CHAPTER XXXIII ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN [ This chapter seems to be the Midrash to the Haphṭarah of Vayêra (Gen. 17–xxii.), illustrating the resurrection experienced by Isaac at the ‘Aḳedah. The Book of Jonah, which formed the contents of Chapter X., is the Haphṭarah in the afternoon service on the Day of Atonement.] [41A. i.] "AND [ The first editions read: “It is written: ‘And Isaac sowed,’” etc.] Isaac sowed in that land" (Gen. 26 12). Rabbi Eliezer said: Did Isaac sow the seed of corn? [ The patriarchs were not to settle in Canaan; therefore they did not devote themselves to the agricultural life. Their wealth was in their flocks, which could be easily removed as occasion demanded. See Pal. Targum, Gen. 26:12; Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 111; and infra, p. 289.] Heaven forbid ! But he took all his wealth, [ Lit. “his mammon”; see Jewish Sources of the Sermon on the Mount, p. 169. The tithe had been observed by Abraham; see Gen. 14:20, and therefore Isaac also gave a tithe. See Num. Rab. 12:11. The first editions read: “But he took a tithe of all his wealth.”] and sowed it in charity to the needy, as it is said, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to love" (Hos. 10:12). [ See Tanna de bê Elijahu ḳuṭṭa (ed. Friedmann), i. p. 167.] Everything which he tithed, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him (in return) one hundred times (the value) in different kinds of blessings, as it is said, "And he found in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him" (Gen. 26:12).
Rabbi Simeon said: Owing to the power of || charity the dead will be quickened [ See Prov. 11:4. Isaac’s charity and righteousness are assumed here to have been the cause of his resurrection; another cause was the “’Aḳedah”; see supra, p. 228. The first benediction of the Shemoneh ‘Esreh, as we have already seen, refers to Abraham; the second benediction refers to the resurrection, and therefore to Isaac, the first to experience this.] in the future. Whence do we learn this? From Elijah the Tishbite. [ The dead son of Elijah’s hostess was quickened by God at the request of the prophet. The first editions add here: “For he was going from mountain to mountain, and from cave to cave.” This is based on 2 Kings 2:1 ff.] For he betook himself to Zarephath, and a woman (who was) a widow received him with great honour. [ By giving him the little she possessed and trusting in his word. See Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab. 18 p. 97.] She was the mother of Jonah, [ See T.J. Sukkah 5:1. 55a; Gen. Rab. 98:11; and see also J.E. vii. 226.] and they were eating and drinking [ The Jalḳuṭ, 1 Kings, § 209, omits the words “and drinking”; see T.B. Berakhoth, 35b. People did not drink oil, it was eaten with bread, etc.] his [ The first editions read “her” here.] bread and oil; he, she, and her son, as it is said, "And she did eat, and he also" (1 Kings 17:15). [ The first editions add: “Rabbi Levi said: It is written, ‘He and she,’ but we read, ‘She and he.’” The Massorites afford numerous examples of this variation in the reading of the written text. See Berliner, Midrash Ḳeri and Kethib; see also Cant. Rab. 2:4; and Ḳimchi on 1 Kings 18:15; and cf. J.E. viii. 368.]
"He and she" (indicate that it was) by the merit of Elijah that they had to eat. After (a period of) days, the son of the woman fell sick and died, [ The text does not state that the child died; see Maimonides, Moreh Nebukhim, i. 42; Ḳimchi, in loc.; cf. T.B. Niddah, 70b, and T.B. Chullin, 7b.] as it is said, "And it came to pass after these things that the son of the woman fell sick" (ibid. 17). The woman said to him (Elijah): Thou didst come unto me [ The MS. and first editions add: “for coition.” The text reads: “Thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remembrance and to slay my son” (1 Kings 17:18). The Midrash connects ביאה (“coition”) with באת (“thou art come”); see Gesenius (Oxford ed.) p. 98a.] for coition, and thou wilt bring my sin to remembrance against me, and my son is dead. Now take away all that which thou hast brought [ The blessing on the meal and oil.] to me, and give me my son. Elijah, may he be remembered for good, arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said before Him: Sovereign of all the worlds ! Is it not enough (to endure) all the evils which have befallen me, [ Lit. “which have come over my head.”] but also this woman; for I know [ Luria holds that the text should read: “For Thou knowest”; cf. Jalḳuṭ, loc. cit.] that out of sorrow for her son has she spoken of a matter which has not occurred, which she has brought against me to vex me. [ The printed editions read: “to provoke me”; cf. Job 9:20.] Now let all the generations learn [ From the resurrection of her son.] that there is a resurrection of the dead, and restore the soul of this lad within him; and He was entreated of him, as it is said, "And the Lord hearkened unto the voice of Elijah" (ibid. 22). Another Scripture text says, "And Elijah || took the child… See, thy son liveth" (ibid. 23). [ This concludes the exposition of R. Simeon on the Resurrection and Charity. The second quotation is not given in the printed texts.]
