גַּם כָּל יָמָיו בַּחשֶׁךְ יֵלֵךְ, מְדַבֵּר בְּדוֹרָן שֶׁל שׁוֹפְטִים. וְכָעַס הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְעִיסִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶן הָרָעִים. וְחָלְיוֹ וָקָצֶף, וְחָלְיוֹ, אֵלּוּ הַיִּסּוּרִין, וָקָצֶף, שֶׁהִקְצִיפוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמְרוּ (שופטים כא, ג): לָמָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיְתָה זֹאת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִפָּקֵד הַיּוֹם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֵׁבֶט אֶחָד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גַּם כָּל יָמָיו בַּחשֶׁךְ יֵלֵךְ, מְדַבֵּר בְּדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל. וְכָעַס הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְעִיסִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וְחָלְיוֹ, אֵלּוּ הַיִּסּוּרִין. וָקָצֶף, שֶׁהִקְצִיפוּ וְאָמְרוּ (שמואל א ד, ג): לָמָּה נְגָפָנוּ ה'. גָּלוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים וְלֹא נִשְׁתַּיֵּיר מֵהֶם, גָּלוּ שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וְשֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִין וְנִשְׁתַּיֵּיר מֵהֶם.
“In addition, all his days, he eats in darkness, and has much anger, illness, and rage” (Ecclesiastes 5:16). “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3). Another matter: “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of Samuel. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged [God] and said: “Why did the Lord cause us to be smitten?” (I Samuel 4:3). The ten tribes were exiled, and none remained of them. Judah and Benjamin were exiled, and some remained.