(1) In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of King Jotham of Judah became king. (2) Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem...
(א) וַיְהִ֡י בִּימֵ֣י אָ֠חָ֠ז בֶּן־יוֹתָ֨ם בֶּן־עֻזִּיָּ֜הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה עָלָ֣ה רְצִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲ֠רָ֠ם וּפֶ֨קַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עָלֶ֑יהָ וְלֹ֥א יָכֹ֖ל לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (ב) וַיֻּגַּ֗ד לְבֵ֤ית דָּוִד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נָ֥חָה אֲרָ֖ם עַל־אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיָּ֤נַע לְבָבוֹ֙ וּלְבַ֣ב עַמּ֔וֹ כְּנ֥וֹעַ עֲצֵי־יַ֖עַר מִפְּנֵי־רֽוּחַ׃ {ס} (ג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶֽל־יְשַֽׁעְיָ֒הוּ֒ צֵא־נָא֙ לִקְרַ֣את אָחָ֔ז אַתָּ֕ה וּשְׁאָ֖ר יָשׁ֣וּב בְּנֶ֑ךָ אֶל־קְצֵ֗ה תְּעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה אֶל־מְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כוֹבֵֽס׃ (ד) וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵ֠לָ֠יו הִשָּׁמֵ֨ר וְהַשְׁקֵ֜ט אַל־תִּירָ֗א וּלְבָֽבְךָ֙ אַל־יֵרַ֔ךְ מִשְּׁנֵ֨י זַנְב֧וֹת הָאוּדִ֛ים הָעֲשֵׁנִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בׇּחֳרִי־אַ֛ף רְצִ֥ין וַאֲרָ֖ם וּבֶן־רְמַלְיָֽהוּ׃ (ה) יַ֗עַן כִּֽי־יָעַ֥ץ עָלֶ֛יךָ אֲרָ֖ם רָעָ֑ה אֶפְרַ֥יִם וּבֶן־רְמַלְיָ֖הוּ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ו) נַעֲלֶ֤ה בִֽיהוּדָה֙ וּנְקִיצֶ֔נָּה וְנַבְקִעֶ֖נָּה אֵלֵ֑ינוּ וְנַמְלִ֥יךְ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ אֵ֖ת בֶּן־טָֽבְאַֽל׃ {פ}
(ז) כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אדושם ה' לֹ֥א תָק֖וּם וְלֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶֽה׃
(1) In the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched upon Jerusalem to attack it; but they were not able to attack it. (2) Now, when it was reported to the House of David that Aram had allied itself with Ephraim, their hearts and the hearts of their people trembled as trees of the forest sway before a wind. (3) But the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the Upper Pool, by the road of the Fuller’s Field. (4) And say to him: Be firm and be calm. Do not be afraid and do not lose heart on account of those two smoking stubs of firebrands, on account of the raging of Rezin and his Arameans and the son of Remaliah. (5) Because the Arameans—with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah—have plotted against you, saying, (6) ‘We will march against Judah and invade and conquer it, and we will set up as king in it the son of Tabeel,’ (7) thus said my Lord GOD: It shall not succeed, It shall not come to pass.
... וְלֹא־עָשָׂ֣ה הַיָּשָׁ֗ר בְּעֵינֵ֛י ה' אֱלֹקָ֖יו כְּדָוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃ (ג) וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְגַ֤ם אֶת־בְּנוֹ֙ הֶעֱבִ֣יר בָּאֵ֔שׁ כְּתֹֽעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹרִ֤ישׁ ה' אֹתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ד) וַיְזַבֵּ֧חַ וַיְקַטֵּ֛ר בַּבָּמ֖וֹת וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֑וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כׇּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן׃
... He did not do what was pleasing to the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had done, (3) but followed the ways of the kings of Israel. He even consigned his son to the fire, in the abhorrent fashion of the nations which the LORD had dispossessed before the Israelites. (4) He sacrificed and made offerings at the shrines, on the hills, and under every leafy tree.
(5) Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel advanced on Jerusalem for battle. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome [him]. (6) At that time King Rezin of Aram recovered Eilat for Aram; he drove out the Judites from Eilat, and Edomites came to Eilat and settled there, as is still the case.
(7) Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria to say, “I am your servant and your son; come and deliver me from the hands of the king of Aram and from the hands of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” (8) Ahaz took the gold and silver that were on hand in the House of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent them as a gift to the king of Assyria. (9) The king of Assyria responded to his request; the king of Assyria marched against Damascus and captured it. He deported its inhabitants-b to Kir and put Rezin to death.
(ה) וַיֹּ֣סֶף ה' דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלַ֛י ע֖וֹד לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ו) יַ֗עַן כִּ֤י מָאַס֙ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֵ֚ת מֵ֣י הַשִּׁלֹ֔חַ הַהֹלְכִ֖ים לְאַ֑ט וּמְשׂ֥וֹשׂ אֶת־רְצִ֖ין וּבֶן־רְמַלְיָֽהוּ׃ (ז) וְלָכֵ֡ן הִנֵּ֣ה אדושם מַעֲלֶ֨ה עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶת־מֵ֣י הַנָּהָ֗ר הָעֲצוּמִים֙ וְהָ֣רַבִּ֔ים אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּׁ֖וּר וְאֶת־כׇּל־כְּבוֹד֑וֹ וְעָלָה֙ עַל־כׇּל־אֲפִיקָ֔יו וְהָלַ֖ךְ עַל־כׇּל־גְּדוֹתָֽיו׃ (ח) וְחָלַ֤ף בִּֽיהוּדָה֙ שָׁטַ֣ף וְעָבַ֔ר עַד־צַוָּ֖אר יַגִּ֑יעַ ...
