בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְיוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־יוֹאָחָז מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מָלַךְ אֲמַצְיָהוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה

During the second year of Yo’ash son of Yo’ahaz, king of Israel, Amatzyahu son of Yo’ash, king of Judah, became king.

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה הָיָה בְמָלְכוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים וָתֵשַׁע שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ יְהוֹעַדָּן מִן־יְרוּשָׁלִָם

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Yeho’adan of Jerusalem.

וַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה' רַק לֹא כְּדָוִד אָבִיו כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יוֹאָשׁ אָבִיו עָשָׂה

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, only not wholly like David his father; rather, he acted in accordance with everything that Yo’ash his father had done.

רַק הַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ עוֹד הָעָם מְזַבְּחִים וּמְקַטְּרִים בַּבָּמוֹת

However, the shrines were not removed; the people were still slaughtering and burning offerings at the shrines. The authorities were still unable to eliminate the private altars upon which offerings were unlawfully sacrificed to God.

וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר חָזְקָה הַמַּמְלָכָה בְּיָדוֹ וַיַּךְ אֶת־עֲבָדָיו הַמַּכִּים אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ אָבִיו

It was when the kingdom was strongly held in his hand, and he felt that his position was secure, that he smote his servants who had smitten the king, his father;

וְאֶת־בְּנֵי הַמַּכִּים לֹא הֵמִית כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת־מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' לֵאמֹר לֹא־יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים וּבָנִים לֹא־יוּמְתוּ עַל־אָבוֹת כִּי אִם־אִישׁ בְּחֶטְאוֹ יוּמָת

but the children of the smiters he did not put to death, despite the fact that he was powerful enough to avenge his father to that extent, as it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses that the Lord commanded, saying: Fathers will not be put to death for sons, and sons will not be put to death for fathers; rather, each will be put to death for his own sin. Only the sinner himself will be punished, not his sons or relatives.

הוּא־הִכָּה אֶת־אֱדוֹם בְּגֵי־מֶלַח עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים וְתָפַשׂ אֶת־הַסֶּלַע בַּמִּלְחָמָה וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמָהּ יָקְתְאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

He smote Edom in the Valley of Salt, near the Dead Sea, killing ten thousand Edomites, and he seized Sela, a fortress in the rock [sela] of Edom, in the war. He named it Yokte’el, to this day.

אָז שָׁלַח אֲמַצְיָה מַלְאָכִים אֶל־יְהוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָז בֶּן־יֵהוּא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר לְכָה נִתְרָאֶה פָנִים

The Kingdom of Judah considered the Kingdom of Israel an illegitimate state because it was founded based on a revolt. Consequently, after his victory over the Edomites, Amatzyahu, who had become overly self-confident, taunted the king of Israel: Then Amatzya sent messengers to Yeho’ash, son of Yeho’ahaz, son of Yehu, king of Israel, saying: Let us confront one another in battle.

וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוֹאָשׁ 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

Yeho’ash king of Israel sent a letter to Amatzyahu king of Judah, which contained a parable, saying: The thistle that was in the Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in the Lebanon, saying: Give your daughter to my son as a wife. Since the two plants both grew in Lebanon, the thistle suggested that their children should wed; however, the proposed match was never brought to fruition: But the beasts of the field that were in the Lebanon passed and trampled the thistle. Not only are the thistle and the cedar utterly different from one another, but the thistle’s very existence is precarious in comparison to the cedar.

הַכֵּה הִכִּיתָ אֶת־אֱדוֹם וּנְשָׂאֲךָ לִבֶּךָ הִכָּבֵד וְשֵׁב בְּבֵיתֶךָ וְלָמָּה תִתְגָּרֶה בְּרָעָה וְנָפַלְתָּה אַתָּה וִיהוּדָה עִמָּךְ

The letter proceeded to explain the parable: You have smitten Edom and you have grown arrogant. Your victory over the Edomites has rendered you so proud that you think you can beat me as well. Bask in your glory, and stay at home. Why provoke harm? You will fall, you and Judah with you. I am more powerful than you; it is a shame for you and your men to suffer.

וְלֹא־שָׁמַע אֲמַצְיָהוּ וַיַּעַל יְהוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתְרָאוּ פָנִים הוּא וַאֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בְּבֵית שֶׁמֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה

But Amatzyahu did not heed this good advice. Yeho’ash king of Israel went up, and he and Amatzyahu king of Judah confronted one another in a pitched battle in Beit Shemesh, which is in the territory of Judah.

וַיִּנָּגֶף יְהוּדָה לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּנֻסוּ אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָו

Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his tent.

וְאֵת אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בֶּן־יְהוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָהוּ תָּפַשׂ יְהוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבֵית שָׁמֶשׁ וַיָּבֹא ירוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּפְרֹץ בְּחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּשַׁעַר אֶפְרַיִם עַד־שַׁעַר הַפִּנָּה אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אַמָּה

Yeho’ash king of Israel seized Amatzyahu king of Judah, son of Yeho’ash, son of Ahazyahu, in Beit Shemesh, but he did not kill him. He subsequently came to Jerusalem, and he breached the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, probably on the northeastern side of the city, a length of four hundred cubits.

