בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָחָז בְּמָלְכוֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְלֹא־עָשָׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה' כְּדָוִיד אָבִיו

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, as had his father, his ancestor, King David.

וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדַרְכֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגַם מַסֵּכוֹת עָשָׂה לבְּעָלִים

Rather, he followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made cast images for the worship of the Be’alim.

וְהוּא הִקְטִיר בְּגֵיא בֶן־הִנֹּם וַיַּבְעֵר אֶת־בָּנָיו בָּאֵשׁ כְּתֹעֲבוֹת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הֹרִישׁ ה' מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

He burned offerings, incense or animals for his idolatrous rites, in the Valley of the Son of Hinom,and ignited his children in the fire. He probably did not literally burn his children, but merely passed them through fire as a symbolic offering (see II Kings 16:3, and commentary ad loc.; commentary on Leviticus 18:21). Ahaz acted in accordance with the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had dispossessed from before the children of Israel.

וַיְזַבֵּחַ וַיְקַטֵּר בַּבָּמוֹת וְעַל־הַגְּבָעוֹת וְתַחַת כָּל־עֵץ רַעֲנָן

He slaughtered animals and burned offerings in the shrines, and on the hills, and beneath every flourishing tree.

וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ ה' אֱלֹהָיו בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וַיַּכּוּ־בוֹ וַיִּשְׁבּוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁבְיָה גְדוֹלָה וַיָּבִיאוּ דַּרְמָשֶׂק וְגַם בְּיַד־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתָּן וַיַּךְ־בּוֹ מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה

The Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram, and they struck him, his people, and took from him a great many captives, and brought some of them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him a great blow. The king of Israel also waged war against Judah, perhaps alongside the Arameans, something that had not happened for many years, and he too struck the cities of Judah, although he did not conquer Jerusalem.

וַיַּהֲרֹג פֶּקַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָהוּ בִּיהוּדָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף בְּיוֹם אֶחָד הַכֹּל בְּנֵי־חָיִל בְּעָזְבָם אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָם

Pekah son of Remalyahu, king of Israel, killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all of them capable men, when they forsook the Lord, God of their fathers.

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

Zikhri, a mighty one of Ephraim, killed Maaseyahu the king’s son, and Azrikam chief official of the royal house, and Elkana the viceroy. Zikhri managed to kill military commanders and leading officials of Judah.

וַיִּשְׁבּוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֲחֵיהֶם מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף נָשִׁים בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וְגַם־שָׁלָל רָב בָּזְזוּ מֵהֶם וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־הַשָּׁלָל לְשֹׁמְרוֹן

The children of Israel took captive from their brethren two hundred thousand women, boys, and girls, and they also plundered much spoils from them, and brought the spoils to Samaria. They did not conquer the kingdom, but they were victorious in battle, taking booty and captives.

וְשָׁם הָיָה נָבִיא לַה' עֹדֵד שְׁמוֹ וַיֵּצֵא לִפְנֵי הַצָּבָא הַבָּא לְשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הִנֵּה בַּחֲמַת ה' אֱלֹהֵי־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם עַל־יְהוּדָה נְתָנָם בְּיֶדְכֶם וַתַּהַרְגוּ־בָם בְּזַעַף עַד לַשָּׁמַיִם הִגִּיעַ

A prophet of the Lord was there in Samaria, Oded was his name. He came out toward the army that was coming back to Samaria and said to them: Behold, by the fury of the Lord, God of your fathers, against Judah, He delivered them into your hand, and you killed among them with fury that reached to the heavens, that is, in a very great rage.

וְעַתָּה בְּנֵי־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים לִכְבֹּשׁ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת לָכֶם הֲלֹא רַק־אַתֶּם עִמָּכֶם אֲשָׁמוֹת לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

Now you are saying you wish to subjugate the children of Judah and Jerusalem as slaves and maidservants for yourselves, as prisoners of war. Don’t you yourselves have your own guilt against the Lord your God, as you have sinned more than they have?

