וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב שְׁ֠לֹמֹה עַל־כִּסֵּ֨א יְהוָ֧ה ׀ לְמֶ֛לֶךְ תַּֽחַת־דָּוִ֥יד אָבִ֖יו וַיַּצְלַ֑ח וַיִּשְׁמְע֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Lalu Salomo duduk di atas takhta Yang Mahakekal sebagai raja menggantikan Daud, ayahnya. Ia berhasil, dan seluruh Israel taat kepadanya.
Rabbeinu Bahya
It is important that you understand how Onkelos’ translation reflects the fact that there were actually two thrones, one underneath the other, and that the words תחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת ספיר refer to the lower of the thrones which is described here as “beneath its feet,” i.e. beneath the feet of the higher throne. The lower throne appeared to these nobles of The Children of Israel as מעשה לבנת ספיר. (The concept of the two thrones appears already in Chagigah 14) It is a fact that there are two thrones. This is why our verse wanted to make clear to you that beneath the upper throne there is a lower throne to which the description of the vision seen by the nobles of the Children of Israel became privy as a result of their vision.
The three foundations of G’d’s throne which we mentioned earlier are actually six and this is the mystical dimension of the verse in the Book of Kings dealing with details of Solomon’s throne (Kings I, 10,19). We read שש מעלות לכסא, “six steps were leading up to the throne.” The reason for this was that Solomon in his wisdom wanted to include in the construction of his own throne the מעלות, “advantages or virtues” of both the thrones in the celestial regions concerning which it has been written in Psalms 122,5: “for there the throne of judgment stood, thrones of the house of David.” This is the meaning of Chronicles I 29,23: “Solomon sat on the ‘throne of the Lord.’” This description applies to times when Israel enjoyed G’d’s goodwill. On the other hand, in times of Divine anger at Israel, the applicable verse is Daniel 7,9: עד די כרסון רמיו, “I watched until thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days took His seat....His throne was tongues of flame, etc.”
The three foundations of G’d’s throne which we mentioned earlier are actually six and this is the mystical dimension of the verse in the Book of Kings dealing with details of Solomon’s throne (Kings I, 10,19). We read שש מעלות לכסא, “six steps were leading up to the throne.” The reason for this was that Solomon in his wisdom wanted to include in the construction of his own throne the מעלות, “advantages or virtues” of both the thrones in the celestial regions concerning which it has been written in Psalms 122,5: “for there the throne of judgment stood, thrones of the house of David.” This is the meaning of Chronicles I 29,23: “Solomon sat on the ‘throne of the Lord.’” This description applies to times when Israel enjoyed G’d’s goodwill. On the other hand, in times of Divine anger at Israel, the applicable verse is Daniel 7,9: עד די כרסון רמיו, “I watched until thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days took His seat....His throne was tongues of flame, etc.”
Chizkuni
כי יד על כס יה, “for as long Israel will possess the power to appoint to sit on the throne of G-d;” we know of a similar though strangely sounding formulation, from Chronicles I 29,23: וישב שלמה על כסא ה' למלך תחת דוד אביר“Solomon successfully took over the throne of the Lord as king instead of his father David.” The verse describes conditions when it will be possible to wage G-d’s war against Amalek.
Ramban
FOR THE HAND UPON ‘KEIS Y-AH’ (THE THRONE OF THE ETERNAL). “The hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is raised to swear by His throne that He will maintain [a state of] war and enmity against Amalek forever. Now what is the significance of the word keis, and why does it not say kisei [as usual]? Furthermore, even the Divine Name is divided into half!482The Tetragrammaton consists of four letters, while here only the first two letters are mentioned. [The answer is that] the Holy One, blessed be He, swore that the throne will not be perfect and the Name will not be full until He will blot out the name of Amalek the son of Esau.483Amalek was a grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12). And when his name will be blotted out, then will G-d’s Name be full and the throne perfect, as it is said, The foe — they are destroyed; perpetual ruins.484Psalms 9:7. [This refers to Esau,485In our Rashi: “Amalek.” of whom it is said, And he kept his wrath for ever.]486Amos 1:11. Their very memorial is perished.484Psalms 9:7. What is written after that? And the Eternal is enthroned for ever.487Psalms 9:8. Thus you see [that after Amalek’s memory has perished], G-d’s Name is full. He hath established ‘kis’o’ (His throne) for judgment.487Psalms 9:8. Thus you see that the throne will be perfect.” Thus far the language of Rashi, and it is a Midrash of the Sages.488Tanchuma, Ki Theitzei 11.
Some scholars489Mentioned in Ibn Ezra in the name of Rabbi Yeshuah. explain the verse as meaning that “when there will be a ‘hand,’ [i.e., king, as explained further], upon the throne of the Eternal,490The expression found in this verse before us. the Eternal will have war with Amalek, and so shall it be from generation to generation.” The purport of this is that when there will be a king in Israel sitting upon the throne of the Eternal,490The expression found in this verse before us. he shall wage war against Amalek, thus alluding to Saul, the first king [of Israel]. And so shall it continue from generation to generation, that every king of Israel shall be duty-bound to fight with them until their name will extinct.
