בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָחָז בְּמָלְכוֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְלֹא־עָשָׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה כְּדָוִיד   28:1

 אָבִיו׃

2Chr. 28:1   Ahaz was twenty years of age on his becoming king and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and he did not do the right thing in the eyes of the Lord as had David his ancestor,

This verse is similar to 2Kin. 16:2.

וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגַם מַסֵּכוֹת עָשָׂה לַבְּעָלִים׃   28:2

2Chr. 28:2   that he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made molten images to the Baalim.

This verse and the next contain information similar to that found in 2Kin. 16:3 and 16:4.

וְהוּא הִקְטִיר בְּגֵיא בֶן־הִנֹּם וַיַּבְעֵר אֶת־בָּנָיו בָּאֵשׁ כְּתֹעֲבוֹת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הֹרִישׁ יְהוָה מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי   28:3

 יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Chr. 28:3   He also offered in the valley of the son of Hinnom and burned his children in fire after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had dispossessed from before the children of Israel.

וַיְזַבֵּחַ וַיְקַטֵּר בַּבָּמוֹת וְעַל־הַגְּבָעוֹת וְתַחַת כָּל־עֵץ רַעֲנָן׃   28:4

2Chr. 28:4   And he sacrificed and offered on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.

וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וַיַּכּוּ־בוֹ וַיִּשְׁבּוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁבְיָה גְדוֹלָה וַיָּבִיאוּ דַּרְמָשֶׂק וְגַםְ   28:5

בְּיַד־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתָּן וַיַּךְ־בּוֹ מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה׃

2Chr. 28:5   So the Lord, his God, delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram, and they brought judgment on him, and they took away a great captive throng from him that they brought to Damascus.  And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who brought the judgment of a great slaughter on him,

While this verse mentions events that are amplified upon in 2Kings Chapter 16, most of what is contained here and in the rest of this chapter down to v. 28:19 is not found elsewhere.

וַיַּהֲרֹג פֶּקַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָהוּ בִּיהוּדָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף בְּיוֹם אֶחָד הַכֹּל בְּנֵי־חָיִל בְּעָזְבָם אֶת־יְהוָה   28:6

 אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָם׃

2Chr. 28:6   that Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day who were all sons of valor, because of their forsaking the Lord, God of their ancestors.

וַיַּהֲרֹג זִכְרִי גִּבּוֹר אֶפְרַיִם אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ בֶּן־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת־עַזְרִיקָם נְגִיד הַבָּיִת וְאֶת־אֶלְקָנָה מִשְׁנֵה   28:7

 הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

2Chr. 28:7   And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah, the son of the king, and Azrikam, the ruler of the house, and Elkanah, the double of the king.

The last word in the top line, which I translate as the double of, is translated differently in all of the popular bibles.  They each offer something like second to or next to or second in command to.  None of these work for me because the Hebrew for the preposition to is not present.  Thus a strict translation requires an of, not a to, and my translation is the only one conforming to the Hebrew.

וַיִּשְׁבּוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֲחֵיהֶם מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף נָשִׁים בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וְגַם־שָׁלָל רָב בָּזְזוּ מֵהֶם וַיָּבִיאוּ   28:8

 אֶת־הַשָּׁלָל לְשֹׁמְרוֹן׃

2Chr. 28:8   And the children of Israel took away captive from their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, and also took much spoil from them, and they brought the spoil to Samaria.

וְשָׁם הָיָה נָבִיא לַיהוָה עֹדֵד שְׁמוֹ וַיֵּצֵא לִפְנֵי הַצָּבָא הַבָּא לְשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הִנֵּה בַּחֲמַת יְהוָה   28:9

 אֱלֹהֵי־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם עַל־יְהוּדָה נְתָנָם בְּיֶדְכֶם וַתַּהַרְגוּ־בָם בְזַעַף עַד לַשָּׁמַיִם הִגִּיעַ׃

2Chr. 28:9   And there was a prophet of the Lord's, Oded being his name, and he went out before the host coming to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because of the wrath of the Lord, God of your ancestors, against Judah He delivered them into your hand, and you have slain among them with a rage extending up to heaven.”

