The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 22

David descends to the cave of Adullam and remains in hiding there. A group of men disenchanted with the establishment coalesces around David and adopts him as their leader. About four hundred men who suffer from debt and other forms of social disenfranchisement and who were therefore dissatisfied with the current regime become David’s entourage.

In light of the souring of relations between King Shaul and David, the family of Yishai is understandably concerned about its safety. David petitions the King of Moav to grant asylum to his parents and brothers while he is on the run. There are two reasons he may have decided to approach Moav specifically. First, as a descendant of Ruth, he had Moabite roots himself. Second, since Moav was continually at war with Israel, it was reasonable to assume that anyone at odds with Shaul would be perceived as an ally by the Moabite government. We never hear anything further about David’s family; some Midrashim suggest that the King of Moav did not honor his commitment and, in fact, killed them.

The prophet Gad approaches David and advises him to relocate to the land of Yehuda – the territory of his own tribe – rather than remaining in strongholds in the wilderness. Apparently this will help David build a political constituency and base of support for his future kingdom.

The second half of the chapter focuses on Shaul, who is sitting rather unceremoniously underneath a tree, holding a spear in his hand while surrounded by his own officers. Melancholy and paranoia have gripped him again; he begins accusing his supporters of betraying him and siding with “the son of Yishai”, the derogatory term he uses for David. The proof he marshals for his claim is the fact that none of his men have provided him with any information as to the whereabouts of his arch enemy and that no one informed him of the disloyalty of his own son, Yonatan, until he discovered it himself. He imagines that David has promised his officers all sorts of honor and material gifts in exchange for their forsaking Shaul and following him. Shaul sees himself as being abandoned and even threatened by his own court; one gets the impression that he feels very sorry for himself.

Out of a sense of sympathy or perhaps out of an opportunistic desire to ingratiate himself to the king, Doeg Ha-Adomi speaks up and shares what he witnessed at Nov – the chief Kohen, Ahimaatz, provided David with provisions and arms and even inquired of Hashem through the Urim Vetummim on his behalf (this last allegation does not seem to be true, as far as we know). Shaul accepts this report and summons the Kohanim of Nov, who quickly appear before him, having no idea why they have been called.

Shaul accuses Ahimaatz (he calls him “Ben Ahituv”, much like he calls David “ben Yishai”) of colluding and conspiring with David against him. Ahimaatz sincerely replies that he thought he was assisting and supporting the king by lending a hand to his trusted servant, and (according to the simple meaning of the text) he denies having consulted the Urim Vetummim on his behalf, which is something that would normally be done only for the King of Israel. Shaul perceives all of this as part of the ruse and an attempt to cover up for rebellious activity, and orders his men to massacre the inhabitants of Nov, including the Kohanim and their wives and children. They refuse, so Shaul enlists Doeg for the job; he does not hesitate to carry out the heinous deed.

One Kohen by the name of Evyatar escapes and joins the camp of David. When David learns what has transpired, he is deeply distraught and takes full responsibility for what occurred. He promises to protect Evyatar and take him under his wing as a penance for his role in causing the massacre to take place.

This chapter is a profoundly sad one for obvious reasons; the senseless loss of life is tragic. Looking beyond the tragic elements, we see a contrast being highlighted between Shaul and David. Despite living on the run and constantly being on the move, David is gathering a strong band of supporters and officers around him. Granted, they may not be well-trained or experienced, but they follow his lead and he is now shaping them into his future “court”. The people who are drawn to David are embittered souls who are yearning for change and to whom David can provide guidance and direction.

Shaul, on the other hand, has very little to show for himself. His position is stable and steady, yet he has not created much of an infrastructure around himself. Rather than sitting on a throne in a palace and commanding his men, he sits outside under a tree, nervously toying with a spear. He is the weak, angry and emotionally frail person and it is those who wish to win his favor for personal gain (like Doeg) who manipulate and take advantage of him to gain power and influence.

There is another aspect of the story worthy of note. One of Shaul’s limitations is his tendency to shift blame and make excuses. Even situations where he eventually admitted his own wrongdoing, he never did so without becoming defensive and putting up a fight first. The contrast with David’s reaction is significant. Upon hearing of the horrific developments, he immediately accepts responsibility for his failure to act more judiciously and for having placed the people of Nov in harm’s way. This unwavering sense of accountability is what distinguishes David as a truly outstanding Jewish leader.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 21

Yonatan returns home and David is now officially “on the run”. With no entourage, provisions or weapons, he enters Nov, the priestly city, and meets with the chief Kohen, Ahimaatz. Ahimaatz is described as “trembling” to meet David, suggesting that he perceived that something urgent was afoot.

David tells Ahimaatz that he is on a secret mission for the king and is in need of emergency provisions and any weapons they have available in the town. Ahimaatz replies that the only bread they possess is the showbread that was placed on the golden altar in the Tabernacle every Shabbat. David reassures him that he and the fictitious group of men he claimed were waiting for him were all ritually pure and therefore permitted to consume the bread; the fact that it was an emergency overrode the prohibition on non-priests eating the consecrated food.

There are no weapons in the city other than the sword of Goliath, apparently kept there as a reminder of the salvation wrought by Hashem in David’s confrontation with the giant; David asks to take it to arm himself for his “mission”. The text notes that Doeg Ha-Adomi, one of the top officers of Shaul, was present at the time, and observed this exchange; this piece of information becomes important later.

David escapes to Gat where he is recognized by the servants of the king, Akhish. They wish to apprehend and execute him, recalling the praises sung of his slaying of tens of thousands of Phillistines. Cognizant of their intentions, David feigns insanity to save himself – he begins drooling, writing on walls, and engaging in other unspecified erratic behaviors. King Akhish, criticizes his men for arresting David, commenting sarcastically that he has enough crazy people in his kingdom already and has no need for another one. There is no glory for the Pelishtim in such a conquest.

One gets the sense from this chapter that David is out of sorts; he behaves in a frantic manner, first taking consecrated bread from the Tabernacle and the sword of Goliath (and doing this under the watchful eye of an officer of Shaul, hence putting the Kohanim at risk), then running into enemy territory to find refuge. It seems that David is having a momentary crisis of trust in God; he does not know what Hashem’s plan is for him, and engages in desperate action as a result.

Ironically, the showbread in the Temple is intended to demonstrate that Hashem provides for all creatures; David commandeers the bread at a time when he fears that provisions from heaven may not be forthcoming. Similarly, the sword of Goliath was on display to remind everyone of the futility of human power in the face of Hashem’s providence; David, feeling alone and weak, temporarily places his trust in the sword of Goliath, perhaps briefly identifying with his opponent and wishing he could possess that strength.

Tragically, these decisions, made during a spell of desperation, will have tragic consequences that the text indicates David WOULD have foreseen and avoided if he had been thinking straight at the time. We will learn more about this in the next chapter.

Almost as a corrective measure for David, he soon discovers that the possession of food and weaponry are not able to save him from the might of the king of Gat. Acting insane would normally be beneath the dignity of a great warrior – it is humiliating to be thought of as mentally ill, and one might imagine that a soldier or officer would give up his life before pretending to be crazy.

However, David returned to his senses and dropped his warrior persona; knowing that it was not his public image but his standing in God’s eyes that mattered, it was not difficult for him to feign insanity, regardless of the impact of this choice on his reputation. In the Psalm in which David recounted this incident, he wrote, “may those who are humble hear this and rejoice” – this strategy was an example of the modesty and wisdom of David reasserting themselves after a brief lapse of judgment.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 20

David complains to Yonatan about the unjust treatment he is receiving at the hands of Shaul. He cannot understand what is motivating Shaul to seek his life. This time, Yonatan, rather than David, is the one in disbelief. He cannot accept David’s report that Shaul wishes to kill David and has kept this hidden from his own son. David assures him that his life has been in serious danger and explains that Shaul is aware of Yonatan’s sympathy for David and wants to spare him the pain of knowing the truth.

David and Yonatan reiterate and reaffirm their eternal bond of friendship with one another, and Yonatan devises a plan to determine what exactly Shaul is thinking and whether David can feel safe and secure returning to his service. Rosh Hodesh (the New Moon) is the following day; this is the perfect opportunity for Yonatan to evaluate his father’s feelings toward David. How will he react when David does not show up for the royal Rosh Hodesh luncheon at the palace?

If Shaul accepts David’s excuse (conveyed by Yonatan) that he has traveled to Betlehem for a family gathering, this will indicate that his paranoia and suspicion of David have subsided. On the other hand, if he interprets the rather innocuous absence as a sign of something sinister or rebellious, this will be a proverbial red flag. Yonatan tells David to hide in the field on the third day (the second day of Rosh Hodesh) and that Yonatan will come there with one of his servants. He will shoot an arrow; if he instructs the servant boy to go out further to retrieve it (i.e., the arrow lands beyond the spot in which the boy is standing), this is a signal that David must run away. If, on the other hand, Yonatan directs the servant to come in closer to gather up the arrow, this is a signal that David is free to return home because Shaul no longer harbors any malice towards him.

The first day of Rosh Hodesh passes uneventfully; Shaul does not inquire as to David’s whereabouts, assuming that he is ritually impure for some reason and therefore not able to attend. On the second day, however, he becomes curious about David’s absence and asks Yonatan why “the son of Yishai” is not present at the banquet. Yonatan explains that David asked for permission to visit his family in Betlehem.

Shaul flies into a mad rage, declaring that David is a rebel worthy of death and that, as long as David lives, he will ruin any prospect Yonatan has of inheriting the kingdom. Shaul derides Yonatan, labeling him an embarrassment to the family for his “self-defeating” support of David. When Yonatan protests that David is innocent and not deserving of such treatment, Shaul lifts up his spear and threatens his son’s life.

Yonatan is greatly aggrieved by all of this and heads out to the field to report the news to David. As promised, he shoots the arrow beyond his servant and orders the boy to retrieve it. After the servant brings the arrow back to his master, Yonatan instructs him to rush back to the palace immediately. Once the lad is gone, David emerges from his hiding place and he and Yonatan share a private and very moving farewell, once again affirming the eternal covenant of friendship and mutual support they have pledged to one another.

One aspect of this narrative that is difficult to understand is the role of the “signal” of shooting an arrow. If Yonatan and David plan to see each other face to face anyway, why can’t they simply meet in person so that Yonatan can share what he has learned about Shaul? Why is it necessary for them to devise a sign for this purpose, when they are going to speak to one another immediately afterwards?

I believe that the essential concern of Yonatan and David was one of secrecy and security. It would have been quite unusual and suspicious for Yonatan, a prince, to head out into the field without an escort and with no clear purpose. This might have attracted unnecessary attention at court, and were Shaul to take notice of and investigate the reason for Yonatan’s trip, the consequences could have been disastrous.

With this in mind, Yonatan used the pretext of an archery outing to explain his departure and brought a lad along with him so that his trip appeared normal and legitimate. If the outcome of his luncheon with Shaul had been a promising one, he would have used the “signal” to indicate to David that it was alright for him to drop his anonymity, emerge from his hiding place and join the two archers at their sport, eventually returning with them to the palace.

On the other hand, if things turned out poorly (as they did), it would have been unwise to allow the young boy to become aware of David’s presence in the field, lest he share this information with others. The signal of the distant arrow meant “wait in the brush until the lad returns home and then we can say goodbye in private.” This is why, after describing the location of the arrow, Yonatan quickly changes course and sends the boy home, as if he has just remembered that there is something urgent at the palace that must be taken care of. The coast clear, David can now bid farewell to his best friend without anyone watching.

Aside from the heartbreaking developments in the relationship between David and Shaul and the strain this places on the friendship of David and Yonatan, there is an additional layer of tragedy to the story. Yonatan, like Mikhal, has a choice: to follow David or to remain loyal to his father’s regime. He may have rationalized that remaining an “insider” provided a greater advantage to David than defecting to his side would have; however, the fact remains that Yonatan parts from David and returns to the camp of his father. As students of the Navi we know that this means that Yonatan will die with his father in battle against the Pelishtim and will never have the privilege of seeing his beloved companion David ascend to his rightful place upon the throne of Israel.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 19

This chapter contains two episodes in which the children of Shaul must balance their sense of loyalty to David with their commitment to the honor of their father. Yonatan, concerned about the increasingly hostile attitude of Shaul toward David, warns David that the king is intent on killing him. David has difficulty believing this. Yonatan instructs David to hide out in a field where Yonatan will go for a stroll with Shaul and discuss the situation.

In the course of their conversation it becomes clear that Shaul does, indeed, harbor profound animosity toward David and wishes to have him executed; Yonatan reasons with his father, questioning the rashness of his plans and emphasizing that the service of David to the kingdom has been trustworthy and beneficial. Shaul swears by the name of Hashem that he will not kill David. As we have learned in the past, however, Shaul’s oaths are of little value in the long run.
Yet another clash with the Phillistines erupts, and David emerges victorious in battle, once again plunging Shaul into despair and anger. While David plays music for him, Shaul attempts to cast a spear at him and murder him; David dodges the attack and escapes from the palace. Shaul stations guards outside of David’s house who wait to ambush him; aware of their plans, his wife Mikhal secretly lowers him out of the window of their home and he leaves undetected.

Mikhal tells the messengers of Shaul that David is sick and arranges a decoy of “teraphim” (statues) and goat hair to make it appear as if David is in bed under the covers. Shaul commands his officers to simply bring David in his bed to be killed; they then realize that they have been fooled and that David is nowhere to be found. Shaul confronts his daughter, criticizing her for choosing David over her own family; rather than argue with her father’s judgment, Mikhal claims that David threatened her life if she did not aid him in his escape.

David flees to Ramah where he encounters Shemuel and shares with him all that has transpired. Shaul sends guards to arrest David; the first three contingents fail to complete their mission because they are seized by the spirit of prophecy. Finally, Shaul himself arrives to apprehend David, but he too is overcome with prophetic rapture and falls to the ground naked, where he remains for a full day and night. This event gave a new meaning to the previously coined phrase “Is Shaul also among the prophets?”

There are undoubtedly echoes of the story of Rachel, Yaaqov and Lavan in the tale of Mikhal, David and Shaul. In both cases, there is a conflict between a son-in-law and a father-in-law, an escape is involved, and the daughter chooses to side with her husband. In both cases, when confronted, the daughter invents a lie to protect herself (Rachel claimed she could not stand up for her father because she was in the midst of her monthly cycle; Mikhal claimed her life was in jeopardy and therefore could not protect her father’s interests). Mikhal and Rachel both experience difficulties regarding childbirth, as we will see in future chapters. Most fascinatingly, both stories involve “teraphim” – Rachel stole her father’s teraphim before running off with Yaaqov, and Mikhal utilizes teraphim in her ruse to delay the discovery of David’s escape.

Mikhal also has similarities to Rahav, who saved Yehoshua’s spies from being apprehended by the King of Yeriho by lowering them down from her window to facilitate their getaway as well as misrepresenting the facts when challenged by the authorities.

What is the reason for these textual and thematic parallels? I believe that one of the key prophetic messages here is that David is a Yaaqov-like figure. David is destined to establish the monarchy of Israel just as Yaaqov established the nation of Israel. Like Yaaqov, he has humble beginnings – he is a mere shepherd who does not seem especially illustrious or impressive at first, but who rises to great prominence and enjoys incredible success in the employ of his own father-in-law. This inadvertently causes him to become the object of his father-in-law’s jealousy, animosity and resentment, and places his wife in a very difficult position.

Rachel and Mikhal, torn between the roles of wife and daughter, choose to heed the calling of the Divine will – whether it be the Divinely mandated creation of the nation of Israel in Rachel’s case or the Divinely mandated establishment of the Davidic dynasty in Mikhal’s – and both women seem to experience some difficulty with the process of leaving their familial commitments and loyalties behind.

We can understand the connection to Rahav along similar lines. With Yehoshua’s conquest of the land imminent, Rahav is forced to choose between her patriotic or familial loyalty to Yeriho and her recognition of Hashem’s providential plan. She opts to do the right thing and to become an instrument of the Divine purpose. It is noteworthy that, according to the Midrash, Rahav, who abdicated her commitment to Yeriho in order to support the Jews, became Yehoshua’s wife. This would be yet another linkage between the stories of Rahav and Mikhal; in both cases, the wife of the rebel is willing to abandon her natural loyalties for the sake of the holy mission being led by her husband.

It is noteworthy that David finds refuge with the prophet Shemuel while the spirit of prophecy is what repels Shaul and his men. This is in stark contrast to the beginning of Shaul’s reign at which time he was inspired with an experience of prophecy because he was devoted to fulfilling the word of Hashem and aligning himself and his kingdom with the Divine plan. At this stage of his career, however, he has been overpowered by the momentum of his own agenda that runs contrary to Hashem’s design. Therefore, he is no longer able to remain upright and prophesy in the presence of the prophets – the word of Hashem, rather than uplifting and strengthening him, casts him to the ground, naked and humiliated. Only David, the chosen successor of Shaul and the true servant of God, can stand with dignity by their side.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 18
The primary focus of this chapter is on the meteoric rise of David to prominence in Israel and the variety of reactions to his newfound fame. The members of King Shaul’s court, including Yonatan, Shaul’s son, are deeply impressed with David and are pleased with his appearance on the scene. Shaul retains David as a leader of his troops and no longer permits him to return home. Yonatan forms a bond of deep and enduring friendship with David. He removes his regal apparel and weapons and gives them to David as a sign of genuine deference to him.

David is consistently successful and becomes enormously popular. The women who greet the Jewish soldiers returning from war sing a song that Shaul interprets as praising David more highly than himself, although really it is composed in a typical biblical poetic structure that carries no such implication. While everyone else in the kingdom is celebrating the military victories and accomplishments of David, Shaul’s jealousy over David’s growing popularity consumes him. On one occasion, while David is performing for him at the palace, Shaul hurls a spear at him with intent to kill; miraculously, David steps out of its path and survives.

Shaul now views David as a threat and wishes to orchestrate his downfall. At the same time, he realizes that God is with David and is enabling him to succeed and thrive to a remarkable extent. Shaul decides to attempt to bring about David’s demise at the hands of the Pelishtim rather than murdering him personally. His strategy is to wed David to his daughter, Merav, hoping that this distraction will undermine his focus and lead to his failure on the battlefield. David refuses to accept the proposal, insisting that he is unworthy of marrying the daughter of the king.

In the meantime, Merav marries someone else and another daughter of Shaul, Mikhal, falls in love with David. Again, David is adamant that he is not deserving of the honor of marrying royalty; Shaul, hoping to entice David to accept a dangerous mission that would eventuate in his death, asks his men to convince David to agree to the offer, provided he can deliver one hundred Philistine foreskins to the King as a dowry in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. David embraces the challenge and delivers not one hundred but two hundred Philistine foreskins, having handily defeated two hundred Pelishti soldiers in combat without coming to any harm.

Shaul – like the members of his cabinet, his own son, and the entire Jewish people – perceives the hand of God in the achievements of David and holds him in tremendous esteem; however, his own thirst for approval, love and power cause him to completely separate himself from the divine plan. Ironically, he realizes the message Hashem is sending through the blessings David is receiving; clearly, David is Hashem’s choice to succeed Shaul. Nevertheless, Shaul is unwilling to accept the decree of the Almighty and instead declares David his arch enemy. As the love that everyone else has for David waxes stronger, the animosity of Shaul toward his rival intensifies.

The assessment we formed from the earlier episodes in Shaul’s career has proven to be correct: his tendency to place his own need for the approval of others ahead of Hashem’s will has reached new heights. No longer merely compromising or rationalizing his capitulation to popular opinion when it runs contrary to the expectations of Hashem, Shaul is now prepared to unabashedly set aside the will of the Almighty in order to protect and promote his own personal agenda.

This kind of development is precisely what Hashem and the prophets feared would occur with the advent of the monarchy – pursuit of power for its own sake rather than in the service of Torah. Shaul’s movement in this direction began long ago; his continual spiritual decline is the very reason why he is being removed from his position and replaced with David.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 17

This lengthy chapter describes the famous confrontation between David and Goliath. The armies of Israel and the Pelishtim are positioned facing one another on the battlefield but no actual combat is underway. Each day, a very tall, strong, and heavily armored Philistine stands between the two camps and hurls belittling and degrading insults at the Jews. He challenges the Jewish army to send a warrior out who can defeat him and declares that the winner of this match will be entitled to claim the entire army (and nation) of the loser as his slaves. The Israelites are petrified by the menacing spectacle of Goliath and for forty days they remain silent and do not offer any response to his taunts.

