1. Septuagint, Numbers, 14.10 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
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2. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 17.5, 21.19-21.21 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 17.5. וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה הַהִוא אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֶל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֶת־הָאִישׁ אוֹ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה וּסְקַלְתָּם בָּאֲבָנִים וָמֵתוּ׃ 21.19. וְתָפְשׂוּ בוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ וְאֶל־שַׁעַר מְקֹמוֹ׃ 21.21. וּרְגָמֻהוּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁי עִירוֹ בָאֲבָנִים וָמֵת וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע מִקִּרְבֶּךָ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיִרָאוּ׃ | 17.5. then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who have done this evil thing, unto thy gates, even the man or the woman; and thou shalt stone them with stones, that they die." 21.19. then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;" 21.20. and they shall say unto the elders of his city: ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he doth not hearken to our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.’" 21.21. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 15.35-15.36 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 15.35. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה מוֹת יוּמַת הָאִישׁ רָגוֹם אֹתוֹ בָאֲבָנִים כָּל־הָעֵדָה מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה׃ 15.36. וַיֹּצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָה אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וַיִּרְגְּמוּ אֹתוֹ בָּאֲבָנִים וַיָּמֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃ | 15.35. And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.’" 15.36. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as the LORD commanded Moses." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 12.18, 21.13 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 12.18. וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם אֶת־אֲדֹרָם אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַמַּס וַיִּרְגְּמוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בּוֹ אֶבֶן וַיָּמֹת וְהַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם הִתְאַמֵּץ לַעֲלוֹת בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה לָנוּס יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ 21.13. וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי־בְלִיַּעַל וַיֵּשְׁבוּ נֶגְדּוֹ וַיְעִדֻהוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַבְּלִיַּעַל אֶת־נָבוֹת נֶגֶד הָעָם לֵאמֹר בֵּרַךְ נָבוֹת אֱלֹהִים וָמֶלֶךְ וַיֹּצִאֻהוּ מִחוּץ לָעִיר וַיִּסְקְלֻהוּ בָאֲבָנִים וַיָּמֹת׃ | 12.18. Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the levy; and all Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem." 21.13. And the two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him; and the base fellows bore witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying: ‘Naboth did curse God and the king.’ Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, 2 Chronicles, 10.18, 24.21 (5th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 10.18. וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם אֶת־הֲדֹרָם אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַמַּס וַיִּרְגְּמוּ־בוֹ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶבֶן וַיָּמֹת וְהַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם הִתְאַמֵּץ לַעֲלוֹת בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה לָנוּס יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ 24.21. וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ עָלָיו וַיִּרְגְּמֻהוּ אֶבֶן בְּמִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּחֲצַר בֵּית יְהוָה׃ | 10.18. Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the levy; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem." 24.21. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD." |
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6. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 1 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
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7. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 2.6 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 2.6. Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist,and make use of the creation to the full as in youth. |
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8. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 4.22, 14.22, 14.24 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 4.22. nay, the multitude themselves were provoked to be seditious, and attempted to stone Moses, and gathered themselves together after an indecent manner, with confusion and disorder. And now they all were, in a tumultuous manner, raising a clamour before the tabernacle of God, to prosecute the tyrant, and to relieve the multitude from their slavery under him who, under color of the divine commands, laid violent injunctions upon them; 4.22. 16. If a murder be committed in any place, and he that did it be not found, nor is there any suspicion upon one as if he had hated the man, and so had killed him, let there be a very diligent inquiry made after the man, and rewards proposed to any one who will discover him; but if still no information can be procured, let the magistrates and senate of those cities that lie near the place in which the murder was committed, assemble together, and measure the distance from the place where the dead body lies; 14.22. There were present at the writing of this decree, Lucius Calpurnius Piso of the Menenian tribe, Servius Papinins Potitus of the Lemonian tribe, Caius Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe, Publius Tidetius, Lucius Apulinus, the son of Lucius, of the Sergian tribe, Flavius, the son of Lucius, of the Lemonian tribe, Publius Platins, the son of Publius, of the Papyrian tribe, Marcus Acilius, the son of Marcus, of the Mecian tribe, Lucius Erucius, the son of Lucius, of the Stellatine tribe, Mareils Quintus Plancillus, the son of Marcus, of the Pollian tribe, and Publius Serius. 14.22. Now there was one, whose name was Onias, a righteous man he was, and beloved of God, who, in a certain drought, had prayed to God to put an end to the intense heat, and whose prayers God had heard, and had sent them rain. This man had hid himself, because he saw that this sedition would last a great while. However, they brought him to the Jewish camp, and desired, that as by his prayers he had once put an end to the drought, so he would in like manner make imprecations on Aristobulus and those of his faction. 14.24. In the presence of these it was that Lentulus pronounced this decree: I have before the tribunal dismissed those Jews that are Roman citizens, and are accustomed to observe the sacred rites of the Jews at Ephesus, on account of the superstition they are under.” 14.24. “O God, the King of the whole world! since those that stand now with me are thy people, and those that are besieged are also thy priests, I beseech thee, that thou wilt neither hearken to the prayers of those against these, nor bring to effect what these pray against those.” Whereupon such wicked Jews as stood about him, as soon as he had made this prayer, stoned him to death. |
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9. Mishnah, Sanhedrin, 6.1 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 6.1. When the trial is completed he [the condemned] is led forth to be stoned. The place of stoning was outside of the court, as it is says, “Bring out him that has cursed” (Lev. 24:14). A man was stationed at the door of the court with the handkerchiefs in his hand, and a man on a horse was stationed at a distance yet within sight of him. If one says, ‘I have something [further] to state in his favor’, he [the signaler] waves the handkerchief, and the man on the horse runs and stops them. And even if he [the convict] himself says, ‘I have something to plead in my own favor’, he is brought back, even four or five times, providing, however, that there is substance in his assertion. If then they find him innocent, they discharge him. But if not, he goes forth to be stoned, and a herald precedes him [crying]: so and so, the son of so and so, is going forth to be stoned because he committed such and such an offense, and so and so are his witnesses. Whoever knows anything in his favor, let him come and state it.”" |
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10. New Testament, Apocalypse, 2.23 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.23. I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. |
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11. New Testament, Hebrews, 11.37 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 11.37. They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated |
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12. New Testament, John, 8.59 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 8.59. Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the midst of them, and so passed by. |
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13. New Testament, Luke, 13.33-13.34, 20.6 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 13.33. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can't be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.' 13.34. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! 20.6. But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. |
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14. New Testament, Matthew, 23.37 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 23.37. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! |
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15. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 103b. (תהלים צא, יד) כי בי חשק ואפלטהו אשגבהו כי ידע שמי יקראני ואענהו עמו אנכי בצרה אחלצהו ואכבדהו אורך ימים אשביעהו ואראהו בישועתי,אמר ר"ש בן לקיש מאי דכתיב (איוב לח, טו) וימנע מרשעים אורם וזרוע רמה תשבר מפני מה עי"ן של רשעים תלויה כיון שנעשה אדם רש מלמטה נעשה רש מלמעלה,ולא נכתביה כלל ר' יוחנן ור"א חד אמר מפני כבודו של דוד וחד אמר משום כבודו של נחמיה בן חכליה,תנו רבנן מנשה היה שונה חמשים וחמשה פנים בתורת כהנים כנגד שני מלכותו אחאב שמנים וחמשה ירבעם מאה ושלשה,תניא היה ר"מ אומר אבשלום אין לו חלק לעוה"ב שנאמר (שמואל ב יח, טו) ויכו את אבשלום וימיתוהו ויכוהו בעוה"ז וימיתוהו לעוה"ב תניא ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר משום ר"מ אחז ואחזיה וכל מלכי ישראל שכתוב בהן ויעש הרע בעיני ה' לא חיין ולא נידונין,(מלכים ב כא, טז) וגם דם נקי שפך מנשה הרבה מאד עד אשר מלא את ירושלים פה לפה לבד מחטאתו אשר החטיא את יהודה לעשות הרע בעיני ה' הכא תרגימו שהרג ישעיה במערבא אמרי שעשה צלם משאוי אלף בני אדם ובכל יום ויום הורג (את) כולם כמאן אזלא הא דאמר רבה בר בר חנה שקולה נשמה של צדיק אחד כנגד כל העולם