וְאַתָּ֞ה בֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם אֶפְרָ֗תָה צָעִיר֙ לִֽהְיוֹת֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִמְּךָ֙ לִ֣י יֵצֵ֔א לִֽהְי֥וֹת מוֹשֵׁ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמוֹצָאֹתָ֥יו מִקֶּ֖דֶם מִימֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃
딸 군대여 너는 떼를 모을지어다 그들이 우리를 에워쌌으니 막대기로 이스라엘 재판자의 뺨을 치리로다
Ramban
A ‘KIVRATH’ OF LAND. Menachem ben Saruk207See Note 347, Seder Noach. explained the word as having the meaning of kabir (much), i.e., great distance. A Midrashic explanation is: “At the time when the ground is full of holes like a sieve, when there was plenty of ploughed ground. The winter was past, but the dry season had not yet come.” This, however, cannot be the literal sense of the verse, for in the case of Naaman we find, And he departed from him a ‘kivrath’ of land,208II Kings 5:19. [which cannot possibly have this meaning since the sense there is that he had walked away but a small distance from Naaman when Gehazi immediately ran after him] . I think that it is a name for a measure of land. This is Rashi’s language.
The correct interpretation is that which Rabbi David Kimchi209An elder contemporary of Ramban, Rabbi David Kimchi, wrote extensive commentaries upon most of the books of the Bible which are deemed classical to this day. He also wrote a Hebrew grammar and lexicography. Ramban was influenced by his works. has advanced, i.e., that the letter kaph in the word kivrath is the kaph of comparison and is not a root letter of the word, the basic word being as in the verses: They were their ‘levaruth’ (food);210Lamentations 4:10. ‘Vethavreini’ (and give me to eat) bread,211II Samuel 13:5. meaning a small amount of food in the morning.212R’dak’s commentary on this verse is found in his Book of Roots under the root barah, and here in his commentary. And here the meaning of kivrath is the distance a pedestrian covers from morning to the time of eating, for all travellers measure distances in this manner.
This I originally wrote when still in Spain, but now that I was worthy and came to Jerusalem213Ramban arrived in Jerusalem on the ninth day of Ellul in the year five thousand twenty-seven (1267). See my biography of Ramban (Hebrew, pp. 194-5; English p. 14 and 117). See also Note 361, Seder Noach and Note 25 in Seder Lech Lecha. — praise to G-d Who is kind and deals kindly! — I saw with my eyes that there is not even a mile between Rachel’s grave and Bethlehem. This explanation of Rabbi David Kimchi has thus been refuted, as have the words of Menachem [ben Saruk, who said that there was a great distance between the grave and Bethlehem]. Rather kivrath is a name for a measure of land, as Rashi has said, and there is no adjectival part in the word but only a substantive as in most nouns, with the kaph serving a formative purpose to indicate that it was not an exact measure. And if the word be adjectival, modifying eretz, it is possible that brath is like bath, as in the expression, What ‘bri’ (my son)? and what “bar” (O son) of my womb?214Proverbs 31:2. The word bath is thus the name for a small measure of land by which travellers measure the way, similar to the present day mile. It is called “bath of the land” for this small measure is as “a daughter” to the Persian mile or some other measure known in those days.
And I have also seen that Rachel’s grave is not in Ramah nor near it, [as the plain meaning of the verse in Jeremiah, 31:15, would seem to indicate: A voice is heard in Ramah… Rachel weeping for her children]. Instead, Ramah which is in Benjamin is about four Persian miles distant from it, and Ramah of the hill-country of Ephraim215I Samuel 1:1. is more than two days’ travel from it. Therefore, I say that the verse stating, A voice is heard in Ramah,216Jeremiah 31:15. is a metaphor, in the manner of rhetorical expression, meaning to say that Rachel wept so loudly and bitterly that her voice was heard from afar in Ramah, which was on top of the mountain of [the territory of] her son Benjamin. [She cried for her children who went into exile] because they were not216Jeremiah 31:15. there, and she was desolate of them. Thus Scripture does not say, “In Ramah, Rachel weeps for her children.” but it says that the voice was heard there.
It appears to me that Jacob buried Rachel on the road and did not bring her into Bethlehem in Judah, which was near there, because he saw by the prophetic spirit that Bethlehem Ephrathah will belong to Judah,217Micah 5:1. and he wished to bury her only within the border of her son Benjamin, and the road on which the monument over Rachel’s grave stands is near to Beth-el in the border of Benjamin. And so the Rabbis have said in the Sifre:218Sifre, Deuteronomy 33:12. “Rachel died in the portion of Benjamin,” as it is found in the Parshath V’zoth Habrachah.218Sifre, Deuteronomy 33:12. Now I have seen in the Targum of Yonathan ben Uziel219The standard Targum on the books of the Prophets. See Tractate Megillah 3a. See also Note 128, Seder Vayeitzei, on the three Targumim of the Pentateuch. that he discerned this, and he translated: “A voice is heard high in the world.” [He thus interpreted Ramah, not as the name of a place, since Rachel was not buried in Ramah, as explained above, but rather on the basis of its root ram (high)], and he thus translated the whole verse216Jeremiah 31:15. as applying to the congregation of Israel rather than Rachel.
The correct interpretation is that which Rabbi David Kimchi209An elder contemporary of Ramban, Rabbi David Kimchi, wrote extensive commentaries upon most of the books of the Bible which are deemed classical to this day. He also wrote a Hebrew grammar and lexicography. Ramban was influenced by his works. has advanced, i.e., that the letter kaph in the word kivrath is the kaph of comparison and is not a root letter of the word, the basic word being as in the verses: They were their ‘levaruth’ (food);210Lamentations 4:10. ‘Vethavreini’ (and give me to eat) bread,211II Samuel 13:5. meaning a small amount of food in the morning.212R’dak’s commentary on this verse is found in his Book of Roots under the root barah, and here in his commentary. And here the meaning of kivrath is the distance a pedestrian covers from morning to the time of eating, for all travellers measure distances in this manner.
This I originally wrote when still in Spain, but now that I was worthy and came to Jerusalem213Ramban arrived in Jerusalem on the ninth day of Ellul in the year five thousand twenty-seven (1267). See my biography of Ramban (Hebrew, pp. 194-5; English p. 14 and 117). See also Note 361, Seder Noach and Note 25 in Seder Lech Lecha. — praise to G-d Who is kind and deals kindly! — I saw with my eyes that there is not even a mile between Rachel’s grave and Bethlehem. This explanation of Rabbi David Kimchi has thus been refuted, as have the words of Menachem [ben Saruk, who said that there was a great distance between the grave and Bethlehem]. Rather kivrath is a name for a measure of land, as Rashi has said, and there is no adjectival part in the word but only a substantive as in most nouns, with the kaph serving a formative purpose to indicate that it was not an exact measure. And if the word be adjectival, modifying eretz, it is possible that brath is like bath, as in the expression, What ‘bri’ (my son)? and what “bar” (O son) of my womb?214Proverbs 31:2. The word bath is thus the name for a small measure of land by which travellers measure the way, similar to the present day mile. It is called “bath of the land” for this small measure is as “a daughter” to the Persian mile or some other measure known in those days.
And I have also seen that Rachel’s grave is not in Ramah nor near it, [as the plain meaning of the verse in Jeremiah, 31:15, would seem to indicate: A voice is heard in Ramah… Rachel weeping for her children]. Instead, Ramah which is in Benjamin is about four Persian miles distant from it, and Ramah of the hill-country of Ephraim215I Samuel 1:1. is more than two days’ travel from it. Therefore, I say that the verse stating, A voice is heard in Ramah,216Jeremiah 31:15. is a metaphor, in the manner of rhetorical expression, meaning to say that Rachel wept so loudly and bitterly that her voice was heard from afar in Ramah, which was on top of the mountain of [the territory of] her son Benjamin. [She cried for her children who went into exile] because they were not216Jeremiah 31:15. there, and she was desolate of them. Thus Scripture does not say, “In Ramah, Rachel weeps for her children.” but it says that the voice was heard there.
It appears to me that Jacob buried Rachel on the road and did not bring her into Bethlehem in Judah, which was near there, because he saw by the prophetic spirit that Bethlehem Ephrathah will belong to Judah,217Micah 5:1. and he wished to bury her only within the border of her son Benjamin, and the road on which the monument over Rachel’s grave stands is near to Beth-el in the border of Benjamin. And so the Rabbis have said in the Sifre:218Sifre, Deuteronomy 33:12. “Rachel died in the portion of Benjamin,” as it is found in the Parshath V’zoth Habrachah.218Sifre, Deuteronomy 33:12. Now I have seen in the Targum of Yonathan ben Uziel219The standard Targum on the books of the Prophets. See Tractate Megillah 3a. See also Note 128, Seder Vayeitzei, on the three Targumim of the Pentateuch. that he discerned this, and he translated: “A voice is heard high in the world.” [He thus interpreted Ramah, not as the name of a place, since Rachel was not buried in Ramah, as explained above, but rather on the basis of its root ram (high)], and he thus translated the whole verse216Jeremiah 31:15. as applying to the congregation of Israel rather than Rachel.
Ramban
‘BEN ONI’ (THE SON OF MY SORROW). I am of the opinion that he was so called because he alone was born in the land of Canaan which lies to the south (yamin) as one comes from Aram-naharaim, just as it is said: In the south, in the land of Canaan;220Numbers 33:40. Going on still toward the south.221Above, 12:9. Binyamin thus means a son of the south, just as in the verse: The north ‘v’yamin’ (and the south) Thou hast created them.222Psalms 89:13. For this reason the name Binyamin is here written “full” [with a yud after the mem to indicate that the name is derived from the word yamin (south)]. This is Rashi’s language.
But I do not understand this claim that the Land of Israel lies to the south of Aram-naharaim for Aram is eastward of the Land of Israel, as it is written, And he came to the land of the children of the east,223Above, 29:1. and it is further written, From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East,224Numbers 23:7. and Jacob crossed the Jordan which is to the east of the Land of Israel, and he returned by way of Edom which is south of the Land of Israel. Thus you find that Aram is south-east of the Land of Israel, and the Land of Israel is to its north. However, if Benjamin was born within the border of Bethlehem Ephrathah which is in the land of Judah — as it is written, Bethlehem in Judah,225Judges 19:2. and it is further written, But thou, Bethlehem Ephratha, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah217Micah 5:1. — this was in the south of the Land of Israel, and he was thus born between Beth-el and Bethlehem Ephrath. And if the place was in the hill country of Ephraim, then it is in the north of the Land of Israel, as it is written, Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north.226Joshua 18:5. And if it was in the portion of Benjamin, it was also not in the south, for it is written, And their border was on the north side.227Ibid., Verse 12. Thus in any case there was no reason to call Benjamin “a son of the south.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that his mother called him ben oni, and she meant to say, “the son of my mourning,” similar in expression to: bread of ‘onim’ (mourners);228Hosea 9:4. I have not eaten thereof ‘b’oni’ (in my mourning).229Deuteronomy 26:14. And his father understood the word oni in the sense of “my strength,” similar in expression to: the first-fruits of ‘oni’ (my strength);230Genesis 49:3. And to those who have no ‘onim’ (power).231Isaiah 40:29. And therefore he called him Binyamin, “the son of power” or “the son of strength,” for in the right hand (yamin) there is strength and success, just as it is written: A wise man’s understanding is at his right hand;232Ecclesiastes 10:2. Thy right hand shall overtake all those that hate thee;233Psalms 21:9. The right hand of the Eternal is exalted.234Ibid., 118:16. Jacob wanted to call him by the name his mother had called him, for all his children were called by the names their mothers had called them, and he thus rendered it to good and to strength.
Now I have seen in Bereshith Rabbah:23582:10. “Ben oni, ‘the son of my sorrow.’ And his father called him Benjamin, i.e., in the Sacred Language.” I do not know what this means for it is all the Sacred Language, and so are the names of all his sons in the Sacred Language. However, the Rabbis have alluded to that which I have said, namely, that Jacob rendered the expression so that it signified good.
But I do not understand this claim that the Land of Israel lies to the south of Aram-naharaim for Aram is eastward of the Land of Israel, as it is written, And he came to the land of the children of the east,223Above, 29:1. and it is further written, From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East,224Numbers 23:7. and Jacob crossed the Jordan which is to the east of the Land of Israel, and he returned by way of Edom which is south of the Land of Israel. Thus you find that Aram is south-east of the Land of Israel, and the Land of Israel is to its north. However, if Benjamin was born within the border of Bethlehem Ephrathah which is in the land of Judah — as it is written, Bethlehem in Judah,225Judges 19:2. and it is further written, But thou, Bethlehem Ephratha, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah217Micah 5:1. — this was in the south of the Land of Israel, and he was thus born between Beth-el and Bethlehem Ephrath. And if the place was in the hill country of Ephraim, then it is in the north of the Land of Israel, as it is written, Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north.226Joshua 18:5. And if it was in the portion of Benjamin, it was also not in the south, for it is written, And their border was on the north side.227Ibid., Verse 12. Thus in any case there was no reason to call Benjamin “a son of the south.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that his mother called him ben oni, and she meant to say, “the son of my mourning,” similar in expression to: bread of ‘onim’ (mourners);228Hosea 9:4. I have not eaten thereof ‘b’oni’ (in my mourning).229Deuteronomy 26:14. And his father understood the word oni in the sense of “my strength,” similar in expression to: the first-fruits of ‘oni’ (my strength);230Genesis 49:3. And to those who have no ‘onim’ (power).231Isaiah 40:29. And therefore he called him Binyamin, “the son of power” or “the son of strength,” for in the right hand (yamin) there is strength and success, just as it is written: A wise man’s understanding is at his right hand;232Ecclesiastes 10:2. Thy right hand shall overtake all those that hate thee;233Psalms 21:9. The right hand of the Eternal is exalted.234Ibid., 118:16. Jacob wanted to call him by the name his mother had called him, for all his children were called by the names their mothers had called them, and he thus rendered it to good and to strength.
Now I have seen in Bereshith Rabbah:23582:10. “Ben oni, ‘the son of my sorrow.’ And his father called him Benjamin, i.e., in the Sacred Language.” I do not know what this means for it is all the Sacred Language, and so are the names of all his sons in the Sacred Language. However, the Rabbis have alluded to that which I have said, namely, that Jacob rendered the expression so that it signified good.
Rashbam
למגדל העדר, close to Bethlehem as mentioned in Michah 5,1 as well as in chapter 4,8 there.