David is dispatched by his father to bring provisions to his three eldest brothers who are members of the army of King Shaul, present a gift of food to their supervising officer, and inquire after their welfare. David leaves the sheep he usually shepherds with a substitute and heads off to the battlefield to fulfill his father’s request. While visiting the camp, he has the opportunity to hear the vile pronouncements of the intimidating Goliath. He becomes aware of the fact that the King has offered ample reward – his daughter’s hand in marriage and a tax-free household, among other material benefits – to anyone who can rise up to the challenge of the Philistine.

David asks several individuals for the details of what King Shaul has offered, and expresses his outrage at the desecration of God’s name being perpetrated by the uncircumcised Philistine brute. He seems to be especially vocal so that the “stir” he creates will be noticed by the powers-that-be. His eldest brother rebukes him for his troublemaking but David ignores his sharp words.

Eventually, King Shaul hears of David’s statements and summons him to a private royal audience. David informs the King that the Jews have nothing to fear; Hashem will battle for them, and he is personally willing to confront the Philistine, trusting in this fact. King Shaul is hesitant to allow David to get involved, given his youth, weakness and lack of experience. However, David recounts to Shaul some of the mighty deeds he performed as a shepherd – fighting off a bear and a lion who attempted to abscond with his sheep – and observes that this animalistic Pelishti is no better than them. When David once again reiterates his faith in Hashem’s support on the battlefield, Shaul agrees to allow him to face Goliath.

David unsuccessfully attempts to suit up in proper armor provided for him by Shaul; it is uncomfortable and cumbersome so he eschews the protective armor and weaponry of Shaul for his slingshot and five smooth rocks. When Goliath sees the wimpy looking fellow the Jews have sent to fight him, he is understandably amused and offended all at once. He insults David and the people of Israel again, promising to pulverize his opponent. David, not prepared to back down, informs the Goliath that although he has better armor and weaponry on his side, David has Hashem who will empower him to prevail over the Pelishtim despite their considerable military advantage.

Goliath is incensed and charges toward David; David, rather than running in the opposite direction, charges fearlessly toward Goliath as well. As he runs, David reaches into his pouch and slings a stone toward Goliath; the stone impacts and sinks into Goliath’s forehead and he collapses. David approaches Goliath and draws the sword of the giant out of his sheath to decapitate him. The Jews, their sense of morale restored by this event, chase after and deliver a powerful blow to the Pelishtim. Shaul inquires after the identity of David from Avner, who does not know; David himself explains that he is the son of Yishai from Betlehem.

This chapter is particularly rich in detail and ideas and deserves many pages of discussion; for the sake of brevity, I will restrain myself and offer just one thematic highlight. The fact that Goliath is capable of single-handedly terrorizing the Israelite camp is a sad commentary on the bravery of the army; however, there is a symbolic element in the description of his activities that shouldn’t be overlooked. He approached them “morning and evening” for a period of forty days. The “forty days” is most certainly reminiscent of the forty days Moshe spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah. Our Sages comment in the Midrash (quoted by Rashi) that by hurling insults at the Jews morning and evening, he caused them to forget to fulfill the mitzvah of reciting Shema morning and evening. What do these “hints” in the text mean to teach us?

I believe that they point to another interesting element of the story that is critical for understanding it properly. When the soldiers tell David about their Philistine tormentor and the reward promised to by Shaul to anyone who defeats him, the conflict is framed in purely military terms. David, by contrast, consistently focuses attention on the desecration of Hashem’s name that is taking place; Goliath is denigrating the army of the living God, his actions are not against Israel but against the Almighty, and Hashem will ensure that he meets his downfall swiftly. The period of forty days and the failure to recite the Shema symbolically reflect the shift in attention AWAY from Torah and Hashem and their subsequent captivation by the antics of the Philistine. The text is emphasizing, directly and indirectly, that Goliath looms so large and his power so intimidating precisely because the Jewish people have forgotten the True King.

As is always the case in Jewish history as presented in Tanakh, the enemy achieves the proverbial upper hand when the Jewish people neglect their covenant with Hashem and begin to pursue political power and security for its own sake. Unlike the beginning of his career when King Shaul recognized this principle, we can see that he has ultimately failed in his mission to keep the Jews focused on what is truly important. He makes no move to cry out to Hashem, encourage repentance or even offer a sacrifice; he is utterly paralyzed by the spectacle of Goliath.

David, who is devoted to Hashem, easily sees past the veneer of the Philistine and perceives an animal like a lion or bear who can be outsmarted and vanquished. He capitalizes on this knowledge, taunting Goliath so that the giant “loses it” and charges at him at full speed. This allows David, who trusts in Hashem’s providence and in the power of wisdom to conquer unbridled physical force, to calmly and confidently put an end to an intractable conflict. The only solution to the problem was to extricate oneself from the limiting effect of the psychological tactics employed by the Pelishtim and take refuge in God-given knowledge as the source of victory; David did this, and demonstrated thereby that he was more than qualified to be a leader in Israel.

As mentioned in our comments to the previous chapter, one of the biggest interpretive challenges of these chapters is the chronology. In this chapter, it seems as if Shaul has never met David before; yet, in the previous chapter, he had been hired as court musician and become a regular attendant of the king! Rashi and most traditional commentaries assume that the chapters are written in chronological order; therefore, they assume that Shaul already knew David when the episode with Goliath took place. Shaul’s questions about David are motivated by a desire to know more about his background and where he inherited or developed such military prowess and courage. Before David killed Goliath, Shaul had only known him as a talented harp player, not as a fighter.

An alternative approach is brought in the name of Shemuel ben Hofni Gaon and has been adopted by several contemporary scholars. According to this view, the chapter sequence is out of order. In reality, at the time David volunteered to confront Goliath, he was completely unknown to Shaul; this was their first encounter with one another. Chapter sixteen, which describes David’s employment as court musician, occurred after the incident with Goliath, which might explain why he is described as a “mighty warrior” who is close to Hashem and successful in all his endeavors – after all, before defeating the Philistine, he does not seem to have had any reputation for military skill (or anything else for that matter)!

Shaul’s depression and melancholy were likely caused by his repeated frustration on the battlefield against the Philistines and that feeling of inadequacy might have been exacerbated by David’s unlikely slaying of the “invincible” Goliath. This also might explain why, when Shemuel visits Yishai’s home, there is an assumption that we are familiar with his sons and their positions in the family, facts that are only introduced to us explicitly in chapter seventeen. There are a number of hints in the text and in Midrashic works that seem to support the theory that the fight with Goliath preceded the selection of David as king and his appointment as harp-player for Shaul.

Of course, this approach is not without its difficulties; if David had indeed already defeated Goliath, why was he not even considered by his family as a possible candidate for kingship when Shemuel arrives? And why is he sent home after the incident, only to be returned to the palace for his musical services later on?

We may never know the precise chronology here. However, I would like to emphasize that (regardless of their chronological sequence) the chapters are organized THEMATICALLY. As students of Navi, we should be most concerned with the prophetic MESSAGE being conveyed, not so much with the historical details such as what happened first or last, whether there was some overlap in periods or incidents, etc.

The point of chapter sixteen is to chart the slow downfall and marginalization of Shaul, which involves both his emergent passivity, his descent into melancholy and the identification of David as his eventual successor. In the course of the description of Shaul’s downfall, we read of David’s being hired as musician to assuage his pain, which – regardless of when it occurred – is important to understand since it will play a role in future instances of Shaul’s continuous struggle with depression and loss of control. It is not about David so much but about the slow and agonizing conclusion of Shaul’s reign.

Chapter Seventeen, by contrast, is primarily concerned with the surprising and meteoric rise of David as the next monarch. He is therefore introduced to us all over again and the beginning of his career as military general, political leader and spiritual mentor is now presented in dramatic detail.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 16

This chapter introduces us to David, son of Yishai, the future king of Israel. Hashem tells Shemuel to quit mourning over the failure of Shaul and to anoint a new monarch in Bethlehem. Shemuel, fearing reprisals from King Shaul, is hesitant to do so; Hashem instructs him to travel to Bethlehem under the pretext that he will be performing a sacrifice and religious service there, and to conduct the anointment in secret.

At the house of Yishai, Shemuel immediately perceives Eliav, the eldest son of his host, as the best candidate for the monarchy. He must have had a decidedly regal appearance and must have projected an air of confidence and strength. Hashem informs Shemuel that he cannot judge this matter on superficial appearances; only Hashem is capable of identifying the person who has the character necessary to lead His people.

Yishai presents all of his sons to Shemuel but none of them are endorsed by Hashem. Shemuel asks if Yishai has any other children; it turns out that David, not considered by his family to be a viable choice for the monarchy, had been left out in the field with the sheep. Despite his ruddy appearance and lack of the external traits normally associated with royalty, David is indeed chosen and anointed as the next king of Israel.

The chapter proceeds to recount that Shaul had been suffering from melancholy and depression and that his advisers had suggested he hire a musician to cheer him up and assuage his emotional turmoil. David, the son of Yishai, was known to be a very capable musician, warrior, and scholar and to be amply blessed by Hashem in all of his endeavors. He is sent for and hired to stand before Shaul and play music for him whenever necessary.

As we will discuss in the next chapter, there is some ambiguity in the text as to whether Shaul was already acquainted with David at this point or whether this is the first time they are being introduced to one another.

There are two interesting points to be highlighted about Shemuel in this chapter. The first is his fear of Shaul’s revenge and the command Hashem gives him to misrepresent his plans in order to protect himself. The commentaries observe that this is a prime example of the principle that we do not rely on miracles. Even Shemuel, a distinguished prophet of Hashem who was implementing a commandment of Hashem, had to disguise his agenda to remain safe from Shaul. Although Shemuel was certainly worthy of having a miracle performed on his behalf, Hashem does not intervene in ways that would overturn the laws of nature unless it is absolutely necessary for Him to do so; here, it was far easier for Shemuel to keep his intentions hidden from Shaul and thereby avoid becoming the object of his wrath.

The second noteworthy point about Shemuel is his mistaken inclination to anoint Eliav as king. Why does the text have to inform us that Shemuel made an error in judgment here? Why not simply tell us that he considered each of the sons before finally identifying David as the chosen monarch? The Rabbis tell us that this experience was designed to humble Shemuel and teach him a lesson about overestimating the reliability of human reason and analysis.

When he first encountered Shaul, Shemuel described himself as “the seer”, suggesting that he possessed special, almost infallible powers of perception inaccessible to ordinary human beings. By emphasizing that Shemuel’s capacity to “see” the truth about others is indeed limited, He provides an implicit rebuke to the prophet for having a slightly exaggerated sense of his own abilities.

Shemuel’s confidence in his own judgment was probably what prevented him from abandoning the “lost cause” of Shaul when he should have moved on more quickly. Shemuel simply couldn’t see past his own conclusion that Shaul MUST be the one for the job, and the discovery that Hashem had rejected Shaul was devastating for Shemuel, a spiritual mentor who had such lofty hopes and expectations for his student. He shed many tears and lost much sleep over this inevitable disillusionment.

As human beings, whether prophets or otherwise, we can never lose sight of the limits of our own sense perception and reasoning; only the Almighty knows the true character of a person, can weigh the needs of His people and can therefore determine who is best suited to lead the nation of Israel.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 15

The prophet Shemuel approaches King Shaul and directs him to fulfill the commandment of the Torah to exterminate the people of Amaleq. The Torah indicates that when the Jewish people have achieved stability and security in their land, they must proceed to eliminate the evil (Amaleq) from their midst; the Rabbis explain that his means that once a monarchy is established, it is the responsibility of the king to carry out this task. All of the Amaleqites must be killed and their animals and possessions destroyed.

It is beyond the scope of a brief summary to enter into a deeper discussion of the commandment to annihilate Amaleq and to explore its moral and ethical dimensions. It should suffice to say that Amaleq was a culture of “piracy”; the Amaleqites traveled throughout the land preying on the weak and defenseless, killing and plundering them indiscriminately. Their unjust and corrupt lifestyle was anathema to Torah and stood in absolute contradiction to the principles of truth, justice and compassion that Judaism promotes. Therefore, the King of Israel was obligated to remove them from the land of Israel in order to demonstrate the commitment of the Jewish people to the establishment of a just and holy society.

Shaul follows the instructions of Shemuel and musters the necessary troops for the military effort. He sends word to the Kenites, allies of the Israel, and asks them to distance themselves from the battlefield so they do not suffer any harm during the conflict. The war is successful; the king of Amaleq is captured alive, and the troops help themselves to the spoils. They comply with the commandment to destroy the inferior items but decide to keep the high quality animals and goods for sacrifice and for personal use.

As Shaul prepares to celebrate the national victory, Shemuel arrives. Shaul greets the prophet enthusiastically and informs him that the commandment of Hashem has been fulfilled; Amaleq has been defeated. Shemuel counters that this is not the case – he himself can hear the bleating of the goats that were illegally kept alive. Shaul explains that the best of the animals were preserved in order to be offered as sacrifices to the Almighty.

Shemuel then delivers the message that Hashem had sent him to convey (and which the prophet himself had spent all night crying and praying about): Shaul may be insignificant in his own eyes and therefore accommodating of the desires and wishes of others, but he is now the king of Israel and must act as leader, not follower. Because he failed to implement the law of Hashem and once again capitulated to the people, he would now lose the privilege of being their monarch. Shaul again insists that what he allowed the people to do was to serve and honor Hashem through sacrifice; Shemuel responds that “service of God” means abiding by His instructions, not innovating one’s own modes of religious expression.

Shaul finally acknowledges that he erred because he was intimidated by the will of the people, but asks Shemuel to forgive his trespass and accompany him in prayer before departing. Shemuel refuses to do so, reiterating that Hashem has rejected Shaul as the anointed king of Israel because of his sin. Shemuel tears the garment of Shaul and emphasizes that this decision of the Almighty is irrevocable; Shaul again asks that Shemuel accept his apology and worship with him. Shemuel follows Shaul for the service but does not participate with him.

The prophet then requests that the King of Amaleq be brought to him, and Shemuel kills him on the spot. Shemuel and Shaul part ways and never see one another again for the rest of their lives. Shemuel once had high hopes for Shaul and will spend the rest of his life mourning over the tragic loss the nation sustained as a result of the fact that Shaul squandered his tremendous leadership potential.

Shaul’s pro forma apologies to Shemuel appear artificial and empty. Each time he acknowledges his mistake only to ask, in the same sentence, that Shemuel honor him or accompany him. The implication is that his repentance was neither sincere nor heartfelt. It is actually reminiscent of the “repentance” of the Pharaoh of Egypt, who would “apologize” to Moshe and immediately follow up with a request that the plague afflicting his kingdom be stopped.

Shaul does not seem to fully grasp the significance of his error and therefore perceive Shemuel’s reaction as exaggerated and hyperbolic. His asking for forgiveness is merely intended to placate Shemuel and prevent further escalation of the drama so that he can continue comfortably with his victory celebration.

Because Shaul does not understand how deeply rooted and dangerous his character flaw is, he does not even entertain the possibility that Hashem has removed him from his throne as a result of it. He does not believe that he has been relieved of his monarchy by Divine command and this explains why he fights mightily to hold onto that power for the rest of his life.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 14

The situation facing Israel is a dire one, yet King Shaul refrains from taking any action to resolve it. Yonatan is accompanied by his young armor-bearer as he secretly crosses over to the garrison of the Pelishtim. He devises an unorthodox strategy to predict the way in which the conflict will unfold. If, when the Phillistines see him, they tell him to “come up” to them, this indicates that the Jews will “rise up” and triumph over their enemies. If, however, they tell Yonatan and his escort to remain in place while they “come down” to apprehend them, this is a sign that the Jews are destined to lose the war.

A logical way to understand Yonatan’s strategy is as a helpful barometer of the morale of the Pelishtim. If they are confident and secure, they will feel comfortable leaving the protective borders of their camp and coming down to confront Yonatan. If they prefer to invite Yonatan up to the place where they are standing, the implication is that they are fearful of him and perceive him as a threat; they feel a need to remain in a physically superior position because their psychological morale is shaky.

The Pelishtim tell Yonatan to come up to them; emboldened by what he interprets as a sign from Hashem, Yonatan proceeds to attack the Pelishtim in the camp, and chaos ensues – there is a panic of such magnitude that the Phillistines begin killing one another, incapable of distinguishing between friend and foe.

The Israelite camp notices the havoc that has erupted in the garrison of the Pelishtim; a brief investigation reveals that Yonatan is absent and most likely responsible for it. At first, Shaul approaches the Kohen to seek Hashem’s word through the Urim VeTummim; however, he interrupts the process when it becomes evident that the tumult on the Phillistine side is out of control and delaying any further might mean losing the opportunity to take advantage of their state of confusion and attack them. As Shaul leads his men forward to vanquish the Pelishtim, he imposes an oath upon all of them – no one is to eat or drink anything until the battle reaches its conclusion.

Yonatan rejoins the troops and travels with them through a forest in which there is a stream of honey. Unaware of the oath his father imposed, he samples some of it. When he is warned that this was forbidden by his father, he criticizes the short-sightedness of the oath, arguing that it would have been wiser and more efficient to encourage the men to eat than to prevent them from doing so.

At the conclusion of the successful battle, the famished Jews descend upon the spoils and begin slaughtering animals and consuming their meat. It is brought to the attention of King Shaul that the people are eating “on the blood”, in violation of the Torah (the commentaries discuss what precisely the transgression was, since the Oral tradition interprets “do not eat upon the blood” in various metaphoric ways.)

Shaul instructs his officers to roll a large rock to a place that would be designated as the official location for slaughter. He then has them direct the people to bring their animals to the rock to be killed before taking the meat and consuming it in other areas far away from any blood. Shaul builds an altar in honor of Hashem to express his gratitude to God for the salvation the Jews experienced on the battlefield.

Shaul proposes that the troops of Israel continue attacking the Pelishtim through the night to consolidate their military gains. Before pursuing this course of action he seeks the word of Hashem to confirm that it is proper and will be successful. However, Shaul receives no response from the Urim Vetummim. This signals that the divine presence has departed from the camp and suggests that some sin has been committed by the troops. Shaul swears that whoever is responsible for this loss of divine assistance will pay with his life, even if it turns out to be his own son Yonatan.

A lottery is conducted and Yonatan is indeed identified as the perpetrator; he confesses the sin he committed in partaking of the honey and accepts the judgment that he is condemned to die. Shaul once again swears that he will mete out the punishment he promised and that Yonatan will be killed. However, the people intervene and defend Yonatan; after all, it was Yonatan’s heroic infiltration of the garrison of the Pelishtim that led to the miraculous victory of Israel against their persecutors.

Shaul relents and Yonatan’s life is spared. The chapter concludes with a description of Shaul’s distinguished career of successful military operations against many of the oppressors and enemies of the Jewish people. In addition to marrying and starting a family, Shaul develops a strong and formidable army to protect and defend his nation.

This story contains at least two allusions to narratives in the Book of Shofetim. Yonatan’s crossing over to the camp of the Pelishtim to gauge their morale is reminiscent of the story of Gideon who likewise sneaks over to the camp of the Midianites to listen in on the conversations of the enemy troops. There, as here, the enemy camp descends into chaos and Midianites begin killing one another amidst sheer panic.

Shaul’s oath which unwittingly condemns his son to death reminds us of the oath of Yiftah which leads him to condemn his daughter. These literary and thematic parallels highlight the fact that the Book of Shemuel is the culmination and completion of the Book of Shofetim; the career and character of Shaul cannot be fully understood without reference to the Judges who preceded him.

The episode of Shaul’s oath again illustrates his tragic inability to be decisive in the face of social pressure. Shaul invokes the name of God numerous times to back up his conviction that whoever has caused the Divine presence to depart must die; he reiterates his promise even after discovering the identity of the perpetrator. Nonetheless, the response of the people wins the day – he backtracks on a sacred vow, in an egregious violation of the Ten Commandments, in deference to popular opinion.

