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Nach YomiII Kings · מלכים ב׳Chapter 1

II Kings 1

מלכים ב׳ ׀ךק א׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים ךאשונים | Book: II Kings | Chapter: 1 of 25 | Day: 123 of 742

Date: June 14, 2026

קלאוד על הנ׮ך

The opening chapter of Melachim Bet sets the tone for the entire book by binding the fate of a king to the word of a prophet. It begins almost in passing, with a single verse noting that after the death of Achav, Moav rebelled against Israel — a quiet signal that the firm grip of the Omride dynasty has already loosened. But the chapter’s true subject is Achazyahu, Achav’s son, who has fallen through the lattice (sevakha) of his upper chamber in Shomron and lies injured. Rather than turn to the God of Israel, he dispatches messengers to inquire of Baal-zevuv, the god of Ekron, whether he will recover. The very framing of his question is its condemnation: a king of Israel, heir to the covenant, seeks his future from a Philistine idol as though the Holy One were absent from His own land.

Into this scene steps Eliyahu, one last time before his ascent in the next chapter. An angel of God sends him to intercept the royal messengers with a thunderous rebuke — ha-mibli ein Elohim be-Yisrael, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-zevuv?” — and to deliver the sentence: Achazyahu will not rise from his bed but will surely die. The messengers return without completing their errand, and when the king demands a description of the man who turned them back, their answer is unmistakable: a hairy man (ba’al se’ar) girded with a leather belt. Achazyahu knows instantly: Eliyahu ha-Tishbi. The commentators note that the king’s recognition is itself an indictment; he knows exactly whose God he has spurned, and still he resists.

What follows is among the most dramatic confrontations in the prophetic narratives. Achazyahu sends a captain of fifty with his men to seize Eliyahu, who sits atop a hill. The officer’s summons — “Agent of God, the king has spoken: come down!” — drips with contempt, invoking Eliyahu’s prophetic title even as he tries to arrest him by royal force. Eliyahu answers measure for measure: if I am indeed an agent of God, let fire descend from heaven and consume you and your fifty. It does. A second captain comes with the same arrogance and meets the same end. The classical commentators wrestle with the severity here, framing it not as personal vengeance but as a defense of the honor of Heaven against an officer who weaponized the prophet’s own title to defy God’s word.

The third captain breaks the pattern, and the contrast is the chapter’s moral center. He climbs the hill, falls to his knees, and pleads — “let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your eyes” — explicitly acknowledging the fate of those before him and submitting to the prophet’s God rather than commanding in the king’s name. Only now does the angel tell Eliyahu to go down, and reassures him not to fear. Humility, where arrogance had brought fire, brings deliverance. Eliyahu descends and delivers the death sentence to Achazyahu’s face, repeating the indictment about Baal-zevuv word for word, and the king dies just as the navi had spoken.

The chapter closes with the formulaic notice that becomes the book’s drumbeat: Achazyahu died ki-dvar Hashem asher diber Eliyahu, “according to the word of God that Eliyahu had spoken.” Because he had no son, his brother Yehoram succeeds him, and the reader is referred to the Annals of the Kings of Israel. The episode is a miniature of the book’s governing thesis. A king who treated the God of Israel as one option among the idols is undone not by Moav or by Ekron but by a sentence pronounced from a hilltop, and the narrative pauses at the end to mark, with deliberate precision, that the word came true. The thrones in Melachim Bet imagine themselves the makers of events; the chapter quietly insists that the prophetic word is.

׀ךק א׳ · Chapter 1

׀סוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎׀ְשַׁրע מוֹא֞ב֙ ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל אַחֲךֵ֖י מ֥וֹת אַחְא֞֜ב׃

English:

After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel.

The book opens by noting that once Achav died, Moav rebelled against Israel. Metzudat David explains that Moav had been Israel's vassals, and Radak adds that Moav's king had paid Achav a heavy tribute of wool; the moment that strong king was gone, they broke free, a quiet signal that the Omride dynasty's grip had already loosened.

