Chapter 28

1Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem, and he did not do that which was proper in the eyes of the Lord like his father David.   אבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֚ים שָׁנָה֙ אָחָ֣ז בְּמָלְכ֔וֹ וְשֵֽׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־עָשָׂ֧ה הַיָּשָׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה כְּדָוִ֥יד אָבִֽיו:
2And he went in the ways of the kings of Israel, and he also made molten images for the baalim.   בוַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְגַ֧ם מַסֵּכ֛וֹת עָשָׂ֖ה לַבְּעָלִֽים:
3And he burnt incense in the valley of Ben Hinnom, and he burnt his sons in fire, like the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before the Children of Israel.   גוְה֥וּא הִקְטִ֖יר בְּגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֑ם וַיַּבְעֵ֚ר אֶת־בָּנָיו֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ כְּתֹֽעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
4And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places and on the hills and under every leafy tree.   דוַֽיְזַבֵּ֧חַ וַיְקַטֵּ֛ר בַּבָּמ֖וֹת וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֑וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַֽעֲנָֽן:
5And the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram, and they smote him and captured from him a great captivity, and they brought them to Damascus, and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, and he smote him a great blow.   הוַיִּתְּנֵ֜הוּ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָיו֘ בְּיַ֣ד מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָם֒ וַיַּ֨כּוּ־ב֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁבּ֚וּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ שִׁבְיָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ דַּרְמָ֑שֶׂק וְ֠גַם בְּיַד־מֶ֚לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נִתָּ֔ן וַיַּךְ־בּ֖וֹ מַכָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה:
6And Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah one hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of whom were valiant men, when they forsook the Lord, the God of their forefathers.   ווַיַּֽהֲרֹג֩ פֶּ֨קַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָ֜הוּ בִּֽיהוּדָ֗ה מֵאָ֨ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד הַכֹּ֣ל בְּנֵֽי־חָ֑יִל בְּעָזְבָ֕ם אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתָֽם:
7And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah, the king's son, and Azrikam, the ruler of the palace, and Elkanah, the viceroy.   זוַיַּֽהֲרֹ֞ג זִכְרִ֣י| גִּבּ֣וֹר אֶפְרַ֗יִם אֶת־מַֽעֲשֵׂיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת־עַזְרִיקָ֖ם נְגִ֣יד הַבָּ֑יִת וְאֶת־אֶלְקָנָ֖ה מִשְׁנֵ֥ה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
Maaseiah, the king’s son. [I.e., the son of] Ahaz. Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim slew [him].   את מעשיהו בן המלך.  אחז, הרג זכרי גבור אפרים:
and Azrikam. Heb. וְאֶת וְאֶת, similar to (Gen. 36:24): “and Aiah and Anah (וְאַיָּה וְעַנָה),” and similarly, (Ps. 76:7): “and chariot and horse (וָרֶכֶב וָסוּס) were stunned.”   ואת עזריקם.  ואת ואת דוגמא (בראשית ל״ו:כ״ד) ואיה וענה וכן נרדם ורכב וסוס (תהילים ע״ו:ז׳):
8And the Children of Israel captured of their brethren two hundred thousand women, male children, and female children, and they also took a large amount of spoils from them, and they brought the spoils to Samaria.   חוַיִּשְׁבּוּ֩ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל מֵֽאֲחֵיהֶ֜ם מָאתַ֣יִם אֶ֗לֶף נָשִׁים֙ בָּנִ֣ים וּבָנ֔וֹת וְגַם־שָׁלָ֥ל רָ֖ב בָּֽזְז֣וּ מֵהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֶת־הַשָּׁלָ֖ל לְשֹֽׁמְרֽוֹן:
9Now there was a prophet of the Lord there named Oded, and he went out before the army coming to Samaria, and he said to them, "Behold because of the wrath of the Lord, the God of your forefathers upon Judah, He delivered them into your hand, and you slew them with fury that reached the heavens.   טוְ֠שָׁם הָיָ֨ה נָבִ֥יא לַֽיהֹוָה֘ עֹדֵ֣ד שְׁמוֹ֒ וַיֵּצֵ֗א לִפְנֵ֚י הַצָּבָא֙ הַבָּ֣א לְשֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם הִ֠נֵּה בַּֽחֲמַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה נְתָנָ֣ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַתַּֽהַרְגוּ־בָ֣ם בְּזַ֔עַף עַ֥ד לַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִגִּֽיעַ:
10And now, the children of Judah and Jerusalem you say to hold for manservants and maidservants for yourselves. Are you not bringing with yourselves only guilt against the Lord God?   יוְ֠עַתָּה בְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֚ה וִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים לִכְבֹּ֛שׁ לַֽעֲבָדִ֥ים וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת לָכֶ֑ם הֲלֹ֚א רַק־אַתֶּם֙ עִמָּכֶ֣ם אֲשָׁמ֔וֹת לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