One might be tempted to argue that Yonatan’s transgression wasn’t serious enough to warrant such a harsh response to begin with, and that Shaul’s promise to execute the sinner was made without due deliberation. However, the fact that the Divine Presence withdrew from Israel as a result of Yonatan’s sin is a testimony to its seriousness. Examined closely, his crime was not the consumption of honey, the prohibition of which he was unaware of when he did violated it. The real sin of Yonatan was in his reaction to those who informed him of the prohibition – rather than apologize for the oversight, he ridiculed his father’s decision publicly, and told the troops that they would have been better off not abiding by it. This disrespectful and rebellious speech was an attack on the authority of the king and cannot be dismissed lightly.

Shaul’s failure to punish his son, even after swearing to do so more than once, was a monumental mistake, illustrating his distorted set of priorities in which honor of the people ranked above the honor of the Almighty. Ironically, he committed this sin immediately after rebuking the nation for disgracing God by eating next to blood and after constructing an altar in the name of Hashem.

The Recording

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 13

King Shaul and his son Yonatan, commanding an army of 3,000 men, have already made inroads in their battle with the Pelishtim. This progress alarms the Pelishtim and begin to ready themselves for what they hope will be a decisive strike against Israel. Many Jews are intimidated and flee the area or hide in caves from protection from what they perceive as an imminent onslaught. Shaul and his men camp at Gilgal and anticipate the arrival of Shemuel who had commanded the king to wait for him for seven days before proceeding to the battlefield.

Noticing that the troops had begun to lose confidence in him and defect from the war effort, Shaul gives up on Shemuel and offers the standard sacrifices himself instead. As soon as he finishes, Shemuel appears and takes Shaul to task for failing to follow the divine instructions. Shaul explains that he was compelled to act quickly because the troops were losing patience and abandoning him, Shemuel was late, and he did not want to head out to battle without having first paid homage to the Almighty.

Shemuel castigates Shaul for his foolishness and informs Shaul that his monarchy is now doomed to fail; he will eventually be replaced by a king who is true to the word of Hashem. In the meantime, only six hundred unarmed men remain in Shaul’s camp (the Jews were forbidden by the Pelishtim from possessing weapons or even having metalworkers in their midst who could sharpen agricultural implements, leaving them at a distinct military disadvantage.) The Pelishtim, by contrast, have divided themselves into three enormous groups that are fast approaching and expecting to leave death and devastation in their wake.

This chapter represents a watershed moment for King Shaul – it is the ultimate test of his ability (or lack of ability) to overcome his need for approval and popularity and remain true to the word of Hashem. There is a stark contrast between the previous two chapters, in which Shaul and Shemuel seemed to be working together toward common goals, and this chapter, in which Shemuel rebukes Shaul and then leaves him stranded on the battlefield to fend for himself.

Shaul’s failure to follow the instructions of the spiritual leader was tantamount to a declaration that the political and military operations of Israel, governed by the king, would function independently of the wisdom and guidance of Torah. Shaul justified his action based upon practical-logistical concerns, as well as blaming Shemuel (he was late) and offering his own religious rationale (that it would be inappropriate to go to war without bringing a sacrifice first.)

The latter two “excuses” not only treat political matters outside of any Torah perspective, they go so far as to imply that Shaul “knows better” on religious issues than a “rabbi” or prophet. This catastrophic move validates the concerns of Shemuel (and Hashem) regarding the establishment of the monarchy to begin with, and demonstrates why Shaul will not ultimately live up to the lofty expectations that the Torah has of a Jewish King.

There is an interesting parallel in the story to the narrative of the Golden Calf. In both cases, the spiritual leader of the nation is absent and his return is delayed; as a result, the people begin to panic or lose hope. In response, the acting leader (there, Aharon; here, Shaul) engages in an unauthorized religious service to reassure them and hold onto their allegiance, rationalizing that it is necessary in order to prevent an even more tragic outcome.

The sin of the Golden Calf occurred because the people’s clamoring for emotional security threatened the stability of communal life and the decision was made to choose the politically expedient route over the religiously correct one – in essence, to give the people what they wanted. This error proved to be a devastating one for the Jewish people, undermining its covenantal relationship with the Almighty, forcing fundamental changes in infrastructure (the firstborn were replaced by the Levites) and placing its whole existence in jeopardy.

Similarly, Shaul’s lack of trust in the word of Hashem and his capitulation to the people in the name of political necessity sets a terrible precedent for his regime which will eventually cause it to disintegrate, as we will see in the chapters ahead.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 12

In this chapter, Shemuel once again (perhaps more officially) presents the newly selected King Shaul to his subjects. In so doing, Shemuel is essentially retiring from his career as undisputed leader of the Jewish people. Shemuel remarks on his own advanced age and challenges the citizens of Israel to speak up if he has ever mistreated or taken advantage of them in any way. They unanimously declare that he has never oppressed them nor utilized his position of authority for personal gain.

Shemuel then recounts the history of Hashem’s salvation of the people of Israel, beginning with their sojourn in Egypt until the era of the Judges, which is now reaching its conclusion. He emphasizes that Hashem’s protection and support of the nation has always been dependent upon one fundamental factor – whether or not the Jews remained committed to the observance of Torah and the rejection of idolatry. When they deviated from the covenant, Hashem abandoned them to the persecutions of their enemies; when they returned to the proper path, He ensured that the appropriate leaders would arise and liberate them.

Despite this clear historical pattern, Shemuel observes, the recent conflict with Ammon has finally pushed the Jews to their breaking point and moved them to demand a king. While Hashem has honored the request of His nation and chosen a fitting monarch for them, they must remain cognizant of the fact that their success and failure will continue to depend not on the strength of the human king who leads them but on the quality of their relationship with the Almighty.

Shemuel warns the people that Hashem will now indicate His disapproval of the movement to establish a monarchy by bringing heavy rain in the midst of the typically dry harvest season. Such rain could potentially destroy the crops in the fields. The clouds quickly appear and the nation acknowledges its wrongdoing in the eyes of Hashem. Frightened of the consequences of rainfall for their food supply and livelihood, they appeal to Shemuel to pray to Hashem to stop the storm. Shemuel does so, but once again reminds them of the lesson they have learned – that Hashem, and not Shaul, will determine their destiny in the long run.

One question we can raise about this chapter is what Shemuel’s motive was in asking the people to acknowledge that he had treated them fairly and never mistreated or taken advantage of them. How was this relevant to the message about kingship he wished to convey here? It seems that he is contrasting the style of prophetic leadership with that of a monarch which he had described at length just a couple of chapters ago.

The king possesses substantial authority and not only CAN but WILL make use of his power to enrich himself and his family. The benefits the king reaps from his position may be legal but they nonetheless impose unnecessary financial and physical hardships on his subjects. Shemuel wants the community to declare that he did not conduct himself in the manner of a king during his tenure so that they will perceive the difference between what they are seeking and what they are dismissing in this shift from prophet/judge to king.

The challenge of Shemuel to the people is reminiscent of the statement of Moshe Rabbenu to Hashem during the rebellion of Qorah, “not one donkey did I take from them, nor did I commit any trespass against any of them.” Here, Shemuel, the descendant of Qorah, is paraphrasing the words that Moshe used when confronted with the uprising against his authority. There, Moshe Rabbenu was perceived by the rebels as a self-styled King rather than a religious leader, and he was being accused of political overreach in making himself king. He responds to the accusations by drawing attention to the honesty and integrity that characterized all of his dealings with members of the nation. Here, Shemuel the religious leader is being rejected in favor of a political figurehead who will, in fact, seize and confiscate the property of Jewish citizens. The irony can’t be missed.

The appearance of rainfall during the harvest season is the perfect sign to prove Hashem’s point as conveyed by Shemuel. Ultimately, the environment and the weather are in the hands of the Almighty; He will therefore determine the prosperity of any given year. This, in turn, means that essential factors impacting the economic welfare of the Jewish people are beyond the control of any human being, including the king. The Book of Ecclesiastes observes that “the king is enslaved to the land.”
In the story of the Exodus, we see that even the mighty Pharaoh was brought to his knees after the decimation of crops in the plague of Hail. Our story is certainly reminiscent of that iconic narrative; the people, fearing the total destruction of their food supply in a “plague”, express remorse for their sins, and Shemuel (like Moshe before him) accedes to the request that he pray for the removal of the ominous existential threat. This experience reminds the people of the fundamental principle they were taught through the Exodus – all human power, no matter how impressive, is an illusion. True salvation is found in the presence of Hashem alone, and our point of connection to Him will always be through the Torah and the teachers, Levites and prophets who represent His will and wisdom.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 11

This chapter depicts the first military campaign led by Shaul whereby he establishes himself as a worthy leader of the nation. For reasons that are unclear in the text, Nahash the Ammonite has laid siege to the Jews living in Yavesh Gilead and refuses to accept any compromise or settlement that would avert war. The elders of Yavesh Gilead promise to respond to the declaration of Nahash within seven days; they hope that their fellow Jews will come to their aid before the deadline arrives.

When Shaul receives word of the crisis, he is greatly troubled. He cuts up oxen and sends their parts throughout Israel, threatening to similarly kill the oxen of anyone who refuses to join him in the effort to defend Yavesh-Gilead. The nation is unified around the mission and 330,000 troops report for battle. Shaul divides them into three companies and handily defeats the men of Nahash.

When he returns home, now a “decorated general”, his supporters seek to punish the naysayers who derided and belittled him when he was first appointed King. Shaul demurs from this course of action, preferring to focus the energy of the people on celebrating their divinely wrought salvation rather than exacting retribution from his detractors.

One of the important points that is prominent in this story is the harmonious partnership between Shaul and Shemuel. They appear to be working together seamlessly and in tandem with one another. Shaul orders the people to follow him AND Shemuel into war, recognizing the battle as a joint effort of king and prophet. Both figures field questions and complaints from and deliver instructions to the nation. There is an emphasis on “joy” – the happiness experienced by the citizens of Yavesh Gilead when they learn that the support of their brethren is behind them as well as the happiness experienced by the Jewish people because of their newfound unity.