׀סוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎׀֌ֹ֚ל אֲחַזְי֞֜ה ב֌ְעַ֣ד הַשׂ֌ְב֞כ֞֗ה ב֌ַעֲל֎י֌֞ת֛וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ך ב֌ְשֹׁמְך֖וֹן וַי֌֑֞חַל וַי֌֎שְׁלַ֣ח מַלְא֞כ֎֗ים וַי֌ֹրאמֶך אֲלֵהֶם֙ לְכ֣ו֌ ד֎ךְשׁ֗ו֌ ב֌ְבַրעַל זְבו֌ב֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְך֔וֹן א֎ם֟אֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳל֎֥י זֶ֜ה׃ {ס}        

English:

Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber at Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers, whom he instructed: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”

King Achazyahu, Achav's son, falls through the lattice (sevakha) of his upper chamber in Shomron and is gravely injured. Rashi and Radak describe the sevakha as a window or skylight woven of wooden slats, full of holes like a net, through which he plunged. Instead of turning to the God of Israel, he sends messengers to inquire of Baal-zevuv, the idol of Ekron, whether he will recover, a choice whose very framing is its condemnation.
ךש׎יRashi
ב֌ְעַד הַש֌ְׂב֞כ֞ה. ג׹אד"ה ב֌ְלַעַ"ז. אוֹמֵך אֲנ֎י שֶׁךְג֎יל֎ים לְא֞ךְגוֹ שְׁת֎י ו֞עֵךֶב ב֌֎נְס֞ך֎ים אֲךֻכ֌֎ים ו֌קְ׊֞ך֎ים שֶׁק֌וֹך֎ין קנטינל"י ב֌ְלַעַ"ז, וְעוֹשׂ֎ין נְק־ב֮ים נְק־ב֮ים כ֌ְעֵין שְׂב֞כ֞ה, וְק֞ךו֌י ׀ךדונ"י ב֌ְלַעַ"ז. וַאֲנ֎י שׁ֞מַעְת֌֎י 'שְׂב֞כ֞ה' ווי"×¥ ב֌ְלַעַ"ז, ו֌ב֎לְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכ֌ְנַז שווינדל שטיג כ֌ְמוֹ שֶׁ׀֌ֵךַשְׁת֌֎י ו֌בְלו֌ל֌֎ים יַעֲלו֌. וַי֌֞חַל. לְשׁוֹן חֹל֎י.
Through the lattice. Gradil, in Latin. I say that they were accustomed to weave it as a warp and a woof with long and short boards, which is called (lates) cantineli, in Latin, and it was made full of holes like sort of a net, and it is called prodne, in O.F. But I heard that שְׂב֞כ֞ה is wiz, in O.F., and in German, schwindel steg, as I explained [in], "and by a winding stairway they went up."1Melochim 2:1 And he became ill. An expression of sickness.2IMelochim 6:8.

׀סוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

ו֌מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹו֞֗ה ד֌֎ב֌ֶך֙ אֶל֟אֵל֎י֌֣֞ה הַת֌֎שְׁב֌֎֔י ק֣ו֌ם עֲלֵ֔ה ל֎קְךַ֖את מַלְאֲכֵ֣י מֶ֜לֶךְ֟שֹׁמְך֑וֹן וְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֲלֵהֶ֔ם הֲ֜מ֎ב֌ְל֎րי אֵין֟אֱלֹה֎ים֙ ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל אַת֌ֶם֙ הֹ֜לְכ֎֔ים ל֎דְךֹ֕שׁ ב֌ְבַ֥עַל זְב֖ו֌ב אֱלֹהֵ֥י עֶקְך֜וֹן׃

English:

But an angel of GOD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and confront the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is there no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?

An angel of God dispatches Eliyahu the Tishbite to intercept the king's messengers with a thunderous rebuke: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-zevuv, the god of Ekron?' Metzudat David explains the doubled wording as emphatic, in effect asking incredulously whether the king imagines Israel has no God, when in truth God is present and the king should have inquired of His prophets.

׀סוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וְל֞כֵן֙ כ֌ֹה֟א֞מַ֣ך יְהֹו֞֔ה הַמ֌֎ט֌֞֞ה אֲשֶׁך֟ע֞ל֎֥ית֞ שׁ֌֛֞ם לֹא֟תֵךֵ֥ד מ֎מ֌ֶ֖נ֌֞ה כ֌֎֣י מ֣וֹת ת֌֞מ֑ו֌ת וַי֌ֵ֖לֶךְ אֵל֎י֌֞֜ה׃

English:

Assuredly, thus said GOD: You shall not rise from the bed you are lying on,arise from the bed you are lying on Lit. “descend from the bed you have mounted.” but you shall die.’” And Elijah went.

Eliyahu is told to deliver the verdict itself: because the king sought a Philistine idol, he will not rise from the bed he lies on but will surely die. Metzudat David notes simply that Eliyahu then went on his way to carry out the mission, setting in motion the confrontation that drives the rest of the chapter.

׀סוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞שׁ֥ו֌בו֌ הַמ֌ַלְא֞כ֎֖ים אֵל֑֞יו וַי֌ֹ֥אמֶך אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מַה֟ז֌ֶ֥ה שַׁבְת֌ֶ֜ם׃

English:

The messengers returned to Ahaziah;bAhaziah Heb. “him.” and he asked, “Why have you come back?”

׀סוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹאמְך֚ו֌ אֵל֞֜יו א֎֣ישׁ ׀ ע֞ל֣֞ה ל֎קְך֞אתֵ֗נו֌ וַי֌ֹ֣אמֶך אֵלֵ֘ינו֌֮ לְכ֣ו֌ שׁ֘ו֌בו֌֮ אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֣לֶךְ אֲשֶׁך֟שׁ֞לַ֣ח אֶתְכֶם֒ וְד֎ב֌ַךְת֌ֶ֣ם אֵל֞֗יו כ֌ֹ֚ה א֞מַ֣ך יְהֹו֞֔ה הֲ֜מ֎ב֌ְל֎րי אֵין֟אֱלֹה֎ים֙ ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל אַת֌֣֞ה שֹׁלֵ֔חַ ל֎דְךֹ֕שׁ ב֌ְבַ֥עַל זְב֖ו֌ב אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְך֑וֹן ל֞֠כֵ֠ן הַמ֌֎ט֌֞֞ה אֲשֶׁך֟ע֞ל֎֥ית֞ שׁ֌֛֞ם לֹא֟תֵךֵ֥ד מ֎מ֌ֶ֖נ֌֞ה כ֌֎י֟מ֥וֹת ת֌֞מ֜ו֌ת׃

English:

They answered him, “A man came toward us and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him: Thus said the ETERNAL: Is there no God in Israel that you must send to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Assuredly, you shall not rise from the bed you are lying on, but shall die.’”

׀סוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מֶ֚ה מ֎שְׁ׀֌ַ֣ט ה֞א֎֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ך ע֞ל֖֞ה ל֎קְךַאתְכֶ֑ם וַיְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֶת֟הַד֌ְב֞ך֎֖ים ה֞אֵ֜ל֌ֶה׃

English:

“What sort of man was it,” he asked them, “who came toward you and said these things to you?”

When the messengers return early with Eliyahu's message, the alarmed king demands to know what sort of man turned them back. Metzudat David explains that he is asking for the man's appearance and clothing, and Radak adds that Eliyahu was traveling alone here, having left his attendant Elisha behind to seek solitude on the hills for prophecy.

׀סוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹאמְך֣ו֌ אֵל֞֗יו א֎֚ישׁ ב֌ַ֣עַל שֵׂע֞֔ך וְאֵז֥וֹך ע֖וֹך א֞ז֣ו֌ך ב֌ְמׇתְנ֑֞יו וַי֌ֹאמַ֕ך אֵל֎י֌֥֞ה הַת֌֎שְׁב֌֎֖י ה֜ו֌א׃

English:

“A hairy man,” they replied, “with a leather belt tied around his waist.” “That’s Elijah the Tishbite!” he said.

The messengers describe a hairy man (ba'al se'ar) girded with a leather belt, and the king instantly identifies him: 'That is Eliyahu the Tishbite!' Metzudat David explains the description as a heavily hair-covered man wearing a leather sash, and Radak wonders why the king's own men did not recognize the famous prophet, suggesting these particular messengers had not been in Shomron during the long stretch Eliyahu kept away for fear of Izevel.

׀סוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎שְׁלַ֥ח אֵל֛֞יו שַׂך֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌֎֖ים וַחֲמ֎שׁ֌֑֞יו וַי֌ַ֣עַל אֵל֞֗יו וְה֎נ֌ֵה֙ יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל֟ךֹ֣אשׁ ה־ה־֔׹ וַיְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֵל֞֔יו א֎֚ישׁ ה֞אֱלֹה֎֔ים הַמ֌ֶ֥לֶךְ ד֌֎ב֌ֶ֖ך ךֵ֜ד֞ה׃

English:

Then he sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He climbed up to him, and found him sitting at the top of a hill. “Agent of God,” he said to him, “by order of the king, come down!”

The king sends a captain of fifty with his men to seize Eliyahu, who is found sitting atop a hill. The officer's summons drips with contempt, invoking the prophetic title even as he tries to arrest him: 'Agent of God, the king has spoken, come down!' Metzudat David explains he commanded Eliyahu to descend by royal order so the men could take him along.

׀סוק י׮ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַעֲנֶ֣ה אֵל֎י֌֞֗הו֌ וַיְדַב֌ֵך֮ אֶל֟שַׂ֣ך הַחֲמ֎שׁ֌֎ים֒ וְא֎ם֟א֎րישׁ אֱלֹה֎ים֙ א־֔נ֮י ת֌ֵրךֶד אֵשׁ֙ מ֎ן֟הַשׁ֌֞מַ֔י֎ם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְך֖֞ וְאֶת֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌ֶ֑יך֞ וַת֌ֵրךֶד אֵשׁ֙ מ֎ן֟הַשׁ֌֞מַ֔י֎ם וַת֌ֹ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌֞֜יו׃

English:

Elijah replied to the captain of the fifty, “If I am an agent of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you with your fifty men!” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

׀סוק י׮א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞֜שׇׁב וַי֌֎שְׁלַ֥ח אֵל֛֞יו שַׂך֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌֎֥ים אַחֵ֖ך וַחֲמ֎שׁ֌֑֞יו וַי֌ַ֙עַן֙ וַיְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֵל֞֔יו א֎֚ישׁ ה֞אֱלֹה֎֔ים כ֌ֹה֟א֞מַ֥ך הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ מְהֵך֥֞ה ךֵ֜ד֞ה׃

English:

The king then sent to him another captain with his fifty men; and he addressed himcaddressed him Emendation yields “went up and said to him,” cf. v. 9. as follows: “Agent of God, by order of the king, come down at once!”

׀סוק י׮ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֣עַן אֵל֎י֌֞ה֮ וַיְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֲלֵיהֶם֒ א֎ם֟א֎րישׁ ה֞אֱלֹה֎ים֙ א־֔נ֮י ת֌ֵրךֶד אֵשׁ֙ מ֎ן֟הַשׁ֌֞מַ֔י֎ם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְך֖֞ וְאֶת֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌ֶ֑יך֞ וַת֌ֵրךֶד אֵשׁ֟אֱלֹה֎ים֙ מ֎ן֟הַשׁ֌֞מַ֔י֎ם וַת֌ֹ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌֞֜יו׃

English:

But Elijah answered him, “If I am an agent of God,dagent of God Heb. ‘iyš ‘elohiym. let fire come down from heaven and consume you with your fifty men!” And fire of Godefire of God Heb. ‘eš ‘elohiym. came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

A second captain arrives with the very same arrogant summons, and Eliyahu answers measure for measure, calling down fire that consumes this officer and his fifty as well. Radak notes that 'va-ya'an' (and he answered) here, as elsewhere in Scripture, carries the sense of raising one's voice in declaration rather than replying to a question.

׀סוק י׮ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞֗שׇׁב וַי֌֎שְׁלַ֛ח שַׂך֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌֎֥ים שְׁל֎שׁ֎֖ים וַחֲמ֎שׁ֌֑֞יו וַי֌ַ֡עַל וַי֌֞בֹא֩ שַׂך֟הַחֲמ֎שׁ֌֎֚ים הַשׁ֌ְל֎ישׁ֎֜י וַי֌֎כְךַ֥ע עַל֟ב֌֎ךְכ֌֣֞יו ׀ לְנֶ֣גֶד אֵל֎י֌֞֗הו֌ וַי֌֎תְחַנ֌ֵրן אֵל֞יו֙ וַיְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֵל֞֔יו א֎֚ישׁ ה֞אֱלֹה֎֔ים ת֌֎יקַך֟נ֣֞א נַ׀ְשׁ֎֗י וְנֶ֚׀ֶשׁ עֲב֞דֶ֥יך֞֜ אֵ֛ל֌ֶה חֲמ֎שׁ֌֎֖ים ב֌ְעֵינֶ֜יך֞׃

English:

Then he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. The third captain of fifty climbed to the top, knelt before Elijah, and implored him, saying, “Oh, agent of God, please have regard for my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours!

The third captain breaks the deadly pattern, and his humility is the chapter's moral center. He climbs the hill, falls to his knees before Eliyahu, and pleads for mercy. Metzudat David explains his words 'let my life be precious in your eyes' as a plea that Eliyahu hold his life dear and not put him to death as the prophet had the others.

׀סוק י׮ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

ה֎֠נ֌ֵ֠ה י֞րךְד֞ה אֵשׁ֙ מ֎ן֟הַשׁ֌֞מַ֔י֎ם וַ֠ת֌ֹ֠אכַל אֶת֟שְׁנֵ֞י שׂ֞ךֵ֧י הַחֲמ֎שׁ֌֎֛ים ה֞ך֎אשֹׁנ֎֖ים וְאֶת֟חֲמ֎שׁ֌ֵיהֶ֑ם וְעַת֌֞֕ה ת֌֎יקַ֥ך נַ׀ְשׁ֎֖י ב֌ְעֵינֶ֜יך֞׃ {ס}        

English:

Already fire has come from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty and their men;fmen Lit. “fifties.” I beg you, have regard for my life!”

The third captain explicitly acknowledges the fate of the two officers before him, drawing the lesson and submitting himself in contrast. Metzudat David sharpens the point: fire consumed the first two because they spoke with brazen arrogance, while 'now' this captain comes in humility, and so his life may be spared.

׀סוק ט׮ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיְדַב֌ֵ֞ך מַלְאַրךְ יְהֹו֞ה֙ אֶל֟אֵ֣ל֎י֌֞֔הו֌ ךֵ֣ד אוֹת֔וֹ אַל֟ת֌֎יך֖֞א מ֎׀֌֞נ֑֞יו וַי֌֛֞קׇם וַי֌ֵ֥ךֶד אוֹת֖וֹ אֶל֟הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃

English:

Then the angel of GOD said to Elijah, “Go down with him, do not be afraid of him.” So he rose and went down with him to the king.

Only now, after humility replaces arrogance, does the angel tell Eliyahu to go down with the captain and not to fear him. Metzudat David clarifies that 'red oto' means go down with him, and Radak explains the reassurance: Eliyahu feared being led to the king, dreading either the king he had condemned to death or his mother Izevel, and the angel calms that fear.

׀סוק ט׮ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַיְדַב֌ֵ֚ך אֵל֞֜יו כ֌ֹה֟א֞מַ֣ך יְהֹו֞֗ה יַ֜עַן אֲשֶׁך֟שׁ֞לַ֣חְת֌֞ מַלְא֞כ֎ים֮ ל֎דְךֹשׁ֮ ב֌ְבַ֣עַל זְבו֌ב֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְךוֹן֒ הֲ֜מ֎ב֌ְל֎րי אֵין֟אֱלֹה֎ים֙ ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל ל֎דְךֹ֖שׁ ב֌֎דְב֞ך֑וֹ ל֞֠כֵ֠ן הַמ֌֎ט֌֞֞ה אֲשֶׁך֟ע֞ל֎֥ית֞ שׁ֌֛֞ם לֹא֟תֵךֵ֥ד מ֎מ֌ֶ֖נ֌֞ה כ֌֎י֟מ֥וֹת ת֌֞מ֜ו֌ת׃

English:

He said to him, “Thus said GOD: Because you sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron—as if there were no God in Israel whose word you could seek—assuredly, you shall not rise from the bed that you are lying on; but you shall die.”

׀סוק י׮ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞֜מׇת כ֌֎דְבַ֥ך יְהֹו֣֞ה ׀ אֲשֶׁך֟ד֌֎ב֌ֶ֣ך אֵל֎י֌֞֗הו֌ וַי֌֎מְלֹրךְ יְהוֹך֞ם֙ ת֌ַחְת֌֞֔יו {×€}ב֌֎שְׁנַ֣ת שְׁת֌ַ֔י֎ם ל֎יהוֹך֥֞ם ב֌ֶן֟יְהוֹשׁ֞׀֖֞ט מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהו֌ד֑֞ה כ֌֎֛י לֹא֟ה֥֞י֞ה ל֖וֹ ב֌ֵ֜ן׃ {ס}        

English:

And [Ahaziah] died, according to the word of GOD that Elijah had spoken. JehoramgJehoram Brother of Ahaziah. succeeded him as king, in the second year of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat of Judah, for he had no son.

Achazyahu dies exactly 'according to the word of God that Eliyahu had spoken,' the formulaic notice that becomes the book's drumbeat, and since he had no son, his brother Yehoram succeeds him. Rashi, Metzudat David, and Radak together untangle the puzzling dating 'in the second year of Yehoram son of Yehoshafat,' explaining (citing Chazal) that the count began when Yehoshafat deserved to die for aiding the wicked Achav at Ramot Gilad and was granted seven years' reprieve, those years credited to his son.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌֎מְלֹךְ יְהוֹך֞ם ת֌ַחְת֌֞יו. א־ח֮יו ה־י־ה. ב֌֎שְׁנַת שְׁת֌ַי֎ם ל֎יהוֹך֞ם ב֌ֶן יְהוֹשׁ֞׀֞ט. אֶ׀ְשׁ֞ך לוֹמַך כ֌ֵן, וַהֲלֹא מ֞לַךְ ב֌֎שְׁנַת ת֌ְשַׁע עֶשְׂךֵה ל֎יהוֹשׁ֞׀֞ט, שֶׁהֲךֵי אֲחַזְי֞ה מ֞לַךְ ב֌֎שְׁבַע עֶשְׂךֵה, ו֌מ֞לַךְ שְׁנ֞תַי֎ם, ו֌בְס֞מו֌ךְ נ֞מֵי כ֌ְת֎יב: ב֌֎שְׁנַת שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂךֵה ל֎יהוֹשׁ֞׀֞ט מ֞לַךְ יְהוֹך֞ם, ו֎יהוֹשׁ֞׀֞ט מ֞לַךְ עֶשְׂך֎ים וְח֞מֵשׁ שׁ֞נ֎ים קֹדֶם שֶׁמ֌֞לַךְ יְהוֹך֞ם ב֌ְנוֹ, אֶל֌֞א ך֞או֌י ה־י־ה יְהוֹשׁ֞׀֞ט לֵה֞ךֵג ב֌ְך֞מוֹת ג֌֎לְע֞ד, ו֌ב֎שְׂכַך שֶׁז֌֞עַק, ת֌֞ל֞ה לוֹ שֶׁבַע שׁ֞נ֎ים, ו֌מֵאוֹת֞ה֌ שׁ֞ע֞ה הו֌א מוֹנֶה ל֎בְנוֹ.
And Yehorom reigned in his place. He was his brother. In the second year of Yehorom, son of Yehoshophot. Is it possible to say this? Did he not reign in the nineteenth year of Yehoshophot? For Achazyah reigned in the seventeenth year [of Yehoshophot] and he reigned for two years,3The root of the word is חלה (=to become ill). and also, below it is written, "In the eighteenth year of Yehoshophot,"4He did not reign for a full two years. He reigned during two different years, and his total reign might have been less than one year, covering only the last few months of one year and the first few months of the following year.—Ralbag that Yehorom reigned, and Yehoshophot reigned twenty-five years before Yehorom, his son, reigned.5Below 3:1. But, Yehoshophot deserved to be killed in Ramos Gilad, but as a reward for [his] crying out, his [death] was suspended for seven years,6According to Radak, the seven years discrepancy is resolved as follows. Yehoshophot gave over the throne to Yehorom during his lifetime because he wanted to establish Yehorom as his successor and to prevent conflict among the brothers. This occurred at the end of Yehoshophot's reign. The first seven years of Yehorom's reign were while his father was alive. The second year of Yehorom's reign corresponds with the year that Yehorom son of Achov became king over Yisroel, as stated below in 3:1. and from that time [Scripture] counts [the years] to his son.7Tosefta Maseches Sotah 12:2.

׀סוק י׮ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֛תֶך ד֌֎בְךֵ֥י אֲחַזְי֖֞הו֌ אֲשֶׁ֣ך ע֞שׂ֑֞ה הֲלוֹא֟הֵ֣מ֌֞ה כְתו֌ב֎֗ים עַל֟סֵ֛׀ֶך ד֌֎בְךֵ֥י הַי֌֞מ֎֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃ {×€}

English:

The other events of Ahaziah’s reign [and] his actions are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

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