Rabbi Joshua ben Ḳorchah said: Art thou astonished at this? [ That charity causes the dead to be quickened.] Do not be astonished, come and see, (learn) from Elisha, the son of Shaphat, for no woman was able to gaze at his face without dying; and he went from mount to mount, and from cave to cave, and he went to Shunem, and a great woman received him with great honour. She was a sister of Abishag, [ Abishag lived at the close of David’s reign; see J.E. i. 66.] the Shunammite, the mother [ The first editions read: “the wife of Iddo.” Iddo lived in the reign of Jeroboam. See Seder ‘Olam Rab. 20; and cf. T.B. Synhedrin, 89b and 104a; Tanchuma, Toledoth, § xii. Jalḳuṭ, 2 Kings § 228, reads: “The mother of Iddo the prophet.” Luria, with fine judgment, suggested that Iddo of the printed texts should be corrected into “Oded,” the prophet who lived in the reign of Asa. See 2 Chron. 15:8; see also Rashi on 2 Kings 4:8, where our P.R.E. is mentioned.] of Oded, the prophet, as it is said, "And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem" (2 Kings 4:8), and the woman said to her husband: This man of God is (holy), [ “Holy” is not in the MS., but it occurs in the first two editions.] no woman is able to gaze at his face without dying; but, [ “As it is said” is added by the first editions; it does not occur in the parallel context in Jalḳuṭ, Kings, loc. cit., which reads as our MS., “But ‘Let us make,’” etc.] "Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a lampstand" (ibid. 10). And every time that he passes he can turn thither into the chamber, [ The first editions and Jalḳuṭ, loc. cit., add: “They built it, and prepared and arranged it. After some time he passed by Shunem and turned in to the chamber.”] as it is said, "And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber" (ibid. 11). And he called for the Shunammite, as it is said, "And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood at the door" (ibid. 15). Why did she stand at the door? Because she was unable to gaze at his face, [ See Lev. Rab. 24:6, and Sepher Chassidim (ed. Frankfort, 1724), 178.] so that she should not die. He said to her:
"At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son" (ibid. 16), the fruit of thy womb. She said to him: My lord is very old, and the way of women has departed from me, || and it is impossible to do this thing. [ Luria’s reads: “This thing cannot possibly be.”] "Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid" (ibid.). [ See Ḳimchi, in loc., who uses the same words as our author, based on the quotation in our context in connection with Ps. 145:19.]
Rabbi Zechariah said: "He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him" (Ps. 145:19). [ Cf. T.B. Megillah, 27a.] The Holy One, blessed be He, fulfilled the desire of the prophet. She conceived and bare, and the child grew. He went forth to refresh [ See ‘Arukh, ed. Kohut vi. p. 288b, s.v. פנ; cf. Lam. 2:18.] himself, and to look at the reapers. A mishap overtook him, [ See T.J. Jebamoth xv. 2, 14d.] and he died, as it is said, "It fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers" (2 Kings 4:18); this restrained them (from work) until he came (among them), [ The phrase, “this restrained them until he came,” is in Aramaic and occurs only in our MS. Its meaning is doubtful. Is it an old Targum?] and he died, as it is said, "And he sat on her knees till noon, and then died" (ibid. 20).
The woman went to Mount Carmel, and fell on her face to the ground before Elisha, saying to him: Would that my vessel [ See 2 Kings 4:3; כלי (vessel) is used euphemistically here, meaning “womb.”] had remained empty ! But it was filled, and now its contents are spilt. The prophet answered: Everything which the Holy One, blessed be He, doeth, He telleth to me, but He has hidden this matter, as it is said, "And when she came to the man of God [ In our MS. the quotation ends here.] … and Gehazi came near to thrust her away" [ The Midrash here has a play on the word “lehadphah,” interpreting it as though it were “lehôd japhjah,” “the glory of her beauty,” i.e. the breasts; see T.B. Berakhoth, 10b, and T.J. Jebamoth ii. 4. 3d.] (ibid. 27). What is the meaning of "to thrust her away"? To teach us that he put his hand upon (her) pride, which was upon her breasts, [ See Lev. Rab., loc. cit.] as it is said, "And the man of God said, Let her alone [ The rest of the verse given by our MS. is omitted in the printed editions.] … and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me" (ibid.). He took the staff which was in his hand, and gave it to Gehazi, saying to him: Do not speak with thy mouth any word at all; know that [ The first editions read here “whilst” and omit “know that.”] thou goest and placest the staff upon the face of the lad, that he may live.
Now as for Gehazi, the matter was laughable in his eyes, [ Lit. “before him.” On Gehazi see J.E. v. 580 f.] and to every man whom he met || he said: Dost thou believe that this staff will bring the dead to life? Therefore he did not succeed [ His want of faith led to his failure to restore the child. Moreover, he did not believe that he was dead, because he told Elisha “the lad is not awaked” (2 Kings 4:31).] until (Elisha) went on foot and put his face [ Jalḳuṭ, loc. cit., reads: “His mouth”; this agrees with the text in 2 Kings 4:34. Perhaps Luria’s suggestion that the reading should be: “his face… and his hands” is correct. John of Damascus, op. cit. iv. 34, refers to the virginity of Elisha; this idea occurs also in Ambrose and other Christian writers. See also Clement. “Two Epistles concerning Virginity,” xiv. (A.N.C.L. xiv. p. 393).] upon the face (of the child), and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and he began to pray before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all the worlds ! Just as Thou didst perform miracles by the hand of Elijah, my master, and brought the dead to life, likewise let this child live; and He was entreated of him, as it is said, "Then he returned, and walked in the house once to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him" (ibid. 35); "and the child sneezed seven times" (ibid.).
Rabbi Azariah [ The Prague edition reads: “Rabbi Zechariah”; this is also Brode’s reading.] said: Know thou the efficacy of charity. [ To cause the dead to be quickened.] Come and see from the instance of Shallum, [ See Siphrê, Num. § 78, and J.E. xi. 227.] son of Tikvah, who was one of the important men of his generation, giving charity every day. What did he do? He filled the bottle with water, and sat at the entrance of the city, and he would give water to every person who came on the way, restoring his soul to him. [ To feed the hungry is to restore his soul; cf. Lam. 1:11.] On account of the charity which he did, the Holy Spirit rested upon his wife, [ As to whether it also rested on him see J.E., loc. cit., and cf. Jalḳuṭ, loc. cit., which reads “upon him”; see T.B. Megillah, 14b, and Ḳimchi on 2 Kings 22:14, who quotes the entire passage from our P.R.E.; he does not, however, read “upon him.” The reason why the Holy Spirit rested upon Huldah is probably suggested by the special manner of her husband’s charity in pouring out water for the thirsty; cf. Isa. 44:3, and Joel 2:28.] as it is said, [ Insert שנאמר.] "So Hilkiah the priest… went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah" (ibid. xxii. 14). Originally his name was "the son of Sachrah"; [ See 1 Chron. xxxiv. 22: “the son of Hasrah,” i.e. “Chasrah”—this becomes “Sachrah” by interchanging the first two letters of the name, just as the Massorites have done with the name “Tikvah” in this verse. “Sachrah” means “merchandise.” See also 2 Kings 22:14.] just as thou dost say, "Merchandise is better [ In the MS. the quotation ends here; it is continued in the Venice edition.] than the circulation of money" (Prov. 3:14). One Scripture text || says, "The son of Sachrah." [ This quotation is unknown to me; see, however, previous note ().] When her husband died, the charitable deeds of her husband ceased, [ The Hebrew word for ceased is “Chasrah.” The Jalḳuṭ, in loc., reads: “The charity of her husband failed that righteous woman”; cf. T.B. Synhedrin, 47a, and T.B. Chullin, loc. cit.] and all Israel went forth to show loving-kindness to Shallum, son of Tikvah. But they spied the band, [ The first editions add: “that was coming against them.”] and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, [ Cf. Ecclus. xlviii. 13.] and he came to life, as it is said, "And as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived" (2 Kings 13:21); and afterwards he begat Chanameel, [ See J.E. vi. p. 203, s.v. Hanameel, son of Shallum and Huldah.] as it is said, "Behold, Chanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee" (Jer. 32:7).