וְעַתָּה בְּנֵי־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים לִכְבֹּשׁ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת לָכֶם הֲלֹא רַק־אַתֶּם עִמָּכֶם   28:10

 אֲשָׁמוֹת לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם׃

2Chr. 28:10   “And now you are intending to subject the children of Judah and Jerusalem as male slaves and female slaves for yourselves; but are there not you yourselves doing wrongs toward the Lord, your God?”

וְעַתָּה שְׁמָעוּנִי וְהָשִׁיבוּ הַשִּׁבְיָה אֲשֶׁר שְׁבִיתֶם מֵאֲחֵיכֶם כִּי חֲרוֹן אַף־יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם׃   28:11

2Chr. 28:11   “So now hear me and reverse the captivity of whom you have taken from your brethren, for a more fierce ‘wrath’ of the Lord shall be upon you.”

וַיָּקֻמוּ אֲנָשִׁים מֵרָאשֵׁי בְנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם עֲזַרְיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹחָנָן בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ בֶן־מְשִׁלֵּמוֹת וִיחִזְקִיָּהוּ בֶּן־שַׁלֻּם   28:12

  וַעֲמָשָׂא בֶּן־חַדְלָי עַל־הַבָּאִים מִן־הַצָּבָא׃

2Chr. 28:12   Then some men stood, of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, against those coming from the war,

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶם לֹא־תָבִיאוּ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה הֵנָּה כִּי לְאַשְׁמַת יְהוָה עָלֵינוּ אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים לְהֹסִיףּ   28:13

עַל־חַטֹּאתֵינוּ וְעַל־אַשְׁמָתֵינוּ כִּי־רַבָּה אַשְׁמָה לָנוּ וַחֲרוֹן אָף עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Chr. 28:13   and they said to them, “You cannot bring those in captivity here, for you are intending to bring the offense of the Lord upon us, to add onto our sins and onto our offense, for our guilt is so great that a fierce wrath shall be upon Israel.”

וַיַּעֲזֹב הֶחָלוּץ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה וְאֶת־הַבִּזָּה לִפְנֵי הַשָּׂרִים וְכָל־הַקָּהָל׃   28:14

2Chr. 28:14   So the vanguard released those of the captivity and the spoil before the princes and the whole congregation.

וַיָּקֻמוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָה וְכָל־מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם הִלְבִּישׁוּ מִן־הַשָּׁלָל וַיַּלְבִּשׁוּם   28:15

 וַיַּנְעִלוּם וַיַּאֲכִלוּם וַיַּשְׁקוּם וַיְסֻכוּם וַיְנַהֲלוּם בַּחֲמֹרִים לְכָל־כּוֹשֵׁל וַיְבִיאוּם יְרֵחוֹ עִיר־הַתְּמָרִים אֵצֶל

  אֲחֵיהֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ שֹׁמְרוֹן׃

2Chr. 28:15   Then the men who have been mentioned by name rose and gave support to the captives, and they clothed all their naked from the spoil and dressed them and gave them sandals and fed them and gave them drink and anointed them and guided them, on asses for anyone feeble, and brought them to Jericho; then they returned to Samaria.

בָּעֵת הַהִיא שָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז עַל־מַלְכֵי אַשּׁוּר לַעְזֹר לוֹ׃   28:16

2Chr. 28:16   At that time the king, Ahaz, had sent over to the kings of Assyria for help for him,

וְעוֹד אֲדוֹמִים בָּאוּ וַיַּכּוּ בִיהוּדָה וַיִּשְׁבּוּ־שֶׁבִי׃   28:17

2Chr. 28:17   as the Edomites had come again and struck in Judah and took captives.

וּפְלִשְׁתִּים פָּשְׁטוּ בְּעָרֵי הַשְּׁפֵלָה וְהַנֶּגֶב לִיהוּדָה וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת־בֵּית־שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת־הַגְּדֵרוֹת   28:18

 וְאֶת־שׂוֹכוֹ וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת־תִּמְנָה וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת־גִּמְזוֹ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֶיהָ וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם׃

2Chr. 28:18   The Philistines as well had spread out into the cities of the lowland and Judah's south, and captured Beth-shemesh and Aijalon and Gederoth and Soco with its towns, and Timnah and its towns, and Gimzo and its towns, and they dwelled there.

