May Kings of David's House Sit in the Temple Courtyard

Midrash Shmuel 27:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And King David came and sat before the LORD, and said: Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?" (II Samuel 7:18). Rabbi Chiyya taught: There is no sitting in the courtyard except for the kings of the House of David alone. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Even for the kings of the House of David there is no sitting in the courtyard. They challenged him: "And King David came and sat before the LORD." Rabbi Aivi bar Negri said: He settled himself with words. There we learned: The first group went out and sat down on the Temple Mount — from which it follows that it sat there [outside]. From here it is said that within they were standing.

Retold in these myths

The Words That Bound the Royal House of DavidDavid dug for the Temple and woke the abyss, cursed Joab and doomed his own heirs. Midrash Shmuel says a king's words bind the dynasty.

Themes

DavidLawTempleKingsWisdom

Biblical References

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