Rabbi Eliezer [ The first editions read: “Chananiah ben Teradion.”] said: Know thou the power of charity. [ The text here is probably corrupt. Instead of reading, “the power of charity,” we should perhaps read, “the power of righteous people.” Luria thinks that the whole phrase is out of place. The narrative fits in better at the end of Chapter XXXI.] Come and see from (the instance of) Saul, the son of Kish, who removed the witches and the necromancers from off the earth, and once again he loved that which he had hated. [ See Targum on 1 Sam. 28:7 ff.; Lev. Rab. 26:7; Midrash Samuel xxiv.] He went to En Dor, to the wife [ Ḳimchi, on 1 Sam. 28:7, reads: “to a woman who had a familiar spirit, Zephaniah.” See also Midrash Samuel, loc. cit., and Lev. Rab., loc. cit.] of Zephaniah, the mother of Abner, and he inquired of her for himself by the familiar spirit, and she brought for him Samuel the prophet, and the dead saw Samuel ascending, and they ascended with him, [ See T.B. Chagigah, 4b, and cf. Ascension of Isaiah 9:17.] thinking that the resurrection of the dead had come, [ Jalḳuṭ, ii. § 140, adds that Samuel brought Moses with him. Thinking it was the great Day of the Last Judgment, Moses would testify on behalf of Samuel; see Midrash Samuel, loc. cit.] and the woman beheld, and she became very much confused, as it is said, "And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what seest thou?" (1 Sam. 28:13). [ “For what dost thou see?” is added by Luria.] Some say: Many righteous men like (Samuel) came up with him in that hour. [ Perhaps this sentence is a gloss added by some copyist, taken from Midrash Samuel or Lev. Rab., loc. cit.]
Rabbi Eliezer said: All the dead will arise at the resurrection of the dead, dressed in their shrouds. [ The first editions read: “and they will ascend in their garments. From what dost thou learn this?” Luria reads: “When all the dead arise,” etc. On the analogy employed by our author, see 1 Cor. xv. 36 ff., where the same thought occurs, and cf. T.B. Kethuboth, 111b; T.B. Synhedrin, 96b; and Jalḳuṭ, loc. cit., which reads: “clothed in their shrouds.”] Know thou that this is the case. Come and see from (the analogy of) the one who plants (seed) in the earth. He plants naked [ The first editions read: “From the seed in the earth, by an inference a minori ad majus with reference to wheat. What happens to the (seed of) wheat? It is buried in a naked condition and it comes forth.”] (seeds) || and they arise covered with many coverings; and the people who descend into the earth dressed (with their garments), will they not rise up dressed (with their garments)? [ The first editions read: “how much more so will this apply to the righteous who were buried with their garments.” See 1 Cor. xv. 42 ff. for a similar discussion. See Gen. Rab. 96:6; T.B. Sabbath, 114a; Semachoth ix. on the question as to whether the garments used at the burial will be the garments of the resurrection.] Not only this, but come and see from Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who went down into the fiery furnace dressed in their garments, [ The first editions add: “and they came out in their garments, as it is said, ‘Nor was the hair of their head singed’” (Dan. 3:27).] as it is said, [ See T.B. Synhedrin, 92b; and Sepher Chassidim, § 1129.] "And the satraps… being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power upon their bodies… neither were their hosen changed" (Dan. 3:27). Learn [ The first editions read: “And again, from whom canst thou learn this.”] from Samuel, the prophet, who came up clothed with his robe, as it is said, "And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe" (1 Sam. 28:14).
