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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

II - Chapter 11

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1When Atalya, the mother of Achazyahu, learned that her son was dead, she promptly killed off all who were of royal stock.

אוַעֲתַלְיָה אֵם אֲחַזְיָהוּ וראתה [רָאֲתָה] כִּי מֵת בְּנָהּ וַתָּקָם וַתְּאַבֵּד אֵת כָּל־זֶרַע הַמַּמְלָכָה׃

2But Yehosheva, daughter of King Yoram and sister of Achazyahu, secretly took Achazyahu's son Yoash away from among the princes who were being slain, and [put] him and his nurse in a bedroom. And they kept him hidden from Atalya so that he was not put to death.

בוַתִּקַּח יְהוֹשֶׁבַע בַּת־הַמֶּלֶךְ־יוֹרָם אֲחוֹת אֲחַזְיָהוּ אֶת־יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָה וַתִּגְנֹב אֹתוֹ מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ הממותתים [הַמּוּמָתִים] אֹתוֹ וְאֶת־מֵינִקְתּוֹ בַּחֲדַר הַמִּטּוֹת וַיַּסְתִּרוּ אֹתוֹ מִפְּנֵי עֲתַלְיָהוּ וְלֹא הוּמָת׃

3He stayed with her for six years, hidden in the House of Hashem, while Atalya reigned over the land.

גוַיְהִי אִתָּהּ בֵּית יְהֹוָה מִתְחַבֵּא שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים וַעֲתַלְיָה מֹלֶכֶת עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃

4In the seventh year, Yehoyada sent for the chiefs of the hundreds of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the House of Hashem. He made a pact with them, exacting an oath from them in the House of Hashem, and he showed them the king's son.

דוּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שָׁלַח יְהוֹיָדָע וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שָׂרֵי המאיות [הַמֵּאוֹת] לַכָּרִי וְלָרָצִים וַיָּבֵא אֹתָם אֵלָיו בֵּית יְהֹוָה וַיִּכְרֹת לָהֶם בְּרִית וַיַּשְׁבַּע אֹתָם בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה וַיַּרְא אֹתָם אֶת־בֶּן־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

5He instructed them: “This is what you must do: One-third of those who are on duty for the week shall maintain guard over the royal palace;

הוַיְצַוֵּם לֵאמֹר זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּן הַשְּׁלִשִׁית מִכֶּם בָּאֵי הַשַּׁבָּת וְשֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

6another third shall be [stationed] at the Sur Gate; and the other third shall be at the gate behind the guards; you shall keep guard over the House on every side.

ווְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּשַׁעַר סוּר וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית בַּשַּׁעַר אַחַר הָרָצִים וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַבַּיִת מַסָּח׃

7The two divisions of yours who are off duty this week shall keep guard over the House of Hashem for the protection of the king.

זוּשְׁתֵּי הַיָּדוֹת בָּכֶם כֹּל יֹצְאֵי הַשַּׁבָּת וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית־יְהֹוָה אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

8You shall surround the king on every side, every man with his weapons at the ready; and whoever breaks through the ranks shall be killed. Stay close to the king in his comings and goings.”

חוְהִקַּפְתֶּם עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ סָבִיב אִישׁ וְכֵלָיו בְּיָדוֹ וְהַבָּא אֶל־הַשְּׂדֵרוֹת יוּמָת וִהְיוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּצֵאתוֹ וּבְבֹאוֹ׃

9The chiefs of hundreds did just as Yehoyada ordered: Each took his men—those who were on duty that week and those who were off duty that week—and they presented themselves to Yehoyada the Kohen.

טוַיַּעֲשׂוּ שָׂרֵי המאיות [הַמֵּאוֹת] כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוֹיָדָע הַכֹּהֵן וַיִּקְחוּ אִישׁ אֶת־אֲנָשָׁיו בָּאֵי הַשַּׁבָּת עִם יֹצְאֵי הַשַּׁבָּת וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־יְהוֹיָדָע הַכֹּהֵן׃

10The Kohen gave the chiefs of hundreds King David's spears and quivers that were kept in the House of Hashem.

יוַיִּתֵּן הַכֹּהֵן לְשָׂרֵי המאיות [הַמֵּאוֹת] אֶת־הַחֲנִית וְאֶת־הַשְּׁלָטִים אֲשֶׁר לַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה׃

11The guards, each with his weapons at the ready, stationed themselves—from the south end of the House to the north end of the House, at the mizbayach and the House—to guard the king on every side.

יאוַיַּעַמְדוּ הָרָצִים אִישׁ וְכֵלָיו בְּיָדוֹ מִכֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת הַיְמָנִית עַד־כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת הַשְּׂמָאלִית לַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְלַבָּיִת עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ סָבִיב׃

12[Yehoyada] then brought out the king's son, and placed upon him the crown and the insignia. They anointed him and proclaimed him king; they clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”

va-yo-TZI et ben ha-ME-lekh va-yi-TAYN a-LAV et ha-NAY-zer v'-et HA-ay-DUT va-yam-LI-khu o-TO va-yim-sha-KHU-hu va-YA-ku KHAF va-yo-m'-RU y'-KHEE ha-ME-lekh

יבוַיּוֹצִא אֶת־בֶּן־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו אֶת־הַנֵּזֶר וְאֶת־הָעֵדוּת וַיַּמְלִכוּ אֹתוֹ וַיִּמְשָׁחֻהוּ וַיַּכּוּ־כָף וַיֹּאמְרוּ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

 11:12   And placed upon him the crown and the insignia

An open Torah scroll

The Hebrew word used for ‘insignia’ in the verse is aydut (עדות). This term, usually translated as ‘testimony,’ is often used to refer to the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written and the ark that contained them (see Exodus 32:15 and 26:33). As the Ten Commandments are representative of the entire Torah, Rashi explains that in this verse, the term aydut hints to the fact that the new king is not only given a crown, but also a Torah scroll. This practice is based on the command for a king to write a Torah scroll and have it in his presence at all times (Deuteronomy 17:19). The king must always remember that he is subservient to God, Who is the King of Kings, and is expected to follow His Torah. The Torah is the testimony and insignia of the People of Israel. When they properly observe its laws they are then deserving of Hashem’s promise to possess the Land of Israel.

13When Atalya heard the shouting of the guards [and] the people, she came out to the people in the House of Hashem.

יגוַתִּשְׁמַע עֲתַלְיָה אֶת־קוֹל הָרָצִין הָעָם וַתָּבֹא אֶל־הָעָם בֵּית יְהֹוָה׃

14She looked about and saw the king standing by the pillar, as was the custom, the chiefs with their trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Atalya rent her garments and cried out, “Treason, treason!”

ידוַתֵּרֶא וְהִנֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ עֹמֵד עַל־הָעַמּוּד כַּמִּשְׁפָּט וְהַשָּׂרִים וְהַחֲצֹצְרוֹת אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל־עַם הָאָרֶץ שָׂמֵחַ וְתֹקֵעַ בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וַתִּקְרַע עֲתַלְיָה אֶת־בְּגָדֶיהָ וַתִּקְרָא קֶשֶׁר קָשֶׁר׃

15Then the Kohen Yehoyada gave the command to the army officers, the chiefs of hundreds, and said to them, “Take her out between the ranks and, if anyone follows her, put him to the sword.” For the Kohen thought: “Let her not be put to death in the House of Hashem.”

טווַיְצַו יְהוֹיָדָע הַכֹּהֵן אֶת־שָׂרֵי המיאות [הַמֵּאוֹת ] פְּקֻדֵי הַחַיִל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הוֹצִיאוּ אֹתָהּ אֶל־מִבֵּית לַשְּׂדֵרֹת וְהַבָּא אַחֲרֶיהָ הָמֵת בֶּחָרֶב כִּי אָמַר הַכֹּהֵן אַל־תּוּמַת בֵּית יְהֹוָה׃

16They cleared a passageway for her and she entered the royal palace through the horses' entrance: there she was put to death.

טזוַיָּשִׂמוּ לָהּ יָדַיִם וַתָּבוֹא דֶּרֶךְ־מְבוֹא הַסּוּסִים בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתּוּמַת שָׁם׃

17And Yehoyada solemnized the covenant between Hashem, on the one hand, and the king and the people, on the other—as well as between the king and the people—that they should be the people of Hashem.

יזוַיִּכְרֹת יְהוֹיָדָע אֶת־הַבְּרִית בֵּין יְהֹוָה וּבֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ וּבֵין הָעָם לִהְיוֹת לְעָם לַיהֹוָה וּבֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ וּבֵין הָעָם׃

18Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal. They tore it down and smashed its altars and images to bits, and they slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. [Yehoyada] the Kohen then placed guards over the House of Hashem.

יחוַיָּבֹאוּ כָל־עַם הָאָרֶץ בֵּית־הַבַּעַל וַיִּתְּצֻהוּ אֶת־מזבחתו [מִזְבְּחֹתָיו] וְאֶת־צְלָמָיו שִׁבְּרוּ הֵיטֵב וְאֵת מַתָּן כֹּהֵן הַבַּעַל הָרְגוּ לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת וַיָּשֶׂם הַכֹּהֵן פְּקֻדּוֹת עַל־בֵּית יְהֹוָה׃

19He took the chiefs of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they escorted the king from the House of Hashem into the royal palace by the gate of the guards. And he ascended the royal throne.

יטוַיִּקַּח אֶת־שָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת וְאֶת־הַכָּרִי וְאֶת־הָרָצִים וְאֵת כָּל־עַם הָאָרֶץ וַיֹּרִידוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ מִבֵּית יְהֹוָה וַיָּבוֹאוּ דֶּרֶך־שַׁעַר הָרָצִים בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא הַמְּלָכִים׃

20All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. As for Atalya, she had been put to the sword in the royal palace.

כוַיִּשְׂמַח כָּל־עַם־הָאָרֶץ וְהָעִיר שָׁקָטָה וְאֶת־עֲתַלְיָהוּ הֵמִיתוּ בַחֶרֶב בֵּית מלך [הַמֶּלֶךְ׃]