משנה: שִׁמְשׁוֹן הָלַךְ אַחַר עֵינָיו לְפִיכָךְ נִיקְּרוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת עֵינָיו. אַבְשָׁלוֹם נִתְנַװֶה בִשְׂעָרוֹ לְפִיכָךְ נִתְלָה בִשְׂעָרוֹ. לְפִי שֶׁבָּא עַל עֶשֶׂר פִּילַגְשֵׁי אָבִיו לְפִיכָךְ נִיתְּנוּ בוֹ עֶשֶׂר לוֹנְכִיּוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיָּסוֹבּוּ עֲשָׂרָה נְעָרִים נוֹשְׂאֵי כְלֵי יוֹאָב. וּלְפִי שֶׁגָּנַב שָׁלֹשׁ גְּנֵיבוֹת לֵב אָבִיו וְלֵב בֵּית דִּין וְלֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִיכָךְ נִתְקְעוּ בוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּקַּח שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים בְּכַפּוֹ וַיִּתְקָעֵם בְּלֵב אַבְשָׁלוֹם. MISHNAH: 270This Mishnah is somewhat extended in the Babli, very much enlarged in Tosephta 3:15–16. It is a direct continuation of the first sentence of the preceding Mishnah. Simson followed his eyes, therefore the Philistines pierced his eyes. Absalom beautified himself with his hair, therefore he was hung by his hair. Because he came to his father’s ten concubines, therefore ten lances271Hebraized plural of Greek λόγχη “lance”. were put into him, as it was said2722S. 18:15.: “Ten squires, Joab’s weapons carriers, surrounded him.” And because he stole three steals273In Mishnah mss. of the Maimonides tradition: שֶׁגָּנַב שְׁלֹשָׁה לְבָבוֹת “he stole three minds”; “misleading” is called “stealing the heart” (Genesis.31.20">Gen. 31:20). Cf. also Mekhilta dR. Ismael, Masekhta deŠirah, Chap. 6., his father’s opinion, the court’s opinion, and Israel’s opinion, therefore three staves were stuck into him, as it was said2742S. 18:14.: “He took three staves in his hand and stuck them into Absalom’s heart.”
הלכה: שִׁמְשׁוֹן הָלַךְ אַחַר עֵינָיו כול׳. תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. לְפִי שֶׁתְּחִילַּת קַלקָלָתוֹ בְּעַזָּה לְפִיכָךְ עוֹנְשׁוֹ בְּעַזָּה. וְהָֽכְתִיב וַיֵּרֶד שִׁמְשׁוֹן תִּמְנָתָה. אָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן. דֶּרֶךְ נִישּׂוּאִין הָיוּ. HALAKHAH: “Simson followed his eyes,” etc. 275Tosephta 3:15, [Num. rabba9(24)]; anonymous Babli 9b, Mekhilta dR. Simeon bar Ioḥai p. 74. It was stated: Rebbi says, because he started going astray at Gaza, therefore his punishment was at Gaza. But is it not written: “Simson descended into Timna276Judges.14.1">Jud. 14:1. Gaza is mentioned only Judges.16.1">v. 16:1.”? Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, that was a formal marriage277Marriage is mentioned in Timna, a prostitute in Gaza. It is presumed that the girl from Timna was converted following the rules so that the marriage was not sinful..
כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר וַיֵּרֶד שִׁמְשׁוֹן תִּמְנָתָה. וְכָתוּב אַחֵר אוֹמֵר הִנֵּה חָמִיךְ עוֹלֶה תִמְנָתָה. רַב אָמַר. שְׁתֵּי תִימְנִיּוֹת הָיוּ. אַחַת שֶׁלִּיהוּדָה וְאַחַת שֶׁלְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן. רִבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר. תִּמְנָתָה אַחַת הִיא. וְלָמָּה כָתַב בָּהּ עֲלִייָה וִירִידָה. אֶלָּא שֶׁל יְהוּדָה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָֽיְתָה לְשׁוּם שָׁמַיִם. לְפִיכָךְ כָּתַב בָּהּ עֲלִייָה. וְשֶׁלְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָֽיְתָה לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם כָּתַב בָּהּ יְרִידָה. אָמַר רִבִּי אַייְבוֹ בַּר נַגָּרִי. כְּגוֹן הָדָא בֵית מַעֲייֹן שֶׁיּוֹרְדִין בָּהּ מִפַּלַּטָּתָה וְעוֹלִין בָּהּ מִטִּיבֵּרִיָּה. 278Sotah.10a">Babli 10a, with different names. Num. rabba 9(24), the Yerushalmi version. One verse says, “Simson descended into Timna”, and another verse says, “behold, you father-in-law ascends to Timna279Genesis.38.13">Gen. 38:13..” Rav said, there were two Timnot, one of Jehudah and one of Simson. Rebbi Simon said, there was only one Timna(ta). Why does it mention decent and ascent? But in the case of Jehudah, because it was in the name of Heaven, ascent is written. In the case of Simson, because it was not in the name of Heaven, descent is written. Rebbi Ayvu bar Naggari said, for example like Bet Ma‘on280Reading of Num. rabba 9(24). to which one descends from Palatatha and ascends from Tiberias.