כִּי־הִכְנִיעַ יְהוָה אֶת־יְהוּדָה בַּעֲבוּר אָחָז מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִפְרִיעַ בִּיהוּדָה וּמָעוֹל מַעַל בַּיהוָה׃   28:19

2Chr. 28:19   For the Lord had brought Judah low because of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he had lacked restraint in Judah and acted treacherously toward the Lord.

וַיָּבֹא עָלָיו תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיָּצַר לוֹ וְלֹא חֲזָקוֹ׃   28:20

2Chr. 28:20   And Tillegath-pilnesser, king of Assyria, came beside him but he was hostile to him and did not support him,

This verse and the next are somewhat reminiscent of 2Kin. 16:7 to 16:9, but many of the facts are different.  One minor difference:  The name Tillegath-pilnesser in this verse is spelled there as Tiglath-pileser.

כִּי־חָלַק אָחָז אֶת־בֵּית יְהוָה וְאֶת־בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים וַיִּתֵּן לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וְלֹא לְעֶזְרָה לוֹ׃   28:21

2Chr. 28:21   although Ahaz had plundered the house of the Lord and the house of the king and the princes, and given to the king of Assyria, but it was of no help to him.

וּבְעֵת הָצֵר לוֹ וַיּוֹסֶף לִמְעוֹל בַּיהוָה הוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז׃   28:22

2Chr. 28:22   When in the time of his distress, then he, the king Ahaz, added to the treachery toward the Lord

וַיִּזְבַּח לֵאלֹהֵי דַרְמֶשֶׂק הַמַּכִּים בּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֱלֹהֵי מַלְכֵי־אֲרָם הֵם מַעְזְרִים אוֹתָם לָהֶם אֲזַבֵּחַ   28:23

וְיַעְזְרוּנִי וְהֵם הָיוּ־לוֹ לְהַכְשִׁילוֹ וּלְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Chr. 28:23   and he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who were striking at him, as he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram, they have been helping them, to them I will sacrifice that they help me.”  But they were his ruination, for him and for all Israel.

וַיֶּאֱסֹף אָחָז אֶת־כְּלֵי בֵית־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְקַצֵּץ אֶת־כְּלֵי בֵית־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּסְגֹּר אֶת־דַּלְתוֹת בֵּית־יְהוָה   28:24

 וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ מִזְבְּחוֹת בְּכָל־פִּנָּה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם׃

2Chr. 28:24   And Ahaz gathered the implements of the house of God and cut up the implements of the house of God and closed the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made altars for himself on every corner in Jerusalem.

וּבְכָל־עִיר וָעִיר לִיהוּדָה עָשָׂה בָמוֹת לְקַטֵּר לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַיַּכְעֵס אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתָיו׃   28:25

2Chr. 28:25   And in Judah's every city and town he made high places to offer to other gods and provoked the Lord, God of his ancestors.

וְיֶתֶר דְּבָרָיו וְכָל־דְּרָכָיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי־יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל׃   28:26

2Chr. 28:26   And the rest of his acts and all his ways, the first as well as the last, behold, they are written on the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

This verse is similar to 2Kin. 16:19.  But the next verse, whose counterpart is in 2Kin. 16:20, is different from that verse.  According to the latter mentioned verse, Ahaz was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, not in Jerusalem.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב אָחָז עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בָעִיר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם כִּי לֹא הֱבִיאֻהוּ לְקִבְרֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּמְלֹךְ   28:27

 יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃

2Chr. 28:27   And Ahaz slept with his ancestors and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but did not bring him to the sepulchers of the kings of Israel, and his son, Hezekiah, became king in his place.

We have here evidence of another mental lapse by the scribe.  Ahaz was king of Judah, not Israel.  Why did the scribe add here (which is not found in 2Kings) that Ahaz was not brought to the sepulchers of the kings of Israel?  Commentators have noted this discrepancy, but only one of the popular bibles (New Living Translation) replaces the name Israel with Judah.  One commentator even goes so far as to state that the chronicler sometimes applies the name Israel as a general pointer to both Judah and Israel.  This may actually be true.  The chronicler does so at times, but never in a context such as this.  When he refers to a king of Judah, he says Judah, and when he refers to a king of Israel, he says Israel.  In no such case, does he do otherwise.

 

[Return to 2Chronicles Chapters]   [Prev.:  2Chr. 27]   [Next:  2Chr. 29]

 

 

 

 

2Chronicles 28