The parallels between this story and that of the “Concubine at Giveah” are striking. In both cases, someone (either the husband of the concubine or Shaul) is inspired with passion to act, and is determined to move others to act, in response to a terrible injustice. In both cases, the nation is rallied around a cause by having “cut up flesh” circulated to the various tribes. In both cases, the resultant unity of purpose in Israel is emphasized. And in both cases, Yavesh-Gilead and the tribe of Benjamin (represented by Shaul himself) play a central role in the drama.

However, it is in this final element that there is a bit of irony. In the story of the Concubine, the men of Yavesh Gilead were the only citizens of Israel who opted out of the war effort and chose not to join their brethren in punishing the tribe of Benjamin for its immorality. In fact, the males of Yavesh Gilead were killed and their women taken to provide mates for the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin, because the rest of the tribes had sworn not to allow their daughters to marry a Benjaminite.

One might have expected the tribes of Israel to be reticent about coming to the aid of a group of people that did not join national military campaigns previously; however, they immediately rallied to the defense of Yavesh-Gilead regardless of prior issues that may have existed between them. We might also imagine that the people of Yavesh Gilead are unsure whether they can count on the tribes of Israel to support them when, in the not-too-distant past, they had been declared enemies of the state. The fact that the Jewish people came through for Yavesh Gilead probably served to heal whatever rifts had developed between them in the wake of their complicated history.

Moreover, it is not unreasonable to assume that there is a longstanding rift between Yavesh-Gilead and Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin was indirectly responsible for the massacre of Yavesh-Gilead. The behavior of Binyamin, judged worthy of a severe and devastating response from the other tribes, was what persuaded Israel to take up arms against their brethren and ultimately singled out Yavesh-Gilead as the lone “conscientious objectors” to the conflict. This marginalization of Yavesh-Gilead, in turn, led to the execution of its entire male population.

Yavesh-Gilead may well have harbored significant resentment toward Binyamin for its role in this dark and painful chapter in Jewish history. So the fact that a King descended from Binyamin was boldly emerging as their defender and protector must have conveyed the symbolic message that bygones would now officially be bygones and that a new era of peace and harmony under King Shaul was about to be inaugurated in Israel.

Finally, the very fact that the chosen king is a member of the Tribe of Benjamin – vilified and marginalized at the end of the Book of Shofetim and almost eliminated from the midst of Israel – has tremendous symbolic significance. It indicates that the deep political, emotional and spiritual wounds of the past have completely healed and that the nation of Israel has officially become “one” again.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 10

Shemuel anoints Shaul as the first King of Israel and informs him that, on his way back home he will experience three signs that testify to the fact that Hashem’s plan for the Jewish people is now manifesting itself in his personal life. First, Shaul will meet two men near the Tomb of Rachel who will substantiate Shemuel’s message that the donkeys he had originally gone looking for had indeed been found and who will also confirm Shaul’s hunch that his father would be preoccupied with worry about his son’s whereabouts by now.

At the second “rest stop” along his journey, Shaul is told that he will encounter three men on their way to worship God at Bet El, and that these individuals will present him with a gift of two loaves of bread. Finally, Shaul is informed that he will meet and join together with a band of prophets accompanied by four types of musical instrument and will undergo a spiritual transformation whereby he himself is granted prophetic inspiration.

Shemuel also foretells that the nation will soon gather in Gilgal and that Shaul is to wait for Shemuel’s arrival for seven days before offering any sacrifices or heading out to war; we will read more about this incident and its outcome in a future chapter. All of the signs occur as predicted by Shemuel; nevertheless, when he returns home, Shaul does not share any of the details of his new appointment with his family members.

Shemuel convenes a national meeting at Mitzpah and, after once again castigating the people for succumbing to their weaknesses and demanding a king, conducts a lottery through which Shaul is identified as the chosen monarch. Surprisingly, however, he is nowhere to be found, having hid himself amongst the luggage to avoid notice. Shemuel triumphantly introduces the modest yet physically impressive new king to his subjects, many of whom immediately accept his authority and bring gifts of tribute to him. Nonetheless, a significant group of citizens are unconvinced of Shaul’s ability to lead them and refuse to offer him any obeisance. Shaul, with characteristic modesty, ignores these slights.

There is much to comment on in this chapter. I will point out just a few highlights. The signs provided by Shemuel, rather than serving to reassure him or assuage his doubts, instead seem to chart the course of the evolution of Shaul himself from a modest and dutiful seeker of donkeys, to a recipient of tribute from those seeking Hashem, to finally one who encounters Hashem directly through the intimate experience of prophecy. The progression in numbers – two men are involved in the first sign, three in the second, and four instruments in the third – reflects the notion of elevation and ascendance in Shaul himself, it is indicative of a process of growth he is undergoing.

There is another key element to the signs that should be mentioned. On one hand, the fact that the first sign is manifest near the Tomb of Rachel has symbolic import; Shaul, a member of the Tribe of Benjamin, is a descendant of Rachel, and this pedigree justifies his claim to the throne. At the same time, the phrase “is Shaul also among the prophets”, coined when people observed him in the state of prophetic inspiration, emphasizes that one’s background and lineage is insignificant – what counts is who you are, not necessarily where you came from. We see, then, that a delicate balance must be struck between the politics of royal lineage and heritage – important to ensure that a king’s authority will be accepted by the populace – and the requirements of moral character, knowledge and wisdom that determine whether the leadership provided by the king will be accepted by the Almighty.

Shaul’s excessive modesty is also a subject worthy of consideration. While it is praised in some Midrashim as a testimony to his greatness, other Rabbinic sources construe it as reflecting a lack of confidence or assertiveness that would be unbecoming of a monarch. The truth is that the career of Shaul ultimately substantiates the negative assessment of his modesty – it was a symptom of his insecurity, need for human approval and fear of rejection by his brethren/subjects, rather than a genuine and heartfelt humility rooted in an awareness of the Creator that would have given him the strength to withstand the temptation to capitulate to peer pressure. And, as upcoming chapters will reveal, this weakness proved to be a fatal flaw for Shaul in the long run.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 9

This chapter details the first meeting of Shaul and Shemuel and beginning of the process that will lead to Shaul’s being anointed King of Israel. Some of the female donkeys of Shaul’s father, Kish, have gone missing, and Shaul and a young lad are dispatched on a mission to find them. After three days of travel, Shaul suggests that they abandon the search and return home. His young assistant responds that there is a well-known prophet in the area whom they could consult about the whereabouts of the missing donkeys.Shaul is hesitant to approach this man of God empty handed; the lad reassures Shaul that he has a little bit of money on his person that he can offer the prophet as a tribute.

When they reach the area in which Shemuel the prophet resides, Shaul and the lad encounter some young women who are drawing water nearby. The girls provide them with detailed information as to where and when they are most likely to secure an audience with the prophet. Following these directions, Shaul and his assistant encounter Shemuel on the street as he is about to enter a home for a sacrificial meal with about thirty participants.
The day before, Shemuel had already received a prophecy from Hashem predicting this meeting. Upon meeting Shaul, he informs him that the donkeys he was seeking had already found their way home safely, adding the enigmatic comment that this should be insignificant to Shaul whose family “has it all” anyway. Shaul questions the meaning of this statement, being that he, his tribe (Binyamin) and his family are of very humble stock, but the prophet does not address these objections. Shemuel had already set aside a very honorable portion of meat for Shaul at the gathering, again suggesting that Shaul is destined for greatness and demonstrating that Shemuel was more than prepared for his illustrious visitor. The chapter ends with Shemuel poised to deliver a secret message to Shaul, which is presented in full form in the next chapter.
As an introduction to Shaul as a person, this story provides us with some insight into his character and his fitness for which he is using the best users of mass gaining supplements. He presents as a humble and hard-working young man who perseveres in the task of searching for his father’s donkeys but is at the same time realistic and modest enough to abort the mission when it begins to seem fruitless or counterproductive. He does not seem like an especially wealthy or showy individual; he pursues the donkeys on foot, not on horseback, and he has no cash on him to donate to the prophet (the servant, who has a negligible amount of money in his pocket, apparently has more than the master!)

When the two men interact with the women by the water, despite the romantic overtones of the setting and the flirtatious behavior of the ladies (the rabbis say that their long-winded instructions were drawn out intentionally so they could spend more time gazing at the handsome Shaul), the object of their affections is single-mindedly focused on his job and not distracted by amorous interests. All of these qualities – humility, disinterest in riches and control of his instinctual drives – qualify him to serve as the King of Israel. The Torah commands the king to limit the wealth he amasses, the number of women he marries, and the number of horses he possesses, as well as instructing him to study Torah constantly so he remains cognizant of his modest place in the universe as a creature standing in the presence of Hashem.

At the same time, we observe some intimation of the limits of Shaul’s character even at this early stage of his career. Twice Shaul makes a pronouncement that is “overruled” by his servant; it would be unnecessary to point out these fine details, other than to suggest to the reader that Shaul is susceptible to suggestion and easily influenced by the expectations and demands of others. As we will see, this quality of modesty reflects a deeper flaw in Shaul’s personality that will pose significant problems for him moving forward.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 8

This chapter is undoubtedly the “turning point” in the Book of Shemuel. Shemuel is now old and appoints his sons, Yoel and Aviyah, to serve as judges in his stead. However, the text tells us that the sons of Shemuel exhibited signs of corruption – they took bribes – and therefore did not find favor in the eyes of the people as Shemuel had. In response to this “failed” process of succession, the nation approaches Shemuel and demands that a king be chosen to rule over them.

Shemuel is greatly disturbed by this request and prays to Hashem. Hashem reassures Shemuel that he should not interpret this development as an indictment of him; rather, it is a sign that the Jewish people reject Hashem as their king. Hashem instructs Shemuel to fulfill the request of the Jews but first to make them aware of how the coronation of a king will affect their lives.

Shemuel addresses the populace and details the various ways in which the needs of the king and his government will impinge upon the freedoms and property of his subjects. He will collect taxes in the form of money, produce and livestock and will draft both men and women into his service. He will enjoy the benefits of absolute authority and they will be subordinate to his desires and direction. The Jews insist that they nevertheless wish to have a king rule over them, and Hashem commands Shemuel to begin the process of finding the right man for the job.

