(Mishnah): If a relative of the king dies, he does not leave his palace;

R. Yehudah says, he may follow the bier if he wants, like David followed the bier when Avner died - "veha'Melech David Holech Acharei ha'Mitah.''

Chachamim: No, [that was an exception]; it was only to appease (to show everyone that he was grieved, and had not told Yo'av to kill him).

When they give to him the meal of Havra'ah, they sit on the ground, and he sits on a Dargesh (a bed for the sake of good Mazal).

(Gemara) Inference: (A Kohen Gadol sits on a bench, and a king on a Dargesh.) This teaches that a Dargesh is subject to the law of inverting the bed, and a king is exempt from inverting the bed (therefore he sits on a Dargesh, but a Kohen Gadol may not. In any case, he may not sit on a proper bed - Korban ha'Edah.)

(Beraisa #1): Women go first [in back of the Mes], and men go after them.

(Beraisa #2): Men go first, and women go after them.

The one who says that women go first, this is because they (Chavah) caused death [to come] to the world. The one who says that men go first, this is for the honor of Bnos Yisrael, lest [men] look at women. (Merumei Sadeh (20a) - women are on another side.)

Question (against Beraisa #1): "Veha'Melech David Holech Acharei ha'Mitah''!

Answer: That was only to appease. After he appeased the women, he appeased the men, and after he appeased the men, he appeased the women. (David went among both of them, so we cannot infer who was in front.)

Question: It says "va'Yashav David...'' What is "Echad ha'Reikim''?

Answer (R. Ba bar Kahana): It is the emptiest of empty people, i.e. a dancer (Mosaf ha'Aruch. It seems that this is like Rav Nachman's slave, who used to dance so that people would give him to drink.)

[Michal] said to him "today was exposed [part of your body, and this disgraced] the honor of my father's house.'' They said about Beis Sha'ul that people never saw from them the heel or thumb.

Source (R. Bun bar R. Lazar): It says "va'Yavo El Gidros ha'Tzon'' - a fence within a fence (excessive distancing from immodesty).

"Va'Yavo Sha'ul Lehasech Es Raglav'' - [David] saw that he was lowering his garment and removing bit by bit (only what was needed). He said "cursed is one who strikes this modest one!''

This is what he said to [Sha'ul] "ha'Yom ha'Zeh Asher Ra'u Einecha...'' - it does not say "I had mercy on you'', rather, "it had mercy on you'' - your modesty [caused that I] had mercy on you.

"Va'Yomer David El Michal...; ... v'Im ha'Amahos Asher Amart Imam Ikavedah'' - they are not slaves, rather, Imahos (mothers; they are greater than you)!

How was she punished? "Ul'Michal Bas Sha'ul Lo Hayah Lah Valad'' (she did not merit to be a mother).

Question: It says "veha'Shishi Yisre'am l'Eglah Eshes David'' (he was born to Michal)!

Answer: [She is called Eglah because] she wailed [like a cow] and died [when he gave birth. The verse above said that she did not have a child until the day she died.]

No one in Yisrael disgraced himself for Mitzvos more than David;

Why did he disgrace himself for Mitzvos? It is because people were looking at the Aron and dying, for it says "va'Yach b'Anshei Veis Shemesh...'' (David disgraced himself to atone for them, and so people will honor the Aron.)

R. Chaninah and R. Mana - one of them said "va'Yach ba'Am Shiv'im Ish'' - this is the Sanhedrin. "V'Chamishim Elef'' - they were equal [in importance] to 50,000 men;

The other [Chacham] said "va'Yach ba'Am Shiv'im Ish'' - this is the Sanhedrin. "V'Chamishim Elef'' were commoners.

It says "Shir ha'Ma'alos l'David Hash-m Lo Gavah Libi'' - when Shmuel anointed me; "v'Lo Ramu Einai'' - when I killed Galyus''; "v'Lo Hilachti bi'Gedolos'' - when I brought up the Aron; "uv'Nifla'os Mimeni'' - when they returned me to my kingship.

Rather, "Im Lo Shivisi v'Domamti k'Gamul Alei Imo ka'Gamul Alai Nafshi'' - like a baby that leaves his mother's womb, so was my soul on me (I did not consider myself very learned).

(Mishnah): [A king] goes to an optional war with the consent of the [Great] Sanhedrin of 71;

He may breach fences to make a path for himself, and no one may protest. He may make a path as wide as he wants.

Everyone takes spoils in war. He takes a portion (half) first.

(Gemara) Source: It says "Al Piv Yetz'u v'Al Piv Yavo'u.''

He may breach fences to make a path for himself [and everyone takes spoils, and he takes a portion (half) first] for it says "Nahagu Lifnei ha'Mikneh va'Yomeru Zeh Shelal David.''

(R. Yochanan): "Hu Hayah Im David b'Fas Damim'' - it was a red field (like blood);

(R. Shmuel): From there, money ceased (there was a ruling that he need not pay).

(R. Yakov of Kefar Chanan): "U'Plishtim Ne'esafim...'' - lentils were [in the field,] but they were the size of barley.

(R. Levi): [These verses] refer to the Plishtim themselves. They came erect like barley, and went lowly like lentils (to ambush David).

Contradiction: It says (in Divrei ha'Yamim) "va'Tehi Sham Chelkas ha'Sadeh Melei'ah Se'orim'', and it says (in Sefer Shmuel) "Melei'ah Adashim''!

Answer #1 (R. Shmuel bar Nachman): It was one year, and there were two fields - one of barley and one of lentils.

It was obvious to [David] that he may destroy [what is growing there, in order to expose the Plishtim] and pay. (Below, we expound that he needed to know a Halachah.)

Question: Perhaps [he asked if he may] destroy and not pay, [and] which he should destroy - of lentils or of barley!

[He should not destroy] of lentils, for it is human food, and of barley is [primarily] animal food! Or, [he should destroy] of lentils, for it is exempt from Chalah, and of barley is obligated Chalah. The Omer does not come from lentils. The Omer comes from barley!

Answer #2 (Rabanan): It was one field, and two years. (One year there was barley, and the other year there were lentils.)

Question: He could have learned [the second year] from the previous year! (Why did he ask twice?)

Answer: We may not learn from one year to the other (the danger was different).

Contradiction: "Va'Yitzyatzvu b'Soch ha'Chalakah va'Yatziluha'' - it says "va'Yatziluha'' (plural, in Divrei ha'Yamim), and it says "va'Yatzilah'' (in Shmuel)!

Answer: This teaches that he returned it entirely to the owner, and it was dear to him like [many fields, as if it was] a field full of saffron.

Opinion #1A (R. Chiya bar Ba): It says "va'Yis'aveh David va'Yomar Mi Yashkani Mayim mi'Bor Beis Lechem...'' - he needed to know a Halachah.

Question: "Va'Yivke'u Sheloshah'' - why [did he send] three?

Answer: A Halachah is not clarified with less than three;

"V'Lo Avah David Lishtos'' - he did not want to act (rely) on the Halachah. "Va'Yasach Osam la'Shem'' - he fixed [the Halachah] for generations, that a king may breach to make a path for himself.

Answer #2 (Bar Kapara): It was Sukos, and [he wanted water for] Nisuch ha'Mayim. There was a Heter [to offer on a] Bamah at the time;

Question: "Va'Yivke'u Sheloshah'' - why [did he send] three?

Answer: One kills [Plishtim], one clears away corpses, and one enters the flask [to draw water] in Taharah.

Observation: One verse says "va'Yinasech Osam la'Shem'', and one verse says "va'Yasach'' - the verse that says "va'Yasach'' supports R. Chiya bar Ba (it is like Maseches, fixing the Halachah for generations). The verse that says "va'Yinasech'' supports Bar Kapara (it connotes only pouring Nesachim).

Opinion #1B (Rav Huna citing R. Yosi): [David] needed to know Halachos of captives (of the seven nations, whether one must kill them, or if one may keep them alive).

Opinion #1C (R. Shimon bar Rebbi): He desired to know [the place] to build the Beis ha'Mikdash.