as it is written regarding the serpent: “You are more accursed than all the animals” (Genesis 3:14).
What is, “the children of Israel took an oath to them” (II Samuel 21:2)? David said: When the children of Israel took an oath to them, they left the matter dependent upon me, so that if I wish to distance them or to draw them near, I have license to do so. I am distancing them. From where is it derived that they left the matter dependent upon David? It is written: “Joshua rendered them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water [for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord to this day, in the place that He would choose]” (Joshua 9:27). Rabbi Ami said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: After it said: “For the congregation and for the altar of the Lord,” what need was there to say: “In the place that He would choose [yivḥar]”? Rather, Joshua left it dependent upon David. He said: I will neither draw them near nor distance them. Rather, the one who is destined to build the Temple [beit habeḥira], if he arrives at the decision to draw them near, he will draw them near; to distance them, he will distance them. When David came and saw that they were cruel, he distanced them. Ezra, too, distanced them, as it is written: “The netinim lived in the Ofel…” (Nehemiah 11:21).²²They were distinct from the rest of Israel. In the future, too, the Holy One blessed be He will distance them, as it is stated: “Those who labor in the city,²³The midrash is explaining that “those who labor in the city” refers to the Givonites, who were drawers of water and hewers of wood for the altar in Jerusalem. will till it [yaavduhu], from all the tribes of Israel.” (Ezekiel 48:19) – they will be eradicated [ye’abeduhu] from all the tribes of Israel.
“Saul sought to smite them” (II Samuel 21:2) – even though he did not smite them, they acted cruelly toward him. This is to teach you that David did not distance them for naught. “In his zeal on behalf of the children of Israel and Judah” (II Samuel 21:2) – even though Saul became angry at them only due to the zeal that he had on behalf of Israel and Judah, and he did so not due to hatred that he hated them. Nevertheless, they did not have mercy on his offspring. What is that zeal? It is due to the fact that they did not reveal to him where David was hiding.
Immediately, David sent and summoned them: What is with you and the house of Saul? They said to him: It is because he put an end to our livelihood, and he put seven of our people to death; two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, an official, a scribe, and an attendant. He said to them: What do you seek now? That is what is written: “David said to the Givonites: “What shall I do for you? With what shall I atone, so that you will bless the inheritance of the Lord” (II Samuel 21:3)? He said to them: What benefit will there be for you if you kill a person from the house of Saul? Rather, tell me with what remedy shall I provide you so you will be placated? How much silver and gold shall I give you as ransom for your lives? “With what shall I atone [akhaper],” just as it says: “When ransom [kofer] is imposed upon him, he shall give redemption of his life” (Exodus 21:30), so that the famine will cease? That is what is written: “So that you will bless the inheritance of the Lord”; just as it says: “Jacob blessed Pharaoh” (Genesis 47:7), he blessed him that the famine would cease.
“The Givonites said to him: We have [lanu] no silver or gold with Saul or with his house” (II Samuel 21:4) – li is written, but it is read lanu.²⁴Li means “I have,” whereas lanu means “we have.” Why is it so? David said to them: ‘What benefit would there be for you in their being killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves.’ They said to him: ‘We do not seek silver and gold from Saul and from his house. He did not owe us any money so that we should take money from him, but rather, he owes us lives and we seek lives.’ David said: Perhaps this half of them is intimidated by the other half. He took each one separately and sought to placate him by himself. He said to him: ‘What benefit would there be for you in their being killed? Take money.’ He said to him: ‘I have no silver or gold with Saul or with his house. We have no interest in seeking any others, but only him, as his servants did not wish to extend their hand against the priests, nor against us,’ as it is stated: “But the king's servants were unwilling to extend their hand to harm the priests of the Lord” (I Samuel 22:17). That is, “We would not have any man in Israel put to death” (II Samuel 21:4).
When David saw that they did not accept it from him, he said to them: ‘What do you say that I should do for you? If it is lives that you seek, I will do it.’ That is what is written: “What do you say that I shall do for you?” (II Samuel 21:4). When David said that to them, they said to him: ‘We do not seek to exact retribution against him for his full measure. He sought to destroy us all, so we would have no standing within the entire boundary of Israel; we are not demanding all his offspring, but only seven, corresponding to the seven that he killed from us.’ That is what is written: “They said to the king: The man who eradicated us [asher kilanu], and who devised against us, [so that we would be destroyed from standing within the entire border of Israel]” (II Samuel 21:5). Asher kilanu contains seven letters, corresponding to the seven people among them whom he put to death. “Let seven men of his offspring be given to us, and we will impale them before the Lord in Giva of Saul, chosen of the Lord” (II Samuel 21:6) – so that the entire world will see, will be afraid, and will no longer continue to mistreat proselytes. That is why it is written: “Before the Lord,” as He commanded to treat proselytes well, but he mistreated them. Why in Giva of Saul? So that they will know that if the Holy One blessed be He did not show favor to the king, all the more so to commoners.
“Chosen of the Lord” (II Samuel 21:6)? They are denouncing him and calling him “chosen of the Lord”? Rather, they said: “In Giva of Saul,” and a Divine Voice emerged and said: “Chosen of the Lord.”
When David saw that his problem was a problem, he told them: ‘I will give.’ That is what is written: “The king said: I will give” (II Samuel 21:6). “The king had compassion for Mefivoshet son of Yonatan [son of Saul]” (II Samuel 21:7) – because he was a great Torah personality, David set his sights on rescuing him from their hand. David said: I will pass them before the altar. Anyone whom the altar accepts will be under its auspices. He passed them before the altar and prayed on his behalf, and the altar went and accepted him. That is what is written: “I cry out to God Most High, to the Almighty who accomplishes for me” (Psalms 57:3); the Holy One blessed be He agreed with David. “The king took the two sons of Ritzpa daughter of Aya, whom she bore to Saul…[and the five sons of Mikhal daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzilai the Meḥolatite]” (II Samuel 21:8). But is it not written: “Mikhal daughter of Saul did not have a child until the day of her death” (II Samuel 6:23)? And where is Merav?²⁵Merav was married to Adriel (I Samuel 18:19). Say now that they were the sons of Merav, but Mikhal raised them and they are attributed to her name. “He gave them into the hand of the Givonites, and they impaled them on the mountain before the Lord. The seven of them [shevatam] fell together” (II Samuel 21:9). Shevatam is written without a yod;²⁶As opposed to shivatayim. this is Mefivoshet, who was spared, who was lacking from the seven.
“And they were put to death during the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest” (II Samuel 21:9) – it teaches that they were killed on the sixteenth of Nisan, the day on which the omer is sacrificed.
“Ritzpa daughter of Aya took sackcloth, and spread it for herself over the rock [hatzur]” (II Samuel 21:10) – what is “over the rock”? Rabbi Hoshaya said: “As she would say: “The Rock, His deeds are perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4).
“From the beginning of harvest until water dripped upon them from the heavens” (II Samuel 21:10) – Rabbi Aḥa bar Zevina said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya the Great: Sanctifying the Name is greater than profaning the Name. Regarding profaning the Name, it is written: “His corpse shall not remain overnight upon the tree” (Deuteronomy 21:23).²⁷Leaving a corpse hanging on the tree for an extended time is considered to be profaning the Name. See Rashi on Deuteronomy 21:23. Regarding sanctifying the Name, it is written: “From the beginning of harvest until water dripped upon them from the heavens.”²⁸The sanctification of the Name caused by leaving them on the tree for an extended period outweighs the profanation of the Name caused by leaving them. It teaches that they remained hanging from the sixteenth of Nisan until the seventeenth of Marḥeshvan.
But is it not written: “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, [and sons shall not be put to death for the fathers]” (Deuteronomy 24:16)? But sons died for the sin of their father. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is preferable for one letter to be uprooted from the Torah than to have the name of Heaven profaned in public. The nations of the world were saying: The Torah of these is fraudulent; it is written in their Torah: “His corpse shall not remain overnight” (Deuteronomy 21:23), and these are hanging for seven months. It is written in their Torah: Two are not sentenced on one day,²⁹Mishna Sanhedrin 45b. and these seven were [sentenced] together. It is written in the Torah: “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, [and sons shall not be put to death for the fathers],” but these were killed for the sin of their fathers. They were asking: What did these do that the attribute of justice was altered in their regard? Israel would say to them: ‘It is because their ancestors extended their hand to mistreat unsought proselytes.’ They said to them: ‘What is their nature?’ They [Israel] said to them: ‘These are the proselytes who converted in the days of Joshua.’ They said to them: ‘It is on behalf of these accursed unsought proselytes that the Holy One blessed be He did so to His people? If this is so for the sons of kings, all the more so for commoners. If for these who did not convert for the sake of Heaven, see how the Holy One blessed be He exacted punishment for their blood, one who converts for the sake of Heaven, all the more so. Certainly, there is no god like their God, and there is no nation like their nation, and we should cleave only to this nation, whose God is greater than any god.’ Immediately, many proselytes converted from the nations of the world, at that moment, one hundred fifty thousand, as it is stated: “Solomon counted all the proselytes who were in the Land of Israel, after the count that David his father counted them; and they were found to be one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred” (II Chronicles 2:16). Solomon rendered from among them seventy thousand porters and eighty thousand quarriers in the mountains, as it is stated: “Solomon counted seventy thousand porters [and eighty thousand quarriers in the mountains.]” (II Chronicles 2:1).
Why to that extent? It is to inform that the Holy One blessed be He draws the distant near and supports the distant like the near. Moreover, he gives precedence to the distant over the near, as it is stated: “Peace, peace, for the distant and the near” (Isaiah 57:19). That is, “until water dripped upon them from the heavens” (II Samuel 21:10).
What is “she did not allow the birds of the heavens to rest upon them” (II Samuel 21:10)? Come and see the kindness that Ritzpa daughter of Aya performed on their behalf, as she protected them during the day from the birds of the heavens and at night from the beasts of the field, for seven months. Although the Holy One blessed be He had said to David that it was for Saul, because he was not eulogized properly and he is buried outside the land, David was dilatory regarding the eulogy, as he said: Twelve months of the year have passed already, and it is not customary to mourn for him. When they told him of the actions of Ritzpa daughter of Aya, he reasoned an a fortiori inference himself: If she, who is a woman, acted so in performance of kindness, I, who am king, all the more so. Immediately, he went to perform kindness for them. That is what is written: “It was reported to David what [Ritzpa daughter of Aya] had done.… David went and took the bones of Saul [and the bones of Yonatan his son].… He took up from there the bones of Saul [and the bones of Yonatan his son, and they collected the bones of the impaled]’ (II Samuel 21:11–13). What did David do? He stood and assembled all the elders of Israel and the eminent among them, and they crossed the Jordan and came to Yavesh Gilad. They located the bones of Saul and Yonatan, placed them in a coffin, and crossed the Jordan, as it is stated: “They buried the bones of Saul and Yehonatan his son [in the land of Benjamin in Tzela, in the grave of Kish his father. They did everything that the king commanded]” (II Samuel 21:14). What is “in Tzela, in the grave of Kish his father”? It teaches that they brought him to the border of Jerusalem and buried him there, as Tzela is alongside Jerusalem, as it is stated: “And Tzela, HaElef, and the Yevusite, which is Jerusalem…” (Joshua 18:28).
“They did everything that the king commanded” (II Samuel 21:14) – what did the king command? He commanded that they should circulate Saul’s coffin to each and every tribe. The tribe into which Saul’s coffin entered would emerge, they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, and they performed kindness for Saul and his sons, so that all of Israel would fulfill their obligation with the performance of acts of kindness. They did so until they reached his ancestral land, to the border of Jerusalem.
When the Holy One blessed be He saw that all of Israel had performed acts of kindness for him and had executed justice for the Givonites, He immediately became filled with mercy and provided rain on the land, as it is stated: “God acceded to the entreaty of the land thereafter” (II Samuel 21:14). We learned the extent to which the Holy One blessed be He draws the distant near, even though they converted not for the sake of Heaven, and it goes without saying regarding righteous proselytes. That is, “all kings of the earth will praise You, Lord…” (Psalms 138:4).