Комментарий о цитате к Шмуэль А 27:1

Without taking your mind off it. Guard it very diligently, that you do not take your mind off it, an expression of “despair [=ננוֹאָשׁ],”¹³I Shmuel 27:1. that there should be no despair in this matter. The ‘מ’ of מַסָּח is part of the root.¹⁴I.e., The ‘מ’ is not a prefix meaning “from.”

ויאמר בלבו, “He said to himself:” the expression ויאמר בלבו, as in Genesis 27,41 about Esau, or in Esther 6,6 where it is used about Haman, is typical for wicked people; on the other hand, when a similar expression is used in connection with righteous people the formulation is: ויאמר על לבו, as in Samuel I 27,1 in connection with David, or in Daniel 1,8 in connection with Daniel. The reason for this change in formulation is that the righteous are allowed to carry out their plans, i.e. what is in their hearts, as they are in charge of their hearts, whereas the wicked only think that they will be able to carry out their plans. The reason that in connection with Avraham the former formulation is used, is because the reader of these words is apt to think that even Avraham doubted G-d’s promise.

Should not depart. The Aramaic translation of¹⁴There seems to be an error in Rashi’s text because Targum renders לא יסוף as לא ישתיצי. The suggested correct text omits the first two words “תרגום של” [=the Aramaic translation of] from Rashi’s text. (Sifsei Chachomim) יִתּם [= will end], for the Targum of עַד תּם¹⁵Bamidbar 32:13. is עַד דְּסָף [until it ended]. But it is impossible to say that it [יָסוּף] is derived from the same root as “lest you perish [תִּסָּפֶה]”¹⁶Bereishis 19:17. or from the same root as “I may perish [אֶסָּפֶה] one day,”¹⁷I Shmuel 27:1. for if it were so, Scripture should have written לֹּא יִסָּפֶה מִזַּרְעָם.