וְעַתָּה שְׁמָעוּנִי וְהָשִׁיבוּ הַשִּׁבְיָה אֲשֶׁר שְׁבִיתֶם מֵאֲחֵיכֶם כִּי חֲרוֹן אַף ה' עֲלֵיכֶם

Now hear me, and return the captives that you have taken captive from your brethren, for the enflamed wrath of the Lord is upon you even more than upon them. Even if they deserve their punishment, you are even guiltier than they are. Therefore, your retribution will be even more severe if you keep them in captivity.

וַיָּקֻמוּ אֲנָשִׁים מֵרָאשֵׁי בְנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם עֲזַרְיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹחָנָן בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ בֶן־מְשִׁלֵּמוֹת וִיחִזְקִיָּהוּ בֶּן־שַׁלֻּם וַעֲמָשָׂא בֶּן־חַדְלָי עַל־הַבָּאִים מִן־הַצָּבָא

Men from among the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azaryahu son of Yehohanan, Berekhyahu son of Meshilemot, and Yehizkiyahu son of Shalum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, rose against those who came from the campaign,

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶם לֹא־תָבִיאוּ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה הֵנָּה כִּי לְאַשְׁמַת ה' עָלֵינוּ אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים לְהֹסִיף עַל־חַטֹּאתֵנוּ וְעַל־אַשְׁמָתֵנוּ כִּי־רַבָּה אַשְׁמָה לָנוּ וַחֲרוֹן אָף עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל

and said to them: You shall not bring the captives here, as you propose to bring guilt against the Lord upon us, for which we will receive divine punishment, to add to our sins and to our guilt. We have committed too many sins already. It would be foolish to increase our culpability through this deed, for our guilt is great, and there is enflamed wrath against Israel. It seems that some of the subjects of the Kingdom of Israel understood that the path to which they had become accustomed was not the correct path.

וַיַּעֲזֹב הֶחָלוּץ אֶת־הַשִּׁבְיָה וְאֶת־הַבִּזָּה לִפְנֵי הַשָּׂרִים וְכָל־הַקָּהָל

The vanguard left the captives and the spoils before the princes and the entire congregation, for the princes to take care of the situation.

וַיָּקֻמוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָה וְכָל־מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם הִלְבִּישׁוּ מִן־הַשָּׁלָל וַיַּלְבִּשׁוּם וַיַּנְעִלוּם וַיַּאֲכִלוּם וַיַּשְׁקוּם וַיְסֻכוּם וַיְנַהֲלוּם בַּחֲמֹרִים לְכָל־כּוֹשֵׁל וַיְבִיאוּם יְרֵחוֹ עִיר־הַתְּמָרִים אֵצֶל אֲחֵיהֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ שֹׁמְרוֹן

The men who were previously designated by name, those who inspired the people to listen to the prophet, rose and sustained the captives, provided them with support, and all the naked among them they clothed from the spoils; they clothed them, gave them shoes, fed them, gave them to drink, and anointed them with oil, and transported all the feeble among them, those who were unable to walk, on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of the date palms, to their brethren, and they returned to Samaria. They returned them not due to any external pressure, but because they realized the injustice of keeping them as prisoners of war. It was clear to them that even when Israel and Judah were at war, they were one nation and a single family, and therefore they were forbidden to treat their captives badly.

בָּעֵת הַהִיא שָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז עַל מַלְכֵי אַשּׁוּר לַעְזֹר לוֹ

At that time, King Ahaz sent messengers to the kings of Assyria to ask them to help him in his struggle against the Arameans and Israel. He sought help from Assyria, which was already an empire that was expanding rapidly, and whose western border was the eastern border of the Aramean states.

וְעוֹד אֲדוֹמִים בָּאוּ וַיַּכּוּ בִיהוּדָה וַיִּשְׁבּוּ־שֶׁבִי

However, Israel and the Arameans were not Judah’s only problem. The Edomites came again, they invaded, and were smiting at Judah, taking captives.