כְּתִיב וַיָּבוֹאוּ עַד כַּרְמֵי תִמְנָתָה. אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מַרְאִין לוֹ כַּרְמֵי תִמְנָתָה זְרוּעִים כִּלְאַיִם וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ. בְּנִי. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁכַּרְמֵיהֶן זְרוּעִין כִּלְאַיִם. כָּךְ בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם זְרוּעוֹת כִּלְאַיִם. וְאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ לֹא יָֽדְעוּ כִּי מֵיי֨ הִיא כִּי תוֹאָנָה הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים. אָמַר רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר. בְּשִׁבְעָה מְקוֹמוֹת כְּתִיב לֹא תִּתְחַתֵּן בָּם. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבִין. לֶאֱסוֹר שִׁבְעָה עַמָּמִין. וְהָכָא הוּא אָמַר הָכֵין. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אִם לַלֵּצִים הוּא יָלִיץ. 281Num. rabba 9(24). It is written: “They came to the vineyards in direction of Timna.282Judges.14.5">Jud. 14:5.” Rav283The title has to be “Rebbi”. Samuel ben Rav Isaac said, this teaches you that his father and mother were showing him the vineyards in direction of Timna sown in several kinds and saying to him: My son, just as their vineyards are sown with several kinds so their daughters are sown with several kinds284They are children of adultery. Judges.14.4">Jud. 14:4.. “And his father and mother did not know that this was from the Eternal, that he was looking for a pretext from the Philistines.” Rebbi Eleazar said, In seven places it is written: “Do not contract marriage with them.285That verse is only in Deuteronomy.7.3">Deut. 7:3. But the prohibition of Canaanite women is also in Exodus.34.16">Ex. 34:16. Outside the Pentateuch, the prohibition is mentioned Malachi.2.11">Mal. 2:11, Ezra.9.2">Ezra 9:2,Ezra.9.12">12,Ezra.9.14">14; Nehemiah.10.31">Neh. 10:31.” Rebbi Abun said, to prohibit seven peoples286The seven Canaanite tribes enumerated in Genesis.15.20-21">Gen. 15:20–21. Philistines are not mentioned in that list.. And here, it says so287It is not obvious what the remark means. According to R. David Fraenckel, since Simson’s relations with Philistine women were not forbidden, why was he punished? According to R. Moses Margalit, since all non-Jewish women are forbidden in the interpretation of pentateuchal law in Mal., Ezra, Neh., how can it be said that his first marriage was (Judges.14.4">Jud. 14:4) “from the Eternal”?? Rebbi Isaac said, “if he scoffs about the scoffers.288Proverbs.3.34">Prov. 3:34. According to R. David Fraenckel, since at least Simson’s relations with the Gazean prostitute and Dalilah were illegitimate, he deserved punishment.”
כְּתִיב וַתָּחֶל רוּחַ יי֨ לְפַעֲמוֹ בְּמַחֲנֵה דָן בֵּין צָרְעָה וּבֵין אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל. תְּרֵין אֲמוֹרִין. חַד אָמַר. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה עָלָיו הָיוּ פְסִיעוֹתָיו כְּמִצָּרְעָה לְאֶשְׁתָּאוֹל. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָֽיְתָה רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה עָלָיו הָיוּ שְׂעָרוֹתָיו מַקִּישׁוֹת כְּזוֹג וְקוֹלָן הוֹלֵךְ כְּמִצָּרְעָה לְאֶשְׁתָּאוֹל. וַיְבָֽרְכֵהוּ יי֨. רִבִּי הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. שֶׁהָֽיְתָה תַשְׁמִישׁוֹ שָׁוָה לְכָל־אָדָם. כְּתִיב וְאִנָּֽקְמָה נְקַם אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵי עֵינַיי מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. אָמַר לְפָנָיו. רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁלְּעוֹלָם. תֵּן לִי שְׂכַר עֵינִי אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּשְׂכַר עֵינִי אַחַת מוּתְקֶנֶת לִי לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר. וַיִּשְׁפֹּט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. וְכָתוּב אַחֵר אוֹמֵר. וְהוּא שָׁפַט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים יְרֵיאִים מִמֶּנּוּ עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה לְאַחַר מוֹתוֹ. כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ יְרֵיאִים מִמֶּנּוּ עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה בְּחַייָו. It is written289Judges.13.25">Jud. 13:25.: “The spirit of the Eternal started to ring in him in the encampment of Dan, between Ṣor‘a and Eshtaol.” Two Amoraïm. One said, when the holy spirit was resting on him, his steps were as from Ṣor‘a to Eshtaol. The other said, when the holy spirit was resting on him, his hairs were tolling like a bell and their sound went as from Ṣor‘a to Eshtaol. “The Eternal blessed him290Judges.13.24">Jud. 13:24.”. Rebbi Huna in the name of Rebbi Yose: That his sex life was that of anybody291In the Sotah.10a">Babli, 10a, that his sex organ was of normal size even though otherwise he was a giant.. “I shall revenge one revenge of my two eyes from the Philistines.292Judges.16.28">Jud. 16:28. The statement is also in Num. rabba 9(24).” Rebbi Aḥa said, he said before Him: Master of the Universe! Give me the reward of one of my eyes in this world and the reward of the other eye be prepared for me in the World to Come. One verse says293This should be Judges.15.20">Jud. 15:20, but, as already Shabbat 55b:18:1" href="/Tosafot_on_Shabbat.55b.18.1">Tosaphot (Šabbat 55b, s. v. מעבירם) noted, all texts and versions have “twenty years”. David Qimḥi, following the reading of the parallel in Num. rabba 14(21), in his commentary to Judges.16.31">Jud. 16:31, reads “twenty years” in the text here and quotes R. Aḥa as explanation of the duplication of the notices in 15:20, 16:31. While our text here is confirmed by the Rome ms., “40 years”, Qimḥi’s reading as supported by Num. rabba (whose first part probably is Provençal) can be taken as testimony for the Provençal text.: “He judged Israel for forty years.” And another verse says294Judges.16.31">Jud. 16:31.: “He had judged Israel for twenty years.” Rebbi Aḥa said, this teaches that the Philistines were afraid of him twenty years after his death as they were afraid of him during his lifetime.
אַבְשָׁלוֹם נִתְנַװֶה בִשְׂעָרוֹ. רִבִּי חֲנִינָה אָמַר. בַּחֲרוּבִית גְּדוֹלָה הָיָה. יָכוֹל בְּכִידוֹן. רִבִּי בִּיבִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כְּדֵין כְּדֵין הָיָה עָשׂוּי. “Absalom beautified himself with his hair.” Rebbi Ḥanina said, it296The hair. was like a large carob tree. Should I think like a javelin297That he wore a pigtail.? Rebbi Bibi in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It was made like this and like that.
אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. כַּד סְלָקִית לְהָכָא נְסִבִת אֵיזוֹרֵהּ דִּבְרִי וְאֵיזוֹרָא דְּחַמוֹי מִקְפָּא כּוֹרְתָא דְּחָרוּבִיתָא דְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָא מָטוּן. וּקְצִית חַד חָרוּב וּנְגַד מְלֹא יָדוֹיי דְּבַשׁ. 298The following paragraphs are from Peah 7:3:11" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Peah.7.3.11">Peah Chapter 7, Notes 71–75. They are added here only because of the mention of a carob tree. Cf. also Babli Baba Batra 91b, Ketubot.112a">Ketubot 112a. Rebbi Ḥanina said, when I immigrated here, I took my son’s belt and the belt of my father-in-law299That is a bad corruption. In the text of Peah: חֲמֹרִי “my donkey”. to measure around a young carob tree of the Land of Israel and it was not enough. I cut one carob pod and it filled my hand with honey.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן יָפֶה סִיפְסוּף שֶּׁאָכַלְנוּ בְּנַעֲרוּתֵינוּ מִפֶּנְקְרִיסִין שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ בְּזִקְנוֹתֵינוּ. דִּי בְיוֹמוֹי אִישְׁתַּנֵּי עָֽלְמָא. Rebbi Joḥanan said, the second quality fruit we ate in our youth tasted better that the peaches we ate in our old age, because during his lifetime the world changed.
אָמַר רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר בָּא. בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָֽיְתָה סְאָה אַרְבֵּלִית מוֹצִיאָה סְאָה סוֹלֶת סְאָה קֶמַח סְאָה קֵיבָר סְאָה סוּבִּין סְאָה מוּרְסָן. וּכְדּוֹן אֲפִילוּ חָדָא בְחָדָא לָא קַייְמָא. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, one seah of Arbel grain did yield one seah of fine flour, one seah of white flour, one seah of dark flour, one seah of bran, one seah of coarse bran. But today, we do not even get one for one.
כְּתִיב וּכְאַבְשָׁלוֹם לֹא הָיָה אִישׁ יָפֶה בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַלֵּל מְאֹד. יָכוֹל בַּכֹּל. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מִכַּף רַגְלוֹ וְעַד קָדְקֳדוֹ לֹא הָיָה בוֹ מוּם. כְּתִיב וְלוֹ הָיָה בֶן וּשְׁמוֹ שָׁאוּל בָּחוּר וָטוֹב וְאֵין אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ. יָכוֹל בַּכֹּל. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמַעְלָה גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל־הָעָם. אֲבָל בְּאַבְנֵר מַהוּ אוֹמֵר. הֲלוֹא תֵדְעוּ כִּי שַׂר וְגָדוֹל נָפַל בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְאַבְנֵר לָמָה נֶהֱרַג. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי וְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ וְרַבָּנִן. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁעָשָׂה דָמָן שֶׁלַּנְּעָרִים שְׂחוֹק. יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִקְדִּים שְׁמוֹ לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁלְּדָוִד. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְנֵר מַלְאָכִים אֶל דָּוִד תַּחְתָּיו לֵאמוֹר לְמִי אָרֶץ. כָּתַב. מִן אַבְנֵר לְדָוִד. וְרַבָּנִן אָֽמְרִין. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִנִיחַ לְשָׁאוּל לְהִתְפַּייֵס מִדָּוִד. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאָבִי רְאֵה גַּם רְאֵה אֶת כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ בְּיָדִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. מַה אַתְּ בְּעֵי מִן גַּלְגּוֹי דְהָדֵן. בְּסִירָה הוּעֲרָת. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לְמַעֲגָל אָמַר לוֹ. הֲלוֹא תַעֲנֶה אַבְנֵר. גַּבֵּי כְּנָף אָמַרְתָּ בְּסִירָה הֻעֲרָת. חֲנִית וְצַפַּחַת. בְּסִירָה הוּעֲרָת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָֽיְתָה סִפֵּק בְּיָדוֹ לִמְחוֹת בְּנוֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים וְלֹא מִיחָה. 300Parallels in Midrash Samuel 13, 27; Num. rabba 9(29); Tanḥuma Buber Ḥuqqat 8, Tanḥuma Ḥuqqat 4; Sanhedrin.49a">Babli Sanhedrin 49a. It is written3012S. 14:25.: “No man in Israel was beautiful like Absalom, to be very much praised.” I could think, in everything. The verse says, “from his foot sole to the top of his forehead302But his hair was questionable.”. It is written3031S. 9:2.: “He had a son whose name was Saul, select and good, no one of the Children of Israel was better than he.” I could think, in everything. The verse says, “from his shoulder on he was higher than all the people.” But about Abner, what is written3042S. 3:38.? “You should know that a leader and great man fell today in Israel.” 305To the end of the paragraph, this is from Peah 1:1:47-48" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Peah.1.1.47-48">Peah 1:1, Notes 176–179. The question asked is, why did Providence let Abner lose his usual caution when dealing with Joab. The presumed argument between Saul and Abner is explained in detail in the commentary by R. Ḥananel (Kairuan, early 11th Cent.) to Sanhedrin.49a">Sanhedrin 49a, quoted in Arukh (s. v. בור ז) as Yerushalmi text; but clearly it is a paraphrase. (Printed on the margin of the Wilna Babli). Why was Abner killed? Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish, and the rabbis. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, because he made fun of the lives of his squires as it is said (2Sam. 2:14): “Let the squires get up and play before us.” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, because he prefaced his name before that of David; that is what is written (2Sam. 3:12) “Abner sent messengers to David the underling, saying: Whose is the land?” He wrote: From Abner to David. The rabbis say, because he did not let Shaul make peace with David. That is what is written (1Sam. 24:5): “My father, see, but see the corner of your coat in my hand!” He said to him, what do you want from the prattling of this one, it was torn off by thorns. But when they came to the circle, he said to him (1Sam. 26:14): “Can you answer, Abner?” About the corner, you said it was torn off by a thorn; were spear and pitcher cut off by a thorn? But some say, because he had it in his power to intervene for Nob, the city of priests, and he did not intervene.
וּלְפִי שֶׁגָּנַב שָׁלֹשׁ גְּנֵיבוֹת. לֵב אָבִיו. וְלֵב בֵּית דִּין. וְלֵב אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל. לֵב אָבִיו. דִּכְתִיב וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. כָּל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלְּדָוִד לֹא מָלַךְ אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים. וָכָא הוּא אָמַר הָכֵין. אֶלָּא בְשָׁעָה שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ. כִּי נֶדֶר נָדַר עַבְדֶךָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. וּמַה אַתְּ בָּעֵי כְדוֹן. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כְּתוֹב חַד פִּיתַּק דִּתְּרֵין גּוּבְרִין דִּנְסְבִינוֹן עִימִּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אֱמוֹר לִי לְמָאן דְּאַתְּ בָּעֵי וַאֲנָא כְתוֹב. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כְּתוֹב לָהּ סְתָם וַאֲנָא לְמָאן דִּבְעִי אֲנָא נְסַב. כָּתַב לֵיהּ סְתָם. אֲזַל וּצְמַת לֵיהּ תְּרֵין תְּרֵין גּוּבְרִין. עַד דִּצְמַת לֵיהּ מָאתָן גּוּבְרִין. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב. וְאֶת אַבְשָׁלוֹם הָֽלְכוּ מָאתַיִם אִישׁ מִירוּשָׁלַםִ קְרוּאִים וְהוֹלְכִים לְתוּמָּם. קְרוּאִים מִדָּוִד. וְהוֹלְכִים לְתוּמָּם. מֵאַבְשָׁלוֹם. וְלֹא יָֽדְעוּ כָל־דָּבָר. מֵעַצַּת אֲחִיתוֹפֶל. רִבִּי הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אָחָא. וְכוֹלְהוּ רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרִיּוֹת הָיוּ. וְכֵיוָן דְּחָמוֹן מִילַּייָא אַתְייָן לִידֵי חִילּוּפִין. אָֽמְרִין. רִבּוֹן כָּל־הָעוֹלָמִים. נִפְּלָה נָא בְיַד דָּוִד וְאַל יִפּוֹל דָּוִד בְּיָדֵינוּ. שֶׁאִם אָנוּ נוֹפְלִין בְיַד דָּוִד הֲרֵי הוּא מְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ. וְאִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יִפּוֹל דָּוִד בְּיָדֵינוּ אֵין אָנוּ מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו. הוּא שֶׁדָּוִד אָמַר. פְּדֵה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרָב לִי כִּי בְרַבִּים הָיוּ עִמָּדִי. וְלֵב בֵּית דִּין. וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם מִי יְשִׂימֵינִי שׁוֹפֵט הָאָרֶץ וגו׳. וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְשָׁלוֹם כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה. וְלֵב אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיְגַנֵּב אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶת לֵב אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל. 306The text is copied in Num. rabba 9(29).“And because he stole three steals, his father’s opinion, the court’s opinion, and Israel’s opinion.” His father’s opinion, as it is written3072S. 15:7.: “It was after forty years.” David himself did not rule more than forty years, and here, it says so? But it is from the time that Israel demanded a king308Temurah.14b">Babli Temurah 14b; ascribed to R. Joshua. The source is Seder ‘Olam Chapter 14; cf. the extensive commentary in the author’s edition (Northvale NJ, 1998), p. 139.. “For your servant made a vow3092S. 15:8..” He said to him, what else do you want? He said to him, write me a tablet that two men should go with me. He said to him, tell me whom you want and I shall write. He said to him, write it to open and I shall take whom I want. He wrote it open. He went and added two people each until he had added 200 people. That is what is written3102S.15:11., “with Absalom went 200 invited people from Jerusalem, going in their simplicity.” Invited, from David. Going in their simplicity, of Absalom. “They did not know anything,” of Aḥitophel’s counsel. Rebbi Huna in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: They all were presiding judges. Then they saw the things. They went to change sides. They said: Master of all universes: Let us fall in David’s hand and do not let fall David in our hands! For if we fall in David’s hand, he will have mercy on us. But if, Heaven forbid, David would fall in our hands, we would not have mercy on him. That is what David said311Psalms.55.19">Ps. 55:19; cf. Midrash Tehillim55[4]., “He saved me in peace from my confidant, for the majority were with me!” “The court’s opinion”. “And Absalom said, who would make me the judge of the land.3122S. 15:4.” “So Absalom would act.3132S. 15:6.” “And Israel’s opinion.” Absalom insinuated himself with the men of Israel.3132S. 15:6.”