Midrash su I Samuele 17:11
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע שָׁאוּל֙ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּחַ֥תּוּ וַיִּֽרְא֖וּ מְאֹֽד׃ (פ)
E quando Saul e tutto Israele sentirono quelle parole del Filisteo, furono sgomenti e spaventati.
Esther Rabbah
“The young woman who will please the king will reign in place of Vashti. The proposal pleased the king and he did so” (Esther 2:4).
“The young woman who will please the king” – who is fitting for this thing? 15Fit to raise the woman who would be chosen as queen. Mordekhai – “there was a Jewish man in the Shushan citadel, and his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5).16This is the immediately following verse. This and the subsequent passages are all cases where the midrash addresses the juxtaposition of two verses. It asks about the first verse: who is fitting for this thing? It then finds the answer in the next verse.
Similarly, “God saw the children of Israel and God knew” (Exodus 2:25). Who is fitting for this matter? Moses – “And Moses was herding” (Exodus 3:1).
Similarly, “Samuel said to the men of Israel: Go, each man to his city” (I Samuel 8:22). Who is fitting for this thing [to be appointed king]? Saul, as it is stated: “There was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish…[and he had a son and his name was Saul…]” (I Samuel 9:1–2).
Similarly, “Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and were greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:11). Who is fitting for this thing [fighting Goliath]? David – “David was the son of that Efrati [from Bethlehem]” (I Samuel 17:12).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said two things. It is written: “He [Yavin king of Canaan] oppressed the children of Israel strongly [beḥozka] for twenty years” (Judges 4:3). What is beḥozka? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: With cursing and blaspheming. That is what is written: “Your words have been harsh against Me” (Malachi 3:13). Who is fitting for this thing? Deborah, as it is written: “Deborah was a prophetess, wife of Lapidot” (Judges 4:4).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said another: “The people, the princes of Gilad, said one to another: Who is the man who will begin to wage war against the children of Amon? He will be the head of all the inhabitants of Gilad” (Judges 10:18). Who is fitting for this thing? Yiftaḥ – “Yiftaḥ the Giladite was a mighty warrior” (Judges 11:1).
“The young woman who will please the king” – who is fitting for this thing? 15Fit to raise the woman who would be chosen as queen. Mordekhai – “there was a Jewish man in the Shushan citadel, and his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5).16This is the immediately following verse. This and the subsequent passages are all cases where the midrash addresses the juxtaposition of two verses. It asks about the first verse: who is fitting for this thing? It then finds the answer in the next verse.
Similarly, “God saw the children of Israel and God knew” (Exodus 2:25). Who is fitting for this matter? Moses – “And Moses was herding” (Exodus 3:1).
Similarly, “Samuel said to the men of Israel: Go, each man to his city” (I Samuel 8:22). Who is fitting for this thing [to be appointed king]? Saul, as it is stated: “There was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish…[and he had a son and his name was Saul…]” (I Samuel 9:1–2).
Similarly, “Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and were greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:11). Who is fitting for this thing [fighting Goliath]? David – “David was the son of that Efrati [from Bethlehem]” (I Samuel 17:12).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said two things. It is written: “He [Yavin king of Canaan] oppressed the children of Israel strongly [beḥozka] for twenty years” (Judges 4:3). What is beḥozka? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: With cursing and blaspheming. That is what is written: “Your words have been harsh against Me” (Malachi 3:13). Who is fitting for this thing? Deborah, as it is written: “Deborah was a prophetess, wife of Lapidot” (Judges 4:4).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said another: “The people, the princes of Gilad, said one to another: Who is the man who will begin to wage war against the children of Amon? He will be the head of all the inhabitants of Gilad” (Judges 10:18). Who is fitting for this thing? Yiftaḥ – “Yiftaḥ the Giladite was a mighty warrior” (Judges 11:1).
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