Talmud do Samuela II 3:40

The ‘meal of comfort’¹⁸The first meal partaken by the mourners on their return from the funeral is termed ‘the meal of comfort [habra’ah]’; cf. 2 Sam. 3, 35, to cause David to eat bread (lehabroth). It was prepared by friends and consisted of lentils and eggs (cf. Sanh. 63a, Sonc. ed., p. 430, n. 6) the round shape of which being a reminder of the revolving wheel of fortune. is not eaten in their case, as it is stated, Ye shall not eat [anything] with the blood.¹⁹Lev. 19, 26. This is homiletically interpreted to mean: where blood is shed (i.e. an execution has taken place) no ceremonial meal of mourners should be eaten. Cf. Sanh. loc. cit.
[The judges of] a Court who ordered the execution of a man used not to eat anything on that day.²⁰Sanh. loc. cit.
[The condemned] are allowed to converse with their brothers and relatives; and not to delay matters²¹i.e. to avoid giving the appearance that the execution of justice is unduly protracted. they are given to drink wine containing frankincense²²To numb the senses; cf. Sanh. 43a (Sonc. ed., p. 279). so that they should not feel grieved. They are urged²³lit. ‘they teach them’. to confess, because he who confesses has a portion in the World to Come. We find it so with Achan to whom Joshua said, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide nothing from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said: Of a truth I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done.²⁴Josh. 7, 19f. What is the meaning of and thus and thus? It teaches that he violated the ban twice.²⁵By taking from the devoted things on two occasions. Sanh. 43b (Sonc. ed., p. 284) explains that he took of the ban three times, twice in the days of Moses and once at Jericho. [44b] I have sinned, i.e. I and not my household, I and not my children. This teaches that he truthfully²⁶Of a truth (’omnam) is explained as be’emunah (‘truthfully’). confessed. And whence do we know that his confession made atonement for him? As it is stated, And Joshua said: Why hast thou troubled us? The Lord shall trouble thee this day²⁷ibid. 25.—this day art thou to be troubled but thou shalt not be troubled in the World to Come; and it states, And the sons of Zerah: Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol and Dara: five of them in all.²⁸1 Chron. 2, 6. Do we not know that there were five of them in all?²⁹Since five names are specified. It teaches that Achan will be with them in the world to come.³⁰Cf. Sanh. 44b (Sonc. ed., p. 291). Zimri, according to a tradition, is identical with Achan. As Achan is mentioned together with the other four, who are considered to be worthy men, it is an indication that his confession was accepted and with them he shared in the World to Come.
Similarly one who steals the tax³¹i.e. eludes the customs; cf. B.Ḳ. 113a (Sonc. ed., p. 663), Tosiftha B.Ḳ. X, 8. or anything devoted [to the Sanctuary] is as if he shed blood; and not only is he as if he shed blood, but he is also as if he worships idols, was guilty of immorality and desecrates the Sabbath.³²[On this passage, cf. Büchler, Studies in Sin and Atonement, p. 198n.]

BARAITHA. Seven patriarchs died in universal honour, and the worms and maggots had no power over them, viz. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Amram the father of Moses, Benjamin the son of Jacob, Jesse and Chileab.¹⁷⁹The second son of David (2 Sam. 3, 3, who is named Daniel in 1 Chron. 3, 1). Cf. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, I, p. 22. Some add: David, as it is stated, Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also dwelleth in safety.¹⁸⁰Ps. 16, 9.
Seven entered Paradise in their lifetime, viz.: [Seraḥ [the daughter of Asher],¹⁸¹She showed Moses the place in the Nile where Joseph’s coffin lay hidden, thus enabling him to take it with him when the Israelites left Egypt (Ex. 13, 19). Cf. Ginzberg, op. cit., II, pp. 116, 181; V, pp. 96, 165, 356, n. 295, 359, n. 321. See also Soṭah 13a (Sonc. ed., p. 67). Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh,¹⁸²Cf. 1 Chron. 4, 18; Meg. 13a (Sonc. ed., p. 74); Ginzberg, op. cit., II, p. 270; V, p. 401, n. 60. Hiram, king of Tyre,¹⁸³Because he was of great help to Solomon in the building of the Temple. Cf. 1 Kings 5; Ginzberg, op. cit., IV, p. 155; V, pp. 96, 165; VI, p. 425. Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,¹⁸⁴He rescued the prophet Jeremiah when his life was in danger. Cf. Jer. 38, 11ff.; Ginzberg, op. cit., IV, pp. 318ff.; VI, pp. 387, 409f., 411f. Eliezer [the servant of Abraham],¹⁸⁵op. cit., I, p. 297; V, pp. 96, 165, 263, n. 301. the grandson of Judah the Prince,¹⁸⁶op. cit., V, p. 96, where he refers to R. Judah’s ‘slave’, not his grandson. Jabez¹⁸⁷op. cit., V, p. 96; VI, p. 187, n. 30, where Jabez is identified with R. Judah’s grandson. and some add, R. Joshua b. Levi].¹⁸⁸op. cit., V, pp. 31, 96, 165.