The following is also a Midrash of the Gemara,491See Seder Bo, Note 204. as found in [Tractate Sanhedrin] in the chapter of the High Priest:492Sanhedrin 20b. See also Maimonides’ “The Commandments,” I, pp. 202-203. “By saying, The hand upon the throne of the Eternal: the Eternal will have war with Amalek from generation to generation, Scripture intimates that the Israelites must first appoint a king over themselves [before they are to annihilate the offspring of Amalek], for the throne of the Eternal refers only to the king, as it is said, Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Eternal.493I Chronicles 29:23. Ramban thus brought proof to the opinion of those scholars mentioned above, who interpret this verse as containing a hint that the reckoning with Amalek is to be deferred until there will be a king in Israel. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, this is correct.
And by way of the Truth, [that is, the mystic lore of the Cabala, the verse is to be understood as meaning] that the Hand, [i.e., the attribute of justice], which is upon the throne of Y-ah, and which is the war from the Eternal, will continue with Amalek from generation to generation, for the high attribute of justice will pursue his extinction forever from generation to generation. The Midrash of the Sages [mentioned above] concerning “the full Divine Name” and “the perfect throne” allude to this [interpretation by way of the Truth].
Now the reason for the punishment of Amalek, i.e., why punitive measures were meted out to him more than to all other nations, is that when all the nations heard [of G-d’s visitation upon the Egyptians], they trembled. Philistia, Edom, and Moab and the inhabitants of Canaan melted away494Above, 15:14-15. from before the terror of the Eternal, and from the Glory of His majesty,495Isaiah 2:10. whereas Amalek came from afar as if to make himself master over G-d. It is for this reason that it is said concerning him, and he feared not G-d.496Deuteronomy 25:18. Besides, he was a descendant of Esau and related to us,497As a relative he was obligated to show kindness towards us. Instead, he behaved very cruelly: he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou was faint and weary (ibid.) a passer-by who meddles with a quarrel not his own.498Proverbs, 26:17. Amalek had no reason to fear attacks from Israel, as they were not bent on taking his land. Amalek’s interposition was thus “meddling with a quarrel not his own.”
Yithro
Some scholars489Mentioned in Ibn Ezra in the name of Rabbi Yeshuah. explain the verse as meaning that “when there will be a ‘hand,’ [i.e., king, as explained further], upon the throne of the Eternal,490The expression found in this verse before us. the Eternal will have war with Amalek, and so shall it be from generation to generation.” The purport of this is that when there will be a king in Israel sitting upon the throne of the Eternal,490The expression found in this verse before us. he shall wage war against Amalek, thus alluding to Saul, the first king [of Israel]. And so shall it continue from generation to generation, that every king of Israel shall be duty-bound to fight with them until their name will extinct.
The following is also a Midrash of the Gemara,491See Seder Bo, Note 204. as found in [Tractate Sanhedrin] in the chapter of the High Priest:492Sanhedrin 20b. See also Maimonides’ “The Commandments,” I, pp. 202-203. “By saying, The hand upon the throne of the Eternal: the Eternal will have war with Amalek from generation to generation, Scripture intimates that the Israelites must first appoint a king over themselves [before they are to annihilate the offspring of Amalek], for the throne of the Eternal refers only to the king, as it is said, Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Eternal.493I Chronicles 29:23. Ramban thus brought proof to the opinion of those scholars mentioned above, who interpret this verse as containing a hint that the reckoning with Amalek is to be deferred until there will be a king in Israel. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, this is correct.
And by way of the Truth, [that is, the mystic lore of the Cabala, the verse is to be understood as meaning] that the Hand, [i.e., the attribute of justice], which is upon the throne of Y-ah, and which is the war from the Eternal, will continue with Amalek from generation to generation, for the high attribute of justice will pursue his extinction forever from generation to generation. The Midrash of the Sages [mentioned above] concerning “the full Divine Name” and “the perfect throne” allude to this [interpretation by way of the Truth].
Now the reason for the punishment of Amalek, i.e., why punitive measures were meted out to him more than to all other nations, is that when all the nations heard [of G-d’s visitation upon the Egyptians], they trembled. Philistia, Edom, and Moab and the inhabitants of Canaan melted away494Above, 15:14-15. from before the terror of the Eternal, and from the Glory of His majesty,495Isaiah 2:10. whereas Amalek came from afar as if to make himself master over G-d. It is for this reason that it is said concerning him, and he feared not G-d.496Deuteronomy 25:18. Besides, he was a descendant of Esau and related to us,497As a relative he was obligated to show kindness towards us. Instead, he behaved very cruelly: he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou was faint and weary (ibid.) a passer-by who meddles with a quarrel not his own.498Proverbs, 26:17. Amalek had no reason to fear attacks from Israel, as they were not bent on taking his land. Amalek’s interposition was thus “meddling with a quarrel not his own.”
Yithro