사무엘상 31:4의 미드라쉬

Our Rabbis were taught that five were created with something similar to the design of Heaven, and all were in the end punished through that very same design: Samson with his unusual strength; Saul with his extraordinary neck; Abshalom with his wonderful long locks; King Zedekiah with his unusual bright eyes; and King Assah with his powerful legs. Samson with his strength, as it is written (Jud. 16, 19) And his strength departed from him; Saul with his extraordinary neck, as it is written (I Sam. 31, 4) Therefore Saul took his sword and fell upon it; Abshalom with his wonderful locks; as it is written (Sam. 18, 9) And his head caught hold of the oak; Zedekiah with his unusually bright eyes, as it is written (II Sam. 25, 7) And he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah! Assa with his powerful legs, as it is written (I Kings 15, 23) Nevertheless in the time of his old age he became diseased in his feet; and R. Juda in the name of Rab said: "This means that he became sick with gout." Mar Zutra, the son of R. Nachman, said to R. Nachman: "What kind of a sickness is gout: "Like needles sticking in the flesh." Whence did he learn this? According to some, R. Nachman himself suffered with it, and according to others he had a tradition from his teacher, and again, according to others, he knew it as the passage says (Ps. 25, 14) The secret counsel of the Lord is for those that fear Him and his covenant to make it known to Him. Raba expounded: "Why was King Assah punished in his legs?" "Because he seized scholars for public service, as it is said (I Kings 15, 22) Then King Asa made a proclamation unto all Juda; none being exempted. What does none being exempted mean? Said R. Juda in the name of Rab: "Even a groom from his chamber and a bride from under her canopy."