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Rashi on the Former Prophets

CC BY · The Metsudah Tanach series (Metsudah Publications, Lakewood, NJ)
Chapter 1

2 Samuel 1

Behold a man came from the camp. The Pesikta brings an opinion that this man is Doeig, but the explanation is indefensible in my heart.

I am gripped with convulsions. I am gripped with convulsions. The Midrash Aggadah explains that this occurred because of Shaul's sin of killing the Kohanim as it is written concerning them, "a checkered shirt."
While I am still alive. Hurry and kill me. I prefer that you kill me and not they kill and torture me.

And the bracelet that was on his arm. The tefilin that was on his arm.

Your blood is on your own head. The responsibility for your death rests on your own head. There is no one to punish for your death but yourself.

He said, "To teach the Bnei Yehudah archery. David said, "Now that mighty among Yisroel have fallen, the Bnei Yehudah need to be taught how to make war and how to pull back a bow.
Behold it is written in the Seifer HaYoshor. This is written in Seifer Bereishis, which is the Seifer of the righteous, Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov. And where [In Bereishis] is it hinted at? "Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies." What type of warfare is it where he places his hand next to his forehead, which is opposite his neck? One must say: this is archery.

Pillar of Yisroel, on your heights [you have been rendered] a corpse. Pillars of Yisroel, on the mightiest point of your stronghold you have fallen as corpses. This is Yonasan's translation.

Mountains in Gilboa. The mountains in Gilboa.
Nor fields [yielding enough for] baking offerings. There will be no harvest among [the fields] that have the amount [that necessitates] making the baking offering.
Because there, the shield of soldiers spit out. They had shields made of skins and when they went to war, they smeared them with oil so that a weapon hitting [the shield] should slip [off of it]. As it is said [in Scriptures] "Get up officers, smear [your] shield with oil. And here this is what the Lamentation means, "There, the shield of soldiers spit out," it spit out its oil and [the oil] did not stick to it and rendered [the shield] as if it wasn't smeared with oil. All [uses of the word] הַגְעָלָה is a language of rejecting what had been put into it as [we find] "His oxen will impregnate, [the seed] will not be rejected."

Would not be pulled back. Was not used to being pulled back.

They were lighter then eagles. To do the will of their Creator.

Who has clothed you in scarlet clothing together with other delights. That clothed you in coloured garments and loaded you with delights.

On your heights, you were slain. On your strong point you have been killed.

The weapons of war. [Referring to] Shaul and Yohanasan who were Yisroel's weapons.

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