TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
I - Chapter 10
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1Shmuel took a flask of oil and poured some on Shaul's head and kissed him, and said, “Hashem herewith anoints you ruler over His own people.
אוַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן וַיִּצֹק עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלוֹא כִּי־מְשָׁחֲךָ יְהֹוָה עַל־נַחֲלָתוֹ לְנָגִיד׃
2When you leave me today, you will meet two men near the tomb of Rachel in the territory of Binyamin, at Zelzah, and they will tell you that the asses you set out to look for have been found, and that your father has stopped being concerned about the asses and is worrying about you, saying: ‘What shall I do about my son?'
b'-lekh-t'-KHA ha-YOM may-i-ma-DEE u-ma-TZA-ta sh'-NAY a-na-SHEEM im k'-vu-RAT ra-KHAYL big-VUL bin-ya-MIN b'-tzel-TZAKH v'-a-m'-RU ay-LE-kha nim-tz'-U ha-a-to-NOT a-SHER ha-LAKH-ta l'-va-KAYSH v'-hi-NAY na-TASH a-VEE-kha et div-RAY ha-a-to-NOT v'-da-AG la-KHEM lay-MOR MAH e-e-SEH liv-NEE
בבְּלֶכְתְּךָ הַיּוֹם מֵעִמָּדִי וּמָצָאתָ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים עִם־קְבֻרַת רָחֵל בִּגְבוּל בִּנְיָמִן בְּצֶלְצַח וְאָמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ נִמְצְאוּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ לְבַקֵּשׁ וְהִנֵּה נָטַשׁ אָבִיךָ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְדָאַג לָכֶם לֵאמֹר מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לִבְנִי׃
10:2 You will meet two men near the tomb of Rachel
Rachel’s Tomb in Beit Lechem
Already in biblical times, the tomb of Rachel was a well-known landmark for the Israelites. Ever since Yaakov buried his beloved wife Rachel (Genesis 35:19), the Children of Israel have prayed at this holy site. According to the Sages, Yosef stopped to pray at his mother’s grave on his way down to Egypt, and when the Children of Israel were exiled from the land, they also passed by Rachel’s tomb and she cried to God on their behalf, saving them from complete destruction. During the period of Turkish rule over the Land of Israel, Sir Moses Montefiore renovated the tomb and constructed the domed building that covers the site in Bethlehem until today. Rachel’s Tomb was one of the holy places liberated by Israel in the Six Day War, and is again a site of prayer for the Jewish people.
3You shall pass on from there until you come to the terebinth of Tavor. There you will be met by three men making a pilgrimage to Hashem at Beit El. One will be carrying three kids, another will be carrying three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a jar of wine.
גוְחָלַפְתָּ מִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה וּבָאתָ עַד־אֵלוֹן תָּבוֹר וּמְצָאוּךָ שָּׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים עֹלִים אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים בֵּית־אֵל אֶחָד נֹשֵׂא שְׁלֹשָׁה גְדָיִים וְאֶחָד נֹשֵׂא שְׁלֹשֶׁת כִּכְּרוֹת לֶחֶם וְאֶחָד נֹשֵׂא נֵבֶל־יָיִן׃
4They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept.
דוְשָׁאֲלוּ לְךָ לְשָׁלוֹם וְנָתְנוּ לְךָ שְׁתֵּי־לֶחֶם וְלָקַחְתָּ מִיָּדָם׃
5After that, you are to go on to the Hill of Hashem, where the Philistine prefects reside. There, as you enter the town, you will encounter a band of Neviim coming down from the shrine, preceded by lyres, timbrels, flutes, and harps, and they will be speaking in ecstasy.
האַחַר כֵּן תָּבוֹא גִּבְעַת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם נְצִבֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וִיהִי כְבֹאֲךָ שָׁם הָעִיר וּפָגַעְתָּ חֶבֶל נְבִיאִים יֹרְדִים מֵהַבָּמָה וְלִפְנֵיהֶם נֵבֶל וְתֹף וְחָלִיל וְכִנּוֹר וְהֵמָּה מִתְנַבְּאִים׃
6The spirit of Hashem will grip you, and you will speak in ecstasy along with them; you will become another man.
