Targum Jonathan on the Prophets 1 Samuel · chapter 16

Tap any Aramaic word to trace it to its Jastrow dictionary entry.

1. 1

   וַאֲמַר יְיָ לִשְׁמוּאֵל עַד אֵימָתַי אַתְּ מִתְאַבֵּל אֶל שָׁאוּל וַאֲנָא רְחַקְתֵּיהּ מִלְמֶהֱוֵי מַלְכָּא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מְלֵי קַרְנָךְ מִשְׁחָא וְאִיתָא אֶשְׁלְחִינָךְ לְוַת יִשַׁי דְמִבֵּית לֶחֶם אֲרֵי גְלֵי קֳדָמַי בִּבְנוֹהִי כָּשַׁר קֳדָמַי לְמֶהֱוֵי מַלְכָּא:

   Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

2. 2

   וַאֲמַר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיכְדֵין אֵיזֵל וְאִם יִשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל וְיִקְטְלִינַנִי וַאֲמַר יְיָ עֶגְלַת תּוֹרִין תִּסַב בִּידָךְ וְתֵימַר לְדַבָּחָא קֳדָם יְיָ אָתֵיתִי:

   “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

3. 3

   וְתַזְמִין לְיִשַׁי בְּשֵׁירוּתָא וַאֲנָא אַחֲזִינָךְ יַת דְתַעְבֵּד וְתִמְשַׁח קֳדָמַי יַת דְאֵימַר לָךְ:

   Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”

4. 4

   וַעֲבַד שְׁמוּאֵל יַת דְמַלֵיל יְיָ וַאֲתָא לְבֵית לֶחֶם וְאִתְכַּנָשׁוּ סָבֵי קַרְתָּא לִקְדָמוּתֵיהּ וַאֲמַרוּ שְׁלָם מֵיתָךְ:

   So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”

5. 5

   וַאֲמַר שְׁלָם לְדַבָּחָא קֳדָם יְיָ אָתֵיתִי אִזְדַמָנוּ וְתֵיעֲלוּן עִמִי לְשֵׁירוּתָא וְזַמֵין יַת יִשַׁי וְיַת בְּנוֹהִי וּקְרָא לְהוֹן לְנִכְסַת קוּדְשָׁא:

   “In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6. 6

   וַהֲוָה בְּמֵיעַלְהוֹן וַחֲזָא יַת אֱלִיאָב וַאֲמַר בְּרַם תַּקִין קֳדָם יְיָ מְשִׁיחֵיהּ:

   When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”

7. 7

   וַאֲמַר יְיָ לִשְׁמוּאֵל לָא תִסְתַּכֵּל בְּחֶזְוֵיהּ וּבְרוּם קוֹמָתֵיהּ אֲרֵי רְחַקְתֵּיה אֲרֵי לָא כְּמוֹ דְחָזָן בְּנֵי אֱנָשָׁא אֲרֵי בְּנֵי אֱנָשָׁא חָזָן בְּעֵינַיְהוֹן וְקֳדָם יְיָ גַלְיָן מַחְשְׁבַת לִבָּא:

   But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

8. 8

   וּקְרָא יִשַׁי לַאֲבִינָדָב וְאַעֲבִירֵיהּ קֳדָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַאֲמַר אַף בְּדֵין לָא רַעֲוָא קֳדָם יְיָ:

   Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”

9. 9

   וְאַעֲבַר יִשַׁי שַׁמָה וַאֲמַר אַף בְּדֵין לָא רַעֲוָא קֳדָם יְיָ:

   Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”

10. 10

    וְאַעֲבַר יִשַׁי שַׁבְעָא בְנוֹהִי קֳדָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַאֲמַר שְׁמוּאֵל לְיִשַׁי לָא רַעֲוָא קֳדָם יְיָ בְּאִלֵין:

    Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”

11. 11

    וַאֲמַר שְׁמוּאֵל לְיִשַׁי הַשְׁלִימוּ עוּלֵימַיָא וַאֲמַר עוֹד אִשְׁתָּאַר זְעֵירָא וְהָא רָעֵי בְעָנָא וַאֲמַר שְׁמוּאֵל לְיִשַׁי שְׁלַח וְאַיְתִינֵיהּ אֲרֵי לָא נִסְתְּחַר עַד מֵיתוֹהִי הָכָא:

    And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

12. 12

    וּשְׁלַח וְאַיְתֵיהּ וְהוּא סַמוֹק עֵינוֹהִי יָאִין וְשַׁפִּיר בְּרֵיוֵיהּ וַאֲמַר יְיָ קוּם מַשְׁחֵיהּ אֲרֵי דֵין הוּא:

    So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

13. 13

    וּנְסִיב שְׁמוּאֵל יַת קַרְנָא דְמִשְׁחָא וּמְשַׁח יַת דָוִד בְּגוֹ אֲחוֹהִי וּשְׁרַת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה מִן קֳדָם יְיָ עַל דָוִד מִיוֹמָא הַהוּא וּלְעֵלָא וְקָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַאֲזַל לְרָמָתָא:

    So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

14. 14

    וְרוּחַ גְבוּרָה מִן קֳדָם יְיָ דַהֲוַת עִם שָׁאוּל עֲדָת מִנֵיהּ וּמְבַעֲתָא לֵיהּ רוּחַ בִּישָׁא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ:

    Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

15. 15

    וַאֲמַרוּ עַבְדֵי שָׁאוּל לֵיהּ הָא כְעַן רוּחַ בִּישָׁא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ מְבַעֲתָא לָךְ:

    Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.

16. 16

    יֵימַר כְּעַן רִבּוֹנָנָא עַבְדָךְ קֳדָמָךְ יִבְעוּן גַבְרָא דְיָדַע לְנַגְנָא בְּכִנוֹרָא וִיְהֵי כַּד תִשְׁרֵי עֲלָךְ רוּחַ בִּישָׁא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ וִינַגֵן בִּידֵיהּ וְיֵיטַב לָךְ:

    Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”

17. 17

    וַאֲמַר שָׁאוּל לְעַבְדוֹהִי חֲזוֹ כְעַן לִי גַבְרָא דְמוֹטִיב לְנַגָנָא וְתַיְתוּנֵיהּ לְוָתִי:

    And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”

18. 18

    וְאָתֵיב חַד מֵעוּלֵימַיָא וַאֲמַר הָא חֲזֵתִי בַּר לְיִשַׁי דְמִבֵּית לֶחֶם יָדַע לְנַגָנָא וְגִבַּר חֵילָא וְגִבַּר עָבִיד קְרָבִין וְסוּכְלָתָן בְּעֵצָה וְגַבְרָא שַׁפִּיר בְּרֵיוָא וּמֵימְרָא דַייָ בְּסַעֲדֵיהּ:

    One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”

19. 19

    וּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל אִזְגַדִין לְוַת יִשָׁי וַאֲמַר שַׁדַר לִי יַת דָוִד בְּרָךְ דִי בְּעָנָא:

    So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

20. 20

    וּנְסִיב יִשַׁי טְעוּן חַמְרָא טְעוּן דְלַחְמָא וּגְרַב דַחֲמָר וְגַדְיָא בַר עִזֵי חַד וְשַׁדַר בְּיַד דָוִד בְּרֵיהּ לְוַת שָׁאוּל:

    And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David.

21. 21

    וַאֲתָא דָוִד לְוַת שָׁאוּל וְשַׁמֵשׁ קֳדָמוֹהִי וְרִחֲמֵיהּ לַחֲדָא וַהֲוָה לֵיהּ נָטַל זְיָנִין:

    When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.

22. 22

    וּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל לְוַת יִשַׁי לְמֵימָר יְשַׁמֵשׁ כְּעַן דָוִד קֳדָמַי אֲרֵי אַשְׁכַּח רַחֲמִין קֳדָמַי:

    Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

23. 23

    וַהֲוָה כַּד שַׁרְיָא רוּחַ בִּישָׁא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ לְוַת שָׁאוּל וּנְסִיב דָוִד יַת כִּנוֹרָא וּמְנַגֵן בִּידֵיהּ וּמִתְרְוַח לְשָׁאוּל וְטָב לֵיהּ וּמִסְתַּלְקָא מִנֵיהּ רוּחַ בִּישָׁא:

    And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.