GEMARA. Seraḥ, as it is written, I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel¹⁸⁹2 Sam. 20, 19, E.V. we are of them, etc.; the words which the wise woman spoke in the name of the people of the city. Here the words are applied to another wise woman, Serah. [which is interpreted,] It is I who completed the number of entrants to the Garden of Eden. Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, as it is written, And his wife Hajehudijah bore Jered the father of Gedor … and these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took.¹⁹⁰1 Chron. 4, 18. God said, ‘I will call Moses by no other name than she called him’,¹⁹¹Cf. Ex. 2, 10. as it is stated, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: Moses, Moses.¹⁹²ibid III, 4. To this David alluded when he exclaimed, He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.¹⁹³2 Sam. 22, 17; Ps. 18, 17. [It is written,] And she called his name Moses, and said: Because I drew him out of the water.¹⁹⁴Ex. 2, 10. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Because she caused salvation to come to Israel and brought them forth to life, behold, I will prolong her life’. He [also] said, ‘I have made a covenant with your fathers and they followed in the path of their fathers. This woman, however, who has forsaken her royal status and attached herself to you, shall I not reward her?’
In what did Hiram, king of Tyre, earn his merit? Because he built a Tabernacle as Moses did; as it is written, Even all these vessels.¹⁹⁵1 Kings 7, 45. In the Heb. text the word for these is so spelt that it could be read ’ohel which is reminiscent of the ’ohel mo‘ed, ‘the tent of meeting’, which Moses erected. To what does the word these allude? To the tent of meeting. [Why did] Ebed-melech the Ethiopian [enter Paradise alive]? Because he brought up Jeremiah [from the dungeon], as it is written, And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, etc.¹⁹⁶Jer. 38, 12f. [Why did] Eliezer [enter Paradise alive]? Because he prayed on Abraham’s behalf. On what occasion? When he said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray Thee, good speed this day,¹⁹⁷Gen. 24, 12. and it is further written, Because the Lord thy God sent me good speed.¹⁹⁸ibid. XXVII, 20. Jacob said this to his father. And whence do we know that the latter one¹⁹⁹Jacob. [entered Paradise alive]? For it is written, And he brought him wine, and he drank;²⁰⁰ibid. XXVII, 25. and it further states, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed.²⁰¹ibid. 27, i.e., the Garden of Eden. Jacob, according to tradition, brought the vine from the Garden of Eden; cf. Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, LXV, 22 (Sonc. ed., p. 599): ‘When Jacob went in to his father, the Garden of Eden entered with him’.
And the grandson of R. Judah the Prince? For this we have a tradition. And R. Joshua b. Levi? For this too we have a tradition. And whence do we know it of Jabez? For it is written, And Jabez called on the God of Israel … and that Thy hand might be with me.²⁰²1 Chron. 4, 10. Some derive it from here, And that Thou wouldest work deliverance from evil, that it may not pain me.²⁰³ibid. Whence do we know that evil means death? As it is written, The righteous is taken away from the evil to come;²⁰⁴Isa. 57, 1. and it has been taught: But for the ills that come upon the world, the righteous would not be taken away before their time. And Jabez prayed concerning himself, That it may not pain me, [and then it is written,] And God granted him that which he requested.²⁰⁵1 Chron. 4, 10.

