Ahazאָחָזwas twentyעֶשְׂרִיםyears oldבֶּן שָׁנָהwhen he became king,בְּמָלְכוֹandוְhe reignedמָלַךְsixteenשֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵהyearsשָׁנָהin Jerusalem.בִּירוּשָׁלִָםHe did notוְלֹאdoעָשָׂהwhat was rightהַיָּשָׁרin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof YHWH,יְהוָהlike Davidכְּדָוִידhis father;אָבִיו
he walkedוַיֵּלֶךְin the waysבְּדַרְכֵיof the kingsמַלְכֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלand alsoוְגַםmadeעָשָׂהmolten imagesמַסֵּכוֹתfor the Baals.לַבְּעָלִים
Heוְהוּאburned incenseהִקְטִירin the Valleyבְּגֵיאof Ben-hinnomבֶן הִנֹּםand burnedוַיַּבְעֵרhis sonsאֶת בָּנָיוin the fire,בָּאֵשׁaccording to the abominationsכְּתֹעֲבוֹתof the nationsהַגּוֹיִםwhomאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad dispossessedהֹרִישׁbeforeמִפְּנֵיthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israel.יִשְׂרָאֵל
He sacrificedוַיְזַבֵּחַand burned incenseוַיְקַטֵּרon the high places,בַּבָּמוֹתand onוְעַלthe hills,הַגְּבָעוֹתand underוְתַחַתeveryכָּלleafyרַעֲנָןtree.עֵץ
YHWHיְהוָהhis Elohimאֱלֹהָיוgave himוַיִּתְּנֵהוּinto the handבְּיַדof the kingמֶלֶךְof Aram,אֲרָםand they struckוַיַּכּוּhimבוֹand took captiveוַיִּשְׁבּוּfrom himמִמֶּנּוּa great numberגְדוֹלָהof captivesשִׁבְיָהand brought themוַיָּבִיאוּto Damascus.דַּרְמָשֶׂקHe was alsoוְגַםgivenנִתָּןinto the handבְּיַדof the kingמֶלֶךְof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלwho struckוַיַּךְhimבּוֹwith a greatגְדוֹלָהblow.מַכָּה
Pekahפֶּקַחsonבֶּןof Remaliahרְמַלְיָהוּkilledוַיַּהֲרֹגin Judahבִּיהוּדָהa hundredמֵאָהand twentyוְעֶשְׂרִיםthousandאֶלֶףin oneבְּ אֶחָדday,יוֹםall of themהַכֹּלvaliant men,בְּנֵי חָיִלbecause they had abandonedבְּעָזְבָםYHWH,אֶת יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof their fathers.אֲבוֹתָם
Zichri,זִכְרִיa mighty manגִּבּוֹרof Ephraim,אֶפְרַיִםkilledוַיַּהֲרֹגMaaseiahאֶת מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּthe sonבֶּןof the king,הַמֶּלֶךְand Azrikamוְאֶת עַזְרִיקָםthe leaderנְגִידof the house,הַבָּיִתand Elkanahוְאֶת אֶלְקָנָהthe secondמִשְׁנֵהto the king.הַמֶּלֶךְ
The sonsוַ בְנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלtook captiveיִּשְׁבּוּfrom their brothersמֵאֲחֵיהֶםtwo hundredמָאתַיִםthousand,אֶלֶףwomen,נָשִׁיםsonsבָּנִיםand daughters;וּבָנוֹתand they alsoוְגַםplunderedבָּזְזוּmuchרָבspoilשָׁלָלfrom them,מֵהֶםand broughtוַיָּבִיאוּthe spoilאֶת הַשָּׁלָלto Samaria.לְשֹׁמְרוֹן
But thereוְשָׁםwasהָיָהa prophetנָבִיאof YHWHלַיהוָהwhose nameשְׁמוֹwas Oded;עֹדֵדhe went outוַיֵּצֵאbeforeלִפְנֵיthe armyהַצָּבָאthat was comingהַבָּאto Samaria,לְשֹׁמְרוֹןand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto them,לָהֶם“Look,הִנֵּהbecause of the furyבַּחֲמַתof YHWH,יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof your fathers,אֲבוֹתֵיכֶםagainst Judah,עַל יְהוּדָהhe gave themנְתָנָםinto your hand,בְּיֶדְכֶםbut you have killedוַתַּהַרְגוּthemבָםwith a rageבְזַעַףthat has reachedהִגִּיעַup toעַדthe heavens.לַשָּׁמַיִם
