Haftarah of He'ezinu

Shmuel II 22:1-51

The Haftarah is a prophetic poem written by King David, appearing in the book of Shmuel, in the section summarizing his reign. It is also included in Tehillim (Psalms), chapter 18.

David begins by describing G-d as protecting him in all the adversity that he had experienced in his life.

1) David spoke to Hashem the words of this poem, the day that Hashem saved him from the hands of all his enemies, and the hand of Shaul.	(א) וַיְדַבֵּר דָּוִד לַה' אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל ה' אֹתוֹ מִכַּף כָּל אֹיְבָיו וּמִכַּף שָׁאוּל:
2) He said: Hashem - my rock, my fortress, a haven for me!	(ב) וַיֹּאמַר ה' סַלְעִי וּמְצֻדָתִי וּמְפַלְטִי לִי:
3) My G-d is my rock that I can shelter in, my shield and the ray of my salvation, my sanctuary and my refuge, my savior - from injustice, save me!	(ג) אֱ-לֹהֵי צוּרִי אֶחֱסֶה בּוֹ מָגִנִּי וְקֶרֶן יִשְׁעִי מִשְׂגַּבִּי וּמְנוּסִי מֹשִׁעִי מֵחָמָס תֹּשִׁעֵנִי:
4) Praised, I will call Hashem, from my enemies I will be saved.	(ד) מְהֻלָּל אֶקְרָא ה' וּמֵאֹיְבַי אִוָּשֵׁעַ:
5) For I was enveloped by waves of death, streams of evil terrorized me.	(ה) כִּי אֲפָפֻנִי מִשְׁבְּרֵי מָוֶת נַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל יְבַעֲתֻנִי:
6) Shackles of oblivion enclosed me, I was beset by snares of death.	(ו) חֶבְלֵי שְׁאוֹל סַבֻּנִי קִדְּמֻנִי מֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת:
7) In my distress, I call out to Hashem, and to my G-d I call out, He hears my voice from His palace, my prayer is in His ears.	(ז) בַּצַּר לִי אֶקְרָא ה' וְאֶל אֱ-לֹהַי אֶקְרָא וַיִּשְׁמַע מֵהֵיכָלוֹ קוֹלִי וְשַׁוְעָתִי בְּאָזְנָיו:

G-d responds to David's pleas for help with fury at his enemies, and reveals Himself in the world through all the forces of Nature.

8) The earth erupted and quaked, the foundations of the heavens fumed, they erupted, for He was furious.	(ח) וַיִּתְגָּעַשׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ מוֹסְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם יִרְגָּזוּ וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ כִּי חָרָה לוֹ:
9) Smoke rose from His nose, and fire from His mouth consumed; embers burning, from Him.	(ט) עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ וְאֵשׁ מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל גֶּחָלִים בָּעֲרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ:
10) The heavens leaned down and He descended, and fog was beneath His feet.	(י) וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד וַעֲרָפֶל תַּחַת רַגְלָיו:
11) He rode on an angel and flew, He appeared on the wings of the wind.	(יא) וַיִּרְכַּב עַל כְּרוּב וַיָּעֹף וַיֵּרָא עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ:
12) He placed darkness around Him as war-tents, floods of water in heavy clouds above.	(יב) וַיָּשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סְבִיבֹתָיו סֻכּוֹת חַשְׁרַת מַיִם עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים:
13) From the incandescence before Him, were burning embers of coal.	(יג) מִנֹּגַהּ נֶגְדּוֹ בָּעֲרוּ גַּחֲלֵי אֵשׁ:
14) Thundering from heavens, Hashem, the Transcendent One giving voice.	(יד) יַרְעֵם מִן שָׁמַיִם ה' וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ:
15) He sent arrows, and they dispersed, lightning, and they were bewildered.	(טו) וַיִּשְׁלַח חִצִּים וַיְפִיצֵם בָּרָק וַיָּהֹם:
16) The currents of the sea were exposed, the foundations of the earth were revealed; in the anger of Hashem, from the fuming of His breath.	(טז) וַיֵּרָאוּ אֲפִקֵי יָם יִגָּלוּ מֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל בְּגַעֲרַת ה' מִנִּשְׁמַת רוּחַ אַפּוֹ:

G-d saves David; he attributes this to the fact that G-d rewards people according to their actions.

17) He sent from the heavens to take me, He pulled me out of great waters.	(יז) יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם יִקָּחֵנִי יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים:
18) He saved me from my fierce enemy, from my foes, who were stronger than me.	(יח) יַצִּילֵנִי מֵאֹיְבִי עָז מִשֹּׂנְאַי כִּי אָמְצוּ מִמֶּנִּי:
19) They ambushed me on my day of calamity, Hashem became my support.	(יט) יְקַדְּמֻנִי בְּיוֹם אֵידִי וַיְהִי ה' מִשְׁעָן לִי:
20) He took me out to the broad expanse, He rescued me, for He desires me.	(כ) וַיֹּצֵא לַמֶּרְחָב אֹתִי יְחַלְּצֵנִי כִּי חָפֵץ בִּי:
21) Hashem treated me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanliness of my hands, He rewarded me.	(כא) יִגְמְלֵנִי ה' כְּצִדְקָתִי כְּבֹר יָדַי יָשִׁיב לִי:
22) For I kept the ways of Hashem, and I did not do evil before my G-d.	(כב) כִּי שָׁמַרְתִּי דַּרְכֵי ה' וְלֹא רָשַׁעְתִּי מֵאֱ-לֹהָי:
23) For all His laws are before Me, and His statutes, I would not turn away from.	(כג) כִּי כָל מִשְׁפָּטָיו לְנֶגְדִּי וְחֻקֹּתָיו לֹא אָסוּר מִמֶּנָּה:
24) I have been guileless with Him, I have kept away from my sin.	(כד) וָאֶהְיֶה תָמִים לוֹ וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָה מֵעֲוֹנִי:
25) Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanliness before His eyes.	(כה) וַיָּשֶׁב ה' לִי כְּצִדְקָתִי כְּבֹרִי לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו:
26) To a loyal person, You are loyal; to a guileless man, You are guileless.	(כו) עִם חָסִיד תִּתְחַסָּד עִם גִּבּוֹר תָּמִים תִּתַּמָּם:
27) To a clean person, You are clean, and to a perverse person, You are cunning.	(כז) עִם נָבָר תִּתָּבָר וְעִם עִקֵּשׁ תִּתַּפָּל:
28) Destitute people are those that You save, and Your eyes are on the haughty, to humble them.	(כח) וְאֶת עַם עָנִי תּוֹשִׁיעַ וְעֵינֶיךָ עַל רָמִים תַּשְׁפִּיל:

David describes how G-d helps him fight his enemies.

29) For you are My light, Hashem, Hashem disperses my darkness.	(כט) כִּי אַתָּה נֵירִי ה' וַה' יַגִּיהַּ חָשְׁכִּי:
30) For due to you, I can chase a regiment with My G-d, I can overcome a fortress,	(ל) כִּי בְכָה אָרוּץ גְּדוּד בֵּא-לֹהַי אֲדַלֶּג שׁוּר:
31) G-d is guileless in His ways, the doctrine of Hashem is refined; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.	(לא) הָאֵל תָּמִים דַּרְכּוֹ אִמְרַת ה' צְרוּפָה מָגֵן הוּא לְכֹל הַחֹסִים בּוֹ:
32) For who has power besides Hashem, who is a rock besides our G-d?	(לב) כִּי מִי אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה' וּמִי צוּר מִבַּלְעֲדֵי אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ:
33) G-d is the force of my strength, He opened my path to be guileless.	(לג) הָאֵל מָעוּזִּי חָיִל וַיַּתֵּר תָּמִים דַּרְכִּי:
34) He makes my feet like the gazelles, on high ground He places me.	(לד) מְשַׁוֶּה רַגְלַי כָּאַיָּלוֹת וְעַל בָּמוֹתַי יַעֲמִדֵנִי:
35) He trains my hands in war, bending the steely bow to breaking in my arms.	(לה) מְלַמֵּד יָדַי לַמִּלְחָמָה וְנִחַת קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה זְרֹעֹתָי:
36) You have given me the shield of Your salvation, You have greatly aided me.	(לו) וַתִּתֶּן לִי מָגֵן יִשְׁעֶךָ וַעֲנֹתְךָ תַּרְבֵּנִי:
37) You have expanded my paces beneath me, and my feet have not faltered.	(לז) תַּרְחִיב צַעֲדִי תַּחְתֵּנִי וְלֹא מָעֲדוּ קַרְסֻלָּי:
38) I chase my enemies and destroy them, I do not return until they are finished.	(לח) אֶרְדְּפָה אֹיְבַי וָאַשְׁמִידֵם וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם:
39) I finish them off, I crush them and they will not rise. They fall beneath my feet.	(לט) וָאֲכַלֵּם וָאֶמְחָצֵם וְלֹא יְקוּמוּן וַיִּפְּלוּ תַּחַת רַגְלָי:
40) You gird me with strength for war, my opponents kneel below me.	(מ) וַתַּזְרֵנִי חַיִל לַמִּלְחָמָה תַּכְרִיעַ קָמַי תַּחְתֵּנִי:
41) My enemies, they turn tail, my foes, I outflank them.	(מא) וְאֹיְבַי תַּתָּה לִּי עֹרֶף מְשַׂנְאַי וָאַצְמִיתֵם:
42) They pray, but they have no savior, to Hashem, but He does not answer them.	(מב) יִשְׁעוּ וְאֵין מֹשִׁיעַ אֶל ה' וְלֹא עָנָם:
43) I crush them like the dust of the earth, like the mud of the roads I grind them and mash them.	(מג) וְאֶשְׁחָקֵם כַּעֲפַר אָרֶץ כְּטִיט חוּצוֹת אֲדִקֵּם אֶרְקָעֵם:
44) You have made me survive the battles of my people; You have guarded me to be the head of nations, a people I did not know, now serve me.	(מד) וַתְּפַלְּטֵנִי מֵרִיבֵי עַמִּי תִּשְׁמְרֵנִי לְרֹאשׁ גּוֹיִם עַם לֹא יָדַעְתִּי יַעַבְדֻנִי:
45) Foreigners attempt to lie to me, but due to my fame, they obey me.	(מה) בְּנֵי נֵכָר יִתְכַּחֲשׁוּ לִי לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֹזֶן יִשָּׁמְעוּ לִי:
46) Foreigners wither, they are bound in their shackles.	(מו) בְּנֵי נֵכָר יִבֹּלוּ וְיַחְגְּרוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָם:

David ends his poem by praising G-d and asking for His continued support of his reign and his dynasty.

47) Life to Hashem, blessed be my rock! May my G-d be exalted, the rock of my salvation!	(מז) חַי ה' וּבָרוּךְ צוּרִי וְיָרֻם אֱ-לֹהֵי צוּר יִשְׁעִי:
48) G-d who gives me my vengeance, and subjugates nations below me.	(מח) הָאֵל הַנֹּתֵן נְקָמֹת לִי וּמוֹרִיד עַמִּים תַּחְתֵּנִי:
49) Who rescues me from my enemies, from those who rise against me, He raises me; from a man of injustice He saves me.	(מט) וּמוֹצִיאִי מֵאֹיְבָי וּמִקָּמַי תְּרוֹמְמֵנִי מֵאִישׁ חֲמָסִים תַּצִּילֵנִי:
50) Therefore, I praise Hashem among the nations, and to Your name, I sing.	(נ) עַל כֵּן אוֹדְךָ ה' בַּגּוֹיִם וּלְשִׁמְךָ אֲזַמֵּר:
51) The greatness of His salvation for His king, being loyal to His anointed, to David and his descendants, forever.	(נא) מִגְדּוֹל יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד עוֹלָם:

Copyright © Kira Sirote

In memory of my father, Peter Rozenberg, z"l

לעילוי נשמת אבי מורי פנחס בן נתן נטע ז''ל