| 1In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham the king of Judah became king. |
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אבִּשְׁנַת֙ שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לְפֶ֖קַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָ֑הוּ מָלַ֛ךְ אָחָ֥ז בֶּן־יוֹתָ֖ם מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה: |
| 2Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was proper in the eyes of the Lord his God like David his father. |
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בבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֚ים שָׁנָה֙ אָחָ֣ז בְּמָלְכ֔וֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑םִ וְלֹא־עָשָֹ֣ה הַיָּשָׁ֗ר בְּעֵינֵ֛י יהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֖יו כְּדָוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו: |
| 3He went in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also he passed his son through fire in the abominable manner of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before the children of Israel. |
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גוַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְגַ֚ם אֶת־בְּנוֹ֙ הֶעֱבִ֣יר בָּאֵ֔שׁ כְּתֹֽעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹרִ֚ישׁ יְהֹוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| 4And he slaughtered sacrifices and burnt incense on the high places and on the hills, and under every green tree. |
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דוַיְזַבֵּ֧חַ וַיְקַטֵּ֛ר בַּבָּמ֖וֹת וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֑וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן: |
| 5Then Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war, and they besieged Ahaz, but could not wage war [with him]. |
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האָ֣ז יַעֲלֶ֣ה רְצִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲ֠רָם וּפֶ֨קַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָ֧הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל יְרוּשָׁלַ֖םִ לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיָּצֻ֙רוּ֙ עַל־אָחָ֔ז וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ לְהִלָּחֵֽם: |
| 6At that time, Rezin the king of Aram restored Elath to Aram, and drove out the Judeans from Eloth, and Edomites came to Elath and dwelt there until this day. |
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ובָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא הֵ֠שִׁיב רְצִ֨ין מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֚ם אֶת־אֵילַת֙ לַֽאֲרָ֔ם וַיְנַשֵּׁ֥ל אֶת־הַיְהוּדִ֖ים מֵֽאֵיל֑וֹת וַֽאֲדֹמִים֙ (כתיב וַֽאֲרֹמִים֙) בָּ֣אוּ אֵילַ֔ת וַיֵּ֣שְׁבוּ שָׁ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| 7And Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel who have risen up against me." |
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זוַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אָחָ֜ז מַלְאָכִ֗ים אֶל־תִּ֠גְלַת פְּלֶ֚סֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר עַבְדְּךָ֥ וּבִנְךָ֖ אָ֑נִי עֲלֵ֨ה וְהוֹשִׁעֵ֜נִי מִכַּ֣ף מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם וּמִכַּף֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַקּוֹמִ֖ים עָלָֽי: |
| 8And Ahaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's palace, and sent them to the king of Assyria as a bribe. |
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חוַיִּקַּ֨ח אָחָ֜ז אֶת־הַכֶּ֣סֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֗ב הַנִּמְצָא֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה וּבְאֹֽצְר֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח לְמֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר שֹֽׁחַד: |
| 9And the king of Assyria heeded him, and the king of Assyria went up to Damascus and seized it, and exiled [its inhabitants] to Kir, and he slew Rezin. |
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טוַיִּשְׁמַ֚ע אֵלָיו֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיַּעַל֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ אַשּׁ֚וּר אֶל־דַּמֶּ֙שֶׂק֙ וַֽיִּתְפְּשֶֹ֔הָ וַיַּגְלֶ֖הָ קִ֑ירָה וְאֶת־רְצִ֖ין הֵמִֽית: |
| and exiled it to Kir. The people therein he exiled to a province named Kir. |
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וַיַּגְלֶהָ קִירָה.
אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ, הִגְלָה לִמְדִינָה שֶׁשְּׁמָהּ קִיר.
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| 10And King Ahaz went toward Tiglath-Pileser the king of Assyria to Damascus, and he saw the altar that was in Damascus, and King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest the likeness of the altar and its pattern, according to all its workmanship. |
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יוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָחָ֡ז לִ֠קְרַאת תִּגְלַ֨ת פִּלְאֶ֚סֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ דּוּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּדַמָּ֑שֶׂק וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אָחָ֜ז אֶל־אוּרִיָּ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֶת־דְּמ֧וּת הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ וְאֶת־תַּבְנִית֖וֹ לְכָֽל־מַעֲשֵֹֽהוּ: |
| 11And Uriah the priest built the altar, according to all that King Ahaz sent from Damascus, so did Uriah the priest make it until King Ahaz came from Damascus. |
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יאוַיִּ֛בֶן אוּרִיָּ֥ה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַח֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אָחָ֜ז מִדַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק כֵּ֚ן עָשָׂה֙ אוּרִיָּ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֔ן עַד־בּ֥וֹא הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־אָחָ֖ז מִדַּמָּֽשֶׂק: |
| until King Ahaz came. [i.e.,] before the king came from Damascus. |
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עַד בּוֹא.
לִפְנֵי בּוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ מִדַּמֶּשֶׂק.
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| 12And the king came from Damascus, and the king saw the altar, and the king approached the altar and offered up [sacrifices] thereon. |
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יבוַיָּבֹ֚א הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ מִדַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וַיַּ֥רְא הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרַ֥ב הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ וַיַּ֥עַל עָלָֽיו: |
| 13And he burnt his burnt-offering and his meal-offering, and he poured his libation, and he sprinkled the blood of his peace-offering on the altar. |
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יגוַיַּקְטֵ֚ר אֶת־עֹֽלָתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־מִנְחָת֔וֹ וַיַּסֵּ֖ךְ אֶת־נִסְכּ֑וֹ וַיִּזְרֹ֛ק אֶת־דַּֽם־הַשְּׁלָמִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: |
| 14And the copper altar that was before the Lord, he brought near from before the Temple, from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and he placed it on the side of the altar to the north. |
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ידוְאֵ֨ת הַמִּזְבַּ֣ח הַנְּחשֶׁת֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָה֒ וַיַּקְרֵ֗ב מֵאֵת֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַבַּ֔יִת מִבֵּין֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וּמִבֵּ֖ין בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹת֛וֹ עַל־יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ צָפֽוֹנָה: |
| And the copper altar… he brought near…. It is impossible to say that this was the copper altar that Moses made, since it was hidden. It is also impossible to say that this was the stone altar that Solomon made, and he called it in II Chron. (7:7) the copper altar, for it was impossible to move it from one corner to another without demolishing it. Indeed, we learned (Zebahim 61b): The fire that descended in Solomon’s time, did not leave the altar until Manasseh came and removed it, for he demolished the altar, as we find in the Aggadah of the chapter entitled ‘Chelek.’ I have no way to explain this except as referring to the lavers and the laver stands of copper, which were accessories of the altar and were near the holy altar. Now when Ahaz made the altar for the idols, he removed the laver and brought it near to another side, farther away from the Temple, so as not to intervene between the altar he made and the house of the Lord, and he placed it next to the holy altar on the north. We find that our Rabbis explained [a passage] in a similar manner in Tractate Shabbath 55a: “And they came and stood next to the copper altar” (Ezekiel 9:2). Did the copper altar exist [at that time]? He said to them, “Commence from the place where they recite songs before Me.” Thus we see here that copper musical instruments are called an altar. [Similarly, the copper laver, also an accessory to the altar, is called “the copper altar.”] |
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וְאֵת הַמִּזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת וַיַּקְרֵב וְגוֹ'.
אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת שֶׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִגְנַז, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים שֶׁעָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה וּקְרָאוֹ מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת, שֶׁהֲרֵי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְקָרְבוֹ מִזָּוִית לְזָוִית אֶלָּא אִם הוֹרְסוֹ, וַהֲרֵי שָׁנִינוּ: אֵשׁ שֶׁיָּרְדָה בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה לֹא נִסְתַּלְּקָה מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, עַד שֶׁבָּא מְנַשֶּׁה וְסִלְּקָהּ, שֶׁהוּא הָרַס אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּאַגָּדַת חֵלֶק. אֵין לִי לְפָרֵשׁ מִזְבֵּחַ זֶה, אֶלָּא בְּכִיּוֹרוֹת וּמְכוֹנוֹת שֶל נְחשֶׁת, שֶׁהָיוּ צָרְכֵי מִזְבֵּחַ, וְהָיוּ אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וּכְשֶׁעָשָׂה אָחָז אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, סִלֵּק אֶת הַכִּיּוֹר וְהִקְרִיבוֹ לְצַד אַחֵר מֵאֵת פְּנֵי הַבַּיִת, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁעָשָׂה וּבֵין בֵּית ה', וַיִּתֵּן אוֹתוֹ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח הַקֹּדֶשׁ צָפוֹנָה. וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דֻּגְמָתוֹ: וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת, מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת מִי הֲוָה, אָמַר לָהֶם הִתְחִילוּ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁאוֹמְרִין שִׁירָה לְפָנַי. הֲרֵי כָּאן לִכְלֵי שִׁיר שֶל נְחשֶׁת, קְרָאוֹ מִזְבֵּחַ.
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| 15And King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, saying, "On the great altar burn the the morning burnt-offering and the evening meal-offering and the king's burnt-offering and his meal-offering and the burnt-offering of the entire people of the land, and their meal-offering and their libations and the blood of every burnt-offering and the blood of every sacrifice you shall sprinkle on it, and the copper altar shall be for me to visit. |
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טווַיְצַוֶּ֣ה (כתיב וַיְצַוֶּ֣הו) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־אָ֠חָז אֶת־אוּרִיָּ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן לֵאמֹ֗ר עַ֣ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ הַגָּד֡וֹל הַקְטֵ֣ר אֶת־עֹֽלַת־הַבֹּקֶר֩ וְאֶת־מִנְחַ֨ת הָעֶ֜רֶב וְֽאֶת־עֹלַ֧ת הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ וְאֶת־מִנְחָת֗וֹ וְ֠אֵת עֹלַ֞ת כָּל־עַ֚ם הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וּמִנְחָתָ֣ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֔ם וְכָל־דַּ֥ם עֹלָ֛ה וְכָל־דַּם־זֶ֖בַח עָלָ֣יו תִּזְרֹ֑ק וּמִזְבַּ֧ח הַנְּח֛שֶׁת יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֖י לְבַקֵּֽר: |
| shall be for me to visit. at intervals, when it would enter his mind to visit it. |
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לְבַקֵּר.
לִפְרָקִים, לִכְשֶׁיַּעֲלֶה בְּלִבִּי לְבַקְּרוֹ.
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| 16And Uriah the priest did according to all that King Ahaz had commanded. |
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טזוַיַּ֖עַשׂ אוּרִיָּ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֑ן כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖ה הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָחָֽז: |
| 17And King Ahaz cut off the insets of the laver stands, and he removed the lavers from upon them, and he took the tank off the copper cattle that were under it, and put it on a stone floor. |
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יזוַיְקַצֵּץ֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אָחָ֜ז אֶת־הַמִּסְגְּר֣וֹת הַמְּכֹנ֗וֹת וַיָּ֚סַר מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־ (כתיב ואֶת־) הַכִּיֹּ֔ר וְאֶת־הַיָּ֣ם הוֹרִ֔ד מֵעַ֛ל הַבָּקָ֥ר הַנְּח֖שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל מַרְצֶ֥פֶת אֲבָנִֽים: |
| the insets of the laver stands. the rows upon which the laver stands were made as it is said (I Kings 7:28), “And this is the work of the laver stand, they had insets.” |
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אֶת הַמִּסְגְּרוֹת הַמְּכֹנוֹת.
אִיצְטַבְּלָאוֹת שֶׁהַמְּכוֹנוֹת עֲשׂוּיוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזֶה מַעֲשֵׂה הַמְּכוֹנוֹת מִסְגְּרוֹת לָהֶם.
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| 18And the Sabbath canopy that they built in the house and the king's outside entrance he switched to the house of the Lord because of the king of Assyria. |
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יחוְאֶת־מוּסַ֨ךְ (כתיב מיּסַ֨ךְ) הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת אֲשֶׁר־בָּנ֣וּ בַבַּ֗יִת וְאֶת־מְב֚וֹא הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַֽחִיצ֔וֹנָה הֵסֵ֖ב בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה מִפְּנֵ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר: |
| And the Sabbath canopy. the roof of a tent, made for shade, to sit under it in the Temple court on the Sabbath day. |
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מוּסַךְ הַשַּׁבָּת.
גַּג אֹהֶל עָשׂוּי לְצֵל, לָשֶׁבֶת תַּחְתָּיו בָּעֲזָרָה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת.
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| and the king’s… entrance. through which he would come from his house to the house of the Lord through the outside, he switched to a concealed place because of the king of Assyria, lest he covet those vessels, and also the entrance he switched, perhaps he would have to hide and escape surreptitiously. |
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וְאֶת מְבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ.
שֶׁהָיָה בָּא בּוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ לְבֵית ה' דֶּרֶךְ הַחוּץ, הֵסֵב אוֹתוֹ בִּמְקוֹם הֶצְנֵעַ, מִפְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲמֹד אוֹתָן הַכֵּלִים, וְגַם אֶת הַמָּבוֹא הֵסֵב, שֶׁמָּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לְהֵחָבֵא, וְיִבְרַח בְּהֶצְנֵעַ.
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| 19And the rest of Ahaz's deeds that he did are written in the book of chronicles of the kings of Judah. |
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יטוְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י אָחָ֖ז אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָֹ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה: |
| 20And Ahaz slept with his forefathers and was buried with his forefathers in the city of David, and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. |
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כוַיִּשְׁכַּ֚ב אָחָז֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ חִזְקִיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו: |