The question of whether the establishment of a monarchy was a positive or negative development in the history of Israel is hotly debated by the commentators. The Tanakh itself seems to send mixed messages on the issue. On one hand, the Torah is understood as commanding us to choose a king, and the key refrain of the Book of Shofetim – which charts the disastrous decline of the Jewish people in the absence of a strong central government – appears to support the view that having a king is a necessity. On the other hand, Shemuel’s reaction in this chapter, and Hashem’s statement that the request for a king is a sign of rejection of the Almighty, indicate that the move to appoint a king is perceived negatively.

We may be able to distinguish here between two functions that a monarchy serves. The primary benefit that it would provide to the nation would be much-needed stability. We can see that Shemuel was sensitive to this concern and intended to respond to it in two ways; first, by proactively engaging in public life, traveling, educating and inspiring, and by passing the mantle of leadership on to his sons so that the momentum thus created would not end with his eventual death. He was the first Shofet to take steps to prevent a relapse into idolatry after his demise. This aspect of “kingship” is a welcome development even from Shemuel’s perspective.

Sadly, Shemuel’s efforts in this regard fall flat because his sons are not capable of replacing him. The Midrash tells us that they didn’t actually take bribes but set up a bureaucratic system of judging the nation that entailed charging court fees and expecting remuneration for their time. Apparently, the absence of charisma, enthusiasm and selfless devotion on their part – the reduction of the position of Shofet into a mere “job” – left a bad taste in the mouths of the people, perhaps reminding them of the regime of the sons of Eli all over again.

The presence of Shemuel, an individual of immense spiritual stature, filled the void of leadership to such an extent that the idea of a king seemed irrelevant; the people were satisfied. His sons, by contrast, left much to be desired; perhaps the people figured that, if they are going to settle for career politicians of one sort or another, they might as well have the “real deal”, a king.

The second function served by a king is providing an emotional sense of security to the people. This is where, from a religious standpoint, the establishment of a monarchy is inherently problematic and objectionable. The human king projects a comforting illusion that everything is under control and that everyone is well protected, but he exacts a heavy price for this from his subjects in the form of taxes and services.

Other nations are prepared to make these sacrifices in exchange for what they believe is the only source of security available to them – the beneficent protection of a king. However, the Jewish people should know better. They should realize that ultimately, protection and security come only from Hashem and are dependent on the Jewish people’s observance of Torah and mitzvoth. Shemuel was profoundly disappointed that the psychological weakness of the people led them to seek emotional reassurance from a ruler of flesh-and-blood instead of inspiring them to develop a more lasting and genuine sense of confidence from their relationship with the True King.
So we can say that Shemuel recognized and even tried to address the first motive for having a king – namely, the need for stability. This function of the monarchy is what was “missing” in the Book of Shofetim that Shemuel himself wrote, and appointing a king to serve this purpose would indeed constitute a mitzvah. On the other hand, the desire for the false emotional security provided by a king is what distressed Shemuel and aroused his opposition; this search for a human being who would offer the nation a superficial feeling of safety and protection was construed as a rejection of Hashem’s kingship rather than the fulfillment of His will.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 7

This chapter begins with a verse that actually serves as the conclusion of the previous paragraph; it describes the relocation of the Ark of the Covenant to the home of Avinadav where it would remain for the next twenty years.

This is the only chapter in which we observe Shemuel as the actual spiritual and political leader of the nation. The Jewish people have wearied from the oppression of the Pelishtim and finally turn to Hashem to seek relief from their suffering. They gather around Shemuel in Mitzpah. In marked contrast from the corrupt regime of the sons of Eli that capitalized on the magical and superstitious thinking of the common folk, Shemuel assures them that simplistic solutions like invoking the power of the Ark will not work; if they wish to be worthy of Hashem’s assistance, they must reject idolatry and serve Him exclusively.

In response, the Jews acknowledge their waywardness and fast, pouring water on the ground as a symbolic gesture of “pouring out their souls” before Hashem. When the Pelishtim hear that the Jewish people have congregated in Mitzpah, they prepare to attack. The Jews ask Shemuel to pray on their behalf – he offers a sacrifice and through a miraculous thunderstorm and divine intervention, the Pelishtim are confounded and defeated by Israel.

The chapter concludes by recounting that Shemuel’s leadership of the Jews continued for the rest of his life. Rather than relying on the nation to approach him for guidance, Shemuel would travel throughout the country regularly in order to teach and judge the citizens in every region of Israel, returning to his home in Ramah once each circuit was completed. This ensured that the Jewish people remained on the proper path and, as a function of his tireless efforts, the Jews enjoyed success, prosperity and peace during those “golden” years.

The story of Shemuel is reminiscent of the cycle of the “Shofetim” with which we are already familiar; the spiritually decadent nation finally yearns for Hashem after years of oppression and persecution, a spiritual leader arises who is capable of directing them with genuine wisdom, and they once again find themselves the recipients of the Divine blessings promised to them in the Torah.

However, Shemuel stands out from among his predecessors in his proactive approach to governance and his ability to unify the Jewish people both religiously and politically. He is not content with the mere removal of idolatry from the midst of Israel; he dedicates his entire life and career to inspiring and educating the Jews.

In this way, the activities and character of Shemuel “rehabilitate” the image of the Shofet that had been tarnished by the indiscretions of less impressive leaders like Gideon, Yiftah and Shimshon. He also represents the reemergence of the special role of the tribe of Levi, who had been chosen by Hashem to be the primary teachers and religious educators of the Jewish people.

The sacred task of the Levites had been neglected for generations, as we saw in the stories of the Graven Image of Mikha and the Concubine at Giveah where Levites, rather than serving as paragons of virtue and selflessness, embody corruption and materialism. The descent of the Levites and Kohanim from holy to profane was most disturbingly manifest in the depraved conduct of the sons of Eli whom Shemuel had been selected to replace.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Shemuel was a descendant of Qorah. Qorah rebelled against Moshe Rabbenu in the wilderness, challenging the validity of the selection of Kohanim as the designated servants of Hashem in His sanctuary. However, his efforts were misguided and self- serving, so he ultimately failed and he and his followers were severely punished. Shemuel continues the legacy of his ancestor in contesting the “status quo” of priestly authority, this time on a legitimate basis – as a response to the immoral behavior of the sons of Eli.

In this way, Shemuel “redeems” the memory of Qorah and salvages what was positive and genuine in Qorah’s otherwise ill-conceived struggle. Shemuel’s offering of a sacrifice in this chapter, as well as the Midrashim that depict his “innovating” the controversial principle that a non-Kohen is allowed to slaughter (though not offer) sacrifices in the Temple, reflect this element of his role as gadfly to the religious establishment of the time.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 6

After seven months of attempting to hold onto the Ark of the Covenant, the Pelishtim seek advice from their magicians as to how to properly return it. The sorcerers tell them to fashion five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, corresponding to the five leaders of the Pelishtim and their respective regions, and to send it with the Ark as a gift of tribute. They further instruct the people to place the Ark on a brand new wagon pulled by two nursing cows whose young are confined at home; if the terrible punishments that have come upon the Pelishtim were of divine origin, then the cows will proceed toward Bet Shemesh despite their natural instinct to be reunited with their babies.

The Pelishtim comply with the instructions and watch as the cows pull the wagon and carry the Ark all the way to Bet Shemesh, where it is discovered by a group of Jews working in the field. The men of Bet Shemesh are ecstatic when they see the Ark. They chop the boards of the wagon up into firewood and offer two nursing cows as thanksgiving sacrifices to Hashem.

However, their joy is short-lived, because their behavior is judged by Hashem to be disrespectful to the holiness of the Ark and a plague strikes the men of Bet Shemesh, claiming the lives of “seventy men, and fifty thousand men”. Stricken with fear by this turn of events, no one among the citizens of Bet Shemesh is willing to accept the responsibility of receiving and guarding the Ark. They summon the people of Qiryat Yearim to retrieve the Ark from them immediately.

At first glance, there is no clear explanation for the calamity that befalls the Jews in Bet Shemesh. What exactly did they do wrong? Our chapter is an excellent illustration of the two extremes of relationship to ritual objects and institutions, both of which are unhealthy. Venerating the Ark and attributing magical powers to it borders on idolatry and is a symptom of profound distortion in our relationship to Torah and Hashem. On the other hand, discounting the significance and holiness of the Ark undermines its purpose, which is to inspire us with reverence and love for Hashem.

The Jewish people had moved beyond their superstitious attitude toward the Ark (a good thing) but had replaced that with a casual and irreverent attitude. And as we read in the Torah in several places, access to the Mishkan and the holy objects within it was severely restricted in order to prevent people from becoming too comfortable or blasé about them.

One who treats the Mishkan or its implements with disrespect is punished very harshly, because these entities are concrete symbols of the Divine presence. The devastation at Bet Shemesh was a reminder from Hashem that while avoiding superstitious and magical thinking is imperative, it should not lead us to disregard the significance of the sacred tools Hashem has given us with which to serve Him.

We must guard ourselves from thinking that a Sefer Torah, Mezuzah, Tefillin or any other holy item has its own independent supernatural effects on the world; only Hashem governs His creation and no other forces operate besides Him. At the same time, we should not allow ourselves to shift to the opposite extreme and to denigrate these objects or treat them as mundane, since this will prevent the commandments of Hashem from achieving their purpose of drawing us closer to Him. They should not be seen as ends in themselves but as means to an end. But we must venerate and cherish them because of the holy end that they serve.

One last point that is worthy of mention is the number of casualties recorded in connection with the incident at Bet Shemesh – was it seventy men, fifty thousand men or both? It is also difficult to imagine that there were fifty thousand people living in Bet Shemesh! The Rabbis suggest that one or the other of these numbers is not literal but metaphoric: either seventy righteous men died, each of whom was the equivalent of fifty-thousand because of his greatness, or fifty-thousand died, each of whom was equivalent to the seventy members of the Sanhedrin in greatness. Targum Yehonatan states that both numbers are literal; according to him, seventy leaders and fifty-thousand commoners perished.

