menu
small logo

Back

undefined

א וַיְהִי לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה לְעֵת צֵאת הַמְּלָאכִים וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד אֶת יוֹאָב וְאֶת עֲבָדָיו עִמּוֹ וְאֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּשְׁחִתוּ אֶת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וַיָּצֻרוּ עַל רַבָּה ודָוִד יוֹשֵׁב בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

The war between David and the Amonites had not yet concluded. It was at the turn of the year, after a year, at the time when kings go forth to their battles, in the summer or the spring, and David sent Yoav, and his servants with him, and all Israel; they destroyed the children of Amon, they inflicted heavy damage upon them, and besieged their capital, Raba. And meanwhile, David stayed in Jerusalem.

DISCUSSION

At the time when kings go forth

In earlier times, wars in the Middle East were generally not conducted in the winter, but in the summer, if possible before the crops were harvested. This meant that the attacked party would suffer double damage: They would be unable to harvest their crops, and the enemy would plunder the entire harvest for themselves (see Rashi; Ralbag; Abravanel; 23:13, and Abravanel ad loc.; commentary on Isaiah 62:8; Zohar 1:8b).

BACKGROUND

Raba

The capital of Amon, which is mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy (3:11) as the capital of Og king of Bashan. It is also identified with Rabat Amon, known nowadays as Amman, the capital of present-day Jordan, located near the sources of the Yabok Stream and the King’s Highway trade route. Archaeological findings inside and surrounding the city indicate that it was already inhabited in the third millennium BCE.

ב וַיְהִי לְעֵת הָעֶרֶב וַיָּקָם דָּוִד מֵעַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ עַל גַּג בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּרְא אִשָּׁה רֹחֶצֶת מֵעַל הַגָּג וְהָאִשָּׁה טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד

It was one day at evening time, and David rose from upon his bed, after taking a rest, and he was walking on the roof of the king’s house. Most of the roofs at that time were flat. Among other purposes, they were used for taking a stroll. Evidently, the king’s house was taller than the surrounding houses, and therefore David could see the entire city from his roof without being seen. He saw a woman bathing in her house, while he was strolling on the roof. Alternatively, he saw a woman bathing on the roof of her house; and the woman was of very fair appearance and she found favor in David’s eyes.

Upgrade to Premium Account to access the full Steinsaltz library & more