TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
II - Chapter 25
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Amatzya was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim; his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Yerushalayim.
אבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ אֲמַצְיָהוּ וְעֶשְׂרִים וָתֵשַׁע שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ ִם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ יְהוֹעַדָּן מִירוּשָׁלָיִם׃
2He did what was pleasing to Hashem, but not with a whole heart.
va-YA-as ha-ya-SHAR b'-ay-NAY a-do-NAI RAK LO b'-lay-VAV sha-LAYM
בוַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה רַק לֹא בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם׃
25:2 But not with a whole heart
Why is Amatzya hesitant in his service of Hashem? Perhaps he had learned idolatry as a child in his father’s house. However, he notices that his father, like idolatrous kings before him, was struck down and reaches the conclusion that the worship of the one true God is the safest and most pragmatic course of action. However, when Amatzya obeys Hashem’s command and sends away his northern mercenaries, they sack his cities in disgust (verse 13). As such, he wonders if his original conclusion was wrong, and perhaps idolatry is the best course after all. We learn from here that it is not enough to serve God out of a desire for advancement. Worship of Hashem must be performed “with a whole heart.”
3Once he had the kingdom firmly under control, he executed the courtiers who had assassinated his father the king.
גוַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר חָזְקָה הַמַּמְלָכָה עָלָיו וַיַּהֲרֹג אֶת־עֲבָדָיו הַמַּכִּים אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ אָבִיו׃
4But he did not put their children to death for [he acted] in accordance with what is written in the Teaching, in the Book of Moshe, where Hashem commanded, “Parents shall not die for children, nor shall children die for parents, but every person shall die only for his own crime.”
דוְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם לֹא הֵמִית כִּי כַכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה בְּסֵפֶר מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר לֹא־יָמוּתוּ אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים וּבָנִים לֹא־יָמוּתוּ עַל־אָבוֹת כִּי אִישׁ בְּחֶטְאוֹ יָמוּתוּ׃
5Amatzya assembled the men of Yehuda, and he put all the men of Yehuda and Binyamin under officers of thousands and officers of hundreds, by clans. He mustered them from the age of twenty upward, and found them to be 300,000 picked men fit for service, able to bear spear and shield.
הוַיִּקְבֹּץ אֲמַצְיָהוּ אֶת־יְהוּדָה וַיַּעֲמִידֵם לְבֵית־אָבוֹת לְשָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וּלְשָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת לְכָל־יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן וַיִּפְקְדֵם לְמִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וַיִּמְצָאֵם שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף בָּחוּר יוֹצֵא צָבָא אֹחֵז רֹמַח וְצִנָּה׃
6He hired 100,000 warriors from Yisrael for 100 kikarim of silver.
ווַיִּשְׂכֹּר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה אֶלֶף גִּבּוֹר חָיִל בְּמֵאָה כִכַּר־כָּסֶף׃
7Then a man of Hashem came to him and said, “O king! Do not let the army of Yisrael go with you, for Hashem is not with Yisrael—all these Ephraimites.
זוְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים בָּא אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הַמֶּלֶךְ אַל־יָבֹא עִמְּךָ צְבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אֵין יְהֹוָה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּל בְּנֵי אֶפְרָיִם׃
8But go by yourself and do it; take courage for battle, [else] Hashem will make you fall before the enemy. For in Hashem there is power to help one or make one fall!”
חכִּי אִם־בֹּא אַתָּה עֲשֵׂה חֲזַק לַמִּלְחָמָה יַכְשִׁילְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵי אוֹיֵב כִּי יֶשׁ־כֹּחַ בֵּאלֹהִים לַעְזוֹר וּלְהַכְשִׁיל׃
9Amatzya said to the man of Hashem, “And what am I to do about the 100 kikarim I gave for the Israelite force?” The man of Hashem replied, “Hashem has the means to give you much more than that.”
טוַיֹּאמֶר אֲמַצְיָהוּ לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וּמַה־לַּעֲשׂוֹת לִמְאַת הַכִּכָּר אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִגְדוּד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים יֵשׁ לַיהֹוָה לָתֶת לְךָ הַרְבֵּה מִזֶּה׃
10So Amatzya detached the force that came to him from Efraim, [ordering them] to go back to their place. They were greatly enraged against Yehuda and returned to their place in a rage.
יוַיַּבְדִּילֵם אֲמַצְיָהוּ לְהַגְּדוּד אֲשֶׁר־בָּא אֵלָיו מֵאֶפְרַיִם לָלֶכֶת לִמְקוֹמָם וַיִּחַר אַפָּם מְאֹד בִּיהוּדָה וַיָּשׁוּבוּ לִמְקוֹמָם בָּחֳרִי־אָף׃
11Amatzya took courage and, leading his army, he marched to the Valley of Salt. He slew 10,000 men of Seir;
יאוַאֲמַצְיָהוּ הִתְחַזַּק וַיִּנְהַג אֶת־עַמּוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ גֵּיא הַמֶּלַח וַיַּךְ אֶת־בְּנֵי־שֵׂעִיר עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים׃
12another 10,000 the men of Yehuda captured alive and brought to the top of Sela. They threw them down from the top of Sela and every one of them was burst open.
יבוַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים חַיִּים שָׁבוּ בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה וַיְבִיאוּם לְרֹאשׁ הַסָּלַע וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּם מֵרֹאשׁ־הַסֶּלַע וְכֻלָּם נִבְקָעוּ׃
13The men of the force that Amatzya had sent back so they would not go with him into battle made forays against the towns of Yehuda from Shomron to Beth-horon. They slew 3,000 of them, and took much booty.
יגוּבְנֵי הַגְּדוּד אֲשֶׁר הֵשִׁיב אֲמַצְיָהוּ מִלֶּכֶת עִמּוֹ לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיִּפְשְׁטוּ בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה מִשֹּׁמְרוֹן וְעַד־בֵּית חוֹרוֹן וַיַּכּוּ מֵהֶם שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַיָּבֹזּוּ בִּזָּה רַבָּה׃
14After Amatzya returned from defeating the Edomites, he had the gods of the men of Seir brought, and installed them as his gods; he prostrated himself before them, and to them he made sacrifice.
ידוַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי בוֹא אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֵהַכּוֹת אֶת־אֲדוֹמִים וַיָּבֵא אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי בְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר וַיַּעֲמִידֵם לוֹ לֵאלֹהִים וְלִפְנֵיהֶם יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְלָהֶם יְקַטֵּר׃
15Hashem was enraged at Amatzya, and sent a Navi to him who said to him, “Why are you worshiping the gods of a people who could not save their people from you?”
טווַיִּחַר־אַף יְהֹוָה בַּאֲמַצְיָהוּ וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו נָבִיא וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לָמָּה דָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי הָעָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הִצִּילוּ אֶת־עַמָּם מִיָּדֶךָ׃
16As he spoke to him, [Amatzya] said to him, “Have we appointed you a counselor to the king? Stop, else you will be killed!” The Navi stopped, saying, “I see Hashem has counseled that you be destroyed, since you act this way and disregard my counsel.”
טזוַיְהִי בְּדַבְּרוֹ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הַלְיוֹעֵץ לַמֶּלֶךְ נְתַנּוּךָ חֲדַל־לְךָ לָמָּה יַכּוּךָ וַיֶּחְדַּל הַנָּבִיא וַיֹּאמֶר יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־יָעַץ אֱלֹהִים לְהַשְׁחִיתֶךָ כִּי־עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת וְלֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ לַעֲצָתִי׃
17Then King Amatzya of Yehuda took counsel and sent this message to Yoash son of Yehoachaz son of Yehu, king of Yisrael, “Come, let us confront each other!”
יזוַיִּוָּעַץ אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶל־יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָז בֶּן־יֵהוּא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר לך [לְכָה] נִתְרָאֶה פָנִים׃
18King Yoash of Yisrael sent back this message to King Amatzya of Yehuda, “The thistle in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But a wild beast in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
יחוַיִּשְׁלַח יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר הַחוֹחַ אֲשֶׁר בַּלְּבָנוֹן שָׁלַח אֶל־הָאֶרֶז אֲשֶׁר בַּלְּבָנוֹן לֵאמֹר תְּנָה־אֶת־בִּתְּךָ לִבְנִי לְאִשָּׁה וַתַּעֲבֹר חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בַּלְּבָנוֹן וַתִּרְמֹס אֶת־הַחוֹחַ׃
19You boast that you have defeated the Edomites and you are ambitious to get more glory. Now stay at home, lest, provoking disaster you fall, dragging Yehuda down with you.”
יטאָמַרְתָּ הִנֵּה הִכִּיתָ אֶת־אֱדוֹם וּנְשָׂאֲךָ לִבְּךָ לְהַכְבִּיד עַתָּה שְׁבָה בְּבֵיתֶךָ לָמָּה תִתְגָּרֶה בְּרָעָה וְנָפַלְתָּ אַתָּה וִיהוּדָה עִמָּךְ׃
20But Amatzya paid no heed—it was Hashem's doing, in order to deliver them up because they worshiped the gods of Edom.
כוְלֹא־שָׁמַע אֲמַצְיָהוּ כִּי מֵהָאֱלֹהִים הִיא לְמַעַן תִּתָּם בְּיָד כִּי דָרְשׁוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי אֱדוֹם׃
21King Yoash of Yisrael marched up, and he and King Amatzya of Yehuda confronted each other at Beit Shemesh in Yehuda.
כאוַיַּעַל יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתְרָאוּ פָנִים הוּא וַאֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בְּבֵית שֶׁמֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה׃
22The men of Yehuda were routed by Yisrael, and they all fled to their homes.
כבוַיִּנָּגֶף יְהוּדָה לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּנֻסוּ אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו׃
23King Yoash of Yisrael captured Amatzya son of Yoash son of Yehoachaz, king of Yehuda, in Beit Shemesh. He brought him to Yerushalayim and made a breach of 400 amot in the wall of Yerushalayim, from the Efraim Gate to the Corner Gate.
כגוְאֵת אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בֶּן־יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָז תָּפַשׂ יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבֵית שָׁמֶשׁ וַיְבִיאֵהוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם וַיִּפְרֹץ בְּחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם מִשַּׁעַר אֶפְרַיִם עַד־שַׁעַר הַפּוֹנֶה אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אַמָּה׃
24Then, with all the gold and silver and all the utensils that were to be found in the House of Hashem in the custody of Oved Edom, and with the treasuries of the royal palace, and with the hostages, he returned to Shomron.
כדוְכָל־הַזָּהָב וְהַכֶּסֶף וְאֵת כָּל־הַכֵּלִים הַנִּמְצְאִים בְּבֵית־הָאֱלֹהִים עִם־עֹבֵד אֱדוֹם וְאֶת־אֹצְרוֹת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֵת בְּנֵי הַתַּעֲרֻבוֹת וַיָּשָׁב שֹׁמְרוֹן׃
25King Amatzya son of Yoash of Yehuda lived fifteen years after the death of King Yoash son of Yehoachaz of Yisrael.
כהוַיְחִי אֲמַצְיָהוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אַחֲרֵי מוֹת יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָז מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה׃
26The other events of Amatzya's reign, early and late, are recorded in the book of the kings of Yehuda and Yisrael.
כווְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי אֲמַצְיָהוּ הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים הֲלֹא הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי־יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל׃
27From the time that Amatzya turned from following Hashem, a conspiracy was formed against him in Yerushalayim, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish and they put him to death there.
כזוּמֵעֵת אֲשֶׁר־סָר אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ עָלָיו קֶשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַ ִם וַיָּנָס לָכִישָׁה וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ אַחֲרָיו לָכִישָׁה וַיְמִיתֻהוּ שָׁם׃
28They brought his body back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Yehuda.
כחוַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ עַל־הַסּוּסִים וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו בְּעִיר יְהוּדָה׃