If the fifty thousand is to be taken literally, perhaps it refers to deaths throughout Israel as a result of this sin, and is not limited to citizens of Bet Shemesh. Or perhaps it refers to all those who died on account of the Ark, including both Jews and Pelishtim. Another possibility is that this represents the cumulative number of Jewish casualties over the entire conflict with the Pelishtim and its battles. Previously, fifty thousand had died; the seventy men lost at Bet Shemesh brought the total number to 50,070.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 5

The Pelishtim place the Ark of the Covenant in the house of their god Dagon in Ashdod, as if to indicate that their idol had triumphed over of the God of the Jews. The next morning, when they arrived at the temple, the statue of Dagon had fallen over before the Ark. They put it back on its stand; the following morning, the severed head and hands of Dagon were found at the threshold of the temple. Stubbornly committed to their pagan superstitions, this spectacle persuaded the priests of Dagon to institute a new “custom” that prohibited stepping directly on the threshold in the spot where the limbs of their god had been discovered. (Dagon was a fish-man god, therefore he had no feet.)

The residents of Ashdod were then smitten with plagues and with painful hemorrhoids. Assuming that this was the result of the conflict between the God of Israel and Dagon whose house was located in their territory, they asked the rulers of the Pelishtim to transfer the Ark somewhere else. It is moved to Gat and then to Eqron; each time, deadly illness and painful affliction strikes those who dwell in the city where it is placed. Recognizing that the unbearable suffering they are experiencing is associated with their continued possession of the Ark, the Pelishtim resolve to send it back to the Jews as soon as they possibly can.

There is a clear connection between this narrative and that of the story of the plagues in Egypt. This link is explicitly acknowledged by the Pelishtim in their reflection upon what is befalling them and their consideration of the appropriate response. The suffering they experience forces them to release the Ark, representing the Divine presence, from its captivity and to free it to travel to the Holy Land.

The Pelishtim are compelled to acknowledge the power and dominion of the God of Israel, and although they first attempt to deny His omnipotence – they hope that moving the Ark from city to city, they will eventually find a location He is unable to afflict – they ultimately realize that His judgment is inescapable. The parallel to Pharaoh in Egypt and his resistance but eventual capitulation to the plagues is quite evident.

It is interesting to note that Hashem did not provide assistance or support to the Jews in their battle against the Pelishtim, yet He is very persistent in hammering the Pelishtim with plagues so they will relinquish the Ark. We saw that the Jews’ overemphasis on the Ark was an unfortunate distortion of their religious priorities; yet here it seems as if Hashem Himself is more zealously protective of the Ark than of His people!

In order to understand what is happening here, we must distinguish between the circumstances at hand. The Jewish people, because of their distance from Torah and mitzvoth, were unworthy of Divine help; to empower them and bless them would be to implicitly validate their corruption. However, the fact that the Pelishtim had successfully taken the Ark was at first perceived as proof of the superiority of their god, Dagon, to Hashem; allowing such a desecration of Hashem’s name and boon to the practitioners of idol worship would have been just as disastrous as allowing the Jews to prevail in battle in their state of corruption. This explains the critical need for Hashem’s miraculous intervention here – it was for the sake of His glory, not that of the Ark.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 4

This chapter describes the fulfillment of Shemuel’s prophecy about the implosion of the house of Eli. The Jewish people have sustained serious losses in their ongoing military conflicts with the Pelishtim. The elders advise them to bring the Ark of the Covenant, accompanied by Hofni and Pinhas, the sons of Eli, onto the battlefield with them.

The soldiers of Israel receive the Ark enthusiastically, feeling that it signifies that their success is guaranteed. At the same time, the Pelishtim are stricken with fear and panic, worrying that the powerful God of Israel will indeed defeat them. It seems that the Pelishtim either believed that the Ark was itself a god or that the Keruvim atop the Ark were the gods of the Jews.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Ark was with them, the Jews lose the battle. Hofni and Pinhas, sons of Eli, are both killed. The Ark itself is captured and placed in the idolatrous house of the Phillistine god Dagon. Eli HaKohen was sitting at the gate of the city nervously; he was extremely anxious about the decision to take the Ark to the battlefield and eagerly awaited its safe return. A messenger arrives and informs Eli that his sons have died and that the Ark has been taken; when he hears the news of the Ark, the shock causes him to lose his balance, fall backwards and break his neck, killing him instantly.

The wife of Pinhas, one of the sons of Eli, was pregnant. Upon hearing the news of the demise of her husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law and of the capture of the Ark, she enters premature labor and delivers a baby boy whom she names “Ikhavod”, meaning “there is no honor”. She saw the deaths of the religious leaders and the loss of the Ark as the ultimate affront to the dignity of Israel; when she restates the meaning of the name before dying, however, only the capture of the Ark is mentioned as a reason why the honor of the Jewish people has departed.

It is worth highlighting that the attitude of the Jewish people to the Ark of the Covenant is tainted with a healthy measure of superstition and idolatry. They relate to the Ark as a kind of magical talisman or good luck charm and believe that Hofni and Pinhas, despite their incorrigibly bad behavior and distance from Hashem, will confer divine blessing to the troops with their mere presence.

When the Ark arrives at the camp, the Jews celebrate, proclaiming that the Ark will save them from the Pelishtim and ignoring the fact that it is their relationship with the Almighty (or lack thereof) that will ultimately determine their fate. The Jewish orientation toward the Ark is, in the final analysis, not that much different from the view articulated by the thoroughly idolatrous Pelishtim, and it comes as little surprise to the reader that Hashem does not enable the Jews to triumph over their enemies at this time. Eli HaKohen and his daughter-in-law share this overestimation of the power of the Ark of the Covenant. In the aftermath of the battle, both of them react to the capture of the Ark as if it constitutes a tragedy that surpasses the deaths of Hofni and Pinhas in importance.

Another interesting point in the story is the parallelism between the death of Pinhas’ wife here and the death of Rachel as described in the Torah. Both enter labor suddenly and assign names with a “tragic” overtone to their children (although Yaaqov changed the name Ben-Oni, “son of my suffering”, to Binyamin). Both die in childbirth and the deaths of both are linked to the “taking” of something associated with divine power or influence – in this case, the capture of the “magical” Ark and in Rachel’s case, her stealing of the “fortune-telling” teraphim from her father Lavan.

The deaths of these women mark the end of their respective eras in Jewish history. The connection between the narratives is highlighted by the text when it mentions that the messenger who delivers news from the battlefield is from the tribe of Binyamin; this biographical detail would seem to be insignificant, but it draws our attention to the similarity between the story here and the story in Beresheet.

Undoubtedly, the religious beliefs espoused here by the Jews are evidence of the influence of the surrounding pagan culture upon them. The removal of the Ark of the Covenant from the spiritual landscape of the nation and its eventual return is a symbolic “restart” for Israel, clearing away old, distorted, pagan ideas that attached themselves to Jewish ritual objects and performances and making room for the new era of Torah study and authentic divine service that will be ushered in by the prophet Shemuel.

Audio Reading

Audio Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 3

After reading of the stark contrast between the spiritual emptiness of the sons of Eli and the spiritual growth of Shemuel, we now learn about a watershed moment in Jewish history – Shemuel’s first prophetic experience and the beginning of his career as one of the greatest prophets who has ever lived.

Shemuel and Eli were both asleep at the Temple complex. Suddenly, Shemuel hears a voice beckoning to him; assuming that it is the elderly (now blind) Eli who must be in need of his assistance, Shemuel gets out of bed and runs over to him. Eli assures Shemuel that he did not call him and sends him back to bed. This happens twice more; finally, Eli realizes that what Shemuel is hearing is the voice of the Almighty calling to him in prophecy. He instructs his young protégé to respond to the voice next time he hears it and to receive its message.

Hashem informs Shemuel of the imminent destruction of the priestly house of Eli, including the untimely demise of his two sons. Hashem explains that Eli himself is worthy of this terrible punishment because he failed to intervene and prevent his children from desecrating God’s name, and that the sin was so severe that it could not be expiated.

The next morning, Shemuel is understandably hesitant to share the content of the message with Eli, but Eli insists that he be told the truth. One gets the impression that Eli may have suspected that Shemuel’s prophecy, like the prophecy of the unnamed prophet who visited Eli in chapter two, probably had to do with the Heavenly decree against his family. Shemuel divulges the details of the communication he received. Eli, in his typically weak and passive fashion, accepts the judgment of Hashem upon himself and does not argue, repent or otherwise seek to have it overturned.

With Shemuel’s ascendance to the level of prophecy, the Jewish people are finally in a position to be taught, inspired and redeemed by a leader of the highest caliber. Therefore, the process of removing the corrupt “old guard” (i.e., the sons of Eli) from the picture is now underway. It is especially appropriate that the inaugural prophetic vision of Shemuel is itself a revelation about the radical transformations that are about to take place; namely, the replacement of the entrenched, defective and dysfunctional religious establishment with an enlightened, prudent and godly one.
One tragic element of the story is the weakness of Eli HaKohen. Although in all respects a righteous man, he seems to lack the courage or strength of conviction necessary to put a stop to the injustices being perpetrated by his sons. Moreover, Eli interprets the prophetic messages conveyed to him as if they are fatalistic pronouncements. Normally, we view such communications as Hashem’s way of offering us opportunities to learn from our mistakes and rectify them before it is too late; Eli simply resigns himself to what he perceives as inevitable.
The Rabbis note that in Shemuel’s prophecy he is told that the sins of the sons of Eli will not be atoned for through a sacrifice or meal offering; they comment that the sins could, however, have been atoned for by Torah study and charity. In other words, there was no quick ritual fix that would “change God’s mind” about the sons of Eli the way that a superficial religious person might expect. Doing more of the same – more sacrifices, more offerings, more empty, external religious actions – would not serve to shift the worldview such hardened criminals in any fundamental way nor enable them find favor in the eyes of the Almighty.
Real internal change, however, WAS and always is possible. Advances in Torah knowledge and self-understanding, genuine and lasting improvement of character, or the replacement of selfishness and greed with generosity and compassion would have constituted profound and revolutionary change and might very well have led to the cancelation of the devastating decree against the house of Eli.
Sadly, rather than read between the lines of the prophecies and attempt to engage in or facilitate genuine repentance to avert the disastrous consequences that are in store, Eli is unwilling to confront his sons and redirect them constructively. By his own choices and actions, then, Eli is the one who renders the prophetic warning absolute and irrevocable. It is, we might say, a literal example of a self-fulfilling prophecy.