And nowוְעַתָּהyouאַתֶּםintendאֹמְרִיםto subjugateלִכְבֹּשׁthe sonsבְּנֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהand Jerusalemוִירוּשָׁלִַםas male slavesלַעֲבָדִיםand female slavesוְלִשְׁפָחוֹתfor yourselves.לָכֶםAre there notהֲלֹאindeedרַקwith you yourselvesאַתֶּם עִמָּכֶםacts of guiltאֲשָׁמוֹתagainst YHWHלַיהוָהyour Elohim?אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
Nowוְעַתָּהlisten to meשְׁמָעוּנִיand send backוְהָשִׁיבוּthe captivesהַשִּׁבְיָהwhomאֲשֶׁרyou have taken captiveשְׁבִיתֶםfrom your brothers,מֵאֲחֵיכֶםforכִּיthe burningחֲרוֹןangerאַףof YHWHיְהוָהis upon you.”עֲלֵיכֶם
Some menאֲנָשִׁיםof the headsמֵרָאשֵׁיof the sonsבְנֵיof Ephraim,אֶפְרַיִםAzariahעֲזַרְיָהוּsonבֶןof Jehohanan,יְהוֹחָנָןBerechiahבֶּרֶכְיָהוּsonבֶןof Meshillemoth,מְשִׁלֵּמוֹתand Hezekiahוִיחִזְקִיָּהוּsonבֶּןof Shallum,שַׁלֻּםand Amasaוַעֲמָשָׂאsonבֶּןof Hadlai,חַדְלָיrose upוַיָּקֻמוּagainstעַלthose comingהַבָּאִיםfromמִןthe army,הַצָּבָא
and saidוַיֹּאמְרוּto them,לָהֶם“You shall notלֹאbringתָבִיאוּthe captivesאֶת הַשִּׁבְיָהhere,הֵנָּהforכִּיwhat youאַתֶּםintendאֹמְרִיםleads to guiltלְאַשְׁמַתbefore YHWHיְהוָהupon us,עָלֵינוּto addלְהֹסִיףto our sinsעַל חַטֹּאתֵינוּand to our acts of guilt;וְעַל אַשְׁמָתֵינוּforכִּיgreatרַבָּהis the guiltאַשְׁמָהwe have,לָנוּand there is burningוַחֲרוֹןangerאָףagainst Israel.”עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל
So the equipped menוַ הֶחָלוּץleftיַּעֲזֹבthe captivesאֶת הַשִּׁבְיָהand the plunderוְאֶת הַבִּזָּהbeforeלִפְנֵיthe officialsהַשָּׂרִיםand allוְכָלthe assembly.הַקָּהָל
Then the menהָאֲנָשִׁיםwhoאֲשֶׁרhad been designatedנִקְּבוּby nameבְשֵׁמוֹתrose upוַיָּקֻמוּand took chargeוַיַּחֲזִיקוּof the captives;בַשִּׁבְיָהand allוְכָלthe naked among themמַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶםthey clothedהִלְבִּישׁוּfromמִןthe spoil;הַשָּׁלָלthey clothed them,וַיַּלְבִּשׁוּםgave them sandals,וַיַּנְעִלוּםgave them foodוַיַּאֲכִלוּםand drink,וַיַּשְׁקוּםanointed them,וַיְסֻכוּםled themוַיְנַהֲלוּםon donkeys,בַּחֲמֹרִיםallלְכָלwho stumbled,כּוֹשֵׁלand brought themוַיְבִיאוּםto Jericho,יְרֵחוֹthe cityעִירof palm trees,הַתְּמָרִיםbesideאֵצֶלtheir brothers.אֲחֵיהֶםThen they returnedוַיָּשׁוּבוּto Samaria.שֹׁמְרוֹן
At that timeבָּעֵת הַהִיאKingהַמֶּלֶךְAhazאָחָזsentשָׁלַחtoעַלthe kingsמַלְכֵיof Assyriaאַשּׁוּרto helpלַעְזֹרhim.לוֹ
Againוְעוֹדthe Edomitesאֲדוֹמִיםhad comeבָּאוּand struckוַיַּכּוּJudahבִיהוּדָהand carried awayוַיִּשְׁבּוּcaptives.שֶׁבִי
The Philistinesוּפְלִשְׁתִּיםmade raidsפָּשְׁטוּon the citiesבְּעָרֵיof the Shephelahהַשְּׁפֵלָהand of the Negevוְהַנֶּגֶבof Judah,לִיהוּדָהand capturedוַיִּלְכְּדוּBeth-shemesh,אֶת בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁAijalon,וְאֶת אַיָּלוֹןGederoth,וְאֶת הַגְּדֵרוֹתSocoוְאֶת שׂוֹכוֹand its villages,וּבְנוֹתֶיהָTimnahוְאֶת תִּמְנָהand its villages,וּבְנוֹתֶיהָand Gimzoוְאֶת גִּמְזוֹand its villages;וְאֶת בְּנֹתֶיהָand they settledוַיֵּשְׁבוּthere.שָׁם
ForכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhumbledהִכְנִיעַJudahאֶת יְהוּדָהbecause ofבַּעֲבוּרAhazאָחָזkingמֶלֶךְof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלforכִּיhe had cast off restraintהִפְרִיעַin Judahבִּיהוּדָהand had beenוּgreatly unfaithfulמָעוֹל מַעַלto YHWH.בַּיהוָה
Tilgath-pilneserתִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶרkingמֶלֶךְof Assyriaאַשּׁוּרcameוַיָּבֹאagainst himעָלָיוand distressedוַיָּצַרhim,לוֹand did notוְלֹאstrengthen him.חֲזָקוֹ
ForכִּיAhazאָחָזtook a portionחָלַקfrom the houseאֶת בֵּיתof YHWHיְהוָהand from the houseוְאֶת בֵּיתof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְand from the officials,וְהַשָּׂרִיםand gave itוַיִּתֵּןto the kingלְמֶלֶךְof Assyria;אַשּׁוּרbut it was notוְלֹאof helpלְעֶזְרָהto him.לוֹ
In the timeוּבְעֵתof his distressהָצֵר לוֹhe was even moreוַיּוֹסֶףunfaithfulלִמְעוֹלto YHWH,בַּיהוָהhe,הוּאKingהַמֶּלֶךְAhaz.אָחָז
He sacrificedוַיִּזְבַּחto the godsלֵאלֹהֵיof Damascus,דַרְמֶשֶׂקwho had struckהַמַּכִּיםhim,בּוֹand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Becauseכִּיthe godsאֱלֹהֵיof the kingsמַלְכֵיof Aram,אֲרָםtheyהֵםhelpמַעְזְרִיםthem,אוֹתָםto themלָהֶםI will sacrifice,אֲזַבֵּחַand they will help me.”וְיַעְזְרוּנִיBut theyוְהֵםwereהָיוּfor himלוֹto make him stumble,לְהַכְשִׁילוֹand allוּלְכָלIsrael.יִשְׂרָאֵל
Ahazאָחָזgatheredוַיֶּאֱסֹףthe utensilsאֶת כְּלֵיof the houseבֵיתof Elohimהָאֱלֹהִיםand cut in piecesוַיְקַצֵּץthe utensilsאֶת כְּלֵיof the houseבֵיתof Elohim,הָאֱלֹהִיםand shutוַיִּסְגֹּרthe doorsאֶת דַּלְתוֹתof the houseבֵּיתof YHWH,יְהוָהand madeוַיַּעַשׂfor himselfלוֹaltarsמִזְבְּחוֹתin everyבְּכָלcornerפִּנָּהof Jerusalem.בִּירוּשָׁלִָם
In everyוּבְכָלcityעִיר וָעִירof Judahלִיהוּדָהhe madeעָשָׂהhigh placesבָמוֹתto burn incenseלְקַטֵּרto otherאֲחֵרִיםgods,לֵאלֹהִיםand provoked to angerוַיַּכְעֵסYHWH,אֶת יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof his fathers.אֲבֹתָיו
The restוְיֶתֶרof his actsדְּבָרָיוand allוְכָלhis ways,דְּרָכָיוthe firstהָרִאשֹׁנִיםand the last,וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִיםthey areהִנָּםwrittenכְּתוּבִיםin the bookעַל סֵפֶרof the kingsמַלְכֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהand Israel.וְיִשְׂרָאֵל
Ahazאָחָזlay downוַיִּשְׁכַּבwith his fathers,עִם אֲבֹתָיוand they buried himוַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּin the city,בָעִירin Jerusalem,בִּירוּשָׁלִַםforכִּיthey did notלֹאbring himהֱבִיאֻהוּto the tombsלְקִבְרֵיof the kingsמַלְכֵיof Israel;יִשְׂרָאֵלand Hezekiahוַ יְחִזְקִיָּהוּhis sonבְנוֹreignedיִּמְלֹךְin his place.תַּחְתָּיו