Rabbi Jochanan [ The first editions read: “Nathan.”] said: All the prophets prophesied in their lifetime, and Samuel prophesied in his lifetime, and after his death, because Samuel said to Saul: If thou wilt hearken to my advice to fall by the sword, then shall thy death be an atonement for thee, [ Death as an atonement is discussed by Schechter, Aspects, pp. 304, 307 f. See also T.B. Synhedrin, 44b, on this theme.] and thy lot [ See Dan. 12:13 for a parallel expression.] shall be with me in the place where I abide. [ See Midrash Samuel, loc. cit.; and compare the words which are said to have been spoken by the Founder of Christianity to the penitent thief, Luke xxiii. 43.] Saul harkened to his advice, and fell by the sword, he and all his sons, [ The text quoted in support of this continues: “and his armour-bearer, and all his men.” In 1 Chron. 10:6 the reading is: “So Saul died, and his three sons; and all his house died together.” The Targum to this passage renders “his house” by “the men of his house.” The first editions read: “he and all his house.”] as it is said, "So Saul died, and his three sons" (ibid. xxxi. 6). Why? So that his portion might be with Samuel the prophet in the future life, as it is said, "And to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me" (ibid. xxviii. 19). What is the meaning of "with me"? Rabbi Jochanan said: With me in my division in heaven. [ See Lev. Rab., loc. cit., and T.B. Berakhoth, 12b, which is probably the source of the Midrash, and cf. Midrash Samuel, x.]
Hillel, the Elder, said: Samuel spake to Saul, saying, Was it not enough for thee that thou didst not hearken || unto His voice, neither didst thou execute His fierce anger upon Amalek, [ See infra, p. 388.] but thou dost also inquire [ Lit. “to inquire through one possessed of a familiar spirit and to seek.” The first editions read: “Thou art come to inquire for thyself through one possessed of a familiar spirit.”] through one possessed of a familiar spirit, [ See Gesenius (Oxford edition), s.v. אוב.] and thou seekest (to know the future). Woe is the shepherd, and woe is his flock! For on thy account has the Holy One, blessed be He, given Israel thy people into the hands of the Philistines, as it is said, "Moreover, the Lord will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines" (ibid.).
Rabbi Tachanah [ The first editions read “Jochanan.” This is also the reading in the Jalḳuṭ Makhiri on Zech. 3:1, p. 35 (ed. Greenup).] said: Israel was exiled [ The first editions read “went up.” This story is one of the versions of the Susanna narrative; see Brüll’s Jahrbücher, iii. pp. 8 ff., where Origen is quoted, who knew the story and refers to Zedekiah and Ahab.] to Babylon, and did not forsake their evil deeds. Ahab, son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah, son of Maaseiah, [ See Jer. 29:21, 23.] became lying healers, [ See T.B. Synhedrin, 93a; Tanchuma, Vajiḳra, § vi. The incident may be based on Job 13:4. Cf. Ezek. 13:6, and xxii. 28.] and they healed the wives of the Chaldeans, and came unto them for coition. [ See also Jalḳuṭ ii. § 309; Pesiḳta de R. Kahana xxv. pp. 164b.] The king heard thereof, and commanded that they should be burnt. They both said: Let us say that Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, was with us, and he will save [ See T.B. Chullin, 7a. The first editions read: “Let Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, a righteous man, come with us and we shall be saved through his merit.”] us from the burning with fire. They said to him: O our lord, O king, this man was with us in every matter. The king commanded that the three should be burnt by fire. And the angel Michael [ Cf. Ẓohar, Gen. 104a.] descended and saved Joshua from the fiery flames, and brought him up before the throne of glory, as it is said, "And he shewed me Joshua, [ The MS. reads “Jehozadak”; the verse is correctly quoted in the first editions.] the high priest" (Zech. 3:1); and the other two were burnt by fire, as it is said, "And of them shall be taken up a curse…. The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire" (Jer. 29:22). It is not written here "whom the king of Babylon burnt with fire," but "whom he roasted," [ Jalḳuṭ Makhiri, Zech., loc. cit., adds: “like these ears of corn he roasted them.” Is this part of the original text?] hence we learn || that his [ i.e. Joshua’s.] hairs were singed on account of their sins, as it is said, "In the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued" (Ps. 10:2). Whence do we know that he was delivered? Because it is said, "And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.… Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" (Zech. 3:2).
