Midrasz do Samuela I 17:16

“They raised their voices, and wept again. Orpa kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth cleaved to her” (Ruth 1:14).
“They raised [vatisena] their voices, and wept.” [The word vatisena appears in this verse] without an alef [indicating that] their strength was weakened,¹¹⁸The word is missing a letter to allude to the fact that their strength became lacking. as they were walking and weeping. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked forty paces with her mother-in-law [before leaving], and [therefore] her descendant’s [sentence] was in abeyance for forty days, as it is stated: “The Philistine approached morning and evening [and stood for forty days]” (I Samuel 17:16).¹¹⁹The midrash claims that the Philistine warrior Goliath was a descendant of Orpa. He challenged the Israelites for forty days until David confronted him and killed him. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked four mil with her mother-in-law, and four mighty men came from her, as it is stated: “These four were born to the giant [harafa]”¹²⁰An allusion to Orpa. (II Samuel 21:22). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Throughout that night that Orpa took her leave from her mother-in-law, the nakedness of one hundred gentiles was intermingled with her; that is what is written: “He spoke with them…from the ranks [mima’arkhot] of the Philistines” (I Samuel 17:23) – mime’arot is written; from one hundred foreskins [me’a orlot] of gentiles that were inserted into her throughout the night. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: One dog, too, as it is written: “The Philistine said to David: Am I a dog?” (I Samuel 17:43).

(Numb. 16:23–24:) “And the Lord spoke […], ‘Speak unto the congregation, saying, “Get away from about [the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram].”’” Although Moses heard it from the mouth of the Almighty,³⁷Numb. R. 18:12. he did not tell them to get away until he had gone and warned them, as stated (in vs. 25), “Then Moses arose and went unto Dathan and Abiram.” [This serves] to make their wickedness known, for although Moses went to them on foot, the[se] wicked ones were too stubborn to make amends. What did they do? They were unwilling to come out of their tents to face him. When Moses saw this, he said, “This much [only] it was incumbent upon me to do.” Immediately (in Numb. 16:26) “And he spoke to the congregation, ‘Please move away from [the tents of these wicked people.]’” Our masters have taught: Four [types of people] are called wicked:³⁸Numb. R. 18:12, cont.; cf. PRK 30 (p.190b in Buber text; “Additional Piska” 28:2 in Braude’s translation). The one who extends his hand against his companion to strike him. Even though he did not [actually] strike him, he is called wicked, as stated (in Exod. 2:13), “so he said to the wicked one, ‘Why would you strike³⁹The midrash understands the verb in accord with post-biblical usage and is stressing the fact that the tense is future. So also Sanh. 58b; Rashi on Exod.2:13. your comrade?’” "Did you strike," is not stated here, but “would you strike.” The one who borrows and does not repay, as stated (in Ps. 37:21), “The wicked person borrows but does not repay.”⁴⁰Avot 2:9. The one who has an insolent face but does not feel shame from someone greater than himself, as stated (Prov. 21:29), “A wicked person puts on a brazen face.” And the one who is the author of dissension, as stated (in Numb. 16:26), “Please move away from the tents of these wicked men.”
