The Image of King David in the Babylonian Talmud | Sefaria
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11/17/2020 The Image of King David in the Babylonian Talmud | Sefaria The Image of King David in the Babylonian Talmud Source Sheet by david silber More info ❯ שמואל ב י״א-י״ב II Samuel 11-12 (א) ַו ְי ִה ֩י ִל ְתשׁוּ ַ֨בת ַה ָשּׁ ָ֜נה ְל ֵ֣ﬠת ׀ ֵ֣צאת At the turn of the year, the season when (1) kings go out [to battle], David sent Joab ַה ַמּ ְל ֿא ִ֗כים ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֣לח ָדּ ִ֡וד ֶאת־יוֹ ָא ֩ב ְו ֶאת ֲ־ﬠ ָב ָ֨דיו with his officers and all Israel with him, ִﬠ ֜מּוֹ ְו ֶאת־ ָכּל־ ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵ֗אל ַו ַיּ ְשׁ ִ֙חת ֙וּ ֶאת־ ְבּ ֵ֣ני ַﬠ ֔מּוֹן and they devastated Ammon and besieged ַו ָיּ ֻ֖צרוּ ַﬠל ַ־ר ָ ֑בּה ְו ָדִ ֖וד י ֵ֥וֹשׁב ִבּיר ָוּשׁ ָלִֽ ם׃ (ס) (Rabbah; David remained in Jerusalem. (2 (ב) ַו ְי ִ ֣הי ׀ ְל ֵ֣ﬠת ָה ֶ֗ﬠ ֶרב ַוָ֨יּ ָקם ָדּ ִ֜וד ֵמ ַ ֤ﬠל Late one afternoon, David rose from his couch and strolled on the roof of the royal ִמ ְשׁ ָכּב ֙וֹ ַו ִיּ ְת ַה ֵלּ ֙ ַﬠל־ ַ ֣גּג ֵבּית ַ־ה ֶ֔מּ ֶל ַו ַיּ֥ ְ רא palace; and from the roof he saw a woman ִא ָ ֛שּׁה ֹר ֶ ֖ח ֶצת ֵמ ַ ֣ﬠל ַה ָ ֑גּג ְו ָ ֣ה ִא ֔ ָשּׁה טוֹ ַ ֥בת ַמ ְר ֶ ֖אה ,bathing. The woman was very beautiful ְמ ֽ ֹאד׃ (ג) ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֣לח ָדּ ִ֔וד ַו ִיּ ְד֖ ֹרשׁ ָֽל ִא ָ ֑שּׁה ַו֗יֹּא ֶמר and the king sent someone to make (3) ֲהלוֹא־זֹא ֙ת ַבּת ֶ ֣־שׁ ַבע ַבּת־ ֱא ִל ָ֔יﬠם ֵ֖א ֶשׁת ,inquiries about the woman. He reported “She is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam [and] א ִוּר ָיּ֥ה ַה ִח ִֽתּי׃ (ד) ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַל ֩ח ָדּ ִ֨וד ַמ ְל ָא ִ֜כים wife of Uriah the Hittite.” (4) David sent ַו ִיּ ָקּ ֶ֗ח ָה ַו ָתּ ֤בוֹא ֵא ָלי ֙ו ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֣כּב ִﬠ ָ֔מּהּ ְו ִ ֥היא messengers to fetch her; she came to him ִמ ְת ַק ֶ ֖דּ ֶשׁת ִמ ֻטּ ְמ ָא ָ ֑תהּ ַו ָ ֖תּ ָשׁב ֶאל־ ֵבּי ָֽתהּ׃ (ה) and he lay with her—she had just purified herself after her period—and she went ַו ַ ֖תּ ַהר ָֽה ִא ָ ֑שּׁה ַו ִתּ ְשׁ ַל ֙ח ַו ַתּ ֵ֣גּד ְל ָד ִ֔וד ַו ֖תֹּא ֶמר back home. (5) The woman conceived, and ָה ָ ֥רה ָא ֹֽנ ִכי׃ (ו) ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֤לח ָדּ ִו ֙ד ֶאל־יוֹ ָ֔אב ְשׁ ַ ֣לח ”.she sent word to David, “I am pregnant ֵא ֔ ַלי ֶאת־ ֽא ִוּר ָיּ֖ה ַה ִח ִ ֑תּי ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֥לח יוֹ ָ ֛אב Thereupon David sent a message to (6) ֶאת־ ֽא ִוּר ָיּ֖ה ֶאל־ ָדִּֽוד׃ (ז) ַו ָיּ ֥בֹא א ִוּר ָיּ֖ה ֵא ָ ֑ליו Joab, “Send Uriah the Hittite to me”; and ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֣אל ָדּ ִ֗וד ִל ְשׁ ֤לוֹם יוֹ ָא ֙ב ְו ִל ְשׁ ֣לוֹם ָה ָ֔ﬠם Joab sent Uriah to David. (7) When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab ְו ִל ְשׁ ֖לוֹם ַה ִמּ ְל ָח ָֽמה׃ (ח) ַו ֤יֹּא ֶמר ָדּ ִו ֙ד ְל ֣א ִוּרָ֔יּה and the troops were faring and how the ֵ֥רד ְל ֵבי ְת ֖ ְוּר ַ ֣חץ ַר ְג ֶ ֑לי ַו ֵיּ ֵ֤צא ֽא ִוּר ָיּ ֙ה ִמ ֵ֣בּית war was going. (8) Then David said to ַה ֶ֔מּ ֶל ַו ֵתּ ֵ֥צא ַא ֲח ָ ֖ריו ַמ ְשׂ ַ ֥את ַה ֶֽמּ ֶל׃ (ט) Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.” When Uriah left the royal ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֣כּב א ִוּרָ֗יּה ֚ ֶפּ ַתח ֵ֣בּית ַה ֶ֔מּ ֶל ֵ֖את palace, a present from the king followed ָכּל ַ־ﬠ ְב ֵ֣די ֲא ֹד ָ ֑ניו ְו ֥לֹא ָי ַ ֖רד ֶאל־ ֵבּי ֽתוֹ׃ (י) him. (9) But Uriah slept at the entrance of ַו ַיִּ ֤גּדוּ ְל ָד ִו ֙ד ֵלא ֹ֔מר ֽלֹא־ ָי ַ ֥רד א ִוּר ָיּ֖ה ֶאל־ ֵבּי ֑תוֹ the royal palace, along with the other ַו֨יֹּא ֶמר ָדּ ִ֜וד ֶאל־א ִוּרָ֗יּה ֲה ֤לוֹא ִמ ֶ֙דּ ֶר ֙ ַא ָ ֣תּה officers of his lord, and did not go down to his house. (10) When David was told that ָ֔בא ַמ ֖דּ ַוּﬠ ֽלֹא־ ָי ַ ֥ר ְד ָתּ ֶאל־ ֵבּי ֶֽת׃ (יא) ַו֨יֹּא ֶמר Uriah had not gone down to his house, he א ִוּרָ֜יּה ֶאל־ ָדּ ִ֗וד ֠ ָה ָארוֹן ְו ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵ֨אל ִֽויהוּ ָ֜דה said to Uriah, “You just came from a ֹי ְשׁ ִ ֣בים ַבּ ֻסּ ֗כּוֹת ַוא ֹד ִ֨ני יוֹ ָ֜אב ְו ַﬠ ְב ֵ֤די ֲא ֹד ִ֨ני journey; why didn’t you go down to your https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/273047?editor=1 1/41 11/17/2020 The Image of King David in the Babylonian Talmud | Sefaria ַﬠל־ ְפּ ֵ֤ני ַה ָשּׂ ֶד ֙ה ֹח ִ֔נים ַו ֲא ִ֞ני ָא ֧בוֹא ֶאל־ ֵבּי ִ ֛תי house?” (11) Uriah answered David, “The ֶל ֱא ֹ֥כל ְו ִל ְשׁ ֖תּוֹת ְו ִל ְשׁ ַ ֣כּב ִﬠם־ ִא ְשׁ ִ ֑תּי ַחֶ֙יּ ֙ ְו ֵ֣חי Ark and Israel and Judah are located at Succoth, and my master Joab and Your (יב) ַנ ְפ ֔ ֶשׁ ִֽאם־ ֶא ֱﬠ ֶ ֖שׂה ֶאת ַ־ה ָדּ ָ ֥בר ַה ֶֽזּה׃ ;Majesty’s men are camped in the open ַו֨יֹּא ֶמר ָדּ ִ֜וד ֶאל־א ִוּרָ֗יּה ֵ֥שׁב ָבּ ֶז֛ה ַגּם ַ־ה ֖יּוֹם how can I go home and eat and drink and וּ ָמ ָ ֣חר ֲא ַשׁ ְלּ ֶ ֑ח ָךּ ַוֵ֨יּ ֶשׁב א ִוּר ָיּ֧ה ִביר ָוּשׁ ַלִ ֛ ם sleep with my wife? As you live, by your ַבּ ֥יּוֹם ַה ֖הוּא וּ ִֽמ ָמּ ֳח ָֽרת׃ (יג) ַו ִיּ ְק ָרא־ ֣לוֹ ָד ִ֗וד very life, I will not do this!” (12) David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and ַו ֧יֹּא ַכל ְל ָפ ָ ֛ניו ַו ֵיּ ְ֖שׁ ְתּ ַֽו ְי ַשׁ ְכּ ֵ֑רהוּ ַו ֵיּ ֵ֣צא ָב ֶ֗ﬠ ֶרב tomorrow I will send you off.” So Uriah ִל ְשׁ ַ ֤כּב ְבּ ִמ ְשׁ ָכּב ֙וֹ ִﬠם ַ־ﬠ ְב ֵ֣די ֲא ֹד ָ֔ניו ְו ֶאל־ ֵבּי ֖תוֹ remained in Jerusalem that day. The next ֥לֹא ָי ָֽרד׃ (יד) ַו ְי ִ ֣הי ַב ֹ֔בּ ֶקר ַו ִיּ ְכ ֥ ֹתּב ָדִּ ֛וד ֵ֖ס ֶפר day, (13) David summoned him, and he ate and drank with him until he got him ֶאל־יוֹ ָ ֑אב ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֖לח ְבּ ַי֥ד א ִוּר ָֽיּה׃ (טו) ַו ִיּ ְכ ֥ ֹתּב drunk; but in the evening, [Uriah] went out ַבּ ֵ֖סּ ֶפר ֵלא ֹ֑מר ָה ֣בוּ ֶאת־ ֽא ִוּרָ֗יּה ֶאל־מוּ ֙ל ְפּ ֵ֤ני to sleep in the same place, with his lord’s ַה ִמּ ְל ָח ָמ ֙ה ַֽה ֲח ָז ָ֔קה ְו ַשׁ ְב ֶ ֥תּם ֵמ ַא ֲח ָ ֖ריו ְו ִנ ָ ֥כּה .officers; he did not go down to his home ָו ֵֽמת׃ (ס) (טז) ַו ְי ִ֕הי ִבּ ְשׁ ֥מוֹר יוֹ ָ ֖אב ֶאל ָ־ה ִ ֑ﬠיר In the morning, David wrote a letter to (14) Joab, which he sent with Uriah. (15) He ַו ִיּ ֵתּ֙ן ֶאת־ ֣א ִוּרָ֔יּה ֶאל ַ־ה ָמּקוֹ ֙ם ֲא ֶ ֣שׁר ָי ַ֔דע ִ ֥כּי wrote in the letter as follows: “Place Uriah ַא ְנ ֵשׁי־ ַ ֖ח ִיל ָֽשׁם׃ (יז) ַוֵ֨יּ ְצ ֜אוּ ַא ְנ ֵ֤שׁי ָה ִﬠ ֙יר in the front line where the fighting is ַו ִיּ ָלּ ֲח ֣מוּ ֶאת־יוֹ ָ֔אב ַו ִיּ ֹ֥פּל ִמן ָ־ה ָ ֖ﬠם ֵמ ַﬠ ְב ֵ֣די ָדִ ֑וד fiercest; then fall back so that he may be ַוָ֕יּ ָמת ַ ֖גּם א ִוּר ָיּ֥ה ַה ִח ִֽתּי׃ (יח) ַו ִיּ ְשׁ ַ ֖לח יוֹ ָ ֑אב killed.” (16) So when Joab was besieging the city, he stationed Uriah at the point ַו ַיּ ֵ֣גּד ְל ָד ִ֔וד ֶאת־ ָכּל־ ִדּ ְב ֵ֖רי ַה ִמּ ְל ָח ָֽמה׃ (יט) where he knew that there were able ַו ְי ַ ֥צו ֶאת ַ־ה ַמּ ְל ָ ֖א ֵלא ֹ֑מר ְכּ ַכלּוֹ ְת ֗ ֵ֛את warriors. (17) The men of the city sallied ָכּל־ ִדּ ְב ֵ֥רי ַה ִמּ ְל ָח ָ ֖מה ְל ַד ֵ֥בּר ֶאל ַ־ה ֶֽמּ ֶל׃ (כ) out and attacked Joab, and some of ְו ָהָ֗יה ִֽאם־ ַתּ ֲﬠ ֶל ֙ה ֲח ַ ֣מת ַה ֶ֔מּ ֶל ְו ָא ַ ֣מר ְל ֔ ;David’s officers among the troops fell Uriah the Hittite was among those who ַמ ֛דּ ַוּﬠ ִנ ַגּ ְשׁ ֶ ֥תּם ֶאל ָ־ה ִ ֖ﬠיר ְל ִה ָלּ ֵ֑חם ֲה ֣לוֹא died. (18) Joab sent a full report of the ְי ַד ְﬠ ֶ֔תּם ֵ֥את ֲא ֶשׁר־ ֹי֖רוּ ֵמ ַ ֥ﬠל ַהחוֹ ָֽמה׃ (כא) battle to David. (19) He instructed the ִֽמי ִ־ה ָ֞כּה ֶאת־ ֲא ִבי ֶ ֣מ ֶל ֶבּן־ ְי ֻר ֶ֗בּ ֶשׁת messenger as follows: “When you finish ֲה ֽלוֹא־ ִא ֡ ָשּׁה ִה ְשׁ ִ ֣לי ָכה ָﬠ ָלי ֩ו ֶ֨פּ ַלח ֶ֜ר ֶכב ֵמ ַ ֤ﬠל ,reporting to the king all about the battle (20) the king may get angry and say to you, ַֽהחוֹ ָמ ֙ה ַו ָיּ֣ ָמת ְבּ ֵת ֵ֔בץ ָ ֥ל ָמּה ִנ ַגּ ְשׁ ֶ ֖תּם Why did you come so close to the city to‘ ֶאל ַֽ־החוֹ ָ ֑מה ְו ָ ֣א ַמ ְר ָ֔תּ ַ֗גּם ַﬠ ְב ְדּ ֛ א ִוּר ָיּ֥ה ַה ִח ִ ֖תּי attack it? Didn’t you know that they would ֵֽמת׃ (כב) ַו ֵיּ֖ ֶל ַה ַמּ ְל ָ ֑א ַו ָיּבֹ ֙א ַו ַיּ ֵ֣גּד ְל ָד ִ֔וד ֵ֛את shoot from the wall? (21) Who struck down Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it ָכּל־ ֲא ֶ ֥שׁר ְשׁ ָל ֖חוֹ יוֹ ָֽאב׃ (כג) ַו ֤יֹּא ֶמר ַה ַמּ ְל ָא ֙ not a woman who dropped an upper ֶאל־ ָדּ ִ֔וד ִֽכּי־ ָג ְב֤רוּ ָﬠ ֨ ֵלינ ֙וּ ָֽה ֲא ָנ ִ֔שׁים ַו ֵיּ ְצ ֥אוּ ,millstone on him from the wall at Thebez ֵא ֵ֖לינוּ ַה ָשּׂ ֶ ֑דה ַו ִנּ ְה ֶי֥ה ֲﬠ ֵל ֶ ֖יהם ַﬠד־ ֶ ֥פּ ַתח from which he died? Why did you come ַה ָֽשּׁ ַﬠר׃ (כד) ויראו [ ַו ֹיּ ֨רוּ] המוראים so close to the wall?’ Then say: ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite was among those ַ[המּ ִ ֤וֹרים] ֶאל ֲ־ﬠ ָב ֶ֙ד ֙ ֵמ ַ ֣ﬠל ַהחוֹ ָ֔מה ַו ָיּ ֖מוּתוּ killed.’” (22) The messenger set out; he ֵמ ַﬠ ְב ֵ֣די ַה ֶ ֑מּ ֶל ְו ַ֗גם ַﬠ ְב ְדּ ֛ א ִוּר ָיּ֥ה ַה ִח ִ ֖תּי ֵֽמת׃ came and told David all that Joab had sent (ס) (כה) ַו֨יֹּא ֶמר ָדּ ִ֜וד ֶאל ַ־ה ַמּ ְל ָ֗א ֹֽכּה־תֹא ַ ֤מר him to say.