ווְצָלְחָה עָלֶיךָ רוּחַ יְהֹוָה וְהִתְנַבִּיתָ עִמָּם וְנֶהְפַּכְתָּ לְאִישׁ אַחֵר׃
7And once these signs have happened to you, act when the occasion arises, for Hashem is with you.
זוְהָיָה כִּי תבאינה [תָבֹאנָה] הָאֹתוֹת הָאֵלֶּה לָךְ עֲשֵׂה לְךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדֶךָ כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ׃
8After that, you are to go down to Gilgal ahead of me, and I will come down to you to present burnt offerings and offer sacrifices of well-being. Wait seven days until I come to you and instruct you what you are to do next.”
חוְיָרַדְתָּ לְפָנַי הַגִּלְגָּל וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יֹרֵד אֵלֶיךָ לְהַעֲלוֹת עֹלוֹת לִזְבֹּחַ זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תּוֹחֵל עַד־בּוֹאִי אֵלֶיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתִּי לְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה׃
9As [Shaul] turned around to leave Shmuel, Hashem gave him another heart; and all those signs were fulfilled that same day.
טוְהָיָה כְּהַפְנֹתוֹ שִׁכְמוֹ לָלֶכֶת מֵעִם שְׁמוּאֵל וַיַּהֲפָךְ־לוֹ אֱלֹהִים לֵב אַחֵר וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל־הָאֹתוֹת הָאֵלֶּה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא׃
10And when they came there, to the Hill, he saw a band of Neviim coming toward him. Thereupon the spirit of Hashem gripped him, and he spoke in ecstasy among them.
יוַיָּבֹאוּ שָׁם הַגִּבְעָתָה וְהִנֵּה חֶבֶל־נְבִאִים לִקְרָאתוֹ וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים וַיִּתְנַבֵּא בְּתוֹכָם׃
11When all who knew him previously saw him speaking in ecstasy together with the Neviim, the people said to one another, “What's happened to the son of Keesh? Is Shaul too among the Neviim?”
יאוַיְהִי כָּל־יוֹדְעוֹ מֵאִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה עִם־נְבִאִים נִבָּא וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ מַה־זֶּה הָיָה לְבֶן־קִישׁ הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִיאִים׃
12But another person there spoke up and said, “And who are their fathers?” Thus the proverb arose: “Is Shaul too among the Neviim?”
יבוַיַּעַן אִישׁ מִשָּׁם וַיֹּאמֶר וּמִי אֲבִיהֶם עַל־כֵּן הָיְתָה לְמָשָׁל הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִאִים׃
13And when he stopped speaking in ecstasy, he entered the shrine.
יגוַיְכַל מֵהִתְנַבּוֹת וַיָּבֹא הַבָּמָה׃
14Shaul's uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” “To look for the asses,” he replied. “And when we saw that they were not to be found, we went to Shmuel.”
ידוַיֹּאמֶר דּוֹד שָׁאוּל אֵלָיו וְאֶל־נַעֲרוֹ אָן הֲלַכְתֶּם וַיֹּאמֶר לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנוֹת וַנִּרְאֶה כִי־אַיִן וַנָּבוֹא אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל׃
15“Tell me,” said Shaul's uncle, “what did Shmuel say to you?”
טווַיֹּאמֶר דּוֹד שָׁאוּל הַגִּידָה־נָּא לִי מָה־אָמַר לָכֶם שְׁמוּאֵל׃
16Shaul answered his uncle, “He just told us that the asses had been found.” But he did not tell him anything of what Shmuel had said about the kingship.
טזוַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־דּוֹדוֹ הַגֵּד הִגִּיד לָנוּ כִּי נִמְצְאוּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְאֶת־דְּבַר הַמְּלוּכָה לֹא־הִגִּיד לוֹ אֲשֶׁר אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל׃
17Shmuel summoned the people to Hashem at Mitzpa
יזוַיַּצְעֵק שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־הָעָם אֶל־יְהֹוָה הַמִּצְפָּה׃
18and said to them, “Thus said Hashem, the God of Yisrael: ‘I brought Yisrael out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.'
יחוַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָנֹכִי הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם וָאַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּמִיַּד כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכוֹת הַלֹּחֲצִים אֶתְכֶם׃
19But today you have rejected your God who delivered you from all your troubles and calamities. For you said, ‘No, set up a king over us!' Now station yourselves before Hashem, by your tribes and clans.”
יטוְאַתֶּם הַיּוֹם מְאַסְתֶּם אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר־הוּא מוֹשִׁיעַ לָכֶם מִכָּל־רָעוֹתֵיכֶם וְצָרֹתֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ כִּי־מֶלֶךְ תָּשִׂים עָלֵינוּ וְעַתָּה הִתְיַצְּבוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם וּלְאַלְפֵיכֶם׃
20Shmuel brought forward each of the tribes of Yisrael, and the lot indicated the tribe of Binyamin.
כוַיַּקְרֵב שְׁמוּאֵל אֵת כָּל־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּלָּכֵד שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן׃
21Then Shmuel brought forward the tribe of Binyamin by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was indicated; and then Shaul son of Keesh was indicated. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found.
כאוַיַּקְרֵב אֶת־שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן למשפחתו [לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו] וַתִּלָּכֵד מִשְׁפַּחַת הַמַּטְרִי וַיִּלָּכֵד שָׁאוּל בֶּן־קִישׁ וַיְבַקְשֻׁהוּ וְלֹא נִמְצָא׃
22They inquired of Hashem again, “Has anyone else come here?” And Hashem replied, “Yes; he is hiding among the baggage.”
כבוַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ־עוֹד בַּיהֹוָה הֲבָא עוֹד הֲלֹם אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה הִנֵּה־הוּא נֶחְבָּא אֶל־הַכֵּלִים׃
23So they ran over and brought him from there; and when he took his place among the people, he stood a head taller than all the people.
כגוַיָּרֻצוּ וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ מִשָּׁם וַיִּתְיַצֵּב בְּתוֹךְ הָעָם וַיִּגְבַּהּ מִכָּל־הָעָם מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמָעְלָה׃
24And Shmuel said to the people, “Do you see the one whom Hashem has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people acclaimed him, shouting, “Long live the king!”
כדוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם הַרְּאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר־בּוֹ יְהֹוָה כִּי אֵין כָּמֹהוּ בְּכָל־הָעָם וַיָּרִעוּ כָל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃
25Shmuel expounded to the people the rules of the monarchy, and recorded them in a document which he deposited before Hashem. Shmuel then sent the people back to their homes.
כהוַיְדַבֵּר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־הָעָם אֵת מִשְׁפַּט הַמְּלֻכָה וַיִּכְתֹּב בַּסֵּפֶר וַיַּנַּח לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיְשַׁלַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־כָּל־הָעָם אִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ׃
26Shaul also went home to Giva, accompanied by upstanding men whose hearts Hashem had touched.
כווְגַם־שָׁאוּל הָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ גִּבְעָתָה וַיֵּלְכוּ עִמּוֹ הַחַיִל אֲשֶׁר־נָגַע אֱלֹהִים בְּלִבָּם׃
27But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” So they scorned him and brought him no gift. But he pretended not to mind.
כזוּבְנֵי בְלִיַּעַל אָמְרוּ מַה־יֹּשִׁעֵנוּ זֶה וַיִּבְזֻהוּ וְלֹא־הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ מִנְחָה וַיְהִי כְּמַחֲרִישׁ׃