11And now, hearken to me and return the captives whom you have captured from your brethren, for the burning wrath of the Lord is upon you."   יאוְעַתָּ֣ה שְׁמָע֔וּנִי וְהָשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ הַשִּׁבְיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁבִיתֶ֖ם מֵֽאֲחֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֛י חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה עֲלֵיכֶֽם:
12And certain men of the chiefs of the sons of Ephraim: Azariah the son of Jehohanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum and Amassa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those coming from the army.   יבוַיָּקֻ֨מוּ אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מֵֽרָאשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֗יִם עֲזַרְיָ֚הוּ בֶן־יְהֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּֽרֶכְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־מְשִׁלֵּמ֔וֹת וִֽיחִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־שַׁלֻּ֔ם וַֽעֲמָשָׂ֖א בֶּן־חַדְלָ֑י עַל־הַבָּאִ֖ים מִן־הַצָּבָֽא:
13And they said to them, "Do not bring the captives here, for what to the Lord is guilt upon us you intend to add to our sins and to our guilt, for this will be great guilt to us and burning wrath upon Israel."   יגוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם לֹֽא־תָבִ֚יאוּ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה֙ הֵ֔נָּה כִּי֩ לְאַשְׁמַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֚ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים לְהֹסִ֥יף עַל־חַטֹּאתֵ֖ינוּ וְעַל־אַשְׁמָתֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־רַבָּ֚ה אַשְׁמָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַֽחֲר֥וֹן אָ֖ף עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
14And the advance guard left the captives and the booty before the officers and all the assembly.   ידוַיַּֽעֲזֹ֣ב הֶֽחָל֗וּץ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה֙ וְאֶת־הַבִּזָּ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְכָל־הַקָּהָֽל:
15And the men who were mentioned by name arose and took hold of the captives, and clothed all their nakedness from the spoils, and they dressed them and shod them and fed them and gave them to drink, and they anointed them and led them on donkeys, every feeble one, and they brought them to Jericho, the city of palms, beside their brethren, and they returned to Samaria.   טווַיָּקֻ֣מוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֩ אֲשֶׁר־נִקְּב֨וּ בְשֵׁמ֜וֹת וַיַּֽחֲזִ֣יקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָ֗ה וְכָל־מַֽעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם֘ הִלְבִּ֣ישׁוּ מִן־הַשָּׁלָל֒ וַיַּלְבִּשׁ֣וּם וַ֠יַּנְעִלוּם וַיַּֽאֲכִל֨וּם וַיַּשְׁק֜וּם וַיְסֻכ֗וּם וַיְנַֽהֲל֚וּם בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ לְכָל־כּוֹשֵׁ֔ל וַיְבִיא֛וּם יְרֵח֥וֹ עִֽיר־הַתְּמָרִ֖ים אֵ֣צֶל אֲחֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּשׁ֖וּבוּ שֹֽׁמְרֽוֹן:
And the men who were mentioned by name arose. above (verse 12). Who were they? Those men who were of the heads of the sons of Ephraim: Azariah the son of Jehohanan and his colleagues.   ויקמו האנשים אשר נקבו בשמות.  למעלה מי הם אותם אנשים שהם מראשי בני אפרים עזריהו בן יהוחנן וחביריו:
and all their nakedness. Heb. מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם, an expression of (Ezek. 15: “naked (עֵרם) and bare.”   וכל מערמיהם.  לשון ערום ועריה:
16At that time, King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to aid him.   טזבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא שָׁלַ֞ח הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אָחָ֛ז עַל־מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֖וּר לַעְזֹ֥ר לֽוֹ:
17Also Edomites came, and they slew of Judah and captured captives.   יזוְע֥וֹד אֲדוֹמִ֖ים בָּ֑אוּ וַיַּכּ֥וּ בִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וַיִּשְׁבּוּ־שֶֽׁבִי:
18And Philistines raided the cities of the lowlands and the southland of Judah, and they captured Beth Shemesh and Ajalon and Gederoth and Socho and its villages and Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages and they dwelt there.   יחוּפְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים פָּֽשְׁט֗וּ בְּעָרֵ֨י הַשְּׁפֵלָ֣ה וְהַנֶּגֶב֘ לִֽיהוּדָה֒ וַ֠יִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת־בֵּֽית־שֶׁ֨מֶשׁ וְאֶת־אַיָּל֜וֹן וְאֶת־הַגְּדֵר֗וֹת וְאֶת־שׂוֹכ֚וֹ וּבְנוֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ וְאֶת־תִּמְנָ֣ה וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־גִּמְז֖וֹ וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתֶ֑יהָ וַיֵּֽשְׁב֖וּ שָֽׁם:
And Philistines raided the cities of the lowlands and the southland. which was opposite them, as it is written about the Philistines, (Zeph. 2:5): “the inhabitants of the seacoast.”   ופלשתים פשטו בערי השפלה והנגב.  שהוא כנגדם כדכתיב והכנעני יושב על הים:
19For the Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he exposed Judah and acted treacherously against the Lord.   יטכִּֽי־הִכְנִ֚יעַ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה בַּֽעֲב֖וּר אָחָ֣ז מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֚י הִפְרִ֙יעַ֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמָע֥וֹל מַ֖עַל בַּֽיהֹוָֽה:
