Shaul's Enemies

וַיַּ֗עַל נָחָשׁ֙ הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י וַיִּ֖חַן עַל־יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כׇּל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י יָבֵישׁ֙ אֶל־נָחָ֔שׁ כְּרׇת־לָ֥נוּ בְרִ֖ית וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם נָחָשׁ֙ הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י בְּזֹאת֙ אֶכְרֹ֣ת לָכֶ֔ם בִּנְק֥וֹר לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־עֵ֣ין יָמִ֑ין וְשַׂמְתִּ֥יהָ חֶרְפָּ֖ה עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

"Now Nahash / Snake the Ammonite went up and encamped against Yavesh-Gil’ad. All the men of Yavesh said to Nahash: Cut a covenant with us, and we will serve you!

But Nahash the Ammonite said to them: On this [condition] I will cut [a covenant] with you—on [condition of] gouging out every one of your right eyes! Thus will I make it a disgrace upon all Israel!" - Sh'muel Aleph 11:1-2

וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיָּ֕מׇת מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ חָנ֥וּן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶעֱשֶׂה־חֶ֣סֶד ׀ עִם־חָנ֣וּן בֶּן־נָחָ֗שׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂ֨ה אָבִ֤יו עִמָּדִי֙ חֶ֔סֶד וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח דָּוִ֧ד לְנַחֲמ֛וֹ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֶל־אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד אֶ֖רֶץ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ שָׂרֵ֨י בְנֵי־עַמּ֜וֹן אֶל־חָנ֣וּן אֲדֹנֵיהֶ֗ם הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨ד דָּוִ֤ד אֶת־אָבִ֙יךָ֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֥ח לְךָ֖ מְנַחֲמִ֑ים הֲ֠ל֠וֹא בַּעֲב֞וּר חֲקֹ֤ר אֶת־הָעִיר֙ וּלְרַגְּלָ֣הּ וּלְהׇפְכָ֔הּ שָׁלַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

"It was [some time] after this that the king of the Children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son became king in his stead.

David said: 'I will show loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father showed loyalty to me.' So David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants, for his father, and David’s servants came to the land of the Children of Ammon." - Sh'muel Bet 10:1-2

Talmud, Midrash, and Commentary:

כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אָבִיו עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד. וּמַהוּ הַחֶסֶד, כְּשֶׁהָיָה דָוִד בּוֹרֵחַ מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל, בָּאוּ אֵלָיו אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְאֶחָיו (שמואל א כב:ד): ״וַיַּנְחֵם אֶת פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב״, וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יֵשֶׁב נָא אָבִי וְאִמִּי עִמָּךְ, וַהֲרָגָם, חוּץ מֵאֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁבָּרַח וְנִמְלַט לְאֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אֵצֶל נָחָשׁ, (במדרש רבי תנחומא בוירא אליו):

"As his father acted with kindness towards me. And what was the kindness? When Dovid was fleeing because of Shaul, his father, mother and brothers came to [join] him. "Dovid led them before the king of Moav" [Dovid] said to him, "Please, [let] my father and mother dwell with you." [The king of Moav] killed them [all] except for one of them [i.e., the brothers] who fled and escaped to the land of the people of Amon, to Nochosh. This is a Midrash Rebbe Tanchuma in [Parshas] Vayeiroh ailov." - Rashi on II Samuel 10:2

Date Finished:

10/14/2025

Description

Nachash served as Shaul's first major challenge as king when he threatened Yavesh-Gilead. Nachash primarily serves as an opportunistic attacker. Nachash was also one of Shaul's more dangerous opponents although overlooked compared to the Philistines. In his campaign to defend Yavesh Gilead, a young King Shaul spared Nachash's life. This proved to be a mistake since Nachash later hosted what remained of David's family and secretly contributed to the Philistine cause to defeat Shaul. For Nachash, a divided Israel is good for him. A united Israel is dangerous. And Shaul made a united Israel just to fight against him

Nachash can admire the chutzpah but the fact that Shaul's defiance succeeded, unacceptable. Shaul did not fight Nachash over territory or defend Israel's borders like kings of other nations. In Nachash's view, Shaul interfered with Nachash's perfectly just punishment of rebel Israelites who lived under him. Ergo Nachash sought to replace Shaul with a weak king or at least one that understands kingship, which is why Nachash supported David.

Nachash is generally anti-chesed. No kindness comes for free and every act of hospitality is calculated.

Name

Nachash means snake/serpent.

Content Warning: Moderate gore; blood

Agag, King of Amalek (boo)

Content Warning: Gore; warfare; sexual assault

Tanakh

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַגִּ֤ישׁוּ אֵלַי֙ אֶת־אֲגַג֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֵלָ֔יו אֲגַ֖ג מַעֲדַנֹּ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲגָ֔ג אָכֵ֖ן סָ֥ר מַר־הַמָּֽוֶת׃ {ס}

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכְּלָ֤ה נָשִׁים֙ חַרְבֶּ֔ךָ כֵּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ל מִנָּשִׁ֖ים אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיְשַׁסֵּ֨ף שְׁמוּאֵ֧ל אֶת־אֲגָ֛ג לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃ {ס}

"Samuel said, 'Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.' Agag approached him with faltering steps; and Agag said, 'Ah, bitter death is at hand!'