וְלָקַח אֶת־כָּל־הַזָּהָב וְהַכֶּסֶף וְאֵת כָּל־הַכֵּלִים הַנִּמְצְאִים בֵּית־ה' וּבְאוֹצְרוֹת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֵת בְּנֵי הַתַּעֲרֻבוֹת וַיָּשָׁב שֹׁמְרוֹנָה

He took all the gold and silver, all the vessels that were found in the House of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and the hostages, people from other nations or small tribes whom he found in the court of the king of Judah, and he returned to Samaria.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹאָשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וּגְבוּרָתוֹ וַאֲשֶׁר נִלְחַם עִם אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

The rest of the matters of Yeho’ash king of Israel that he did, his might, and how he made war with Amatzyahu king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

וַיִּשְׁכַּב יְהוֹאָשׁ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן עִם מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּמְלֹךְ יָרָבְעָם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Yeho’ash lay with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; Yorovam his son reigned in his place.

וַיְחִי אֲמַצְיָהוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אַחֲרֵי מוֹת יְהוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָז מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה

Amatzyahu son of Yo’ash, king of Judah, lived for fifteen years after the death of Yeho’ash son of Yeho’ahaz, king of Israel.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי אֲמַצְיָהוּ הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתֻבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה

The rest of the acts of Amatzyahu, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ עָלָיו קֶשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם וַיָּנָס לָכִישָׁה וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ אַחֲרָיו לָכִישָׁה וַיְמִתֻהוּ שָׁם

Due to personal enmity, they plotted a conspiracy against him, Amatzya, in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lakhish, which was a fortified city. They sent after him to Lakhish, and they put him to death there.

וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֹתוֹ עַל־הַסּוּסִים וַיִּקָּבֵר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם עִם־אֲבֹתָיו בְּעִיר דָּוִד

They carried him on the horses after he had been killed, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

וַיִּקְחוּ כָּל־עַם יְהוּדָה אֶת־עֲזַרְיָה וְהוּא בֶּן־שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וַיַּמְלִכוּ אֹתוֹ תַּחַת אָבִיו אֲמַצְיָהוּ

All the people of Judah took Amatzyahu’s son Azarya, and he was sixteen years old at the time, and they crowned him in place of his father Amatzyahu. More will be related about Azarya below (15:1–7); in the meantime, the next verse notes one of his achievements:

הוּא בָּנָה אֶת־אֵילַת וַיְשִׁבֶהָ לִיהוּדָה אַחֲרֵי שְׁכַב־הַמֶּלֶךְ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו

He built Eilat, which had previously been under the control of the king of Judah but from time to time had been conquered by foreigners, and restored it to Judah, after the king, his father Amatzyahu, died and lay with his fathers.

בִּשְׁנַת חֲמֵשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לַאֲמַצְיָהוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מָלַךְ יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־יוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן אַרְבָּעִים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה

During the fifteenth year of Amatzyahu son of Yo’ash, king of Judah, Yorovam son of Yo’ash, king of Israel, became king in Samaria and reigned for forty-one years.

וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה'לֹא סָר מִכָּל־חַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not turn away from all the sins of Yorovam son of Nevat, who caused Israel to sin.

הוּא הֵשִׁיב אֶת־גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלְּבוֹא חֲמָת עַד־יָם הָעֲרָבָה כִּדְבַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּיַד־עַבְדּוֹ יוֹנָה בֶן־אֲמִתַּי הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר מִגַּת הַחֵפֶר

He, Yorovam son of Yo’ash, restored the border of Israel, so that the kingdom stretched from Levo Hamat in northern Syria to the sea of the Arava, the Dead Sea, in accordance with the word of the Lord, God of Israel, that He spoke by means of His servant Jonah son of Amitai, the prophet, who was from Gat Hefer, in the territory of Zebulun. Jonah had prophesied that the Kingdom of Israel would eventually expand to the borders of the days of King Solomon.

כִּי־רָאָה ה' אֶת־עֳנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֹרֶה מְאֹד וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְאֶפֶס עָזוּב וְאֵין עֹזֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל

For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, which was very downtrodden, as no one was protected and no one was supported by the ruling authorities, and there was no helper for Israel.

וְלֹא־דִבֶּר ה' לִמְחוֹת אֶת־שֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם וַיּוֹשִׁיעֵם בְּיַד יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־ יוֹאָשׁ

But the Lord had not determined to erase the name of Israel from beneath the heavens, and therefore He did not let them be destroyed; rather, He saved them by means of Yorovam son of Yo’ash.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יָרָבְעָם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וּגְבוּרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־נִלְחָם וַאֲשֶׁר הֵשִׁיב אֶת־דַּמֶּשֶׂק וְאֶת־חֲמָת לִיהוּדָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

The rest of the matters of Yorovam and everything that he did, and his might, how he made war and how he restored Damascus and Hamat to Judah from Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? Since these cities were conquered by the Judean King David, Yorovam restored them to Judah, despite the fact that they were captured by the soldiers of Israel.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב יָרָבְעָם עִם־אֲבֹתָיו עִם מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּמְלֹךְ זְכַרְיָה בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Yorovam lay with his fathers, with the kings of Israel, and Zekharya his son reigned in his place. Zekharya was the fifth generation from Yehu, the patriarch of this royal line.