And David said, What have I done now? Is there not a cause? — David's defensive *mah asiti atta*, what have I done now, carries both literal innocence and a deeper question: is asking about victory a transgression? His *ki im davar hu*, is there not a cause, asserts that his question addresses the fundamental reality: Israel faces an existential threat, and the question of how to meet it is both appropriate and urgent. David's rhetorical move deflects Eliab's personal attack back toward the larger spiritual issue.

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