for he exposed Judah. Heb. הִפְרִיעַ, similar to (Exod. 32:25): “for Aaron had exposed them (פְּרָעֹה) (Jud. 5:2): ” When breaches are made פְּרָעוֹת) (בִּפְרֹעַ."   כי הפריע ביהודה.  דוגמא (שמות ל״ב:כ״ה) כי פרעה אהרן בפרוע פרעות (שופטים ה'):
20And Tilgath-Pilneser, the king of Assyria, came upon him and oppressed him but did not strengthen him.   כוַיָּבֹ֣א עָלָ֔יו תִּלְּגַּ֥ת פִּלְנְאֶ֖סֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיָּ֥צַר ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א חֲזָקֽוֹ:
came upon him. for he had sent after him to aid him, as is written in II Kings (16:7): “And Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pilneser.”   ויבא עליו.  ששלח אחריו לעזור לו כמו שכתוב במלכים (ב' ט"ז) וישלח מלאכים אל תגלת פלנאסר:
and oppressed him. from that which he shared with him [from] the House of the Lord and the palace of the king, etc."   ויצר לו.  ממה שחלק לו את בית ה' ואת בית המלך וגו':
21For Ahaz had shared [the treasures of] the House of the Lord and the palace of the king and the princes, and he gave them to the king of Assyria, but he was of no help to him.   כאכִּֽי־חָלַ֚ק אָחָז֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִ֑ים וַיִּתֵּן֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וְלֹ֥א לְעֶזְרָ֖ה לֽוֹ:
but he was of no help to him. Even though we find in II Kings (ibid. verse 9): “and the king of Assyria went up to Damascus and seized it and exiled it[s inhabitants] to Kir, and slew Rezin,” he was not much of an aid to him to strengthen him and to restore the cities that the Philistines had taken from him.   ולא לעזרה לו.  אף על פי שמצינו במלכים (שם) ויעל מלך אשור על דמשק ויתפשה ויגלה קירה ואת רצין המית לא היה לו לעזרה כל כך לחזקו ולהשיב לו ערים שלקחו ממנו פלשתים:
22And at the time he oppressed him, he continued to act treacherously against the Lord; he was King Ahaz.   כבוּבְעֵת֙ הָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ וַיּ֖וֹסֶף לִמְע֣וֹל בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה ה֖וּא הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָחָֽז:
23And he sacrificed to the gods of the kings of Aram, who had smitten him, and he said, "For the gods of the kings of Aram-they are helping them. To them I shall sacrifice, and they will help me," but they caused him to stumble, as well as all Israel.   כגוַיִּזְבַּ֗ח לֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י דַרְמֶשֶׂק֘ הַמַּכִּ֣ים בּוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּ֠י אֱלֹהֵ֚י מַלְכֵֽי־אֲרָם֙ הֵם מַעְזְרִ֣ים אוֹתָ֔ם לָהֶ֥ם אֲזַבֵּ֖חַ וְיַעְזְר֑וּנִי וְהֵ֛ם הָֽיוּ־ל֥וֹ לְהַכְשִׁיל֖וֹ וּלְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
24And Ahaz gathered the vessels of the House of God, and he cut the vessels of the House of God, and he closed the doors of the House of the Lord, and he made himself altars in every corner in Jerusalem.   כדוַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֨ף אָחָ֜ז אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י בֵֽית־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיְקַצֵּץ֙ אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י בֵֽית־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּסְגֹּ֖ר אֶת־דַּלְת֣וֹת בֵּֽית־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּ֨עַשׂ ל֧וֹ מִזְבְּח֛וֹת בְּכָל־פִּנָּ֖ה בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
and he closed the doors of the House of the Lord. so that the priests would not go to perform their service in the Tent of Meeting, but come to the altars that he erected on every corner in Jerusalem, and Hezekiah “opened the doors of the House of the Lord,” (below 29: 3) because his father had closed the doors of the House of the Lord.   ויסגר את דלתות בית ה'.  כדי שלא יבואו הכהנים לעבוד עבודתם באהל מועד כי אם לבוא למזבחות שעש' בכל פינה בירושלים וחזקיה פתח דלתות בית ה' לפי שאביו סגר דלתות בית ה':
25And in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to strange gods; and he angered the Lord, the God of his forefathers.   כהוּבְכָל־עִ֨יר וָעִ֚יר לִֽיהוּדָה֙ עָשָׂ֣ה בָמ֔וֹת לְקַטֵּ֖ר לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכְעֵ֕ס אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו:
26And the rest of his affairs and all his ways, both the earlier ones and the later ones-behold they are inscribed in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.   כווְיֶ֚תֶר דְּבָרָיו֙ וְכָל־דְּרָכָ֔יו הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאַֽחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
27And Ahaz slept with his forefathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him to the graves of the kings of Israel, and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.   כזוַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב אָחָ֜ז עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַיִקְבְּרֻ֚הוּ בָעִיר֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּי לֹ֣א הֱבִיאֻ֔הוּ לְקִבְרֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְחִזְקִיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו: