II Kings 23

מלכים ב׳ פרק כ״ג

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: II Kings | Chapter: 23 of 25 | Day: 145 of 742

Date: July 6, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Chapter 23 is the climax and the tragedy of the Josiah narrative: the most sweeping religious reform in the history of the monarchy, followed almost immediately by the king’s sudden death and the rapid unraveling of the kingdom. The chapter opens with a great covenant-renewal ceremony (verses 1-3). Josiah gathers the elders, the priests and prophets, and the whole people to the House of the Lord, reads aloud the entire covenant scroll discovered in chapter 22, and stands by the pillar to renew the covenant — pledging to follow God and keep His commandments with all their heart and soul. It is a national re-commitment modeled on the covenant ceremonies of Moses and Joshua, and the people enter into it together.

The bulk of the chapter (verses 4-20) is a relentless, almost cinematic catalogue of Josiah’s purge of idolatry, the most thorough recorded in Tanakh. He clears the Temple itself of the vessels made for Baal, Asherah, and the host of heaven, burning them in the Kidron and grinding the Asherah image to dust scattered on commoners’ graves. He abolishes the idolatrous priests (kemarim), defiles the high places “from Geba to Beer-sheba,” tears down the cubicles of the consecrated functionaries, and pollutes Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could pass a child through fire to Molech. He removes the horses dedicated to the sun and burns the sun-chariots, demolishes the rooftop altars of Ahaz and the Temple-court altars of Manasseh, and even defiles the ancient high places that Solomon himself had built for Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom. The reform then extends north, beyond Judah’s borders, to Bethel — the site of Jeroboam’s calf — where Josiah destroys the altar and burns bones upon it, fulfilling to the letter the prophecy uttered some three centuries earlier by the man of God from Judah (I Kings 13), even sparing that prophet’s grave. He extends the purge through the towns of Samaria and slays the priests of the high places upon their own altars.

The reform culminates in a great Passover (verses 21-23), offered “as prescribed in this scroll of the covenant” — a Passover unlike any since the days of the Judges, performed with a fidelity to the Mosaic law that no king of Israel or Judah had matched. Verses 24-25 seal the portrait with the historian’s superlative verdict: Josiah also swept away the necromancers, mediums, and household idols, and “there was no king like him before who turned back to God with all his heart and soul and might, in full accord with the Teaching of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.” In the moral arithmetic of the book, Josiah is the mirror image of Manasseh — the one who restored all that the other had defiled.

And yet the chapter’s most sobering verses follow at once. Despite all of Josiah’s righteousness, “the Lord did not turn away from the awesome wrath that had blazed up against Judah because of all the things Manasseh did” (verse 26); the decree of exile, sealed in chapter 21, remains in force, and God declares He will banish Judah and reject Jerusalem and the Temple as He banished the North (verse 27). The point is stark: even unparalleled repentance could postpone but not annul the judgment. The closing section (verses 29-37) tells of Josiah’s death — he marches out against Pharaoh Neco and is slain at Megiddo, his body carried back to Jerusalem — and the swift decline that follows. The people anoint his son Jehoahaz, who reigns only three months before Neco imprisons him at Riblah and carries him to Egypt to die; Neco installs another son, Eliakim, renamed Jehoiakim, as a vassal who taxes the land to pay the Egyptian tribute. Both sons “did what was displeasing to the Lord.” Within a single chapter the kingdom passes from its spiritual high-water mark to subjugation under foreign powers, the long-deferred catastrophe now visibly approaching.

פרק כ״ג · Chapter 23

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיַּאַסְפ֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו כׇּל־זִקְנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

At the king’s summons, all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem assembled before him.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֣עַל הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֡ה וְכׇל־אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָה֩ וְכׇל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם אִתּ֗וֹ וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַנְּבִיאִ֔ים וְכׇל־הָעָ֖ם לְמִקָּטֹ֣ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּקְרָ֣א בְאׇזְנֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵי֙ סֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִ֔ית הַנִּמְצָ֖א בְּבֵ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

The king went up to the House of GOD, together with the entire citizenry of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests and prophets—all the people, young and old.ayoung and old Or “from small to great.” And he read to them the entire text of the covenant scroll that had been found in the House of GOD.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד הַ֠מֶּ֠לֶךְ עַֽל־הָ֨עַמּ֜וּד וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת אֶֽת־הַבְּרִ֣ית ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה לָלֶ֜כֶת אַחַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ וְלִשְׁמֹ֨ר מִצְוֺתָ֜יו וְאֶת־עֵדְוֺתָ֤יו וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָיו֙ בְּכׇל־לֵ֣ב וּבְכׇל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ לְהָקִ֗ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים עַל־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם בַּבְּרִֽית׃

English:

The king stood by the pillarbby the pillar Or “on a platform,” cf. Targum. and solemnized the covenant before GOD: that they would follow GOD and observe God’s commandments, injunctions, and laws with all their heart and soul; that they would fulfill all the terms of this covenant as inscribed upon the scroll. And all the people entered intocentered into Cf. Targum. the covenant.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־חִלְקִיָּ֩הוּ֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּד֜וֹל וְאֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֣י הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ וְאֶת־שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּף֒ לְהוֹצִיא֙ מֵהֵיכַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַכֵּלִ֗ים הָֽעֲשׂוּיִם֙ לַבַּ֣עַל וְלָאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיִּשְׂרְפֵ֞ם מִח֤וּץ לִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ בְּשַׁדְמ֣וֹת קִדְר֔וֹן וְנָשָׂ֥א אֶת־עֲפָרָ֖ם בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃

English:

Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests of the second rank, and the guards of the threshold to bring out of the Temple of GOD all the objects made for Baal and AsherahdAsherah For this goddess, cf. 1 Kings 18.19; ordinarily ʼasherah is rendered “sacred post,” e.g., 2 Kings 17.16. and all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fieldsefields Meaning of Heb. uncertain. of Kidron, and he removed the ashes to Bethel.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וְהִשְׁבִּ֣ית אֶת־הַכְּמָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽתְנוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְקַטֵּ֤ר בַּבָּמוֹת֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּמְסִבֵּ֖י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאֶת־הַֽמְקַטְּרִ֣ים לַבַּ֗עַל לַשֶּׁ֤מֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵ֙חַ֙ וְלַמַּזָּל֔וֹת וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֥א הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

English:

He suppressed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to make offeringsfto make offerings Lit. “and he offered.” at the shrines in the towns of Judah and in the environs of Jerusalem, and those who made offerings to Baal, to the sun and moon and constellations—all the host of heaven.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיֹּצֵ֣א אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרָה֩ מִבֵּ֨ית יְהֹוָ֜ה מִח֤וּץ לִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל קִדְר֔וֹן וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף אֹתָ֛הּ בְּנַ֥חַל קִדְר֖וֹן וַיָּ֣דֶק לְעָפָ֑ר וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפָרָ֔הּ עַל־קֶ֖בֶר בְּנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃

English:

He brought out the [image of] Asherah from the House of GOD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and burned it in the Kidron Valley; he beat it to dust and scattered its dust over the burial ground of the common people.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיִּתֹּץ֙ אֶת־בָּתֵּ֣י הַקְּדֵשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֗ים אֹרְג֥וֹת שָׁ֛ם בָּתִּ֖ים לָאֲשֵׁרָֽה׃

English:

He tore down the cubicles of the consecrated workersgconsecrated workers Or “retainers”; meaning of Heb. qedeshim uncertain. in the House of GOD, at the place where the women wove coveringshcoverings Meaning of Heb. uncertain. for Asherah.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֵ֤א אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ מֵעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְטַמֵּ֣א אֶת־הַבָּמ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִטְּרֽוּ־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מִגֶּ֖בַע עַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וְנָתַ֞ץ אֶת־בָּמ֣וֹת הַשְּׁעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֜תַח שַׁ֤עַר יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ שַׂר־הָעִ֔יר אֲשֶֽׁר��עַל־שְׂמֹ֥אול אִ֖ישׁ בְּשַׁ֥עַר הָעִֽיר׃

English:

He brought all the priests from the towns of Judah [to Jerusalem] and defiled the shrines where the priests had been making offerings—from Geba to Beer-sheba. He also demolished the shrines of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the city prefect—which were on the left as one [entered] the city gate.iwhich were on the left … gate Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

אַ֗ךְ לֹ֤א יַעֲלוּ֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֶל־מִזְבַּ֥ח יְהֹוָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֛י אִם־אָכְל֥וּ מַצּ֖וֹת בְּת֥וֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃

English:

jThis verse may be understood in connection with vv. 21–23. The priests of the shrines, however, did not ascend the altar of GOD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread along with their kinsmen.

פסוק י׳ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וְטִמֵּ֣א אֶת־הַתֹּ֔פֶת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּגֵ֣י (בני) [בֶן־]הִנֹּ֑ם לְבִלְתִּ֗י לְהַעֲבִ֨יר אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־בְּנ֧וֹ וְאֶת־בִּתּ֛וֹ בָּאֵ֖שׁ לַמֹּֽלֶךְ׃

English:

He also defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, so that no one might consign their son or daughter to the fire of Molech.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיַּשְׁבֵּ֣ת אֶת־הַסּוּסִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתְנוּ֩ מַלְכֵ֨י יְהוּדָ֤ה לַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ מִבֹּ֣א בֵית־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־לִשְׁכַּת֙ נְתַן־מֶ֣לֶךְ הַסָּרִ֔יס אֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּפַּרְוָרִ֑ים וְאֶת־מַרְכְּב֥וֹת הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃

English:

He did away with the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrancekat the entrance Heb. “from entering.” of the House of GOD, near the chamber of the eunuch Nathan-melech, which was in the precincts.lprecincts Meaning of Heb. uncertain. He burned the chariots of the sun.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וְאֶת־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֡וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַגָּג֩ עֲלִיַּ֨ת אָחָ֜ז אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וְאֶת־הַֽמִּזְבְּחוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה בִּשְׁתֵּ֛י חַצְר֥וֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה נָתַ֣ץ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיָּ֣רׇץ מִשָּׁ֔ם וְהִשְׁלִ֥יךְ אֶת־עֲפָרָ֖ם אֶל־נַ֥חַל קִדְרֽוֹן׃

English:

And the king tore down the altars made by the kings of Judah on the roof by the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars made by Manasseh in the two courts of the House of GOD. He removed them quickly from theremremoved them quickly from there Heb. “ran from there.” Emendation yields “smashed them there.” and scattered their rubble in the Kidron Valley.

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְֽאֶת־הַבָּמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם אֲשֶׁר֮ מִימִ֣ין לְהַר־הַמַּשְׁחִית֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּ֠נָ֠ה שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לְעַשְׁתֹּ֣רֶת ׀ שִׁקֻּ֣ץ צִידֹנִ֗ים וְלִכְמוֹשׁ֙ שִׁקֻּ֣ץ מוֹאָ֔ב וּלְמִלְכֹּ֖ם תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֑וֹן טִמֵּ֖א הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

English:

The king also defiled the shrines facing Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of the Destroyer,nMount of the Destroyer Heb. har ha-mashḥith: a derogatory play on har ha-mishḥah (“Mount of Ointment”); Mishnah Middoth 2.4. which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom, the detestable thing of the Ammonites.othe shrines … which King Solomon of Israel had built … Ammonites Cf. 1 Kings 11.5, 7.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וְשִׁבַּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּב֔וֹת וַיִּכְרֹ֖ת אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים וַיְמַלֵּ֥א אֶת־מְקוֹמָ֖ם עַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָֽם׃

English:

He shattered their pillars and cut down their sacred postspsacred posts See note at 13.6. and covered their sites with human bones.

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וְגַ֨ם אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֗ל הַבָּמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה יָרׇבְעָ֤ם בֶּן־נְבָט֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱטִ֣יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֧חַ הַה֛וּא וְאֶת־הַבָּמָ֖ה נָתָ֑ץ וַיִּשְׂרֹ֧ף אֶת־הַבָּמָ֛ה הֵדַ֥ק לְעָפָ֖ר וְשָׂרַ֥ף אֲשֵׁרָֽה׃

English:

As for the altar in Bethel [and] the shrine made by Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin—that altar, too, and the shrine as well, he tore down. He burned down the shrine and beat it to dust, and he burned the sacred post.qsacred post See note at 13.6.

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַיִּ֣פֶן יֹאשִׁיָּ֗הוּ וַיַּ֨רְא אֶת־הַקְּבָרִ֤ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם֙ בָּהָ֔ר וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָֽעֲצָמוֹת֙ מִן־הַקְּבָרִ֔ים וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ וַֽיְטַמְּאֵ֑הוּ כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרָא֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרָ֔א אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

English:

Josiah turned and saw the graves that were there on the hill; and he had the bones taken out of the graves and burned on the altar. Thus he defiled it, in fulfillment of the word of GOD foretold by the agent of God who foretold these happenings.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מָ֚ה הַצִּיּ֣וּן הַלָּ֔ז אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֣י רֹאֶ֑ה וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֗יר הַקֶּ֤בֶר אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣א מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתָ עַ֖ל הַמִּזְבַּ֥ח בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃

English:

He asked, “What is the marker I see there?” And the townspeople replied, “That is the grave of the agent of God who came from Judah and foretold these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”rCf. 1 Kings 13.1–3.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַנִּ֣יחוּ ל֔וֹ אִ֖ישׁ אַל־יָנַ֣ע עַצְמוֹתָ֑יו וַֽיְמַלְּטוּ֙ עַצְמוֹתָ֔יו אֵ֚ת עַצְמ֣וֹת הַנָּבִ֔יא אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א מִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן׃

English:

“Let him be,” he said, “let no one disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed together with the bones of the prophetstogether with the bones of the prophet See 1 Kings 13.31–32 and next note. who came from Samaria.tSamaria The prophet lived in Bethel, which, in Josiah’s time, was part of the Assyrian province of Samaria.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וְגַם֩ אֶת־כׇּל־בָּתֵּ֨י הַבָּמ֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ בְּעָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֜וּ מַלְכֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְהַכְעִ֔יס הֵסִ֖יר יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ לָהֶ֔ם כְּכׇל־הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה בְּבֵֽית־אֵֽל׃

English:

Josiah also abolished all the cult places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria, vexing [GOD]. He dealt with them just as he had done to Bethel:

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַ֠יִּזְבַּ֠ח אֶת־כׇּל־כֹּהֲנֵ֨י הַבָּמ֤וֹת אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם֙ עַל־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֔וֹת וַיִּשְׂרֹ֛ף אֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּ֖שׇׁב יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

He slew on the altars all the priests of the shrines who were there, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיְצַ֤ו הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר עֲשׂ֣וּ פֶ֔סַח לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם כַּכָּת֕וּב עַ֛ל סֵ֥פֶר הַבְּרִ֖ית הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

The king commanded all the people, “Offer the passover sacrifice to the ETERNAL your God as prescribed in this scroll of the covenant.”

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

כִּ֣י לֹ֤א נַֽעֲשָׂה֙ כַּפֶּ֣סַח הַזֶּ֔ה מִימֵי֙ הַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁפְט֖וּ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכֹ֗ל יְמֵ֛י מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

Now the passover sacrifice had not been offered in that manner in the days of the chieftains who ruled Israel, or during the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

כִּ֗י אִם־בִּשְׁמֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ נַעֲשָׂ֞ה הַפֶּ֧סַח הַזֶּ֛ה לַיהֹוָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

Only in the eighteenth year of King Josiah was such a passover sacrifice offered in that manner to GOD in Jerusalem.

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וְגַ֣ם אֶת־הָאֹב֣וֹת וְאֶת־הַ֠יִּדְּעֹנִ֠ים וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֨ים וְאֶת־הַגִּלֻּלִ֜ים וְאֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַשִּׁקֻּצִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִרְאוּ֙ בְּאֶ֤רֶץ יְהוּדָה֙ וּבִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם בִּעֵ֖ר יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ לְ֠מַ֠עַן הָקִ֞ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י הַתּוֹרָה֙ הַכְּתֻבִ֣ים עַל־הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָצָ֛א חִלְקִיָּ֥הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

Josiah also did away with the necromancers and the mediums,uthe necromancers and the mediums Lit. “the ghosts and the familiar spirits.” the oracle idols and the fetishes—all the detestable things that were to be seen in the land of Judah and Jerusalem. Thus he fulfilled the terms of the Teaching recorded in the scroll that the priest Hilkiah had found in the House of GOD.

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וְכָמֹ֩הוּ֩ לֹא־הָיָ֨ה לְפָנָ֜יו מֶ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֤ב אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּכׇל־לְבָב֤וֹ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹד֔וֹ כְּכֹ֖ל תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹא־קָ֥ם כָּמֹֽהוּ׃

English:

There was no king like him before who turned back to GOD with all his heart and soul and might, in full accord with the Teaching of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

אַ֣ךְ ׀ לֹא־שָׁ֣ב יְהֹוָ֗ה מֵחֲר֤וֹן אַפּוֹ֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־חָרָ֥ה אַפּ֖וֹ בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־הַכְּעָסִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִכְעִיס֖וֹ מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃

English:

However, GOD did not turn away from the awesome wrath that had blazed up against Judah because of all the things Manasseh did to provoke God’s anger.

פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמ��ר יְהֹוָ֗ה גַּ֤ם אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ אָסִיר֙ מֵעַ֣ל פָּנַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲסִרֹ֖תִי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּ֠מָאַסְתִּ֠י אֶת־הָעִ֨יר הַזֹּ֤את אֲשֶׁר־בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וְאֶ֨ת־הַבַּ֔יִת אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְתִּי יִֽהְיֶ֥ה שְׁמִ֖י שָֽׁם׃

English:

GOD said, “I will also banish Judah from My presence as I banished Israel; and I will reject the city of Jerusalem that I chose and the House where I said My name would abide.”

פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

The other events of Josiah’s reign, and all his actions, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

פסוק כ״ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

בְּיָמָ֡יו עָלָה֩ פַרְעֹ֨ה נְכֹ֧ה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֛יִם עַל־מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּׁ֖וּר עַל־נְהַר־פְּרָ֑ת וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַיְמִיתֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּמְגִדּ֔וֹ כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ אֹתֽוֹ׃

English:

In his days, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, marched against the king of AssyriavAssyria I.e., the Chaldean Empire; cf. Isa. 52.4 and note. to the River Euphrates; King Josiah marched toward him, but when he confronted him at Megiddo, [Pharaoh Neco] slew him.

פסוק ל׳ · Verse 30

Hebrew:

וַיַּרְכִּבֻ֨הוּ עֲבָדָ֥יו מֵת֙ מִמְּגִדּ֔וֹ וַיְבִאֻ֙הוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בִּקְבֻרָת֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח עַם־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־יְהֽוֹאָחָז֙ בֶּן־יֹ֣א��ִׁיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּמְשְׁח֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וַיַּמְלִ֥יכוּ אֹת֖וֹ תַּ֥חַת אָבִֽיו׃ {פ}

English:

His servants conveyed his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem, and they buried him in his tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz; they anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

פסוק ל״א · Verse 31

Hebrew:

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְשָׁלֹ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ יְהוֹאָחָ֣ז בְּמׇלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ חֲמוּטַ֥ל בַּֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מִלִּבְנָֽה׃

English:

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

פסוק ל״ב · Verse 32

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹתָֽיו׃

English:

He did what was displeasing to GOD, just as his predecessors had done.

פסוק ל״ג · Verse 33

Hebrew:

וַיַּאַסְרֵ֩הוּ֩ פַרְעֹ֨ה נְכֹ֤ה בְרִבְלָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֔ת (במלך) [מִמְּלֹ֖ךְ] בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיִּתֶּן־עֹ֙נֶשׁ֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵאָ֥ה כִכַּר־כֶּ֖סֶף וְכִכַּ֥ר זָהָֽב׃

English:

Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him in Riblah in the region of Hamath, to keep him from reigning in Jerusalem. And he imposed on the land an indemnity of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

פסוק ל״ד · Verse 34

Hebrew:

וַיַּמְלֵךְ֩ פַּרְעֹ֨ה נְכֹ֜ה אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֗הוּ תַּ֚חַת יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֔יו וַיַּסֵּ֥ב אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוֹיָקִ֑ים וְאֶת־יְהוֹאָחָ֣ז לָקַ֔ח וַיָּבֹ֥א מִצְרַ֖יִם וַיָּ֥מׇת שָֽׁם׃

English:

Then Pharaoh Neco appointed Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, changing his name to Jehoiakim. He took Jehoahaz and brought himwbrought him So 2 Chron. 36.4; Heb. here “he came.” to Egypt, where he died.

פסוק ל״ה · Verse 35

Hebrew:

וְהַכֶּ֣סֶף וְהַזָּהָ֗ב נָתַ֤ן יְהֽוֹיָקִים֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אַ֚ךְ הֶעֱרִ֣יךְ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ לָתֵ֥ת אֶת־הַכֶּ֖סֶף עַל־פִּ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה אִ֣ישׁ כְּעֶרְכּ֗וֹ נָגַ֞שׂ אֶת־הַכֶּ֤סֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָב֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ לָתֵ֖ת לְפַרְעֹ֥ה נְכֹֽה׃ {ס}        

English:

Jehoiakim gave Pharaoh the silver and the gold, and he made an assessment on the land to pay the money demanded by Pharaoh. He exacted from the people of the land the silver and gold to be paid Pharaoh Neco, each [holding] according to its assessment.

פסוק ל״ו · Verse 36

Hebrew:

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים בְּמׇלְכ֔וֹ וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ (זבידה) [זְבוּדָּ֥ה] בַת־פְּדָיָ֖ה מִן־רוּמָֽה׃

English:

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Zebudah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

פסוק ל״ז · Verse 37

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹתָֽיו׃

English:

He did what was displeasing to GOD, just as his ancestors had done.

Navigation

← II Kings 22 | II Kings 24 →

Back to II Kings | Back to Nach Yomi