Now two [of these traits] were in Dathan and Abiram, [i.e.,] an insolent face and dissension (mhlqt). Mhlqt ("dissension") is interpreted through its letters. M is for marah ("bitter"); h is for haron ("anger"); l is for lokin ("lash"); q is for qelalah ("curse"); and t is for to'evah ("abomination"). But some say [that t stands for] takhlit ("end"), [since dissension] brings annihilation to the world. (Numb. 16:27:) “So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.” When they saw this, how Israel had moved away from round about them, they came out cursing and blaspheming, as stated (ibid., cont.), “[they] came out standing (rt.: ntsb).” Now [it is stated] elsewhere (in I Sam. 17:16), “Then the Philistine drew near at dawn and in the evening; and he took his stand (rt.: ytsb) for forty days.”⁴¹On Goliath reviling Israel, see I Sam. 17:8-10. Moses began by saying, as it is written (in Numb. 16:28-29), “And Moses said, ‘By this you may know that the Lord has sent me…. If these die like the death of every man.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the shoshbin⁴²I.e., the bridal agent who guarded her interests at the consummation of the marriage. of a king's daughter in whose hands lay the testimonials of her [virginity]. When one of the banqueters stood up before him and cursed the shoshbin and said, “The king's daughter has no virginity”; the shoshbin arose in the presence of the king and said to him, “If you do not have this person brought out in order to execute him in everyone's presence, I shall say, ‘Of course the king's daughter has no virginity.’” Immediately the king said, “It is better for me to kill this person, so that the shoshbin will not give out a bad name concerning my daughter.” Similarly Korah contended with Moses and said, “It was in his own heart and on his own that Moses had said all these things.” He began by saying (in Numb. 16:28-29), “’By this you may know that the Lord has sent me […]. If these die like the death of every man,’ then I also am saying (ibid., cont.), ‘the Lord did not send me,’ and I have spoken from my own heart.”

(Gen. 44:18:) AND < JUDAH > SAID: PRAY, MY LORD…. FOR YOUR SERVANT HAS BECOME SURETY FOR THE LAD. When did Judah discharge his surety? In the days of Goliath. At that time, when Israel was in trouble, what is written (in I Sam. 17:16)? THEN THE PHILISTINE DREW NEAR AT DAWN AND IN THE EVENING. < He was > cursing and reviling. Saul began sending out a herald < to proclaim > (as implied in I Sam. 17:25): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS FOR THE MAN WHO KILLS HIM THAT THE KING SHALL ENRICH HIM < WITH GREAT RICHES >…. Now you find that anyone who curses is liable for death, as stated (in Lev. 24:16): AND THE ONE WHO BLASPHEMES THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH … but that wicked man had been cursing (according to I Sam. 17:16): FOR FORTY DAYS. Moses said (in Deut. 7:10): AND < GOD > INSTANTLY REPAYS THOSE WHO HATE HIM WITH DESTRUCTION. In the case of someone wicked who performs a righteous act, the Holy One renders it unfit < by giving him his reward > during his life in this world in order to destroy him in the world to come; but for the righteous, he sets aside their righteous acts for the world to come.²²M. Pss.94:4. What < righteous act > did this wicked man (i.e., Goliath) do for him to curse for forty days? R. Isaac and R. Levi differ.²³Ruth R. 2:20. R. Levi said: Because his mother, Orpah ('RPH), walked four miles²⁴Lat.: mille. with her mother-in-law (cf. Ruth 1:7, 14), [the Holy One repaid her for it]. So from her the Holy One raised four heroes. Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 21:22): THESE FOUR WERE BORN TO THE GIANT (HRPH) OF GATH.²⁵According to vss. 15-20, the four heroes were Ishbi-benob, Saph, Goliath, and a fourth man with twelve fingers and twelve toes. R. Isaac said: She walked forty paces²⁶Lat.: passus. with her; therefore, the Holy One granted her her reward and gave her Goliath.²⁷Ruth R. 2:20 states more specifically that in return for her forty paces the Holy One granted her son a forty-day reprieve. So he was cursing before the Holy One forty days, as stated (in I Sam. 17:16): AND HE (the Philistine) TOOK HIS STAND FOR FORTY DAYS. Jesse said to his son David: Now is the time to make good on the surety of your ancestor who became surety for Benjamin under the hand of his father, as stated (in Gen. 43:9): I MYSELF WILL BE SURETY FOR HIM. Now go and discharge him from his surety. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 17:18): SEE ALSO TO THE WELFARE OF YOUR BROTHERS, AND TAKE THEIR TOKEN. Now THEIR TOKEN ('RBH) is nothing but a surety ('RBWT). What did David do? He went and made good on the surety by killing Goliath. The Holy One said to him: By your life, just as you have risked your life for Saul, since he is from the tribe of Benjamin, even as your ancestor Judah did for Benjamin < himself >, as stated (in Gen. 44:33): AND NOW PLEASE LET YOUR SERVANT REMAIN AS A SLAVE TO MY LORD INSTEAD OF THE LAD … so I am placing the Sanctuary < both > within your territory and within the territory of Benjamin. And where is it shown that the Sanctuary is < both > within the inheritance of Benjamin and within the inheritance of Judah? Where one text (Gen. 49:27) says: BENJAMIN IS A RAVENOUS WOLF; IN THE MORNING HE CONSUMES PREY, i.e., the dawn tamid (sacrifice), AND IN THE EVENING HE DIVIDES THE SPOIL, i.e., the twilight tamid; while another text (Ps. 48:3 [2]) says: BEAUTEOUS LANDSCAPE, JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH, < EVEN MOUNT ZION >. By your life, moreover, when all the tribes are going into exile, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin are not going into exile along with them. Why? Because these two tribes believed in me and sanctified my name in the sea with Moses. R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Levi: When the sea was split open for Israel, there was mire in it. Now the tribe of Reuben said to the tribe of Simeon: From mud you have come and to mud you are going. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 12:1): EPHRAIM SURROUNDS ME WITH DECEIT, THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WITH FALSE-HOOD…. What did the tribes of Judah and Benjamin do? They sanctified the name of the Holy One, as stated (in Ps. 68:28 [27]): LITTLE BENJAMIN IS THERE RULING OVER THEM, THE PRINCES OF JUDAH IN THEIR GLORY….

12 (Numb. 16:23–24) “And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, [...] ‘Get away from about the dwellings of Korah’”: Although Moses heard it from the mouth of the Almighty, he did not tell them to get away until he had gone and warned them, as stated (in vs. 25), “Then Moses arose and went unto Dathan and Abiram.” [This serves] to make their wickedness known, for although Moses went to them on foot, the[se] wicked ones were too stubborn to make amends. What did they do? They were unwilling to come out of their tents (different text: on their own) to face him. When Moses saw this, he said, “This much [only] it was incumbent upon me to do.” [So] (in Numb. 16:26) “And he spoke to the congregation, ‘Please move away from the tents of [these] wicked people.’” Our masters have taught: Four [types of people] are called wicked:²⁵Cf. PRK 30 (p.190b in Buber text; “Additional Piska” 28:2 in Braude’s translation). The one who extends his hand against his companion to strike him. Even though he did not [actually] strike him, he is called wicked, as stated (in Exod. 2:13), “so he said to the wicked one, ‘Why would you strike²⁶The midrash understands the verb in accord with post-biblical usage and is stressing the fact that the tense is future. So also Sanh. 58b; Rashi on Exod.2:13. your comrade?’” "Did you strike," is not stated here, but “would you strike.” The one who borrows and does not repay, as stated (in Ps. 37:21), “The wicked person borrows but does not repay […].”²⁷Avot 2:9. The one who has an insolent face and does not feel shame from someone greater than himself, as stated (Prov. 21:29), “A wicked person puts on a brazen face […].” And the one who is the author of dissension, as stated (in Numb. 16:26), “Please move away from the tents of these wicked men.” Now two [of these traits] were in Dathan and Abiram, [i.e.,] an insolent face and dissension (mhlqt). Mhlqt ("dissension") [is interpreted through its letters.] M is for marah ("bitter"); h is for haron ("anger"); l is for lokin ("lash"); q is for qelalah ("curse"); and t is for to'evah ("abomination"). But some say [that t stands for] takhlit ("end"), [since dissension] brings annihilation to the world. (Numb. 16:27) “So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram”: When they saw this, how Israel had moved away from round about them, they came out cursing and blaspheming, as stated (ibid., cont.), “[they] came out standing (rt.: ntsb).” Now [it is stated] elsewhere (in I Sam. 17:16), “Then the Philistine drew near at dawn and in the evening; and he took his stand (rt.: ytsb) for forty days.”