TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
I - Chapter 16
Translation and Transliteration of
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1The word of Hashem came to Yehu son of Chanani against Basha:
אוַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יֵהוּא בֶן־חֲנָנִי עַל־בַּעְשָׁא לֵאמֹר׃
2“Because I lifted you up from the dust and made you a ruler over My people Yisrael, but you followed the way of Yerovam and caused My people Yisrael to sin, vexing Me with their sins
ביַעַן אֲשֶׁר הֲרִימֹתִיךָ מִן־הֶעָפָר וָאֶתֶּנְךָ נָגִיד עַל עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם וַתַּחֲטִא אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַכְעִיסֵנִי בְּחַטֹּאתָם׃
3I am going to sweep away Basha and his house. I will make your house like the House of Yerovam son of Nebat.
גהִנְנִי מַבְעִיר אַחֲרֵי בַעְשָׁא וְאַחֲרֵי בֵיתוֹ וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־בֵּיתְךָ כְּבֵית יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט׃
4Anyone belonging to Basha who dies in the town shall be devoured by dogs, and anyone belonging to him who dies in the open country shall be devoured by the birds of the sky.”
דהַמֵּת לְבַעְשָׁא בָּעִיר יֹאכְלוּ הַכְּלָבִים וְהַמֵּת לוֹ בַּשָּׂדֶה יֹאכְלוּ עוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם׃
5The other events of Basha's reign and his actions and his exploits are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Yisrael.
הוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי בַעְשָׁא וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וּגְבוּרָתוֹ הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
6Basha slept with his fathers and was buried in Tirtza. His son Eila succeeded him as king.
ווַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּעְשָׁא עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּתִרְצָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ אֵלָה בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃
7But the word of Hashem had come through the Navi Yehu son of Chanani against Basha and against his house, that it would fare like the House of Yerovam, which he himself had struck down, because of all the evil he did which was displeasing to Hashem, vexing him with his deeds.
זוְגַם בְּיַד־יֵהוּא בֶן־חֲנָנִי הַנָּבִיא דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה הָיָה אֶל־בַּעְשָׁא וְאֶל־בֵּיתוֹ וְעַל כָּל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לְהַכְעִיסוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו לִהְיוֹת כְּבֵית יָרָבְעָם וְעַל אֲשֶׁר־הִכָּה אֹתוֹ׃
8In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa of Yehuda, Eila son of Basha became king over Yisrael, at Tirtza—for two years.
חבִּשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וָשֵׁשׁ שָׁנָה לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מָלַךְ אֵלָה בֶן־בַּעְשָׁא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתִרְצָה שְׁנָתָיִם׃
9His officer Zimri, commander of half the chariotry, committed treason against him while he was at Tirtza drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the palace at Tirtza.
טוַיִּקְשֹׁר עָלָיו עַבְדּוֹ זִמְרִי שַׂר מַחֲצִית הָרָכֶב וְהוּא בְתִרְצָה שֹׁתֶה שִׁכּוֹר בֵּית אַרְצָא אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַבַּיִת בְּתִרְצָה׃
10Zimri entered, struck him down, and killed him; he succeeded him as king in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Yehuda.
יוַיָּבֹא זִמְרִי וַיַּכֵּהוּ וַיְמִיתֵהוּ בִּשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וָשֶׁבַע לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו׃
11No sooner had he become king and ascended the throne than he struck down all the House of Basha; he did not leave a single male of his, nor any kinsman or friend.
יאוַיְהִי בְמָלְכוֹ כְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ הִכָּה אֶת־כָּל־בֵּית בַּעְשָׁא לֹא־הִשְׁאִיר לוֹ מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר וְגֹאֲלָיו וְרֵעֵהוּ׃
12Thus Zimri destroyed all the House of Basha, in accordance with the word that Hashem had spoken through the Navi Yehu
יבוַיַּשְׁמֵד זִמְרִי אֵת כָּל־בֵּית בַּעְשָׁא כִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֶל־בַּעְשָׁא בְּיַד יֵהוּא הַנָּבִיא׃
13because of the sinful acts which Basha and his son Eila committed, and which they caused Yisrael to commit, vexing Hashem, the God of Yisrael, with their false gods.
יגאֶל כָּל־חַטֹּאות בַּעְשָׁא וְחַטֹּאות אֵלָה בְנוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיאוּ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַכְעִיס אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶם׃
14The other events of Eila's reign and all his actions are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Yisrael.
ידוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי אֵלָה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
15During the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Yehuda, Zimri reigned in Tirtza for seven days. At the time, the troops were encamped at Gibbethon of the Philistines.
טובִּשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וָשֶׁבַע שָׁנָה לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מָלַךְ זִמְרִי שִׁבְעַת יָמִים בְּתִרְצָה וְהָעָם חֹנִים עַל־גִּבְּתוֹן אֲשֶׁר לַפְּלִשְׁתִּים׃
16When the troops who were encamped there learned that Zimri had committed treason and had struck down the king, that very day, in the camp, all Yisrael acclaimed the army commander Omri king over Yisrael.
טזוַיִּשְׁמַע הָעָם הַחֹנִים לֵאמֹר קָשַׁר זִמְרִי וְגַם הִכָּה אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּמְלִכוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־עָמְרִי שַׂר־צָבָא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא בַּמַּחֲנֶה׃
17Omri and all Yisrael then withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirtza.
יזוַיַּעֲלֶה עָמְרִי וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמּוֹ מִגִּבְּתוֹן וַיָּצֻרוּ עַל־תִּרְצָה׃
18When Zimri saw that the town was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and burned down the royal palace over himself. And so he died
יחוַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת זִמְרִי כִּי־נִלְכְּדָה הָעִיר וַיָּבֹא אֶל־אַרְמוֹן בֵּית־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׂרֹף עָלָיו אֶת־בֵּית־מֶלֶךְ בָּאֵשׁ וַיָּמֹת׃
19because of the sins which he committed and caused Yisrael to commit, doing what was displeasing to Hashem and following the ways of Yerovam.
יטעַל־חטאתו [חַטֹּאתָיו] אֲשֶׁר חָטָא לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לָלֶכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְהַחֲטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
20The other events of Zimri's reign, and the treason which he committed, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Yisrael.
כוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי זִמְרִי וְקִשְׁרוֹ אֲשֶׁר קָשָׁר הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
21Then the people of Yisrael split into two factions: a part of the people followed Tibni son of Ginath to make him king, and the other part followed Omri.
כאאָז יֵחָלֵק הָעָם יִשְׂרָאֵל לַחֵצִי חֲצִי הָעָם הָיָה אַחֲרֵי תִבְנִי בֶן־גִּינַת לְהַמְלִיכוֹ וְהַחֲצִי אַחֲרֵי עָמְרִי׃
22Those who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath; Tibni died and Omri became king.
כבוַיֶּחֱזַק הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרֵי עָמְרִי אֶת־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרֵי תִּבְנִי בֶן־גִּינַת וַיָּמָת תִּבְנִי וַיִּמְלֹךְ עָמְרִי׃
23In the thirty-first year of King Asa of Yehuda, Omri became king over Yisrael—for twelve years. He reigned in Tirtza six years.
כגבִּשְׁנַת שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מָלַךְ עָמְרִי עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בְּתִרְצָה מָלַךְ שֵׁשׁ־שָׁנִים׃
24Then he bought the hill of Shomron from Shemer for two kikarim of silver; he built [a town] on the hill and named the town which he built Shomron, after Shemer, the owner of the hill.
va-YI-ken et ha-HAR sho-m'-RON MAY-et SHE-mer b'-khi-k'-RA-yim KA-sef va-YI-ven et ha-HAR va-yik-RA et SHAYM ha-EER a-SHER ba-NAH AL shem SHE-mer a-do-NAY ha-HAR sho-m'-RON
כדוַיִּקֶן אֶת־הָהָר שֹׁמְרוֹן מֵאֶת שֶׁמֶר בְּכִכְּרַיִם כָּסֶף וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הָהָר וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שֵׁם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה עַל שֶׁם־שֶׁמֶר אֲדֹנֵי הָהָר שֹׁמְרוֹן׃
16:24 Then he bought the hill of Shomron from Shemer for two talents of silver
View of Shomron
Samaria, known in Hebrew as Shomron, is an important part of both the biblical heartland and the modern State of Israel. Omri purchases this land to be the capital of the kingdom of Yisrael. The area of Shomron, which comprises over eleven percent of the modern State of Israel, was liberated during the Six Day War and is home to many vibrant communities; some of the more well-known ones include Ariel, Karnei Shomron, Elon Moreh and Itamar. As it is located in the middle of Israel it plays a vital role in the spirituality, economics and security of the country. Ruling in a period of much upheaval, when assassinations of the kings of the northern Kingdom prevented any dynasty from lasting very long, Omri is notable as the first monarch in a family that ruled for four generations. The Talmudic sages (Sanhedrin 102b) ask why Omri deserved this privilege, despite the fact that he was worse than the kings who preceded him (verse 25) as he had seen their punishment and yet continued their evil practices. They answer that Omri’s one redeeming merit was that he purchased the city of Shomron. Because he added this important city to the Land of Israel, he deserved the merit of having his family rule over Israel for 48 years.
25Omri did what was displeasing to Hashem; he was worse than all who preceded him.
כהוַיַּעֲשֶׂה עָמְרִי הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה וַיָּרַע מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר לְפָנָיו׃
26He followed all the ways of Yerovam son of Nebat and the sins which he committed and caused Yisrael to commit, vexing Hashem, the God of Yisrael, with their futilities.
כווַיֵּלֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט ובחטאתיו [וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ] אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַכְעִיס אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַבְלֵיהֶם׃
27The other events of Omri's reign, [and] his actions, and the exploits he performed, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Yisrael.
כזוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי עָמְרִי אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וּגְבוּרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
28Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Shomron; and his son Achav succeeded him as king.
כחוַיִּשְׁכַּב עָמְרִי עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּמְלֹךְ אַחְאָב בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃
29Achav son of Omri became king over Yisrael in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Yehuda, and Achav son of Omri reigned over Yisrael in Shomron for twenty-two years.
כטוְאַחְאָב בֶּן־עָמְרִי מָלַךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁנַת שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁמֹנֶה שָׁנָה לְאָסָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ אַחְאָב בֶּן־עָמְרִי עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה׃
30Achav son of Omri did what was displeasing to Hashem, more than all who preceded him.
לוַיַּעַשׂ אַחְאָב בֶּן־עָמְרִי הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר לְפָנָיו׃
31Not content to follow the sins of Yerovam son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Phoenicians, and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.
לאוַיְהִי הֲנָקֵל לֶכְתּוֹ בְּחַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה אֶת־אִיזֶבֶל בַּת־אֶתְבַּעַל מֶלֶךְ צִידֹנִים וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיַּעֲבֹד אֶת־הַבַּעַל וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לוֹ׃
32He erected a altar to Baal in the temple of Baal which he built in Shomron.
לבוַיָּקֶם מִזְבֵּחַ לַבָּעַל בֵּית הַבַּעַל אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן׃
33Achav also made a sacred post. Achav did more to vex Hashem, the God of Yisrael, than all the kings of Yisrael who preceded him.
לגוַיַּעַשׂ אַחְאָב אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרָה וַיּוֹסֶף אַחְאָב לַעֲשׂוֹת לְהַכְעִיס אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּל מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנָיו׃
34During his reign, Hiel the Beit Elite fortified Yericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of Aviram his first-born, and set its gates in place at the cost of Segub his youngest, in accordance with the words that Hashem had spoken through Yehoshua son of Nun.
לדבְּיָמָיו בָּנָה חִיאֵל בֵּית הָאֱלִי אֶת־יְרִיחֹה בַּאֲבִירָם בְּכֹרוֹ יִסְּדָהּ ובשגיב [וּבִשְׂגוּב] צְעִירוֹ הִצִּיב דְּלָתֶיהָ כִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּיַד יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן׃
