1Akhaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim; and he did not do that which was right in the eyes of יהוה , like David his father; 2but he walked in the ways of the kings of Yisra’el, and made also molten images for the Ba’alim. 3Moreover he offered in Gei Ben Hinom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen whom יהוה cast out before B’nei Yisra’el. 4And he sacrificed and offered in the high places, and on the hills, and under every evergreen tree. 5Therefore יהוה his Elohim delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they smote him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Darmasek. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Yisra’el, who smote him with a great slaughter. 6For Pekah Ben Remal-Yahu slew in Yehudah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken יהוה , the Elohim of their fathers. 7And Zikhri, a mighty man of Efrayim, slew Ma’asei-Yahu the son of HaMelekh, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah that was next to HaMelekh. 8And B’nei Yisra’el carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Shomron. 9But a Navi of יהוה was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the host that came to Shomron, and said unto them, “Behold, because יהוה , the Elohim of your fathers, was wroth with Yehudah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up unto heaven. 10And now you purpose to bring the B’nei Yehudah and Yerushalayim into subjection for servants and bondwomen unto you; but are there not even with you acts of guilt of your own against יהוה your Elohim? 11Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of יהוה is upon you.” 12Then certain of the heads of the children of Efrayim, Azar-Yahu Ben Yehokhanan, Berekh-Yahu Ben Meshilemot, and Yekhizi-Yahu Ben Shalum, and Amasa Ben Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, 13and said unto them, “You shall not bring in the captives here; for you purpose that which will bring upon us guilt against יהוה , to add unto our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Yisra’el.” 14So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 15And the men that have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon donkeys, and brought them to Yerekho, the city of palm trees, unto their brethren; then they returned to Shomron.
16At that time did Melekh Akhaz send unto the kings of Ashur to help him. 17For again Edom had come and smitten Yehudah, and carried away captives. 18The P’lishtim also had invaded the cities of the Lowland, and of the South of Yehudah, and had taken Beit Shemesh, and Ayalon, and Gederot, and Sokho with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof; and they dwelt there. 19For יהוה brought Yehudah low because of Akhaz Melekh Yisra’el; for he had cast away restraint in Yehudah, and acted treacherously against יהוה . And20 Tilgat Pilneser king of Ashur came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. 21For Akhaz stripped Beit יהוה , and the house of HaMelekh and the princes, and gave thereof unto the king of Ashur; but it helped him not. 22And in the time of his distress did he act even more treacherously against יהוה , this same Melekh Akhaz. 23For he sacrificed unto the gods of Darmasek, which smote him; and he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him, and of all Yisra’el. 24And Akhaz gathered together the vessels of Beit HaElohim, and cut in pieces the vessels of Beit HaElohim, and shut up the doors of Beit יהוה ; and he made him altars in every corner of Yerushalayim. 25And in every city of Yehudah he made high places to offer unto other gods, and provoked יהוה , the Elohim of his fathers. 26Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the Melakhim of Yehudah and Yisra’el. 27And Akhaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Yerushalayim; for they brought him not into the tombs of the Melakhim of Yisra’el; and Khizki-Yahu his son reigned in his stead.
אבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָחָז בְּמָלְכוֹ וְשֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם; וְלֹא עָשָׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יהוה כְּדָוִיד אָבִיו. בוַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְגַם מַסֵּכוֹת עָשָׂה לַבְּעָלִים. גוְהוּא הִקְטִיר בְּגֵיא בֶן הִנֹּם; וַיַּבְעֵר אֶת בָּנָיו בָּאֵשׁ כְּתֹעֲבוֹת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הֹרִישׁ יהוה מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. דוַיְזַבֵּחַ וַיְקַטֵּר בַּבָּמוֹת וְעַל הַגְּבָעוֹת וְתַחַת כָּל עֵץ רַעֲנָן. הוַיִּתְּנֵהוּ יהוה אֱלֹהָיו בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וַיַּכּוּ בוֹ וַיִּשְׁבּוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁבְיָה גְדוֹלָה וַיָּבִיאוּ דַּרְמָשֶׂק; וְגַם בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתָּן וַיַּךְ בּוֹ מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה. ווַיַּהֲרֹג פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ בִּיהוּדָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף בְּיוֹם אֶחָד הַכֹּל בְּנֵי חָיִל: בְּעָזְבָם אֶת יהוה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָם. זוַיַּהֲרֹג זִכְרִי גִּבּוֹר אֶפְרַיִם אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת עַזְרִיקָם נְגִיד הַבָּיִת; וְאֶת אֶלְקָנָה מִשְׁנֵה הַמֶּלֶךְ. חוַיִּשְׁבּוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֲחֵיהֶם מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף נָשִׁים בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וְגַם שָׁלָל רָב בָּזְזוּ מֵהֶם; וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַשָּׁלָל לְשֹׁמְרוֹן. טוְשָׁם הָיָה נָבִיא לַיהוה עֹדֵד שְׁמוֹ וַיֵּצֵא לִפְנֵי הַצָּבָא הַבָּא לְשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הִנֵּה בַּחֲמַת יהוה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם עַל יְהוּדָה נְתָנָם בְּיֶדְכֶם; וַתַּהַרְגוּ בָם בְּזַעַף עַד לַשָּׁמַיִם הִגִּיעַ. יוְעַתָּה בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים לִכְבֹּשׁ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת לָכֶם; הֲלֹא רַק אַתֶּם עִמָּכֶם אֲשָׁמוֹת לַיהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. יאוְעַתָּה שְׁמָעוּנִי וְהָשִׁיבוּ הַשִּׁבְיָה אֲשֶׁר שְׁבִיתֶם מֵאֲחֵיכֶם: כִּי חֲרוֹן אַף יהוה עֲלֵיכֶם. יבוַיָּקֻמוּ אֲנָשִׁים מֵרָאשֵׁי בְנֵי אֶפְרַיִם עֲזַרְיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹחָנָן בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ בֶן מְשִׁלֵּמוֹת וִיחִזְקִיָּהוּ בֶּן שַׁלֻּם וַעֲמָשָׂא בֶּן חַדְלָי עַל הַבָּאִים מִן הַצָּבָא. יגוַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶם לֹא תָבִיאוּ אֶת הַשִּׁבְיָה הֵנָּה כִּי לְאַשְׁמַת יהוה עָלֵינוּ אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים לְהֹסִיף עַל חַטֹּאתֵנוּ וְעַל אַשְׁמָתֵנוּ: כִּי רַבָּה אַשְׁמָה לָנוּ וַחֲרוֹן אָף עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. ידוַיַּעֲזֹב הֶחָלוּץ אֶת הַשִּׁבְיָה וְאֶת הַבִּזָּה לִפְנֵי הַשָּׂרִים וְכָל הַקָּהָל. טווַיָּקֻמוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָה וְכָל מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם הִלְבִּישׁוּ מִן הַשָּׁלָל וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁם וַיַּנְעִלוּם וַיַּאֲכִלוּם וַיַּשְׁקוּם וַיְסֻכוּם וַיְנַהֲלוּם בַּחֲמֹרִים לְכָל כּוֹשֵׁל וַיְבִיאוּם יְרֵחוֹ עִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֵצֶל אֲחֵיהֶם; וַיָּשׁוּבוּ שֹׁמְרוֹן.
טזבָּעֵת הַהִיא שָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז עַל מַלְכֵי אַשּׁוּר לַעְזֹר לוֹ. יזוְעוֹד אֲדוֹמִים בָּאוּ; וַיַּכּוּ בִיהוּדָה וַיִּשְׁבּוּ שֶׁבִי. יחוּפְלִשְׁתִּים פָּשְׁטוּ בְּעָרֵי הַשְּׁפֵלָה וְהַנֶּגֶב לִיהוּדָה וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת הַגְּדֵרוֹת וְאֶת שׂוֹכוֹ וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת תִּמְנָה וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת גִּמְזוֹ וְאֶת בְּנֹתֶיהָ; וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם. יטכִּי הִכְנִיעַ יהוה אֶת יְהוּדָה בַּעֲבוּר אָחָז מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי הִפְרִיעַ בִּיהוּדָה וּמָעוֹל מַעַל בַּיהוה . כוַיָּבֹא עָלָיו תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר; וַיָּצַר לוֹ וְלֹא חֲזָקוֹ. כאכִּי חָלַק אָחָז אֶת בֵּית יהוה וְאֶת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים; וַיִּתֵּן לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וְלֹא לְעֶזְרָה לוֹ. כבוּבְעֵת הָצֵר לוֹ וַיּוֹסֶף לִמְעוֹל בַּיהוה: הוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז. כגוַיִּזְבַּח לֵאלֹהֵי דַרְמֶשֶׂק הַמַּכִּים בּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֱלֹהֵי מַלְכֵי אֲרָם הֵם מַעְזְרִים אֹתָם לָהֶם אֲזַבֵּחַ וְיַעְזְרוּנִי; וְהֵם הָיוּ לוֹ לְהַכְשִׁילוֹ וּלְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל. כדוַיֶּאֱסֹף אָחָז אֶת כְּלֵי בֵית הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְקַצֵּץ אֶת כְּלֵי בֵית הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּסְגֹּר אֶת דַּלְתוֹת בֵּית יהוה ; וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ מִזְבְּחוֹת בְּכָל פִּנָּה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם. כהוּבְכָל עִיר וָעִיר לִיהוּדָה עָשָׂה בָמוֹת לְקַטֵּר לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים; וַיַּכְעֵס אֶת יהוה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתָיו. כווְיֶתֶר דְּבָרָיו וְכָל דְּרָכָיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל. כזוַיִּשְׁכַּב אָחָז עִם אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בָעִיר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם כִּי לֹא הֱבִיאֻהוּ לְקִבְרֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 