²⁸On Goliath reviling Israel, see I Sam. 17:8-10. (Numb. 16:28-29), “And Moses said, ‘By this you may know that the Lord has sent me…. If these die like the death of every man”: A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the shoshbin²⁹I.e., the bridal agent who guarded her interests at the consummation of the marriage. of a king's daughter in whose hands lay the testimonials of her [virginity]. When one of the banqueters stood up before him and cursed the shoshbin and said, “The king's daughter has no virginity”; the shoshbin arose in the presence of the king and said to him, “If you do not have this person brought out in order to execute him in everyone's presence, I shall say, ‘Of course the king's daughter has no virginity.’” Immediately the king said, “It is better for me to kill this person, so that the shoshbin will not give out a bad name concerning my daughter.” Similarly Korah contended with Moses and said, “It was in his own heart and on his own that Moses had said all these things.” Moses began by saying in front of the Holy One, blessed be He then I also am saying (ibid., cont.), “If these die upon their beds in the way that people die, and physicians come and examine them the way all sick people are examined, then I will also deny [my mission] and say, ‘the Lord did not send me,’ and I have spoken from my own heart.” This is one of three prophets who spoke in this way: Elijah, Micah, and Moses.³⁰ySahn. 10:1 (28a). Elijah said (in I Kings 18:36–37), "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your bidding. Answer me o Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You, o Lord, are God; for You have turned their hearts backward” - [meaning,] if you do not answer me, I will say (ibid.), “You have turned their hearts backward.” So also Micah (identified here with Micaiah) said to Ahab (in I Kings 22:28), “If you return in peace,” then I too will say (ibid. cont.), “the Lord has not spoken through me.” And Moses also said (in Numb. 16:29), “If these die a natural death....” The Holy One said to him: “Moses, what do you want?” Moses said to Him, “Sovereign of the World, (in Numb. 16:30), ‘But if the Lord creates’; if You have created a mouth to the earth [from the beginning], well and good; but if not, ‘let the Lord create’ - He should create a mouth to it now.” The Holy One said to him (in Job 22:28), “When you decree something, it shall come to pass for you; and light shall shine upon your ways.”

(Numb. 16:27:) SO THEY GOT AWAY FROM THE DWELLINGS OF KORAH, <DATHAN, AND ABIRAM>. When they saw this, how that Israel had moved away from round about them, they came out uttering abusive language, as stated (ibid., cont.) <THEY> CAME OUT STANDING (rt.: NTsB). Now <it is stated> elsewhere (in I Sam 17:16): THEN THE PHILISTINE DREW NEAR AT DAWN AND IN THE EVENING; <AND HE TOOK HIS STAND (rt.: YTsB) FOR FORTY DAYS>.⁴⁸On Goliath reviling Israel, see I Sam. 17:8-10. Moses began by saying (in Numb. 16:28): BY THIS YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE LORD HAS SENT ME…. A parable: To what is the matter comparable?⁴⁹Below, Numb. 5a:2. To the shoshbin⁵⁰I.e., the bridal agent who guarded her interests at the consummation of the marriage. of a king's daughter in whose hands lay the testimonials of her <virginity>. When one of the banqueters stood up before him. He cursed the shoshbin, [and said:] The king's daughter has no virginity, the shoshbin arose in the presence of the king and said to him: [If] you do not have this person brought out in order to execute him in everyone's presence, I shall say: Of course the king's daughter has no virginity. Immediately the King said: It is better for me to kill this person, so that the shoshbin will not give out a bad name concerning my daughter. Similarly Korah contended with Moses and said: It was in his own heart and on his own that Moses had said all these things. He began by saying (in Numb. 16:28–29): BY THIS YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE LORD HAS SENT ME <….> IF <THESE> DIE A NATURAL DEATH, then I also am saying (ibid., cont.): THE LORD DID NOT SEND ME, and I have spoken from my own heart.