¹²⁹A somewhat more explicit version of this is in Sukkah 5:4 (55c l. 7); a different version of this and the following paragraphs is found in the last part of Num. rabba 4. It is written: David turned¹³⁰1Chr. 16:43. Probably what was intended was 2S. 6:20 (correctly quoted in Sukkah), the end of the story of the transfer of the Ark to the City of David.. Who are the “empty ones”¹³¹2S. 6:20, where Michal criticizes David for dancing in the street.? Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, the most empty one, that is the dancer¹³²Greek ὀρχηστής, οῦ, ὁ.. She told him, today the honor of my father’s house became obvious. One said about the family of Saul that one never saw a heel or a thumb of them. That is what is written: He came to the sheep fences¹³³1S. 24:3.. Rebbi Abun ben Rebbi Eleazar: That was a fence inside a fence¹³⁴This explains the plural used in the verse and shows that Saul went to relieve himself in the cave guarded from the outside by a double fence. In the Babli, Berakhot62b, this is quoted as tannaitic text.. Saul came to spread his feet¹³³1S. 24:3.. He saw him how he lifted a little and covered a little. He said, one who would touch such modesty would be cursed. That is what he told him, behold, what your eyes saw today¹³⁵1S. 24:10., etc. Is it not written “I had mercy on you” but it had mercy on you¹³⁵1S. 24:10., your modesty had mercy on you. David told Michal¹³⁶2S. 6:21., etc. With the servant girls you mentioned, with them I shall be honored¹³⁷2S. 6:22., for they are not servant girls but mothers. How was she punished? Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no child¹³⁸2S. 6:23. The verse ends: up to the day of her death, implying that she died in childbirth., But is it not written: The sixth Yitreˋam, of his wife Calf¹³⁹2S. 3:5. Only Michal is called “David’s wife” (1S. 25:44). The problem that Yitreˋam was born in Hebron is not addressed; it is discussed in the Babli, 21a.. She mood like a calf and died.

⁸⁰A slightly shortened version is in Sanhedrin2:4, Notes 129–139. A different version is found in the last part of Num. rabba4. It is written: David returned to bless his house when Mikhal, Saul’s daughter, came towards him⁸¹2S. 6:20, where Michal criticizes David for dancing in the street.., etc. Who is one of the empty ones? Abba bar Cahana said, the most empty one, that is the dancer⁸²Greek ʼορχηστής, ου̅, ‘ο.. She told him, today the honor of my father’s house became obvious. One said about the family of Saul that one never saw a heel or a thumb of them. That is what is written: He came to the sheep fences along the road and there was a cave⁸³1S.24:3.. Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: That was a fence inside a fence⁸⁴This explains the plural used in the verse and shows that Saul went to relieve himself in the cave guarded from the outside by a double fence. In the Babli, Berakhot 62b, this is quoted as tannaitic text.. Saul came to spread his feet⁸³1S.24:3.. He saw him how he lifted a little and covered a little. [David] said, how could one touch such a righteous body. That is what he told him, behold, what your eyes saw today which today gave me in your hand in the cave and I could have killed you⁸⁵1S. 24:10., etc. Is it not written “I had mercy on you” but it had mercy on you⁸⁵1S. 24:10., your modesty had mercy on you. David told Michal, before the Eternal Who chose me over your father⁸⁶2S. 6:21., etc. And I was still humbler than this and I was lowly in my eyes, and with the servant girls you mentioned, with them I shall be honored⁸⁷2S. 6:22., for they are not servant girls but mothers. How was she punished? Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no child until the day of her death⁸⁸2S. 6:23, implying that she died in childbirth.. But is it not written: The sixth Yitre`am, of his wife Calf<sup>89</sup>2S. 3:5. Only Michal is called “David’s wife” (1S. 25:44). The problem that Yitre`am was born in Hebron is not addressed; it is discussed in the Babli, 21a.. She mooed like a calf and died.

HALAKHAH: “He shall not add wives,” etc. Rav Cahana said¹⁷⁸Babli 21a., because of the sixth Yitream by Egla¹³⁹2S. 3:5. Only Michal is called “David’s wife” (1S. 25:44). The problem that Yitreˋam was born in Hebron is not addressed; it is discussed in the Babli, 21a.. What is written there? At least, I shall give you twice as many¹⁷⁹2S. 12:8. The verses 2S. 3:2–5 prove that David had six wives in Hebron. The prophet Nathan then told David that God would have given him an addition of twice as many wives, for a total of 3×6=18, had he not sinned with Batseba. Therefore, 18 wives for a king have Divine sanction..

There, we have stated⁵⁷⁶Mishnah Idiut 2:9.: “The father bestows on his son beauty, strength, riches, wisdom, and years.” From where beauty? “May Your deeds appear on Your servants, and Your glory on their sons.⁵⁷⁷Ps. 90:16.” Strength, “strong on earth will be his descendants.⁵⁷⁸Ps. 112:2.” Riches, “I was young and became old, but never saw a just man abandoned and his descendants in need of bread.⁵⁷⁹Ps. 37:25.” Wisdom, “you shall teach your sons to argue about them.⁵⁶⁹Deut. 11:19. Cf. Berakhot 2:3. Note 110, where the verse is quoted to show that daughters do not have to be instructed in Torah (Babli 29b).” Years, “that your and your sons’ days be many.⁵⁸⁰Deut. 11:21.” And just as he inherits five qualities, so he owes him the following five things. He feeds him, he gives him to drink, he clothes him, he puts on his shoes, he leads him⁵⁸¹Peah 1:1, Note 119; Babli 31b.. That is what is written⁵⁸²2S. 3:29.: “This should fall on Joab’s head: sufferer from flux and from skin disease, holding the distaff, falling by the sword, and senseless.⁵⁸³This is a slip of the pen; later it is quoted in the language of the verse, “without bread”.” Sufferer from flux, weak. From skin disease, abandoned⁵⁸⁴Cf. Lev. 13:46.. Holding the distaff, uneducated. Falling by the sword, short lived. Without bread, poor. ⁵⁸⁵The Babylonian version is in the Babli, Sanhedrin 48b, and Num.rabba23(13). When Solomon came to kill Joab, he said to him: Your father gave me five sentences; accept them and I can be killed. He accepted them and all of them came to pass on the House of David. Sufferer from flux was Rehabeam: “King Rehabeam with difficulty climbed on his chariot to flee to Jerusalem;⁵⁸⁶1K. 12:18.” some say, he suffered from flux; some say, he was weak. Suffering from skin disease was Uziahu: “King Uziahu suffered from skin disease until the day of his death⁵⁸⁷2Chr. 26:21..” Holding the distaff was Joash: “They punished Joash⁵⁸⁸2Chr. 24:24..” Rebbi Ismael stated: ⁵⁸⁹Mekhilta dR.Ismael,Amaleq 1; Tanḥuma Bešallaḥ 25 This teaches that they gave him over to hardened hoodlums who had never known a woman and they raped him the way women are raped. That is what is written: “Israel’s pride will testify against it,⁵⁹⁰Hos. 5:5, repunctuating עָנָה to עִנָּה.” Israel’s pride will be raped in its face. Falling by the sword, this is Josiah, as is written: “The archers shot at king Josia,⁵⁹¹2Chr. 35:23. In the text: הַיֹּרִים.” and Rebbi Joḥanan said, this teaches that they made his body like a sieve⁵⁹²Babli Mo‘ed qaṭan 28b; Thr.rabbati on 1:18.. Rebbi Ismael stated: 300 arrows were shot at the Eternal’s anointed. Without bread, that is Jehoiachin: “And his meal, a permanent meal was given to him,⁵⁹³2K. 25:30. He never had any money of his own. A completely different interpretation of the verse in Midrash Shemuel 18(5)..”

The following are spelt with a waw but read with a yod: prisoners;⁹⁹Gen. 39, 20, written ’asurë and read ’asirë. Abigail;¹⁰⁰1 Sam. 25, 18, written Abugail and read Abigail. I make thee … go up and down;¹⁰¹2 Sam. 15, 20, written anu‘aka and read ani‘aka. chief men;¹⁰²2 Kings 24, 15, written ’ulë and read ’elë. I will … make … straight;¹⁰³Isa. 45, 2, written ’aushir and read ’ayashsher. I will … make them run away;¹⁰⁴Jer. 50, 44, written ’aruẓem and read ’ariẓem. on mine eye;¹⁰⁵2 Sam. 16, 12, written ba‘awoni and read be‘eni. cistern;¹⁰⁶Jer. 6, 7, written bor and read bayir. in their march;¹⁰⁷Nahum 2, 6, written bahalokotham and read bahalikotham. set apart;¹⁰⁸2 Chron. 26, 21, written haḥofshuth and read haḥofshith. V inserts here another example, viz. ‘my way’, but N.Y. declares it to be incorrect and H omits it. wilt thou set;¹⁰⁹Prov. 23, 5, written hata‘uf and read hata‘if. ye might provoke Me;¹¹⁰Jer. 25, 7, written hik‘oseni and read hak‘iseni. make straight;¹¹¹Ps. 5, 9, written haushar and read hayeshar. who were set;¹¹²Ezra 8, 17, written hannethunim and read hannethinim. that taught;¹¹³2 Chron. 35, 3, written hammebonim and read hammebinim. Birzaith;¹¹⁴1 Chron. 7, 31, written Birzoth and read Birzaith. will greatly rejoice;¹¹⁵Prov. 23, 24, written gol yagul and read gil yagil. Dehites;¹¹⁶Ezra 4, 9, written Dehawë and read Dehayë. bring forth;¹¹⁷Gen. 8, 17, written hawẓë’ and read hayẓë’. Harsith;¹¹⁸Jer. 19, 2, written haḥarsoth and read haḥarsith. Luhith;¹¹⁹ibid. XLVIII, 5, written halluḥoth and read halluḥith. the entry;¹²⁰Ezek. 42, 9, written hammebo’ and read hammebi’. the strong;¹²¹Zech. 11, 2, written habbaẓur and read habbaẓir. made to murmur;¹²²Numb. 14, 36, written wayyillonu and read wayyalinu. and Shahazim;¹²³Josh. 19, 22, written weshaḥaẓumah and read weshaḥaẓimah. and a royal diadem;¹²⁴Isa. 62, 3, written uẓenuf and read uẓenif. and a thing of nought and the deceit;¹²⁵Jer. 14, 14, written we’elul wetarmuth and read we’elil wetarmith. and the swallow;¹²⁶ibid. VIII, 7, written wesus and read wesis. and the galleries thereof;¹²⁷Ezek. 41, 15, written we’attoḳeha and read we’attiḳeha. and Tilon;¹²⁸1 Chron. 4, 20, written wetolon and read wetilon. Jehiel;¹²⁹2 Chron. 29, 14, written Jeḥu’el and read Jeḥi’el. and prepare ye;¹³⁰ibid. XXXV, 4, written wehikkonu and read wehakkinu. thy bosom;¹³¹Ps. 74, 11, written ḥoḳeka and read ḥeḳeka. a side-structure;¹³²1 Kings 6, 5, written yaẓu‘a and read yaẓi‘a. Jair;¹³³1 Chron. 20, 5, written Ya‘or and read Ya‘ir. alienate;¹³⁴Ezek. 48, 14, written ya‘abor and read ya‘abir. Jeiel;¹³⁵1 Chron. 9, 35, written Je‘u’el and read Je‘i’el. they wander up and down;¹³⁶Ps. 59, 16, written yenu‘un and read yeni‘un. let … cover them;¹³⁷ibid. CXL, 10, written yekassumo and read yekassemo. they cause … to fall;¹³⁸Prov. 4, 16, written yiksholu and read yakshilu. to strive;¹³⁹Judg. 21, 22, written larub and read larib. singing;¹⁴⁰1 Sam. 18, 6, written lashur and read lashir. Laish;¹⁴¹2 Sam. 3, 15, written Lush and read Layish. for fishers;¹⁴²Jer. 16, 16, written ledogim and read ledayyagim. dross;¹⁴³Ezek. 22, 18, written lesog and read lesig. for a spoil;¹⁴⁴Isa. 42, 24, written limshoseh and read limshissah. their furrows;¹⁴⁵Ps. 129, 3, written lema‘anotham and read lema‘anitham. Mephaath;¹⁴⁶Jer. 48, 21, written mopha‘ath and read mepa‘ath. from Naioth;¹⁴⁷1 Sam. 20, 1, written minnawoth and read minnayoth. stretched-forth;¹⁴⁸Isa. 3, 17, written neṭuwothn and read neṭioth. fruit;¹⁴⁹ibid. LVII, 19, written nob and read nib. Nebai;¹⁵⁰Neh. 10, 20, written Nubai and read Nebai. Nephishesim;¹⁵¹ibid. VII, 52, written Nefushesim and read Nefishesim. leave;¹⁵²2 Sam. 14, 7, written sum and read sim. ready dressed;¹⁵³1 Sam. 25, 18, written ‘asuwoth and read ‘asiyoth. Ephai;¹⁵⁴Jer. 40, 8, written ‘ufai and read ‘ephai. Ephrain;¹⁵⁵2 Chron. 13, 19, written ‘Efron and read ‘Efrain. V incorrectly reads ‘Abarim. the second¹⁵⁶This excludes the first ready in Esth. 3, 14. ready;¹⁵⁷Esth. 8, 13, written ‘athudim and read ‘athidim. their lads;¹⁵⁸Jer. 14, 3, written ẓe‘orehem and read ẓe‘irehem. her little ones;¹⁵⁹ibid. XLVIII, 4, written ẓe‘oreha and read ẓe‘ireha. dung.¹⁶⁰Ezek. 4, 15, written ẓefu‘ë and read ẓefi‘ë. [38b]

³⁰⁰Parallels in Midrash Samuel 13, 27; Num. rabba 9(29); Tanḥuma Buber Ḥuqqat 8, Tanḥuma Ḥuqqat 4; Babli Sanhedrin 49a. It is written³⁰¹2S. 14:25.: “No man in Israel was beautiful like Absalom, to be very much praised.” I could think, in everything. The verse says, “from his foot sole to the top of his forehead³⁰²But his hair was questionable.”