Rashi on Tanakh1 Samuel 17

At Ephes Damim. This was the name of the place.¹It literally means ‘no more blood’ because it was there that the bloodshed between the Bnei Yisroel and the Philistines ceased.—Radak

A champion. A mighty person who went out from his battalion, to stand between the two battalions.²Following the literal meaning of אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם as ‘the man of between.’ However, Maseches Sotah 42b states that the word הַבֵּנַיִם is from the root בנה, to build, i.e., he was as sturdy as a building.—Da’as Sofrim

Scaled armor. Like fish scales, made of iron, spread over the coat³Not only was Golyos impressive, but his armor also appeared impregnable. (another version: the holes of the coat), a scale [covering] each hole.

Copper shields. A sort of iron handle, extending from the helmet, opposite the nose, called nasal in O.F., and it reached his feet.

A copper guard. Targum Yonoson renders, וּמְסַחֲפָא דִּנְחָשָׁא נָפֵיק מִן קוֹלְסָא וּמְטַל בֵּין כַּתְפוֹהִי, meaning, 'a sort of copper javelin, protruding from the helmet, and extending between his shoulders,' to protect his neck from [injury by] the sword.⁴Others translate ‘a copper javelin slung between his shoulders’ because he held other weapons in his hands.

Like a weaver's beam. Targum Yonoson renders, 'like a weaver's beam', ensouble in O.F.

Six hundred shekel. All shekels mentioned in the Nevi'im, are 'maneh.'

Why should you go out. [Why should] all of you go out to wage war? Let one representing all of you fight against me, and on the condition specified, i.e., "if he will be able to fight me, etc."

Am I not the Philistine. I am neither an officer over a hundred, nor an officer over a thousand. I am a Philistine like one of the others, even though I have fought many wars for them. I killed Chofni and Pinchas, and I captured the Ark, while you have become servants to Shaul, and he never saved you with his might.

Choose for yourselves. Choose [בָּרְרוּ] for yourselves.

A man. Shaul, and let him come down to me.

Ephrathite. Beis Lechem is located in the land of Ephros.⁵See Bereishis 35:19.

And he had eight sons. And that which is stated, 'Otzem, the sixth, Dovid the seventh,'⁶I Divrei Hayomim 2:15. and no more is stated. This may be reconciled that one died childless and therefore, he was not mentioned there.

Among the elders. Counted in the gatherings of important people.⁷ See Maseches Berachos 58a, which states that wherever Yishay went he was accompanied by a large crowd.

Dovid was the youngest. Who had previously been in Shaul's palace to play music before him.

Dovid would go. Would always go back and forth from Shaul to his father's house.⁸Dovid was not permanently assigned to be with Shaul. Dovid played music for Shaul when the evil spirit rested upon him. At all other times he would return home to tend his father’s sheep.

Morning and evening. Our Rabbis said, to prevent them from reciting 'shema.'⁹See Maseches Sotah 42b.

Cheeses. [Targum Yonoson renders] 'cheeses.'

To the captain of the thousand. I say 'to the captain of that thousand to which his brothers belong,' for all the tribes had captains of thousands according to their thousands. But I have heard, that 'to the captain of the thousand' refers to Yonoson, concerning whom [Scripture] stated, 'And a thousand were with Yonoson in Givas Binyomin'.¹⁰Above 13:2.

And take the tidings of their welfare. The assurance of their salvation and their welfare you shall take into your ears and to your heart, and tell it to me. And so did Targum Yonoson render, 'and their welfare you shall bring.'

Tidings of their welfare. This is an expression of salvation, as in 'Assure your servant for good';¹¹Tehillim 119:122.garantis in O.F. Our Rabbis said [it means] that he should take a divorce from them, and deliver it to their wives, to break the connection [עֵרוּב] between him [husband] and her [wife].¹²It was customary for soldiers to divorce their wives upon leaving for war. This was done to spare the wives from any difficulty to remarry in case they did not return. See Maseches Kesubos 9b and Maseches Shabbos 56a.

To the barricade. They would form a circle around the camp, and whoever would go out [of the circle], either in front of, or behind the camp, would be endangered; in front [of the circle] he might be attacked by the men of the enemy armies, and behind [the circle] because he [apparently] seeks to desert.

Yisroel deployed. Referring to Yisroel's battalions.¹³That is why the feminine form [וַתַּעֲרֹךְ] is used because it is referring to מַעֲרָכָה which is grammatically feminine.

The keeper of the equipment. Of the soldiers.

From Philistines camp. [The text] is written מִמַּעֲרוֹת; our Rabbis expounded [from the word מַעֲרוֹת]¹⁴The root being ערה and the noun ערוה. See Rashi Vayikra 20:18. that one hundred men had relations with his [Golyas'] mother Orpoh, after she left Rus and her mother-in-law Naomi.¹⁵See Maseches Sotah 42b. Golyos was born from these relations and no one knew who fathered him so he became known as אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם ‘a man from between them.’ See above verse 4. Da’as Sofrim suggests that מְעָרוֹת [=caves] may have been dug out in the mountain the Philistines as a defensive measure in the case of an attack by the Bnei Yisroel.

He will exempt. From the listed royal obligations.¹⁶See above 8:11–17 for details of these obligations.

The lion came with a bear. The lion and bear came [at the same time].

Even the lion and the bear. These words [גַּם, אֶת, גַּם] are of inclusive nature, meaning a lion and its two whelps, and a bear and its two cubs.¹⁷And Dovid slew all six.

Adonoy Who saved me from the claws of the lion. I know that this incident did not occur to me for naught, but as an indication that in the future, I would be confronted with similar circumstances, as a salvation for Yisroel. I will therefore rely on this, and go out. And he was one of two righteous men, to whom [God] gave a hint, and they understood the matter, Dovid and Mordechai, as it is stated: "And every day Mordechai would walk before the courtyard…"¹⁸Megillas Esther 2:11. He said [to himself], 'It is not for naught that this righteous woman [Esther] has been taken into the bed of this uncircumcised one [Achashveirosh]. It can only mean that she is destined to stand up on behalf of Yisroel at a time of distress.'

Dovid in his own battle garments. They changed and became Dovid's size,¹⁹The word מַדָיו is derived from מִדָה [=measure]. since he had been anointed with the anointing oil,²⁰See Maseches Yevamos 76b. although they belonged to Shaul who was taller than all of the other people, from his shoulder and upward.²¹Above 9:2. And when Shaul noted this, he cast an envious glance toward him, and Dovid realized it.

But he did not want to go out. Targum Yonoson renders "and he did not want to go."²²Although וַיאֶׁל usually means ‘he wanted’ as in Shemos 2:21. There are words which have two opposite definitions, as in "will cut off [מְסָעֵף] a branch,"²³Yeshayahu 10:33. [derived from סָעִיף, a branch]. [Also,] "and he will uproot you [וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךְ] from the land of the living," [derived from שׁוֹרֶש, a root].²⁴Tehillim 52:7.

For he was not accustomed. I.e., because he was not accustomed.

For I am not accustomed. [Targum renders] 'for their is no miracle [נֵס] in them,' [meaning] there will be no praise for the miracle in this manner.²⁵Dovid wanted it to be clear to all that his victory was achieved solely by the intervention of ה׳. Another explanation why Dovid refused to wear Shaul’s battle garments was because he feared that by doing so would arouse Shaul’s jealousy thereby aggravating Shaul.—Da’as Sofrim Another explanation of ,וַיאֶׁל לָלֶכֶת is, 'he wanted to go, and to try [wearing Shaul's battle garments],' but when he saw that they were too heavy for him, he took them off.

Smooth stones. Thin and smooth stones.

And in his pouch. [Targum Yonoson renders] 'and in his pack.'

And to the cattle of the field. It is not customary for cattle to eat human flesh. Dovid said [to himself], 'This one's mind is already deranged; He is mine.' Dovid [seeing this] said, 'and I will offer the carcasses of the Philistine camp …and to the beasts of the earth.'

And he fell face downward. He should have fallen backwards since he had been struck on his forehead.²⁶The impact should have made him fall backwards. But, in order that Dovid should not be troubled to walk [the extra distance] and cut off his head, for Dovid now saved twelve amos and two zeres; for his height was six amos and a zeres, Dovid saved [walking] his entire height back and hs entire height forward.²⁷Another reason why he fell face downward is because ה׳ had decreed that the mouth that blasphemed shall lick the dust of the earth.

From pursuing. Meaning the same as מִרְדׂף [=pursuing] as in "you have pursued [דָלַקְתָּ] me."²⁸Bereishis 31:36

Whose son is this youth. Our Rabbis said, "Did he not recognize him? Is it not stated, "He loved him very much and he became his arms bearer"?²⁹Above 16:21. Ralbag suggests that Dovid would now marry his daughter and Shaul therefore inquired about his genealogy. But, he saw him behaving in a kingly manner. Shaul said, 'If he comes from the family of Peretz, he will become king, for the king may break fences to make way for himself, and no one may object. If, however, he comes from the family of Zerach, he will become an important person. Do'eg said to him, 'Before you ask whether or not he is descended from a family which qualifies him for the throne, ask whether or not he is qualified to enter [by marriage] into the congregation [of Yisroel], because he is descended from Rus the Mo'avite.' Avneir responded to him, 'We have learned that an Ammonite [is forbidden]³⁰Devarim 23:4. but not a female Ammonite [the same holding true for a female Moavite].' So Doeg said to him, 'If so, only a male momzer and not a momzeres [=female momzer] should be foridden.' He replied, 'It is stated here, "because they did not meet you with bread and water,³¹Ibid., verse 5. and it is not customary for a woman to do so."' He said to him, 'Men should have met men, and women should have met women [with bread and water].' Avneir became silent. Then Shaul said to him": Ask whose son this young man is. Above it is written 'הַנַּעַר'³²Verse 55. and here it is written 'הָעָלֶם'. He said to him, "This law has escaped your memory [נִתְעַלְּמָה]. Go out and ask in the house of study," as it is stated in [Maseches] Yevomos.³³