Rabbi Jehudah said: When Nebuchadnezzar brought a false accusation [ Lit. “wantonness of words”; baseless charges. Cf. Deut. 22:14, 17.] against Israel to slay them, he set up an idol in the plain of Dura, and caused a herald to proclaim: Any one who does not bow down to this idol shall be burnt by fire. Israel did not trust in the shadow [ See supra, p. 62, for this expression.] of their Creator, and came with their wives and sons and bowed down to the idolatrous image [ See T.B. Megillah, 12a; Cant. Rab. 7:6. The image is discussed in T.B. Berakhoth, 58b.] —except Daniel, whom they called by the name of their God, [ See Luria’s reading. Daniel was called Belteshazzar. “Bel” is, of course, a name of a Babylonian image or god.] and it would have been a disgrace to them to burn him [ i.e. Daniel.] in fire, as it is said, "But at the last Daniel came in before me" [ The verse continues: “whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God.”] (Dan. 4:8). And they took Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and put them into the fiery furnace, and the angel Gabriel [ In Jalḳuṭ, on Ezek. 37 § 375, the reading is Michael; see Gen. Rab. 44:13. Our reading agrees with T.B. Pesachim, 118a; Pesiḳta Rabbathi, p. 160b; Ex. Rab. xviii. 5; and see Jalḳuṭ on Dan., in loc., and T.B. Synhedrin, 95b. It is noteworthy that Daniel is not mentioned here; he was therefore not cast into the furnace.] descended and saved them from the fiery furnace. [ See Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 55, note 1.] The king said to them: [ The Hebrews who had worshipped his image.] Ye knew that ye had a God who saves and delivers; why have ye forsaken your God and worshipped idols which have no power to deliver? But just as ye did in your own land and destroyed it, so do ye attempt to do in this land, (namely) to destroy it. The king commanded, || and they slew all of them. Whence do we know that they were all slain by the sword? Because it is said, "Then said he unto me, Prophesy… O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live" (Ezek. 37:9). [ See Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab. 5 p. 24, and J.E. ix. 202 f.]
Rabbi Phineas said: After twenty years, when all of them had been slain in Babylon, [ See T.B. Synhedrin, 92b, and Tanchuma, Noah. § x.: “On the day when the three companions were delivered Ezekiel quickened the dead in the valley of Dura.” See Pal. Targum, Ex. 13:17, on the sons of Ephraim, who were slain for attempting to leave Egypt before the appointed time. See also Shibbolê Ha-Leḳeṭ, 219. According to one authority in T.B. Synhedrin, loc, cit., “the whole incident was indeed a parable.”] the Holy Spirit rested upon Ezekiel, and brought him forth into the plain of Dura, and called unto him very dry bones, and said to him: Son of Man ! What dost thou see? He answered: I see here dry bones. (The Spirit) said to him: Have I power to revive them? The prophet did not say: [ The first editions omit the negative. The later editions (e.g. Amsterdam and Prague) read: “he should have said.”] Sovereign of all the worlds ! Thou hast power to do even more than (this) here; but he said: "O Lord God, thou knowest" (ibid. 3), as though he did not believe; [ See Gen. Rab. 19:11; Ẓohar, Num. 200a; Jalḳuṭ, Kings, § 244.] therefore his own bones were not buried in a pure land, [ i.e. the land of Israel.] but in an unclean land, as it is said, "And thou shalt die in a land that is unclean" (Amos 7:17). [ This quotation from Amos is very strange, inasmuch as it is applied to Ezekiel as a prophecy concerning his burial. Moreover, the prophet refers to death, which might be quite distinct from the burial of the prophet. See Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab., loc. cit., and cf. J.E. v. 315 f., for further parallels to this story.] "Prophesy over these bones" (Ezek. 37:4). He said before Him: Sovereign of all the worlds ! What ! will the prophecy bring upon them flesh and sinews and bones? [ Read here “skin,” as in the text of Ezek. 37:8.] Or will the prophecy bring upon them all the flesh and bones which cattle, beast, and bird have eaten, and they (also) have died in the land? [ The first editions read: “in another land.” This is probably the correct reading, as it occurs again in this section, and, therefore, what was missing would have to be miraculously restored by God. The prophet had his doubts as to whether this would or could be accomplished. Interesting parallels to this discussion are to be found in the writings of the Church Fathers; see Athenagoras, “Resurrection of the Dead,” ch. iv., and Tertullian, mentioned infra, p. 251, note.] Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, caused His voice to be heard, and the earth shook, as it is said, "And as I prophesied there was a thundering, and behold an earthquake" (ibid. 7), || and every animal, beast, and bird which had eaten thereof and died in another land [ The words from “every animal” till “another land” occur only in our MS.] the earth brought together, "bone to his bone" (ibid.). [ See Jalḳuṭ, Ezek. § 375: “He caused His voice to be heard from between the two Cherubim”; see supra, p. 228, and cf. Ps. 99:1.]
Rabbi Joshua ben Ḳorchah said: There came down upon them the quickening dew [ See infra, p. 260.] from heaven, which was like a fountain, [ This is also the reading in Jalḳuṭ, Ezekiel, loc. cit.] which was bubbling and bringing forth water; so likewise (the bones) were moving and bringing forth upon themselves flesh, (other) bones [ Instead of “bones” we should probably read “skin”; see supra, p. 249, note 5.] and sinews, as it is said, "And I beheld, and lo, there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above" (ibid. 8). He said to him: Prophesy unto the wind, as it is said, "Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto [ The MS. reads incorrectly “against.”] the wind.… Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live" (ibid. 9). In that hour the four winds of the heaven went forth, and opened the treasure-house of the souls, and each spirit returned to the body of flesh of man, as it is said, "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived,… an exceeding great army" (ibid. 10); and it is written about Egypt, "And the children of Israel were fruitful,… and waxed exceeding mighty" (Ex. 1:7). What is the meaning of "exceeding"? Just as in the latter case there were 600,000 (men), so in the former case there were 600,000 (men), and they all stood upon their feet except one man. The prophet said: Sovereign of all the worlds ! What is the nature of this man? He answered him: He gave out money for usury, [ See Jalḳuṭ on Ezekiel, loc. cit., which reads: “And he took usury and he shall not live (eternally).” This is based on Ezek. 18:8. See Ex. Rab. xxxi. 3, and see Tosaphoth T.B. Baba Mezi’a, 70b, catch-word, “Thou mayest lend”; cf. Pal. Targum, Ex. 13:17. See also Tosaphoth Soṭah, 5a.] and he took with interest. || As I live, he shall not live. In that hour the Israelites were sitting and weeping, and saying: We hoped for light, and darkness came. We hoped to stand up with all Israel at the resurrection of the dead, and now "our hope is lost" (Ezek. 37:11). We hoped to arise so as to be gathered with all Israel, and now "we are clean cut off" (ibid.). In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophet: Therefore, say to them, As I live, I will cause you to stand at the resurrection of the dead in the future that is to come, and I will gather you with all Israel [ The Venice edition reads here: “for the ingathering of the exiles to the land of Israel.” On the vision in Ezek. 37 see Cant. Rab. 7:9. Maimonides, Moreh Nebukhim, ii. 46, regarded the “resurrection” as a prophetic vision; see T.B. Synhedrin, loc. cit., for the Talmudic account. The doubt of Ezekiel is noted by Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, xxx. In this passage the Church Father interprets the vision in a literal sense, rejecting the allegorical meaning which was given to the vision in his day. Justin Martyr (First Apology, lii.) refers to this prophecy as pointing to the resurrection to be brought about by the Christian Messiah at his second coming; his words are: “By Ezekiel the prophet it was said: ‘Joint shall be joined to joint, and bone to bone, and flesh shall grow again; and every knee shall bow to the Lord, and every tongue shall confess Him’” (Ezek. 37:7, 8, and Isa. 45:23). This may serve as a fair illustration of the method of quoting the Hebrew Scriptures by the Church Fathers.] to the land, as it is said, "Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves… and I will bring you into the land of Israel.… And I will put my spirit in you, and ye shall live" (ibid. 12, 14).