| 1In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah the king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria seventeen years. |
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אבִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֚ים וְשָׁלשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהוֹאָחָ֨ז בֶּן־יֵה֚וּא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה: |
| 2And he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord; and he followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which he caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from it. |
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בוַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַ֠יֵּלֶךְ אַחַ֨ר חַטֹּ֜את יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא־סָ֥ר מִמֶּֽנָּה: |
| 3And the Lord became angry with Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael the king of Aram and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael all the days. |
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גוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֞ם בְּיַ֣ד | חֲזָאֵ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם וּבְיַ֛ד בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד בֶּן־חֲזָאֵ֖ל כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים: |
| 4And Jehoahaz prayed before the Lord; and the Lord hearkened to his prayer, for He saw Israel's oppression, for the king of Aram oppressed them. |
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דוַיְחַ֥ל יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֚ע אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֚י רָאָה֙ אֶת־לַ֣חַץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־לָחַ֥ץ אֹתָ֖ם מֶ֥לֶךְ אֲרָֽם: |
| 5And the Lord gave Israel a savior and they went free from under Aram's hands, and the children of Israel dwelt in their dwelling places as yesterday and the day before. |
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הוַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֚ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מוֹשִׁ֔יעַ וַיֵּ֣צְא֔וּ מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־אֲרָ֑ם וַיֵּשְׁב֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶ֖ם כִּתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם: |
| And the Lord gave Israel a savior. Joash the son of Jehoahaz, concerning whom it is stated, (v. 19) “Three times shall you strike Aram.” |
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וַיִּתֵּן ה' לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעַ.
אֶת יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן יְהוֹאָחָז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ: שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים תַּכֶּה אֶת אֲרָם.
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| 6However, they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam which he made Israel sin; they persisted in them; and also the Asherah stood in Samaria. |
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ואַ֠ךְ לֹֽא־סָ֜רוּ מֵחַטֹּ֧אות בֵּית־יָרָבְעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־הֱחֱטִ֥יא (כתיב הֱחֱטִ֥י) אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣הּ הָלָ֑ךְ וְגַם֙ הָאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה עָמְדָ֖ה בְּשֹׁמְרֽוֹן: |
| 7For he had not left to Jehoahaz but fifty riders and ten chariots, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust to trample. |
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זכִּ֣י לֹא֩ הִשְׁאִ֨יר לִיהוֹאָחָ֜ז עָ֗ם כִּ֣י אִם־חֲמִשִּׁ֚ים פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ וַעֲשָֹ֣רָה רֶ֔כֶב וַעֲשֶֹ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים רַגְלִ֑י כִּ֚י אִבְּדָם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם וַיְשִׂמֵ֥ם כֶּֽעָפָ֖ר לָדֻֽשׁ: |
| 8And the rest of the events of Jehoahaz and all that he did and his might, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. |
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חוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֧י יְהוֹאָחָ֛ז וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֹ֖ה וּגְבוּרָת֑וֹ הֲלוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| 9And Jehoahaz slept with his forefathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and his son Joash reigned in his stead. |
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טוַיִּשְׁכַּ֚ב יְהֽוֹאָחָז֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יוֹאָ֥שׁ בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו: |
| 10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash the king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz reigned over Israel in Samaria sixteen years. |
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יבִּשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלשִׁ֚ים וָשֶׁ֙בַע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹאָ֖שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהוֹאָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֚ז עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה: |
| In the thirty-seventh year…. This verse is contradicted from two sides, and I have not found any reconciliation, for he should have said, “thirty-nine,” since his father rose in the twenty-third year of Joash, and reigned seventeen years. It is found that he died in the thirty-ninth year of Joash. Furthermore, it is stated below in this section (14:1), “In the second year of Joash the son of Joahaz the king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash the king of Judah, became king.” It is found that Joash the son of Jehoahaz rose in the fortieth year of Joash, which was his last year, and in the second year of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, Amaziah became king. And even if you say that Amaziah became king in the year of his father’s death, and Scripture calls this the second year of Joash, you, [nevertheless,] deduce that Joash the king of Israel did not become king until the thirty-ninth year of Joash the king of Judah. |
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בִּשְׁנַת שְׁלשִׁים וָשֶׁבַע וְגוֹ'.
מִקְרָא זֶה מֻכְחַשׁ מִשְּׁנֵי צְדָדִין, וְלֹא מָצָאתִי לוֹ מְתַקֵּן, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר שְׁלשִׁים וָתֵשַׁע, שֶׁהֲרֵי עָמַד אָבִיו בִּשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלשׁ לְיוֹאָשׁ, וּמָלַךְ שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁמֵּת בִּשְׁנַת שְׁלשִׁים וָתֵשַׁע לְיוֹאָשׁ. וְעוֹד הָא אָמוּר לְמַטָּה בָּעִנְיָן: בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְיוֹאָשׁ בֶּן יְהוֹאָחָז מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מָלַךְ אֲמַצְיָה בֶּן יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁעָמַד יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן יְהוֹאָחָז בִּשְׁנַת אַרְבָּעִים שֶל יוֹאָשׁ שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׁנָה אַחֲרוֹנָה לוֹ, וּבְשָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה לְיוֹאָשׁ בֶּן יְהוֹאָחָז מָלַךְ אֲמַצְיָה, וְאַף כִּי תֹאמַר שֶׁמָּלַךְ אֲמַצְיָה בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת אָבִיו, וְקָרָא הַכָּתוּב שְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְיוֹאָשׁ, לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁלֹּא מָלַךְ יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שְׁנַת שְׁלשִׁים וָתֵשַׁע שֶל יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה.
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| 11And he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he had made Israel sin; he persisted in it. |
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יאוַיַּֽעֲשֶֹ֥ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה לֹ֣א סָ֗ר מִכָּל־חַטֹּ֞אות יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֥הּ הָלָֽךְ: |
| 12And the rest of the events of Joash and all that he did and his mighty deeds, how he fought with Amaziah the king of Judah, are written in the book of chronicles of the kings of Israel. |
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יבוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֚י יוֹאָשׁ֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָֹ֔ה וּגְב֣וּרָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִלְחַ֔ם עִ֖ם אֲמַצְיָ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה הֲלֽוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| 13And Joash slept with his forefathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne, and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. |
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יגוַיִּשְׁכַּ֚ב יוֹאָשׁ֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וְיָרָבְעָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֑וֹ וַיִּקָּבֵ֚ר יוֹאָשׁ֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן עִ֖ם מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| and Jeroboam sat on his throne. He was his son. There is [reason] to wonder why these two verses were written here, for Scripture continues to relate the events of Joash, and then repeats, “And the rest of the deeds of Jehoash… And Joash slept with his forefathers…” (14:15, 16). I say that these [two verses] were written for the sole purpose of breaking continuity, so as not to juxtapose Elisha’s demise with a verse dealing with idolatry, by saying, “And he did what was evil… And Elisha became ill…” |
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וְיָרָבְעָם יָשַׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ.
בְּנוֹ הָיָה. וְיֵשׁ לִתְמֹהַּ, לָמָּה נִכְתְּבוּ כָּאן שְׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עוֹד לְפָנֵינוּ הוּא מְסַפֵּר וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּדִבְרֵי יוֹאָשׁ, וְחוֹזֵר וְכוֹתֵב וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יוֹאָשׁ וְגוֹ', וַיִּשְׁכַּב יוֹאָשׁ עִם אֲבוֹתָיו וְגוֹ'. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי, שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתְּבוּ אֶלָּא לְהַפְסִיק, שֶׁלֹּא לִסְמֹךְ מִיתַת אֱלִישָׁע לְמִקְרָא שֶל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, לוֹמַר וַיַּעַשׂ הָרָע וְגוֹ' וֶאֱלִישָׁע חָלָה וְגוֹ'.
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| 14Now Elisha became ill with the illness he was to die of; and Joash the king of Israel went down to him and wept on his face, and said, "My master, my master, Israel's chariots and riders!" |
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ידוֶֽאֱלִישָׁע֙ חָלָ֣ה אֶת־חָלְי֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָמ֖וּת בּ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אֵלָ֜יו יוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיֵּ֚בְךְּ עַל־פָּנָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָבִ֣י | אָבִ֔י רֶ֥כֶב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּפָרָשָֽׁיו: |
| 15And Elisha said to him, "Fetch a bow and arrows." And he fetched him a bow and arrows. |
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טווַיֹּ֚אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֱלִישָׁ֔ע קַ֖ח קֶ֣שֶׁת וְחִצִּ֑ים וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֵלָ֖יו קֶ֥שֶׁת וְחִצִּֽים: |
| 16And he said to the king of Israel, "Place your hand on the bow," and he placed his hand; and Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands. |
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טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר | לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַרְכֵּ֚ב יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַקֶּ֔שֶׁת וַיַּרְכֵּ֖ב יָד֑וֹ וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֱלִישָׁ֛ע יָדָ֖יו עַל־יְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ: |
| 17And he said, "Open the window to the east," and he opened it; and Elisha said, "Shoot!" And he shot. And he said, "[This is] an arrow of salvation from the Lord, and an arrow of victory over Aram, and you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until they are completely annihilated." |
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יזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּתַ֧ח הַחַלּ֛וֹן קֵ֖דְמָה וַיִּפְתָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֚ע יְרֵה֙ וַיּ֔וֹר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר חֵץ־תְּשׁוּעָ֚ה לַֽיהֹוָה֙ וְחֵ֣ץ תְּשׁוּעָ֣ה בַֽאֲרָ֔ם וְהִכִּיתָ֧ אֶת־אֲרָ֛ם בַּאֲפֵ֖ק עַד־כַּלֵּֽה: |
| “Open the window to the east. Opposite the land of Aram, as it is said, (Is. 9: 11) ” Aram from the east." |
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פְּתַח הַחַלּוֹן קֵדְמָה.
מוּל אֶרֶץ אֲרָם שֶׁהֵם בַּמִּזְרָח, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲרָם מִקֶּדֶם.
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| “Shoot!” and he shot. This follows Jonathan. |
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יְרֵה וַיּוֹר.
שְׁדֵי וּשְׁדָא.
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| And he said, “This is an arrow of salvation…”. Elisha said, This arrow is a symbol of salvation for Israel. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר חֵץ תְּשׁוּעָה וְגוֹ'.
אֱלִישָׁע אָמַר הַחֵץ הַזֶּה יִהְיֶה סִימַן תְּשׁוּעָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
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| in Aphek. the name of the city. |
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בַּאֲפֵק.
שֵׁם הָעִיר.
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| 18And he said, "Take the arrows." And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike at the ground," and he struck three times and stopped. |
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יחוַיֹּ֛אמֶר קַ֥ח הַחִצִּ֖ים וַיִּקָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֚אמֶר לְמֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַךְ־אַ֔רְצָה וַיַּ֥ךְ שָֽׁלשׁ־פְּעָמִ֖ים וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד: |
| 19And the man of God was incensed against him, and he said, "You should have struck five or six times, then you would strike the Arameans until you would annihilate them completely, but now, you shall strike the Arameans but three times." |
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יטוַיִּקְצֹ֨ף עָלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְהַכּ֨וֹת חָמֵ֚שׁ אוֹ־שֵׁשׁ֙ פְּעָמִ֔ים אָ֛ז הִכִּ֥יתָ אֶת־אֲרָ֖ם עַד־כַּלֵּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֕ה שָׁל֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים תַּכֶּ֥ה אֶת־אֲרָֽם: |
| And he said, You should have struck five or six times. [lit. to strike five or six times.] |
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וַיֹּאמֶר לְהַכּוֹת חָמֵשׁ אוֹ שֵׁשׁ פְּעָמִים.
הָיָה לְךָ.
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| then. Had you done so, you would have struck Aram five or six times, for as a symbol of victory, I placed your hands on the bow. |
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אָז.
אִם כָּךְ עָשִׂיתָ, הִכִּיתָ אֶת אֲרָם חָמֵשׁ אוֹ שֵׁשׁ פְּעָמִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְסִימַן תְּשׁוּעָה הִרְכַּבְתִּי יָדֶיךָ עַל הַקֶּשֶׁת.
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| 20And Elisha died and they buried him, and Moabite bands would invade the land at the beginning of the year. |
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כוַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִישָׁ֖ע וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֑הוּ וּגְדוּדֵ֥י מוֹאָ֛ב יָבֹ֥אוּ בָאָ֖רֶץ בָּ֥א שָׁנָֽה: |
| would invade the land. were wont to come and plunder the land. |
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יָבֹאוּ בָאָרֶץ.
הָיוּ רְגִילִין לָבֹא וְלִשְׁלֹל בָּאָרֶץ.
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| at the beginning of the year. Jonathan [renders]: at the entrance of the year. At the return of the year, when the earth is still full of vegetation, and there is food for their animals, it is customary for bands to set out. |
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בָּא שָׁנָה.
בְּמֵיעָל שַׁתָּא, בִּתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה, בְּעוֹד הָאָרֶץ מְלֵאָה דְּשָׁאִים וְיֵשׁ מַאֲכָל לִבְהֶמְתָּם, דֶּרֶךְ חֲיָלוֹת לָצֵאת.
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| 21And it came to pass that they were burying a man, and behold, they saw the band, and they threw the man into Elisha's grave, and he went and touched Elisha's bones, and he came to life and stood up on his feet. |
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כאוַיְהִ֞י הֵ֣ם | קֹבְרִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ וְהִנֵּה֙ רָא֣וּ אֶֽת־הַגְּד֔וּד וַיַּשְׁלִ֥יכוּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ בְּקֶ֣בֶר אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ וַיִּגַּ֚ע הָאִישׁ֙ בְּעַצְמ֣וֹת אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וַיְחִ֖י וַיָּ֥קָם עַל־רַגְלָֽיו: |
| 22Now Hazael the king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. |
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כבוַֽחֲזָאֵל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם לָחַ֖ץ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י יְהוֹאָחָֽז: |
| 23And the Lord was gracious and merciful to them, and he turned to them for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He did not want to destroy them, and He did not cast them off from His presence until now. |
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כגוַיָּחָן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֹתָ֚ם וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙ וַיִּ֣פֶן אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְמַ֣עַן בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם יִצְחָ֣ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְלֹ֚א אָבָה֙ הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם מֵֽעַל־פָּנָ֖יו עַד־עָֽתָּה: |
| 24And Hazael died, and his son Ben-Hadad reigned in his stead. |
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כדוַיָּ֖מָת חֲזָאֵ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו: |
| 25And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz returned and took the cities from the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, which he had taken from the hand of His father Jehoahaz in battle; Joash beat him three times and recovered the cities of Israel. |
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כהוַיָּ֜שָׁב יְהוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֗ז וַיִּקַּ֚ח אֶת־הֶֽעָרִים֙ מִיַּד֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־חֲזָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקַ֗ח מִיַּ֛ד יְהוֹאָחָ֥ז אָבִ֖יו בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה שָׁל֚שׁ פְּעָמִים֙ הִכָּ֣הוּ יוֹאָ֔שׁ וַיָּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־עָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
