Poole on 2 Samuel 14:1-11: The Widow's Tale

[1027 BC]  Verse 1:[1]  Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was (2 Sam. 13:39) toward Absalom.

[Joab, understanding]  In a king’s court there are never wanting men that cunningly search out under what affections the hearts of Kings might labor, so that they might be able to acquire for themselves their thanks.  Joab was a skilled courtier.  David was wanting recall his son.  The Law of God stands in opposition.  Joab sets a very clever plan in motion:  He strives to bind David by the force of a promise and oath, and as if the people desire it:  in such a way that the King is in a certain way compelled to do that which he was very much desiring to do.  The sum is this, that David passes judgment concerning a certain case, with the sentence made public; and he feels himself bound to judge in the same way concerning Absalom’s cause (Martyr).

[That the King’s heart was turned toward Absalom, ‎כִּֽי־לֵ֥ב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃]  That the King’s heart was toward (or upon [Piscator]) Absalom (Vatablus); that is, that he was possessed by a desire for Absalom (Vatablus).  At this point it is at the same time to be understood, that David did not have in readiness an honest reason for bringing Absalom back; for which reason Joab suggested such a reason to him.  It is Brachylogy[2] (Piscator).  The King was inclined to Absalom, because he was the oldest, the most handsome, and dear to the people (Malvenda out of Junius).  Moreover, by this favor Joab wished to obliged Absalom, whom he was hoping was going to be the heir of the kingdom, to himself, as he also did afterwards in the case of Adonijah.[3]  And David, as he was insightful, was able to discern whence this counsel arose, verse 19 (Grotius).

The king’s heart was toward Absalom:  He desired to see him, but was ashamed to show kindness to one whom God’s law and his own conscience obliged him to punish; and wanted a fair pretence, which therefore Joab gave him.

Verse 2:[4]  And Joab sent to (2 Chron. 11:6) Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, (see Ruth 3:3) and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead…

[He sent to Tema]  A city in the tribe of Judah (Junius, Piscator, Malvenda), near Beth-lehem (Menochius, Malvenda out of Jerome).  Was there no wise women in Jerusalem?  Response:  1.  Perhaps that woman of Tema was have a singular grace above others.  2.  Or rather Joab made use of a stranger, because she had to narrate something obscure and unknown to the king.  But a woman of Jerusalem could have been immediately refuted by the king (Tirinus).

Tekoah; a city of Judah, 2 Chronicles 11:5, 6.  One of Jerusalem was not convenient, lest the king might know the person, or search out the business.  And besides, this woman seems to be of great eminency for her wisdom, as the following discourse manifests.  A wise woman, rather than a man, because women can more easily express their passions, and do sooner procure pity in their miseries, and an answer to their requests.  Anoint not thyself with oil; as they used to do when they were out of a mourning state.  See Ruth 3:3; Matthew 6:17.

[Mourning for an exceedingly long time]  Namely, according to her benevolence toward the dead, not as one observing funeral rites, which were over in a few days (Menochius).

Verse 3:[5]  And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him.  So Joab (2 Sam. 14:19; Ex. 4:15) put the words in her mouth.

[He put words in her mouth]  As if he were speaking through the mouth of the woman (Menochius).  Joab was hoping that David would be moved by the parable, as had previously happened, 2 Samuel 12 (Martyr).

Verse 4:[6]  And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she (1 Sam. 20:41; 2 Sam. 1:2) fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, (see 2 Kings 6:26, 28) Help (Heb. save[7]), O king.

[Save me, O King]  This was a common formula of suppliants, and legitimate, as it were.  See 2 Kings 6:26; 1 Chronicles 16:35.  Hence in the prayers of the Hebrews Hosanna[8] is frequent (Sanchez, Tirinus).  Save, that is, bring help (Vatablus).  [It is to be noted that ‎וַתֹּאמֶר, and she said, occurs twice, but thus they express it:]  And so she addressed…falling prostrate, etc….and said, etc. (Junius and Tremellius).  And when…she wished to address the king…she worshipped, saying, etc. (Strigelius).  And so the woman said…said, I say, Save, O King (Piscator).

Verse 5:[9]  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee?  And she answered, (see 2 Sam. 12:1) I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

[Alas, I am a widow woman, וגו״‎אֲבָל ]  Surely (Montanus, Pagnine); verily (Jonathan, Syriac, Munster, similarly the Arabic, Tigurinus); alas (Vulgate):  that is to say, grief belongs to me because I am a widow; from אֲבַל, to grieve (Malvenda).  But, or in any event; it is a most elegant sort of Paralepsis[10] common in adversative expressions; that is to say, thou askest what my issue is, O King? or art thou wondering why I am disturbing thee? but the reasons are for me of the most grievous kind, etc.:  so also in 1 Kings 1:43[11] (Junius).  An abrupt form of speech; that is to say, thou couldest think that nothing is lacking to me:  but much is wanting to me, for I am a widow.  Brachylogy[12] (Piscator).  She says that she is a widow, and commends herself by her station.  The King was bound to hear widows by office (Martyr).

I am indeed a widow woman; one of them who most need thy compassion and assistance, and whom thou art by God’s law obliged in a singular manner to protect and relieve.

Verse 6:[13]  And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them (Heb. none to deliver between them[14]), but the one smote the other, and slew him.

[Thy handmaid had two sons, etc.]  Some maintain that this was true history, which she applied by analogy to Absalom (Hebrews and Rabanus and Angelome in Sanchez).  But it is more likely that the whole matter was fabricated (Sanchez, Lapide).

[And there was none that might be able to restrain them, וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּ֖יל בֵּֽינֵיהֶ֑ם [15]]  And not one removing (there was not present one dividing [Syriac, Junius and Tremellius, etc.]) between them (Montanus, similarly Pagnine, Malvenda); and not one delivering (Mariana), who might deliver (Vatablus):  at the same time she indicates that without witnesses the one remaining is not able to be condemned, according to Deuteronomy 17:6 (Mariana out of Vatablus, similarly Lyra).

[And the one smote the other, and killed him (thus Jonathan, Munster, Pagnine, Tigurinus, Piscator):  In the Hebrew the first pronominal suffix is redundant (Piscator), ‎וַיַּכּ֧וֹ הָאֶחָ֛ד אֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד וַיָּ֥מֶת אֹתֽוֹ׃]  And he smote him, the one the one[16] (Montanus), or the one this one, who is singular (Junius and Tremellius).  [I would approve, except the ה/the prefixed equally to both uses of אֶחָד/one equally hinders.]  The argument:  Since the one brother, repelling violence, killed the other brother, he is not liable to death.  To such God gave the city of refuge[17] (Martyr).  Moreover, the widow was not admitting a crime, since no witnesses were present, and the guilty was not confessing it; but she was referring to the speech of the accusers (Tostatus in Menochius).

There was none to part them; and therefore there is no witness, either that he killed him, or how he killed him, whether from some sudden passion and great provocation, or in his own necessary defence, or otherwise.  Slew him; as the avengers of blood report.

Verse 7:[18]  And, behold, (Num. 35:19; Deut. 19:12) the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also:  and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth (Heb. upon the face of the earth[19]).

[Deliver him…so that we might kill him]  According to the law, Numbers 35:19, 21.  The related avenger of blood was indeed able to do that with impunity, yet not without fault; just as there are a great many other things that the law permits, but does not approve (Sanchez out of Cajetan).

That we may kill him; according to the law, Numbers 35:19; Deuteronomy 19:12.

[And that we might destroy the heir]  It indicates their intention, for they were not saying this in words, but deeds (Tirinus).  These were the kinsmen on the father’s side, who, with the surviving son killed, were going to be the heirs; and so they were rising up against the widow, not out of zeal for justice, but out of love for the inheritance (Menochius closely out of Lyra).

We will destroy the heir also; so they plainly discover that their prosecution of him was not so much from love of justice, as from a covetous desire to deprive him of the inheritance, and to transfer it to themselves; which self-interest might justly render their testimony suspected.  Or perhaps these words are not spoken as the express words of the prosecutors, (who can hardly be thought so directly to express a sinister design,) but as the woman’s inference or comment upon what they were doing, (for this would be indeed the result of it, though they did not say so in express words,) thereby to represent her case as the more deserving pity.

[And they seek to quench my spark, ‎וְכִבּ֗וּ אֶת־גַּֽחַלְתִּי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאָ֔רָה]  Thus they would quench (thus they attempt to quench [Tigurinus, Vatablus]) my coal (spark [Vatablus, Tigurinus]) which is left (Junius and Tremellius).  An altogether apt metaphor; that is to say, since one remains, as a lingering coal in the midst of ashes, even the mournful remains of my family, he is rather to be borne than extinguished (Malvenda out of Junius).  My coal, that is, my help and relief, and that small enough, but altogether necessary; just as a coal supplies a little heat, and is necessary to kindle fire (Piscator, similarly Lapide).  The remains of war Cicero thus calls the sparks of war.[20]  The soul and life are compared to a fire, because the former, just like fire, 1.  consist in heat.  2.  Illuminate and shine.  3.  Just as one failing lamp kindles another, in which its survivor, as it were, shines; so a dying man lives in his son (Lapide).  A lamp is put in the place of succession, because, as the former makes to appear those things that would otherwise lie in darkness:  so also children make their parents present and visible, as it were.  See Ecclesiasticus 30:4.[21]  In the lamp are expressed those things that are beautiful and bright, and bear the memory of men, of which sort are honor, offspring, etc.  David’s kingdom, glory, and posterity are called a lamp, 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4 (Sanchez).  My spark, in which his father, long since extinguished, might live again, and I, shortly to die, might live thereafter (Tirinus).

My coal which is left; the poor remainder of my light and comfort, by whom alone my hopes may be revived and repaired.

[So that there might not remain to my husband a name, ‎לְבִלְתִּ֧י שׂוּם־לְאִישִׁ֛י שֵׁ֥ם]  So that they might not put, etc., that is, so that they might not leave any son, who might bear the name of his father, or preserve his memory (Vatablus).  She mentions the name of her husband, not her own, because sons succeed their fathers, not their mothers, and are denominated by the former (Tirinus).  She takes her argument from the piety that is due to the dead (Sanchez).

To my husband; she names him rather than herself, because children bear the names of their fathers, not of their mothers.

Verse 8:[22]  And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

[I will decree for thee]  What was advantageous, and necessary, lest thou be unjustly oppressed (Menochius); with it being supposed that thou speakest the truth, etc. (Lyra).  I will give charges for thee or because of thee, that is to say, so that no evil might come to thy son (Vatablus, similarly Piscator).  This judgment was just, 1.  because witnesses of the murder were wanting:  2.  because the law was ordering the willful murderer to be executed, but not unexpected and accidental[23] (Lapide).

I will give charge concerning thee:  That thy cause may be justly and truly examined, and thy son preserved from their unjust and malicious proceedings.

Verse 9:[24]  And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, (Gen. 27:13; 1 Sam. 25:24; Matt. 27:25) the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house:  (2 Sam. 3:28, 29; 1 Kings 2:33) and the king and his throne be guiltless.

[To me be the iniquity, ‎הֶעָוֹ֖ן—‎עָלַ֞י]  Upon me be the (this [Munster]) iniquity (Septuagint, Pagnine, Dutch), or guilt (Jonathan); let the guilt cleave to me (Strigelius).  She removes from the king every ounce of condonation of murder (Lapide, Tirinus).  I am so persuaded of the innocence of my son, that I do not hesitate to take the guilt upon myself (Junius).  If there is any evil in this matter, I will pay (Grotius); let the punishment of this iniquity fall on me, if there is any in thy sentence (Piscator, similarly Martyr).  Thus Abigail in 1 Samuel 25:24 took upon herself the sin of her husband, and Rebekah in Genesis 27:13 the curse of Isaac (Tirinus out of Sanchez, Lapide).  Thus the Jews spoke to Pilate, Matthew 27:25, His blood be upon us, etc. (Lapide).  Thus the profane often; Tibullus in Elegies[25] 1:2:

And ills, if our madness spoke any against thee,

Forgive:  let them, I pray, be on my head.

[Others translate and explain it otherwise:]  This sin (crime [Syriac]) me, etc., threatens (Tigurinus, Syriac).  Let the punishment of the iniquity be upon me, etc.  But let the King be exempt from punishment; that is to say, if anything should in the meantime happen to me or my son, while thou art neglecting my complaint, thou shalt suffer punishment.  For the woman turns back upon herself what was to be attributed to the King, for the sake of honor (Vatablus).  Having departed from me, the King will be taken up with various affairs, and he will forget this one; he shall bear no responsibility, he shall appear innocent.  But this punishment and condemnation will be upon me (Martyr, similarly Lyra out of the Hebrews).  My son will be killed, and thou shalt be innocent, because that will be done contrary to thine intention:  that is to say, let it please thee to make that all the more firm (Lyra).  She wishes to get assurance for herself from the King by the interposition of an oath; but, because in the conceiving of an oath something unequal is wont to be granted, which is wont to be expiated on the head of the swearer, the woman takes that completely on herself (Sanchez).  [Castalio translates the passage in this way:  But to me, Lord King, and to my family danger is imminent, with thee and thy throne being unaware.]

The iniquity be on me, etc.:  The sense is, either, first, this, If I do not inform thee aright, and thou thereby be drawn to give an unrighteous sentence on my behalf, I am willing to bear the whole blame of it before God, and men; I acknowledge thou art wholly innocent in the case.  Compare Genesis 27:13.  Or, secondly, this, If through thy forgetfulness or neglect of this my just cause, my adversaries prevail and destroy my son, my desire is, that God would not lay it to the king’s charge, but rather to me and mine, so the king may be exempted thereby.  Whereby she both insinuates her great esteem of and affection for the king, thereby winning upon him to compass her design; and withal implies that such an omission of the king’s will bring guilt upon him; and yet most prudently and decently orders her phrase so as not to seem to blame or threaten the king.  Compare Exodus 5:16; 2 Samuel 20:16.  This sense seems best to agree with David’s answer, which shows that she desired some further assurance of the king’s care and justice in her concern.

Verse 10:[26]  And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

Whosoever saith ought unto thee:  that is, So as to hurt or molest thee, by pursuing thy son.

[Bring him to me (thus nearly all interpreters), ‎וַהֲבֵאתוֹ]  The verb is masculine, either, 1.  so that he might indicate, that this woman would do it with great and manly courage.  Or, 2.  because among the Hebrews grammatical genders are easily exchanged (Mariana).  Or, 3.  because he addresses one of his young men, whom he gives to accompany the woman:  because without this provision the woman was not able to bring him (Vatablus, Mariana).  Bring him, I will forbid him by name from molesting thee (Menochius).

[He shall not add to touch thee]  To harm (Menochius out of Jonathan); he shall not vex thee (Arabic, thus Piscator).  Moved by a certain rush of mercy, David said this, without space being taken to consider the law.  For, even if the avenger had ceased, it belonged to the eldership to inquire concerning murder, and to exact punishments;[27] and, if the Eldership had ceased, it then belonged to him who bears the sword,[28] namely, the King (Grotius).

Verse 11:[29]  Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer (Num. 35:19) the revengers of blood to destroy any more (Heb. that the revenger of blood do not multiply to destroy[30]), lest they destroy my son.  And he said, (1 Sam. 14:45; Acts 27:34) As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

[Let the King remember the Lord thy God]  It is a Hebraism for Swear to me by God (Vatablus, thus Munster, Martyr, Sanchez, Lyra).  Those that swear make mention of God, and call Him to witness.  It often happens, that those that have a bad cause hardly trust bare promises, and attempt to extort an oath (Martyr).  Let the King, I pray, swear by the Lord, etc. (Tigurinus).  Remember, I pray, O King, by the Jehovah thy God, etc. (Castalio).  [Others thus:]  Let him remember God, that is, the law of God, wherein He takes precautions for the security of those that had killed someone unexpectedly, Numbers 35:12 (Piscator, Malvenda out of Junius, Dutch).  [Others thus:]  Let him remember God, who is merciful (Osiander).  From the example of God let the King learn to inspect others (Sanchez).  God does not will homicides to be killed indiscriminately (Osiander).  She has regard to the example of Cain, whom (although he had killed his brother) God had spared[31] (certain interpreters in the Dutch).  [This interpretation is favored by the Arabic, which translates the passage in this way, Remember, O King, that the Lord thy God by no means punishes every homicide, neither does He kill him on the spot, but has mercy:  and so permit not, O King, my son to be killed.]

Let the king remember the Lord thy God: the sense is, either, first, Make mention (as this Hebrew verb is oft rendered) of the name of the Lord thy God, to wit, in an oath, that is, swear to me by God, that thou wilt protect me and my son against the revenger of blood; for so David did in compliance with this desire of hers.  Only she was forced to express her mind in more general and ambiguous terms, because it had been presumption and rudeness for her in plain terms to desire the king’s oath, as if she durst not trust his word; yet withal she insinuates her meaning so plainly that the king understood it; and yet so handsomely and elegantly, that the king was much pleased with her wisdom, and thereby inclined to grant her request.  Or, secondly, this, Remember the gracious nature of thy God, who is not too severe and rigorous to mark at all that is amiss, nor doth cut off every manslayer, as appears from Numbers 35, and from the example of Cain, and from thyself, O king; though this she expresseth not, but only useth such words which she knew would give so wise and good a king occasion to reflect upon himself, and upon the goodness of God in sparing him, though a wilful murderer, that thereby he might be obliged to imitate God, in sparing the person whom she designed.  Or, thirdly, this, Remember the Lord in whose presence thou hast made me this promise, and who will be a witness against thee, if thou breakest it.

[That the closest kinsmen of blood be not multiplied for vengeance, etc.,מֵהַרְבִּ֞ית גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ לְשַׁחֵ֔ת וגו״]  Lest thou multiply kinsmen, or avengers, of blood (understanding, shed [Vatablus]) to destroy (Pagnine, Vatablus), that is, that there be no cause for them to multiply, that is, lest there appear many avengers of blood to attempt to destroy my son (Vatablus, similarly Munster):  that is to say, if thou interdict one only, immediately another will emerge, who might kill my son.  Therefore, let thine edict, O King, be general (Vatablus).  For, the woman had said that the whole family had risen together against her; therefore, she asks that all be repelled by rebuke (Menochius).  Otherwise, with one removed, another will arise (Martyr, similarly Munster).  [Tigurinus encloses these words in Parentheses, and renders and orders the whole passage in this way, Let him swear…by the Lord thy God (seeing that many are the avengers of blood, who attempt to destroy), that they cut not off my son.]  That so many avengers of blood, ready to harm, destroy not my son (Castalio); that the license of the avengers increase not to immensity (Strigelius); that murders be not multiplied (Mariana out of Jonathan).   That the avenger of blood be not multiplied (Dutch).  [Others thus:]  That the defender of blood might not multiply to destroy (Junius, English); that is, that, with one destroyed, he might not add to kill another (Malvenda).  That the defender of blood destroy no more (Junius and Tremellius); that thou wouldest not suffer revengers of blood to destroy any more (English).  [Note:  ‎מֵהַרְבִּית, making many, is irregular, and the Qere ‎מֵהַרְבַּת, making many, is in the place of it.]

That thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more; Hebrew, lest the avenger of blood multiply to destroy, that is, lest they cause one destruction to another, and add my surviving son to him who is slain already.  Or, lest thou dost multiply avengers of blood to destroy, that is, lest by thy connivance at their cruel and malicious proceedings against my son, thou dost encourage avengers of blood to the like furious practices, and thereby increase the number of that sort of men, and upon that pretence occasion multitudes of murders.  Lest they destroy my son; or, and let them not destroy my son; the future tense being put for the imperative mood, as is frequent.

[Not one of his hairs shall fall, etc.]  By this proverb is expressed the greatest security, or well-being without the slightest injury (Sanchez).  David swears boldly, because he did not fear treachery, and not unrighteously.  For, when matters are doubtful, and just reasons are wanting, laws maintain, that sentence is passed in favor of the defendant (Martyr).

There shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth, that is, he shall not suffer the least damage.  We have the same phrase used 1 Samuel 14:45; 1 Kings 1:52; Acts 27:34:  compare Matthew 10:30.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֵּ֖דַע יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרֻיָ֑ה כִּֽי־לֵ֥ב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃

[2] That is, a condensed and clipped form of speech.

[3] See 1 Kings 1.

[4] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יוֹאָב֙ תְּק֔וֹעָה וַיִּקַּ֥ח מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֣ה חֲכָמָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לֶיהָ הִֽתְאַבְּלִי־נָ֞א וְלִבְשִׁי־נָ֣א בִגְדֵי־אֵ֗בֶל וְאַל־תָּס֙וּכִי֙ שֶׁ֔מֶן וְהָיִ֕ית כְּאִשָּׁ֗ה זֶ֚ה יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים מִתְאַבֶּ֖לֶת עַל־מֵֽת׃

[5] Hebrew:  ‎וּבָאת֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְדִבַּ֥רְתְּ אֵלָ֖יו כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיָּ֧שֶׂם יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִֽיהָ׃

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וַ֠תֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַתְּקֹעִית֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתִּפֹּ֧ל עַל־אַפֶּ֛יהָ אַ֖רְצָה וַתִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַתֹּ֖אמֶר הוֹשִׁ֥עָה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס

[7] Hebrew:  ‎הוֹשִׁעָה.

[8] הוֹשִׁיָעה נָּא, Hosanna, save, I pray.  See Matthew 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9, 10; John 12:13.

[9] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אֲבָ֛ל אִשָּֽׁה־אַלְמָנָ֥ה אָ֖נִי וַיָּ֥מָת אִישִֽׁי׃

[10] Paralepsis is a rhetorical device that draws attention to something, while speaking as if the same is hardly worthy of notice or discussion.

[11] 1 Kings 1:42, 43:  “And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came:  and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.  And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily (‎אֲבָל, but) our lord king David hath made Solomon king.”

[12] That is, a condensed and clipped form of speech.

[13] Hebrew:  ‎וּלְשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים וַיִּנָּצ֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּ֖יל בֵּֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּכּ֧וֹ הָאֶחָ֛ד אֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד וַיָּ֥מֶת אֹתֽוֹ׃

[14] Hebrew:  ‎וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּ֖יל בֵּֽינֵיהֶ֑ם.

[15] נָצַל, in the Hiphil conjugation, signifies to snatch away, to rescue, or to deliver.

[16] A woodenly literal rendering.

[17] See Numbers 35.

[18] Hebrew: ‎וְהִנֵּה֩ קָ֙מָה כָֽל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֜ה עַל־שִׁפְחָתֶ֗ךָ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ תְּנִ֣י׀ אֶת־מַכֵּ֣ה אָחִ֗יו וּנְמִתֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּנֶ֤פֶשׁ אָחִיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָרָ֔ג וְנַשְׁמִ֖ידָה גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַיּוֹרֵ֑שׁ וְכִבּ֗וּ אֶת־גַּֽחַלְתִּי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאָ֔רָה לְבִלְתִּ֧י שׂוּם־לְאִישִׁ֛י שֵׁ֥ם וּשְׁאֵרִ֖ית עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פ

[19] Hebrew:  ‎עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃.

[20] Ad Plancum.

[21] Ecclesiasticus 30:4.

[22] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ וַאֲנִ֖י אֲצַוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיִךְ׃

[23] See Numbers 35.

[24] Hebrew:  ‎וַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֤ה הַתְּקוֹעִית֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עָלַ֞י אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ הֶעָוֹ֖ן וְעַל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וְכִסְא֖וֹ נָקִֽי׃ ס

[25] Albius Tibullus (c. 54-19 BC) was a writer of Latin poems and elegies.  Two volumes of his poetry survive.

[26] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ הַֽמְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ וַֽהֲבֵאת֣וֹ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹֽא־יֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לָגַ֥עַת בָּֽךְ׃

[27] See Numbers 35; Deuteronomy 21.

[28] Romans 13:4.

[29] Hebrew: ‎וַתֹּאמֶר֩ יִזְכָּר־נָ֙א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ מֵהַרְבִּ֞ית גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ לְשַׁחֵ֔ת וְלֹ֥א יַשְׁמִ֖ידוּ אֶת־בְּנִ֑י וַ֙יֹּאמֶר֙ חַי־יְהוָ֔ה אִם־יִפֹּ֛ל מִשַּׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּנֵ֖ךְ אָֽרְצָה׃

[30] Hebrew:  מֵהַרְבִּ֞ית גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ לְשַׁחֵ֔ת.

[31] Genesis 4:1-16.