. It is written³⁰³1S. 9:2.: “He had a son whose name was Saul, select and good, no one of the Children of Israel was better than he.” I could think, in everything. The verse says, “from his shoulder on he was higher than all the people.” But about Abner, what is written³⁰⁴2S. 3:38.? “You should know that a leader and great man fell today in Israel.” ³⁰⁵To the end of the paragraph, this is from Peah 1:1, Notes 176–179. The question asked is, why did Providence let Abner lose his usual caution when dealing with Joab. The presumed argument between Saul and Abner is explained in detail in the commentary by R. Ḥananel (Kairuan, early 11th Cent.) to Sanhedrin 49a, quoted in Arukh (s. v. בור ז) as Yerushalmi text; but clearly it is a paraphrase. (Printed on the margin of the Wilna Babli). Why was Abner killed? Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish, and the rabbis. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, because he made fun of the lives of his squires as it is said (2Sam. 2:14): “Let the squires get up and play before us.” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, because he prefaced his name before that of David; that is what is written (2Sam. 3:12) “Abner sent messengers to David the underling, saying: Whose is the land?” He wrote: From Abner to David. The rabbis say, because he did not let Shaul make peace with David. That is what is written (1Sam. 24:5): “My father, see, but see the corner of your coat in my hand!” He said to him, what do you want from the prattling of this one, it was torn off by thorns. But when they came to the circle, he said to him (1Sam. 26:14): “Can you answer, Abner?” About the corner, you said it was torn off by a thorn; were spear and pitcher cut off by a thorn? But some say, because he had it in his power to intervene for Nob, the city of priests, and he did not intervene.

³⁰⁰Parallels in Midrash Samuel 13, 27; Num. rabba 9(29); Tanḥuma Buber Ḥuqqat 8, Tanḥuma Ḥuqqat 4; Babli Sanhedrin 49a. It is written³⁰¹2S. 14:25.: “No man in Israel was beautiful like Absalom, to be very much praised.” I could think, in everything. The verse says, “from his foot sole to the top of his forehead³⁰²But his hair was questionable.”. It is written³⁰³1S. 9:2.: “He had a son whose name was Saul, select and good, no one of the Children of Israel was better than he.” I could think, in everything. The verse says, “from his shoulder on he was higher than all the people.” But about Abner, what is written³⁰⁴2S. 3:38.? “You should know that a leader and great man fell today in Israel.” ³⁰⁵To the end of the paragraph, this is from Peah 1:1, Notes 176–179. The question asked is, why did Providence let Abner lose his usual caution when dealing with Joab. The presumed argument between Saul and Abner is explained in detail in the commentary by R. Ḥananel (Kairuan, early 11th Cent.) to Sanhedrin 49a, quoted in Arukh (s. v. בור ז) as Yerushalmi text; but clearly it is a paraphrase. (Printed on the margin of the Wilna Babli). Why was Abner killed? Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish, and the rabbis. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, because he made fun of the lives of his squires as it is said (2Sam. 2:14): “Let the squires get up and play before us.” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, because he prefaced his name before that of David; that is what is written (2Sam. 3:12) “Abner sent messengers to David the underling, saying: Whose is the land?” He wrote: From Abner to David. The rabbis say, because he did not let Shaul make peace with David. That is what is written (1Sam. 24:5): “My father, see, but see the corner of your coat in my hand!” He said to him, what do you want from the prattling of this one, it was torn off by thorns. But when they came to the circle, he said to him (1Sam. 26:14): “Can you answer, Abner?” About the corner, you said it was torn off by a thorn; were spear and pitcher cut off by a thorn? But some say, because he had it in his power to intervene for Nob, the city of priests, and he did not intervene.