Midrash su I Samuele 12:4

R. Jochanan said: "All the prophets were rich — This we infer from the account of Moses, Samuel, Ammos, and Jonah. Of Moses, as it is written (Ib. 17, 15) I have not taken away an ass of anyone of them. Shall we assume that it means without payment, is this a praise for Moses that he was not of those who took things without paying for them? We must therefore say that even with payment he never took [because he had his own.]" But perhaps this was because he was poor and he did not have sufficient funds with which to pay? Again we must infer this from the above Hew thee out, which means the chips shall be yours. Of Samuel, as it is written (I Sam. 12, 3) Behold, here am I, testify against me in the presence of the Lord and in the presence of His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? etc. Shall we assume that he means without payment. Is it possible that he only means to exclude himself from those who take things without paying for them? We must therefore say that he did not use them, even to pay for these articles, because he was rich. But perhaps it was on the contrary, because he was a poor man and could not afford to pay for them? We must therefore say that the inference is from the following (Ib. 7, 17) And his return was to Ramah: for there was his home. Whereupon Raba explained this that wherever he went he had his home with him [he took along his household with him, hence he was a rich man.] Raba said: "The things said concerning Samuel were even greater than those said concerning Moses; for while concerning Moses it is written, I have not taken away an ass of any one of them, which means not without their consent, but concerning Samuel it is said that he did not hire one even when Israel offered him with their good will, as it is said (I Sam. 12, 4) And they said. Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou depressed, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least." Of Amos, as it is written (Amos 7, 14) Then answered Amos, and said to Amazyah, I am no prophet, nor am I a prophet's son, but I am a herdsman and a gatherer of wild figs, upon which R. Joseph explained it through the Targum that it means, I am an owner of flocks and I have fig trees down in the valley. Of Jonah, as it is written (Johan 1, 3) )And he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tharshish, from the presence of the Lord; and R. Jochanan explained this that he paid for the entire cargo [in order that they should sail with him immediately,] and R. Humnus said that the price of a ship was four thousand golden dinarim.