The Return of the Twelve
30 The apostles gathered to Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.
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31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a quiet place and rest a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
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32 So they went away in a boat to a solitary place by themselves.
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33 But the people saw them leaving, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
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34 When Jesus went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things.
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. . . who will go out [not like the kings of the nations, who sit at home and send their armies to war, but like me (and like Joshua and David), who fought in the vanguard] and come in before them [at their head], and who will lead them out [in his merits] and bring them in [in his merits], so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd. NUM 27:17
Rashi’s Commentary
Who will lead them out, safely through his merits.
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And bring them in, safely through his merits (Siphre). Another explanation: Who will bring them in—I ask that you should not do to him, as you have done to me for I may not bring them into the land. (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776).
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And he answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep who have no shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let them return each one to his home in peace.’ ” 1KI 22:17
Rashi’s Commentary
These have no master—You alone will die in the war, as the matter is stated below (v. 31), “Do not battle with great or small, except with the king of
Israel only.” Even though it was stated, (above 20:42)
“and your people for his people,” the drop of blood that came out of the righteous man, Micaiah, whose friend struck him, striking and wounding him, was an atonement for all Israel. So it is explained in the Midrash Aggadah.
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He said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I designated for destruction, therefore it will be your life for his life, and your people for his people.’ ” 1KI 20:42
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Now the king of Aram had ordered the thirty-two commanders of his chariots, “Do not fight with small nor great, except the king of Israel only.” 1KI 22:31
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Then he answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep who have no shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let them return therefore each one to his home in peace.’ ” 2CH 18:16
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Rashi’s Commentary
Scattered on the hills—For when they flee from battle, they flee on the mountains to a refuge, like (Gen 14:10): “and those who remained fled to the mountains.” In addition, the battle was on the heights of Gilead, a mountainous and hilly terrain.
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Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell there and the survivors fled to the hills. GEN 14:10
And the Lord said, “These have no master”—They are scattered like sheep on the hills, because they have no shepherd, for their king will be slain.
Let them return therefore each one to his home in peace—Ahab alone will be killed, but the rest of Israel will return therefore each one to his home in peace, as the king of Aram commanded his people.
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