וּפְלִשְׁתִּים פָּשְׁטוּ בְּעָרֵי הַשְּׁפֵלָה וְהַנֶּגֶב לִיהוּדָה וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת־בֵּית־שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת־הַגְּדֵרוֹת וְאֶת־שׂוֹכוֹ וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת־תִּמְנָה וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת־גִּמְזוֹ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֶיהָ וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם

The Philistines raided against the cities of the foothills, and the south of Judah, and captured Beit Shemesh (see commentary on 25:21), Ayalon, Gederot, Sokho and its environs, Timna and its environs, and Gimzo and its environs and they settled there.

כִּי־הִכְנִיעַ ה' אֶת־יְהוּדָה בַּעֲבוּר אָחָז מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִפְרִיעַ בִּיהוּדָה וּמָעוֹל מַעַל בַּה'

For the Lord brought Judah low before its enemies because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he corrupted Judah, alternatively, he had misruled the kingdom, and committed a trespass against the Lord.

וַיָּבֹא עָלָיו תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיָּצַר לוֹ וְלֹא חֲזָקוֹ

Tilgat Pilneser, also called Tiglat Pileser, king of Assyria, came against him, and troubled him, Ahaz, and did not strengthen him. Although the king of Assyria arrived, not only did he fail to support Ahaz, he actively caused him more problems.

כִּי חָלַק אָחָז אֶת בֵּית ה' וְאֶת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים וַיִּתֵּן לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וְלֹא לְעֶזְרָה לוֹ

For Ahaz even distributed the treasuries of the House of the Lord, and the treasuries of the house of the king and the princes, and he gave them to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him. Although the king of Assyria would eventually cause the downfall of the Kingdom of Israel, this occurred only much later, and was not a response to the gifts he received from Ahaz.

ובְעֵת הָצֵר לוֹ וַיּוֹסֶף לִמְעוֹל בַּה' הוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז

Even during the time he was being troubled, he continued to trespass against the Lord; he is King Ahaz. There were occasions when Ahaz refrained from sinning out of respect for God’s word, but in general he continued in his wicked ways throughout his life.

וַיִּזְבַּח לֵאלֹהֵי דַרְמֶשֶׂק הַמַּכִּים בּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֱלֹהֵי מַלְכֵי־אֲרָם הֵם מַעְזְרִים אֹתָם לָהֶם אֲזַבֵּחַ וְיַעְזְרוּנִי וְהֵם הָיוּ־לוֹ לְהַכְשִׁילוֹ וּלְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל

He slaughtered to the gods of Damascus, who were striking at him, and he said: Since the gods of the kings of Aram help them, I will slaughter to them, and they will help me. But in fact they were what brought about his downfall and that of all Israel. This idolatry was the cause of his and Israel’s suffering.

וַיֶּאֱסֹף אָחָז אֶת־כְּלֵי בֵית־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְקַצֵּץ אֶת־כְּלֵי בֵית־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּסְגֹּר אֶת־דַּלְתוֹת בֵּית־ה' וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ מִזְבְּחוֹת בְּכָל־פִּנָּה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

Ahaz gathered the vessels of the House of God, cut the vessels of the House of God into pieces, as he needed the valuable materials from which they were fashioned, and closed the doors of the House of the Lord, he cancelled the Temple service; he made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem.

וּבְכָל־עִיר וָעִיר לִיהוּדָה עָשָׂה בָמוֹת לְקַטֵּר לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַיַּכְעֵס אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתָיו

In every city of Judah he made shrines to burn offerings to other gods, and he angered the Lord, God of his fathers.

וְיֶתֶר דְּבָרָיו וְכָל־דְּרָכָיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל

The rest of his deeds, and all his ways, early and late, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. Ahaz was unsuccessful in every aspect of his reign. He was unsuccessful in wars and in defending the land from invaders, and he destroyed Israel’s moral and religious integrity.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב אָחָז עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בָעִיר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם כִּי לֹא הֱבִיאֻהוּ לְקִבְרֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Ahaz lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him to the graves of the kings of Israel, as he did not deserve such honor; and Yehizkiyahu his son reigned in his stead.