Samuel said, 'As your sword has bereaved women,
So shall your mother be bereaved among women.'
And Samuel cut Agag down before GOD at Gilgal. " - Sh'muel Aleph 15:32-33

Talmud, Midrash, and Commentary

תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל, יִרְמְיָה אָמַר: תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל, וְאָסָף אָמַר (תהלים עט, יב): וְהָשֵׁב לִשְׁכֵנֵינוּ שִׁבְעָתַיִם אֶל חֵיקָם, מַהוּ אֶל חֵיקָם, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן גַּדְיָיא אָמַר תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנָּתוּן בְּחֵיקוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל מג, יד): וּמֵחֵיק הָאָרֶץ עַד הָעֲזָרָה. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בַּמִּילָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה בְּחֵיקוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין וְרַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹטְלִים מִילוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמְזָרְקִין אוֹתָן כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וְאוֹמְרִים בָּזֶה בָּחַרְתָּ הֵא לְךָ מַה שֶּׁבָּחַרְתָּ, עַד שֶׁעָמַד שְׁמוּאֵל וּפָרַע בָּהֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמואל א טו, לב): וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק, וּכְתִיב (שמואל א טו, לג): וַיְשַׁסֵּף שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת אֲגָג וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא הִתְחִיל מְחַתֵּךְ בִּבְשָׂרוֹ חֲתִיכוֹת חֲתִיכוֹת וּמַאֲכִיל לְנַעֲמִיּוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב יח, יג): יֹאכַל בַּדֵּי עוֹרוֹ. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר הֵבִיא אַרְבָּעָה קוּנְדֵיסִין וּמְתָחוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם. (שמואל א טו, לב): וַיֹּאמֶר אֲגָג אָכֵן סָר מַר הַמָּוֶת, כָּךְ מְמִיתִין הַשָֹּׂרִים מִיתוֹת מָרוֹת. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר סֵרְסוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה נוֹטֵל אֶת הַמִּילוֹת וְזוֹרְקָן כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה, עַל דָּא נִפְרַע מִמֶּנּוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמואל א טו, לג): וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר שִׁכְּלָה נָשִׁים חַרְבֶּךָ כֵּן תִּשְׁכַּל מִנָּשִׁים אִמֶּךָ. וַיְשַׁסֵּף, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחֲתָכוֹ אַרְבַּע חֲתִיכוֹת. תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת לֵב, תְּרֵין אָמוֹרָאִין, חַד אֲמַר תְּבִירוּת לִבָּא, וְחַד אֲמַר עֲזִיזוּת לִבָּא, מַאן דְּאָמַר תְּבִירוּת לִבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יד, כ): אֲשֶׁר מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ. וּמַאן דְּאָמַר עֲזִיזוּת לִבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג, כט): מָגֵן עֶזְרֶךָ. תַּאֲלָתְךָ לָהֶם, תְּלֵי אוֹתָן בְּיִסּוּרִין, הָבֵא עֲלֵיהֶם כָּל אָלוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים ל, ז): וְנָתַן ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת כָּל הָאָלוֹת הָאֵלֶּה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ וְעַל שׂנְאֶיךָ וגו'.

"Pay them retribution, Lord, according to their handiwork” (Lamentations 3:64).

“Pay them retribution” – Jeremiah said: “Pay them retribution.” Asaf said: “Pay our neighbors retribution sevenfold to their bosom [ḥeikam]” (Psalms 79:12). What is “to their bosom [ḥeikam]”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Gadya said: Pay them retribution for what they did to the Temple that is situated in the foundation [ḥeiko] of the world, just as it says: “From the foundation in the ground to the [lower] ledge” (Ezekiel 43:14). The Rabbis say: What they did regarding circumcision, which is positioned in man’s bosom, as Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin and Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: They would take the circumcised organs of the Israelites and cast them upward, saying: This You chose; here is what You chose! Until Samuel arose and exacted retribution from them. That is what is written: “Samuel said: "Bring me Agag, king of Amalek” (I Samuel 15:32), and it is written: “Samuel slashed Agag…” (I Samuel 15:33).

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He began chopping his flesh into numerous pieces and fed it to the ostriches. That is what is written: “It will consume the branches of his skin” (Job 18:13). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He brought four posts and stretched him upon them. “Agag said: Indeed, the bitterness of death is at hand [sar]” (I Samuel 15:32). Is this the way one kills princes, with bitter deaths? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He castrated him, because he would take the circumcised organs and cast them upward. For this, retribution was exacted from him. That is what is written: “Samuel said: Just as your sword made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women” (I Samuel 15:33). “He slashed” – it teaches that he sliced him into four pieces."

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Design Notes:

Basing him off wheat colors as well as species introduced by the Philistines

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