(5) Again the LORD spoke to me, thus: (6) “Because that people has spurned
The gently flowing waters of Siloam”— (7) Assuredly,
My Lord will bring up against them
The mighty, massive waters of the Euphrates,
The king of Assyria and all his multitude.
It shall rise above all its channels,
And flow over all its beds, (8) And swirl through Judah like a flash flood
Reaching up to the neck.
(א) אֵ֠לֶּה הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂוֹת֒ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן ה' אֱלֹקֵ֧י אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כׇּ֨ל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ב) אַבֵּ֣ד תְּ֠אַבְּד֠וּן אֶֽת־כׇּל־הַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֧ר עָֽבְדוּ־שָׁ֣ם הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם יֹרְשִׁ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם עַל־הֶהָרִ֤ים הָֽרָמִים֙ וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֔וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כׇּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן׃ (ג) וְנִתַּצְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֗ם וְשִׁבַּרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־מַצֵּ֣בֹתָ֔ם וַאֲשֵֽׁרֵיהֶם֙ תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֔שׁ וּפְסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם תְּגַדֵּע֑וּן וְאִבַּדְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (ד) לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֣וּן כֵּ֔ן לַה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃ (ה) כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכׇּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָּֽׁמָּה׃ (ו) וַהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם שָׁ֗מָּה עֹלֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵת֙ מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יֶדְכֶ֑ם וְנִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וְנִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקַרְכֶ֖ם וְצֹאנְכֶֽם׃
(1) These are the laws and rules that you must carefully observe in the land that the LORD, God of your fathers, is giving you to possess, as long as you live on earth. (2) You must destroy all the sites at which the nations you are to dispossess worshiped their gods, whether on lofty mountains and on hills or under any luxuriant tree. (3) Tear down their altars, smash their pillars, put their sacred posts to the fire, and cut down the images of their gods, obliterating their name from that site. (4) Do not worship the LORD your God in like manner, (5) but look only to the site that the LORD your God will choose amidst all your tribes as His habitation, to establish His name there. There you are to go, (6) and there you are to bring your burnt offerings and other sacrifices, your tithes and contributions, your votive and freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and flocks.
(כז) וַיַּ֧עַשׂ אֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֛וֹת עֶ֖שֶׂר נְחֹ֑שֶׁת אַרְבַּ֣ע בָּֽאַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַמְּכוֹנָ֣ה הָאֶחָ֔ת וְאַרְבַּ֤ע בָּֽאַמָּה֙ רׇחְבָּ֔הּ וְשָׁלֹ֥שׁ בָּאַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתָֽהּ׃ (כח) וְזֶ֛ה מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַמְּכוֹנָ֖ה מִסְגְּרֹ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וּמִסְגְּרֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין הַשְׁלַבִּֽים׃ (כט) וְעַֽל־הַמִּסְגְּר֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ בֵּ֣ין הַשְׁלַבִּ֗ים אֲרָי֤וֹת ׀ בָּקָר֙ וּכְרוּבִ֔ים וְעַל־הַשְׁלַבִּ֖ים כֵּ֣ן מִמָּ֑עַל וּמִתַּ֙חַת֙ לַאֲרָי֣וֹת וְלַבָּקָ֔ר לֹי֖וֹת מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה מוֹרָֽד׃
(35) At the top of the laver stand was a round band half a cubit high, and together with the top of the laver stand; its sides and its insets were of one piece with it. (36) On its surface—on its sides—and on its insets [Hiram] engraved cherubim, lions, and palms, as the clear space on each allowed,-d with spirals round about.
(ג) וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אָחָז (ישעיה ז, א), מַה צָּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם (ישעיה ט, יא): אֲרָם מִקֶּדֶם וּפְלִשְׁתִּים מֵאָחוֹר, מָשָׁל לְבֶן שָׂרִים שֶׁנִּזְדַּוֵּוג לוֹ פַּדְגּוֹגוֹ לַהֲמִיתוֹ, אָמַר אִם אֲנִי הוֹרְגוֹ עַכְשָׁיו אֶתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה לַשַֹּׂר, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי מוֹשֵׁךְ מְנִיקְתּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וּמֵעַצְמוֹ הוּא מֵת. כָּךְ אָמַר אָחָז אִם אֵין גְּדָיִים אֵין תְּיָשִׁים, אִם אֵין תְּיָשִׁים אֵין צֹאן, אִם אֵין צֹאן אֵין רוֹעֶה, אִם אֵין רוֹעֶה אֵין עוֹלָם. כָּךְ הָיָה סָבוּר בְּדַעְתּוֹ לוֹמַר אִם אֵין קְטַנִּים אֵין תַּלְמִידִים, אִם אֵין תַּלְמִידִים אֵין חֲכָמִים, אִם אֵין חֲכָמִים אֵין זְקֵנִים, אִם אֵין זְקֵנִים אֵין נְבִיאִים, אִם אֵין נְבִיאִים אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה ח, טז): צוֹר תְּעוּדָה חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמֻּדָי. רַבִּי חוֹנְיָא בַּר אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אָחָז, שֶׁאָחַז בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת
(2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own": So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples.".... And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cried out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz.