Sanhedrin 95 - David, Yishbi, and Avishai

God told David, "Because of you the inhabitants of Nov were killed, Doeg lost his share in the World to Come, and Shaul with his three sons died. Do you choose for your descendants to be obliterated or for yourself to be delivered in the enemy's hand?" David chose the second, and Satan, disguised as a deer, drew the hunting David into the land of the Philistines, where Yishbi, the brother of Goliath, captured him.

Yishbi put David under an olive press, but through a miracle the ground under him softened. Yishbi was still sitting on top.

Avishai, one of David's officers, was preparing to shampoo his hair for Sabbath when he saw bloodstains in the water and understood that David was in danger. He reasoned, "One can not ride on the king's horse - but what about in the time of danger?" They told him that in the time of danger it is allowed. He then mounted David's mule and rode off. The road miraculously contracted under him.

On the road Avishai saw Orpah, the mother of Yishbi. She tried to kill him with a spindle, but he killed her instead. Seeing Avishai approach, Yishbi threw David up and prepared a spear to catch him. Avishai said the name of God, and David hung in the air. Avishai then asked David, what he was doing there, and David explained that he chose the punishment for himself. Avishai advised him to leave the punishment for his descendants, and to save himself from the trouble now. Avishai then said another name of God, David came down, and the two started running away. Yishbi kept pursuing them, until they told him, "Look at your mother in the grave," after which they killed him.

After this David's soldiers swore to him, "You must no longer go forth with us in battle, so that the light of Israel not be extinguished."

Art: Frans Snyders - Hunting deer