כולו כמ"ד ישעיה הרג,כתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, ז) פסל וכתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, כב) פסילים א"ר יוחנן בתחלה עשה לו פרצוף אחד ולבסוף עשה לו ארבעה פרצופים כדי שתראה שכינה ותכעוס,אחז העמידו בעלייה שנאמר (מלכים ב כג, יב) ואת המזבחות אשר על הגג עליית אחז וגו' מנשה העמידו בהיכל שנאמר (מלכים ב כא, ז) וישם את פסל האשרה אשר עשה בבית אשר אמר ה' אל דוד ואל שלמה [בנו] בבית הזה ובירושלים אשר בחרתי מכל שבטי ישראל אשים את שמי לעולם אמון הכניסו לבית קדשי הקדשים שנאמר (ישעיהו כח, כ) כי קצר המצע מהשתרע והמסכה צרה כהתכנס,מאי כי קצר המצע מהשתרע אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן [כי] קצר המצע זה מלהשתרר עליו שני רעים כאחד מאי והמסכה צרה וגו' אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני רבי יונתן כי הוה מטי להאי קרא הוה קא בכי מי שכתב בו (תהלים לג, ז) כונס כנד מי הים תעשה לו מסכה צרה,[אחז בטל את העבודה] וחתם את התורה שנאמר (ישעיהו ח, טז) צור תעודה חתום תורה בלמודי מנשה קדר את האזכרות והרס את המזבח אמון [שרף את התורה] והעלה שממית על גבי המזבח אחז התיר את הערוה מנשה בא על אחותו,אמון בא על אמו שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לג, כג) כי הוא אמון הרבה אשמה רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר ששרף את התורה וחד אמר שבא על אמו אמרה לו אמו כלום יש לך הנאה ממקום שיצאת ממנו א"ל כלום אני עושה אלא להכעיס את בוראי,כי אתא יהויקים אמר קמאי לא ידעי לארגוזי כלום אנו צריכין אלא לאורו יש לנו זהב פרויים שאנו משתמשין בו יטול אורו אמרו לו והלא כסף וזהב שלו הוא שנאמר (חגי ב, ח) לי הכסף ולי הזהב נאם ה' צבאות אמר להם כבר נתנו לנו שנאמר (תהלים קטו, טז) השמים שמים לה' והארץ נתן לבני האדם,א"ל רבא לרבה בר מרי מפני מה לא מנו את יהויקים משום דכתיב ביה (דברי הימים ב לו, ח) ויתר דברי יהויקים ותועבותיו אשר עשה והנמצא עליו מאי והנמצא עליו רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר שחקק שם עבודת כוכבים על אמתו וחד אמר שחקק שם שמים על אמתו,א"ל במלכים לא שמעתי בהדיוטות שמעתי מפני מה לא מנו את מיכה מפני שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים שנאמר כל העובר ושב אל הלוים,(זכריה י, יא) ועבר בים צרה והכה בים גלים א"ר יוחנן זה פסלו של מיכה תניא רבי נתן אומר מגרב לשילה ג' מילין והיה עשן המערכה ועשן פסל מיכה מתערבין זה בזה,בקשו מלאכי השרת לדוחפו אמר להן הקב"ה הניחו לו שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים ועל דבר זה נענשו אנשי פלגש בגבעה אמר להן הקב"ה בכבודי לא מחיתם על כבודו של בשר ודם מחיתם,א"ר יוחנן משום רבי יוסי בן קסמא גדולה לגימה שהרחיקה שתי משפחות מישראל שנאמר (דברים כג, ה) על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים ורבי יוחנן דידיה אמר מרחקת את הקרובים ומקרבת את הרחוקים ומעלמת עינים מן הרשעים ומשרה שכינה על נביאי הבעל ושגגתו עולה זדון,מרחקת את הקרובים | 103b. b“Because he has desired Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation”(Psalms 91:14–16)., bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “And He will withhold their light from the wicked [ iresha’im /i], and the high arm shall be broken”(Job 38:15)? bFor whatreason is the letter iayinofthe word iresha’imsuspendedslightly above the rest of the letters? It is suspended so that the word will be read irashim /i, meaning poor people. It means: bOnce a person becomes pooron earth bbelowand the number of his enemies grows, bhe becomes poorin Heaven babove,as he is certainly a sinner and that is why he is hated.,The Gemara challenges: If that is the meaning, bletthe iayin bnot be written at alland let the verse say: iRashim /i. bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazarboth explain why the iayinwas not omitted. bOne says:It was bdue tothe desire to preserve bthe honor of David,who had numerous enemies below despite the fact that he was a righteous person and had a place in the World-to-Come. bAnd one says:It was bdue tothe desire to preserve bthe honor of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah,who also had numerous enemies below, despite his righteousness.,§ bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bManasseh,king of Judea, bwould study fifty-fivedifferent baspects ininterpreting iTorat Kohanim /i,the halakhic midrash on Leviticus, bcorresponding to the years of his reign,indicating that he possessed great knowledge. bAhabwas greater and studied beighty-fiveaspects, and bJeroboamwas greater still and studied bone hundred and threeaspects., bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir would say: Absalom has no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And they smote Absalom and they killed him”(II Samuel 18:15). b“And they smoteAbsalom” is referring to death bin this world,while b“and they killed him”is referring to death bin the World-to-Come. It is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in the name of Rabbi Meir: Ahaz and Ahaziah,kings of Judea, band all of the kings ofthe kingdom of bIsrael about whom it is written: “And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord”(see, e.g., I Kings 15:34), bneither livein the World-to-Come bnor are sentencedto Gehenna.,It is stated: b“And Manasseh shed a great deal of innocent blood, until he filled Jerusalem from one end to another [ ipeh lafeh /i], beside his sin that he made Judea sin, to do evil in the eyes of the Lord”(II Kings 21:16). bHere,in Babylonia, bthey interpretthe verse to mean bthat he killedthe prophet bIsaiah(see iYevamot49b). bIn the West,Eretz Yisrael, bthey say thatManasseh bcrafted an idolso large that it was ba burdenrequiring bone thousand peopleto carry it, band each and every day hewould require them to carry it, which would bkill all of them.The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bis that which Rabba bar bar Ḥana says: The soul of one righteous person is equalin value bto the entire world?It is bin accordance withthe opinion of bthe one who says: He killed Isaiah. /b, bIt is writtenthat Manasseh crafted b“an idol”(II Chronicles 33:7), band it is writtenthat Manasseh crafted b“idols”(II Chronicles 33:19). bRabbi Yoḥa says: Initially, he crafted one face [ ipartzuf] forthe idol, band ultimately, he crafted four faces for it so that the Divine Presence would seeit from each side band become angry. /b, bAhaz placedthat idol bin the upper chamberin the Temple, bas it is stated: “And the altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz”(II Kings 23:12). bManasseh placed it in the Sanctuaryitself, bas it is stated: “And he set the graven image of the iasherathat he had crafted, in that house of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, will I put My name forever”(II Kings 21:7). bAmon introduced it into the Holy of Holies, as it is stated: “For the bed is too short for spreading, and the covering too narrow for when he gathers himself”(Isaiah 28:20)., bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“For the bed is too short for spreading”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yonatan saysthat it means: bFor his bed is too narrow for two colleagues to spread upon it together,as it is impossible that service of God and idol worship will coexist there. bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“and the covering [ imasekha /i] too narrow [ itzara /i]for when he gathers himself [ ikehitkanes /i]”? bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: When Rabbi Yonatan would reach this verse he would cry. He about whom it is written: “He gathers [ ikones /i] the waters of the sea like a rampart”(Psalms 33:7), bshall a graven image [ imasekha /i] be a rival [ itzara /i]? /b, bAhaz nullified theTemple bservice and sealed the Torah,prohibiting its study, bas it is stated: “Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among my disciples”(Isaiah 8:16). bManasseh excised the mentionsof God’s names from sacred books band destroyed the altar. Amon burned the Torah and sacrificed a gecko,an impure creeping animal, bupon the altar. Ahaz permittedengaging in sexual intercourse with bforbidden relatives,and announced that marriage between those relatives is permitted. bManassehexploited that pronouncement and bengaged in sexual intercourse with his sister. /b, bAmon engaged in sexual intercourse with his mother, as it is stated: “But Amon increased his guilt”(II Chronicles 33:23), indicating that he performed a greater and more disgraceful transgression than anyone else. bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazardisagreed about his transgression; bone says that he burned the Torah, and one says that he engaged in sexual intercourse with his mother. His mother said to him: Do you have any pleasureby engaging in intercourse bfrom the place from which you emerged? He said to her: I am doingthis bonly to express insolence to my Creator,not for my pleasure., bWhen Jehoiakim camealong and reigned, bhe said:My bpredecessors did not knowhow bto express insolence toGod. bDo we needGod beven for his light?Since bwe have iparvayimgold that we usethat shines, bletGod btake His lightfrom the world. bThey said to him: Aren’t the silver and the gold His, as it is stated: “The silver is mine and the gold is mine says the Lord of hosts”(Haggai 2:8)? Jehoiakim bsaid to them: He has already given it to us, as it is stated: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the children of men”(Psalms 115:16).,§ bRava said to Rabba bar Mari: For whatreason bdidthe itanna’im bnot enumerate Jehoiakimamong the kings who have no share in the World-to-Come? One would imagine that he has no share in the World-to-Come, bbecause it is written concerning him: “And the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and his abominations that he did, and that which was found on him”(II Chronicles 36:8). The Gemara explains: bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“and that which was found on him”? Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazardisagree; bone says that he etched the name of idols on his penisdue to his devotion to them, band one says that he etched the name of Heaven on his penisin a display of contempt.,Rabba bar Mari bsaid toRava: bWith regard tothe list of bkings, I did not hearwhy Jehoiakim was excluded; but bwith regard tothe list of bcommoners, I heardwhy a certain sinner was excluded. bFor whatreason bdidthe itanna’im bnot enumerate Micahamong those with no share in the World-to-Come? After all, he crafted idols that the Jewish people worshipped (see Judges, chapter 17). It is bdue tothe fact bthat his breadwas bavailable for passersby, as it is stated: All those who pass by the Levites.He would provide sustece to all hosted in his house.,With regard to that which is written: b“And He shall pass through the sea with affliction and shall strike the waves in the sea”(Zechariah 10:11), bRabbi Yoḥa says: Thisaffliction is a reference to bthe idol of Micah,as Micah passed through the sea during the exodus from Egypt. bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Natan says:The distance bfrom Gerav,where Micah resided, bto Shiloh,where the Tabernacle was at that time, bwas three imil /i, and the smoke from the arrangementof wood on the altar in Shiloh band the smokefrom the worship bof the idol of Micah would intermingle with each other. /b, bThe ministering angels sought to dismiss himfrom the world. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: Leave him, as his bread is available for travelers. And it is for this matter,the sin of Micah’s idol, that bthe peopleinvolved in the incident of bthe concubine in Gibeah were punished.The tribes of Israel waged war with the tribe of Benjamin and forty thousand of them were killed. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: You did not protest for My honorand took no action to destroy Micah’s idol, but byou protested for the honor ofone of bflesh and bloodwho was killed? Therefore, the other tribes were initially unsuccessful, and many of their soldiers were killed., bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma: Great is eating, as it distanced two clans from the Jewish people, as it is stated:“An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of the bLord…because they met you not with bread and with water”(Deuteronomy 23:4–5). bAnd Rabbi Yoḥa himself says:Food bdistances the near, and draws near the distant, and averts eyes from the wicked,sparing them from punishment, band causes the Divine Presence to rest on the prophets of the Baal; and an unwittingtransgression bwith regard to itis at times bconsidered an intentionaltransgression.,The Gemara elaborates: The fact that it bdistances the nearis derived |
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16. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 35a. וילכו ויבאו א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי מקיש הליכה לביאה מה ביאה בעצה רעה אף הליכה בעצה רעה,(במדבר יג, כז) ויספרו לו ויאמרו באנו וגו' וכתיב אפס כי עז העם אמר רבי יוחנן (סימן אמ"ת לבד"ו לוי"ה) משום ר"מ כל לשון הרע שאין בו דבר אמת בתחילתו אין מתקיים בסופו,(במדבר יג, ל) ויהס כלב את העם אל משה אמר רבה שהסיתן בדברים,פתח יהושע דקא משתעי אמרי ליה דין ראש קטיעה ימלל,אמר אי משתעינא אמרי בי מילתא וחסמין לי אמר להן וכי זו בלבד עשה לנו בן עמרם סברי בגנותיה קא משתעי אישתיקו,אמר להו הוציאנו ממצרים וקרע לנו את הים והאכילנו את המן אם יאמר עשו סולמות ועלו לרקיע לא נשמע לו (במדבר יג, ל) עלה נעלה וירשנו אותה וגו',והאנשים אשר עלו עמו אמרו לא נוכל וגו' אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא דבר גדול דברו מרגלים באותה שעה כי חזק הוא ממנו אל תקרי ממנו אלא ממנו כביכול אפילו בעל הבית אינו יכול להוציא כליו משם,(במדבר יג, לב) ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא דרש רבא אמר הקב"ה אני חשבתיה לטובה והם חשבו לרעה אני חשבתיה לטובה דכל היכא דמטו מת חשיבא דידהו כי היכי דניטרדו ולא לשאלו אבתרייהו ואיכא דאמרי איוב נח נפשיה ואטרידו כולי עלמא בהספידא הם חשבו לרעה ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא,(במדבר יג, לג) ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו וגו' אמר רב משרשיא מרגלים שקרי הוו בשלמא ונהי בעינינו כחגבים לחיי אלא וכן היינו בעיניהם מנא הוו ידעי,ולא היא כי הוו מברי אבילי תותי ארזי הוו מברי וכי חזינהו סלקו יתבי באילני שמעי דקאמרי קחזינן אינשי דדמו לקמצי באילני,(במדבר יד, א) ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו אמר רבה אמר רבי יוחנן אותו היום [ערב] תשעה באב היה אמר הקב"ה הן בכו בכיה של חנם ואני אקבע להם בכיה לדורות,ויאמרו כל העדה לרגום אותם באבנים וכתיב (במדבר יד, י) וכבוד ה' נראה באהל מועד אמר רבי חייא בר אבא מלמד שנטלו אבנים וזרקום כלפי מעלה,(במדבר יד, לז) וימותו האנשים מוציאי דבת הארץ רעה במגפה אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש שמתו מיתה משונה אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא דרש ר' שילא איש כפר תמרתא מלמד שנשתרבב לשונם ונפל על טיבורם והיו תולעים יוצאות מלשונם ונכנסות בטיבורם ומטיבורם ונכנסות בלשונם ורב נחמן בר יצחק אמר באסכרה מתו,וכיון שעלה האחרון שבישראל מן הירדן חזרו מים למקומן שנאמר (יהושע ד, יח) ויהי בעלות הכהנים נושאי ארון ברית ה' מתוך הירדן נתקו כפות רגלי הכהנים אל החרבה וישובו מי הירדן למקומם וילכו כתמול שלשום על כל גדותיו,נמצא ארון ונושאיו וכהנים מצד אחד וישראל מצד אחד נשא ארון את נושאיו ועבר שנאמר (יהושע ד, יא) ויהי כאשר תם כל העם לעבור ויעבור ארון ה' והכהנים לפני העם,ועל דבר זה נענש עוזא שנאמר (דברי הימים א יג, ט) ויבאו עד גורן כידון וישלח עוזא את ידו לאחוז את הארון אמר לו הקב"ה עוזא נושאיו נשא עצמו לא כל שכן,(שמואל ב ו, ז) ויחר אף ה' בעוזא ויכהו שם על השל וגו' רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר על עסקי שלו וחד אמר שעשה צרכיו בפניו,(שמואל ב ו, ז) וימת שם עם ארון האלהים א"ר יוחנן עוזא בא לעוה"ב שנאמר עם ארון האלהים מה ארון לעולם קיים אף עוזא בא לעוה"ב,(שמואל ב ו, ח) ויחר לדוד על אשר פרץ ה' פרץ בעוזא א"ר אלעזר שנשתנו פניו כחררה,אלא מעתה כל היכא דכתיב ויחר ה"נ התם כתיב אף הכא לא כתיב אף,דרש רבא מפני מה נענש דוד מפני שקרא לדברי תורה זמירות שנאמר (תהלים קיט, נד) זמירות היו לי חוקיך בבית מגורי,אמר לו הקב"ה ד"ת שכתוב בהן (משלי כג, ה) התעיף עיניך בו ואיננו אתה קורא אותן זמירות הריני מכשילך בדבר שאפילו תינוקות של בית רבן יודעין אותו דכתיב (במדבר ז, ט) ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקודש וגו' ואיהו אתייה בעגלתא,(שמואל א ו, יט) ויך באנשי בית שמש כי ראו בארון משום דראו ויך (אלהים) רבי אבהו ורבי אלעזר חד אמר קוצרין ומשתחוים היו וחד אמר מילי נמי אמור | 35a. bAnd they went and they came”(Numbers 13:25–26). bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai:This verse blikenstheir bgoing totheir bcoming. Just astheir bcomingback was bwith wicked counsel, so too,their bgoingto Eretz Yisrael was bwith wicked counsel. /b,The Torah states: b“And they told him, and said: We cameto the land to which you sent us, and it also flows with milk and honey” (Numbers 13:27), bandthen bit is written: “However the peoplethat dwell in the land bare fierce”(Numbers 13:28). Why did the spies praise the land and then slander it? bRabbi Yoḥa saysthree statements bin the name of Rabbi Meir,represented by the bmnemonicdevice: bTruth, alone, borrowing.The first statement answers this question: bAny slander that does not begin with a truthful statement ultimately does not stand,i.e., it is not accepted by others.,The verse states: b“And Caleb stilled [ ivayyahas /i] the people toward Moses”(Numbers 13:30). bRabba says:This means bthat he persuaded them [ ihesitan /i] withhis bwords. iVayyahasand ihesitanshare the same root in Hebrew.,How did he do so? bJoshua beganto address the people, and bas he was speaking they said to him: Should thisperson, who has ba severed head,as he has no children, bspeakto the people about entering Eretz Yisrael?,Caleb bsaidto himself: bIf I speak they willalso bsay something about me and stop mefrom speaking. He began to speak and bsaid to them: Andis bthisthe bonlything that bthe son of Amram,Moses, bhas done to us? They thoughtthat he wanted bto relatesomething bto the discredit ofMoses, and bthey were silent. /b, bHethen bsaid to them: He took us out of Egypt, and split the sea for us, and fed us the manna. If he saysto us: bBuild ladders and climb to the heavens, should we not listen to him? “We should go up at once,”even to the heavens, b“and possess it”(Numbers 13:30).,The verses continue: b“But the men that went up with him said: We are not ableto go up against the people; as they are stronger than us” (Numbers 13:31). bRabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: The spies said a serious statement at that moment.When they said: b“They are stronger,” do not readthe phrase as: Stronger bthan us [ imimmennu /i],but bratherread it as: Stronger bthan Him [ imimmennu /i],meaning that beven the Homeowner,God, bis unable to remove His belongings from there, as it were.The spies were speaking heresy and claiming that the Canaanites were stronger than God Himself.,The spies said: b“It is a land that consumes its inhabitants”(Numbers 13:32). bRava taught: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I intendedthe land to appear to consume its inhabitants bfortheir own bgood, but they consideredthis proof that the land was bbad. I intendedit bfortheir bgoodby causing many people to die there so bthat anywhere thatthe spies barrived, the most important of them died, so thatthe Canaanites bwould be preoccupiedwith mourning band would not inquire about them. And there arethose bwho saythat God caused bJobto bdieat that time, band everyonein Canaan bwas preoccupied withhis beulogy,and did not pay attention to the spies. However, the spies bconsideredthis proof that the land was bbadand said: b“It is a land that consumes its inhabitants.” /b,The spies said: b“And we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so were wein their eyes” (Numbers 13:33). bRav Mesharshiyya says: The spies were liars. Granted,to say: b“We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes,” is well, butto say: b“And so were we in their eyes,” from wherecould btheyhave bknownthis?,The Gemara responds: bButthat bis not so,as bwhenthe Canaanites bwere having the mourners’ meal, they had the meal beneath cedar trees, and whenthe spies bsaw them they climbed upthe btreesand bsat inthem. From there bthey heardthe Canaanites bsaying: We see people wholook blike grasshoppers in the trees. /b,The verse states: b“And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried”(Numbers 14:1). bRabba saysthat bRabbi Yoḥa says: That day was the eve of the Ninth of Av,and bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said:On that day bthey wept a gratuitous weeping, so I will establishthat day bfor themas a day of bweeping forthe future bgenerations. /b,The verse states: b“But all the congregation bade stone them with stones”(Numbers 14:10), band it is writtenimmediately afterward: b“When the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tent of Meeting”(Numbers 14:10). bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says:This bteaches that they took stones and threw them upwardas if to throw them at God.,The verse states: b“And those men who brought out an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the Lord”(Numbers 14:37). bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish says:This means bthat they died an unusual death. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa saysthat bRabbi Sheila Ish Kefar Temarta taught:This bteaches that their tongues were stretched outfrom their mouths band fell upon their navels, and worms were crawling out of their tongues and entering their navels, andworms were likewise coming bout of their navels and entering their tongues.This is the painful death that they suffered. bAnd Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: They died of diphtheria,which causes one to choke to death.,§ The Gemara returns to discuss the entry of the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael. bAnd once the last one of the Jewish people ascended out of the Jordan, the water returned to its place, as it is stated: “And it came to pass, as the priests that bore the Ark of the Covet of the Lord came up out of the midst of the Jordan, as soon as the soles of the priests’ feet were drawn up unto the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as it had before”(Joshua 4:18). The Gemara understands that the priests who carried the Ark stood in the water until all of the Jewish people passed through the Jordan. Once all the Jewish people had reached the other side of the Jordan, the priests stepped back from the water and the Jordan returned to its natural state., bIt followsthat bthe Ark and its bearers and the priestswere bon one sideof the Jordan, the east side, bandthe rest of bthe Jewish peoplewere bon the other side,the west side. Subsequently, bthe Ark carried its bearersin the air band crossedthe Jordan, bas it is stated: “When all the people were completely passed over, the Ark of the Lord passed on, and the priests, before the people”(Joshua 4:11)., bAnd over this matter Uzzah was punishedfor not taking proper care of the Ark, bas it is stated: “And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put forth his hand to hold the Ark;for the oxen stumbled” (I Chronicles 13:9). bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Uzzah,the Ark bcarried its bearerswhen it crossed the Jordan; ball the more sois it bnotclear that it can carry bitself? /b,§ The verse states: b“And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; andGod bsmote him there for his error [ ihashal /i]”(II Samuel 6:7). bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazardisagreed over the interpretation of this verse. bOne says:God smote him bfor his forgetfulness [ ishalo /i],because he did not remember that the Ark can carry itself. bAnd one says:God smote him bbecause helifted the edges [ ishulayyim /i] of his garment in front of the Ark and brelieved himself in its presence. /b,The verse states: b“And he died there with the Ark of God”(II Samuel 6:7). bRabbi Yoḥa says: Uzzah entered the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God.” Just as the Ark exists forever, so too, Uzzah entered the World-to-Come. /b,The verse states: b“And David was displeased [ ivayyiḥar /i] because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzzah”(II Samuel 6:8). bRabbi Elazar says: iVayyiḥarmeans bthat his face changedcolors and darkened blike baked bread [ iḥarara /i]from displeasure.,The Gemara questions this statement: bIf that is so, anywhere thatthe word ivayyiḥaris written,including when it is referring to God, should it be interpreted this way bas well?The Gemara answers: bThere, it is written:“And bthe angerof the Lord was kindled [ ivayyiḥar af]” (II Samuel 6:7), whereas bhere, the anger [ iaf] is not written,but only ivayyiḥar /i. Therefore it is interpreted differently., bRava taught: For whatreason bwas David punishedwith Uzzah’s death? He was punished bbecause he called matters of Torah: Songs, as it is stated: “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage”(Psalms 119:54)., bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Matters of Torahare so difficult and demanding bthat it is written: “Will you set your eyes upon it? It is gone”(Proverbs 23:5), i.e., one whose eyes stray from the Torah even for a moment will forget it, and byou callthem bsongs?For this reason bI will cause you to stumble in a matter that even schoolchildren know, as it is writtenwith regard to the wagons brought to the Tabernacle: b“And to the descendants of Kohath he did not give, because the service of the holy thingsbelongs to them; they carry them upon their shoulders” (Numbers 7:9). bAndalthough the Ark clearly must be carried on people’s shoulders, David erred and bbrought it in a wagon. /b,§ When the Philistines returned the Ark during the period of Samuel, it is stated: b“And He smote of the men of Beit Shemesh because they had gazed upon the Ark of the Lord”(I Samuel 6:19). The Gemara asks: bBecause they gazedupon it, bGod smotethem? Why did their action warrant this punishment? bRabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Elazardisagreed with regard to the interpretation of the verse. bOne saysthat they were punished because bthey were reapingtheir crops band prostrating themselvesat the same time; they did not stop working in reverence for the Ark. bAnd one saysthat bthey also spokedenigrating bwords: /b |
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17. Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 49b. ועל הסוטה שאין הולד ממזר,נדה דהא תפסי בה קידושין שנאמר (ויקרא טו, כד) ותהי נדתה עליו אפי' בשעת נדתה תפסי בה קידושין,סוטה נמי דהא תפסי בה קידושין,תניא נמי הכי הכל מודים בבא על הנדה ועל הסוטה ועל שומרת יבם שאין הולד ממזר,ואביי שומרת יבם מספקא ליה אי כרב אי כשמואל:,א"ר שמעון בן עזאי כו': תני שמעון בן עזאי אומר מצאתי מגלת יוחסין בירושלים וכתוב בה איש פלוני ממזר מאשת איש וכתוב בה משנת ר' אליעזר בן יעקב קב ונקי וכתוב בה מנשה הרג את ישעיה,אמר רבא מידן דייניה וקטליה אמר ליה משה רבך אמר (שמות לג, כ) כי לא יראני האדם וחי ואת אמרת (ישעיהו ו, א) ואראה את ה' יושב על כסא רם ונשא משה רבך אמר (דברים ד, ז) מי כה' אלהינו בכל קראנו אליו ואת אמרת (ישעיהו נה, ו) דרשו ה' בהמצאו משה רבך אמר (שמות כג, כו) את מספר ימיך אמלא ואת אמרת (מלכים ב כ, ו) והוספתי על ימיך חמש עשרה שנה,אמר ישעיה ידענא ביה דלא מקבל מה דאימא ליה ואי אימא ליה אישוייה מזיד אמר שם איבלע בארזא אתיוה לארזא ונסרוה כי מטא להדי פומא נח נפשיה משום דאמר (ישעיהו ו, ה) ובתוך עם טמא שפתים אנכי יושב,מכל מקום קשו קראי אהדדי,ואראה את ה' כדתניא כל הנביאים נסתכלו באספקלריא שאינה מאירה משה רבינו נסתכל באספקלריא המאירה,דרשו ה' בהמצאו הא ביחיד הא בצבור ויחיד אימת אמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה אלו עשרה ימים שבין ראש השנה ליום הכפורים,את מספר ימיך אמלא תנאי היא דתניא את מספר ימיך אמלא | 49b. bor with a isota /i, that the offspring is not a imamzer /i. /b,With regard to ba menstruating womanthe offspring is not a imamzer bbecauseone’s bbetrothal of her takes effect, as it is stated: “And her impurity shall be upon him”(Leviticus 15:24). The phrase “shall be” alludes to the fact that a betrothal with her takes effect. The verse teaches that beven at the time of hermenstrual bimpurity, betrothal with her takes effect. /b,With regard to ba isota /i, too,the offspring is not a imamzer bbecauseone’s bbetrothal of her takes effect. /b,The Gemara notes: bThisteaching of Abaye bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAll agree with regard to one who engages in sexual relations with a menstruating woman, or with a isota /i, or with a widow waiting for her iyavam /ito perform levirate marriage, bthat the offspring is not a imamzer /i. /b,The Gemara explains: bAnd Abayedid not mention the case of a bwidow waiting for her iyavam /ibecause bhe is uncertain whether,if someone other than the iyavambetrothed her, the ihalakhais bin accordance withthe opinion of bRavthat it does not take effect or bin accordance withthe opinion of bShmuelthat it might take effect.,§ The mishna states: bRabbi Shimon ben Azzai said:I found a scroll recording people’s lineages. The Gemara cites an expanded version of the contents of the scroll. bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon ben Azzai said: I found a scrollrecording people’s blineages, in Jerusalem, and it was written in itthat bso-and-so is a imamzerfroman adulterous union with ba married woman. And it wasalso bwritten in it: The teachings of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akovmeasure only ba ikavbut are cleanand accurate, and so the ihalakhais decided in accordance with his opinions. bAnd it was written in it: Manasseh,king of Israel, bkilled Isaiahthe prophet.,The Gemara expands on the events surrounding Isaiah’s death: bRava said:Manasseh bjudged himas a false witness for issuing statements contradicting the Torah bandonly then bkilled him.Manasseh bsaid toIsaiah: bMoses your master saidin the Torah: “And He said: You cannot see My face, bfor man cannot see Me and live”(Exodus 33:20), bandyet byou said: “I saw the Lord sitting upon a high and lofty throne”(Isaiah 6:1). bMoses your master said:“For bwhichgreat nation is there, that has God so near to it, bas the Lord our God is, whenever we call upon Him?”(Deuteronomy 4:7), bandyet byou said: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near”(Isaiah 55:6), which implies that God is not always near. bMoses your master said: “I will fulfill the number of your days”(Exodus 23:26), which implies that each individual has a preordained allotted lifespan that he cannot outlive, bandyet byou saidin a prophecy to King Hezekiah: b“And I will add to your days, fifteen years”(II Kings 20:6)., bIsaiah saidto himself: bI know him,i.e., Manasseh, bthat he will not accept whateverexplanation bthat I will say to himto resolve my prophecies with the words of the Torah. bAndeven bif I say it to him, I will make him into an intentional transgressorsince he will kill me anyway. Therefore, in order to escape, bhe uttered adivine bnameand bwas swallowed within a cedartree. Manasseh’s servants bbrought the cedartree band sawed through itin order to kill him. bWhenthe saw breached to where his mouth was,Isaiah bdied.He died specifically as this point bdue to that which he said: “In the midst of a people of unclean lips, I dwell”(Isaiah 6:5). He was punished for referring to the Jewish people in a derogatory manner.,The Gemara asks: bIn any case,as Manasseh pointed out, these bverses contradict each other;how are these contradictions to be resolved?,The Gemara resolves the first contradiction: b“I saw the Lord”is to be understood bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAll of the prophets observedtheir prophecies bthrough an obscure looking glass [ iaspaklaria /i],i.e., their prophecies were given as metaphoric visions but were not a direct perception of the matter. However, bMoses our master observedhis prophecies bthrough a clear looking glass,i.e., he gained a direct and accurate perception of the matter.,The Gemara resolves the second contradiction: Isaiah’s prophecy: b“Seek the Lord while He may be found,”does not contradict the verse in the Torah that God is near to His nation “whenever we call upon Him,” because bthisprophecy of Isaiah was made bwith regard to the individualand bthisverse in the Torah is stated bwith regard to a community,as the prayer of the community is always accepted. The Gemara asks: bAnd whenis the time that God is to be found near bthe individual? Rav Naḥman said Rabba bar Avuh said: These are the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. /b,The resolution of the third contradiction from the verse: b“I will fulfill the number of your days,” issubject to a dispute between itanna’im /i, as it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“I will fulfill the number of your days”; /b |
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18. Anon., 4 Baruch, 8.2, 8.7
| 8.2. And the Lord said to Jeremiah: Rise up -- you and the people -- and come to the Jordan and say to the people: Let anyone who desires the Lord forsake the works of Babylon. 8.7. And Jeremiah and Baruch and Abimelech stood up and said: No man joined with Babylonians shall enter this city! |
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