2 Raja-raja 13:1--16:20
Konteks13:1 In the twenty-third year of the reign of Judah’s King Joash son of Ahaziah, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 1 for seventeen years. 13:2 He did evil in the sight of 2 the Lord. He continued in 3 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had encouraged Israel to sin; he did not repudiate those sins. 4 13:3 The Lord was furious with 5 Israel and handed them over to 6 King Hazael of Syria and to Hazael’s son Ben Hadad for many years. 7
13:4 Jehoahaz asked for the Lord’s mercy 8 and the Lord responded favorably, 9 for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria. 10 13:5 The Lord provided a deliverer 11 for Israel and they were freed from Syria’s power. 12 The Israelites once more lived in security. 13 13:6 But they did not repudiate 14 the sinful ways of the family 15 of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins. 16 There was even an Asherah pole 17 standing in Samaria. 13:7 Jehoahaz had no army left 18 except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops 19 and trampled on them like dust. 20
13:8 The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 21 13:9 Jehoahaz passed away 22 and was buried 23 in Samaria. His son Joash replaced him as king.
13:10 In the thirty-seventh year of King Joash’s reign over Judah, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 24 for sixteen years. 13:11 He did evil in the sight of 25 the Lord. He did not repudiate 26 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin; he continued in those sins. 27 13:12 The rest of the events of Joash’s 28 reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 29 13:13 Joash passed away 30 and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. 31 Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
13:14 Now Elisha had a terminal illness. 32 King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. 33 He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot 34 and horsemen of Israel!” 35 13:15 Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 36 13:16 Then Elisha 37 told the king of Israel, “Aim the bow.” 38 He did so, 39 and Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. 13:17 Elisha 40 said, “Open the east window,” and he did so. 41 Elisha said, “Shoot!” and
he did so. 42 Elisha 43 said, “This arrow symbolizes the victory the Lord will give you over Syria. 44 You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!” 45 13:18 Then Elisha 46 said, “Take the arrows,” and he did so. 47 He told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” He struck the ground three times and stopped. 13:19 The prophet 48 got angry at him and said, “If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria! 49 But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.”
13:20 Elisha died and was buried. 50 Moabite raiding parties invaded 51 the land at the beginning of the year. 52 13:21 One day some men 53 were burying a man when they spotted 54 a raiding party. So they threw the dead man 55 into Elisha’s tomb. When the body 56 touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man 57 came to life and stood on his feet.
13:22 Now King Hazael of Syria oppressed Israel throughout Jehoahaz’s reign. 58 13:23 But the Lord had mercy on them and felt pity for them. 59 He extended his favor to them 60 because of the promise he had made 61 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been unwilling to destroy them or remove them from his presence to this very day. 62 13:24 When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben Hadad replaced him as king. 13:25 Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash took back from 63 Ben Hadad son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelite cities.
14:1 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Joash son of Joahaz, 64 Joash’s 65 son Amaziah became king over Judah. 14:2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 66 His mother 67 was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 14:3 He did what the Lord approved, 68 but not like David his father. He followed the example of his father Joash. 69 14:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
14:5 When he had secured control of the kingdom, 70 he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. 71 14:6 But he did not execute the sons of the assassins. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses, 72 “Fathers must not be put to death for what their sons do, 73 and sons must not be put to death for what their fathers do. 74 A man must be put to death only for his own sin.” 75
14:7 He defeated 76 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley; he captured Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it has retained to this very day. 14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.” 77 14:9 King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal 78 of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn. 79 14:10 You thoroughly defeated Edom 80 and it has gone to your head! 81 Gloat over your success, 82 but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” 83 14:11 But Amaziah would not heed the warning, 84 so King Jehoash of Israel attacked. 85 He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face 86 in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 14:12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 87 14:13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He 88 attacked 89 Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. 90 14:14 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages. 91 Then he went back to Samaria. 92
( 14:15 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s 93 reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 94 14:16 Jehoash passed away 95 and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam replaced him as king.)
14:17 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 14:18 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 96 14:19 Conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, 97 so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him 98 and they killed him there. 14:20 His body was carried back by horses 99 and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. 14:21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 14:22 Azariah 100 built up Elat and restored it to Judah after the king 101 had passed away. 102
14:23 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Judah’s King Amaziah, son of Joash, Jeroboam son of Joash became king over Israel. He reigned for forty-one years in Samaria. 103 14:24 He did evil in the sight of 104 the Lord; he did not repudiate 105 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 14:25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath in the north to the sea of the Arabah in the south, 106 in accordance with the word of the Lord God of Israel announced through 107 his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 14:26 The Lord saw Israel’s intense suffering; 108 everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer. 109 14:27 The Lord had not decreed that he would blot out Israel’s memory 110 from under heaven, 111 so he delivered them through Jeroboam son of Joash.
14:28 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including all his accomplishments, his military success in restoring Israelite control over Damascus and Hamath, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 112 14:29 Jeroboam passed away 113 and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 114 His son Zechariah replaced him as king.
15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. 15:2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. 115 His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 15:3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. 116 15:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 15:5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease 117 until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, 118 while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
15:6 The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 119 15:7 Azariah passed away 120 and was buried 121 with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.
15:8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 122 for six months. 15:9 He did evil in the sight of 123 the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate 124 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam 125 and took his place as king. 15:11 The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 126 15:12 His assassination brought to fulfillment the Lord’s word to Jehu, 127 “Four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” 128 That is exactly what happened. 129
15:13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s 130 reign over Judah. He reigned for one month 131 in Samaria. 15:14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to 132 Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh. 133 He killed him and took his place as king. 15:15 The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 134 15:16 At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender. 135 He even ripped open the pregnant women.
15:17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years in Samaria. 136 15:18 He did evil in the sight of 137 the Lord; he did not repudiate 138 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 139
During his reign, 15:19 Pul 140 king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid 141 him 142 a thousand talents 143 of silver to gain his support 144 and to solidify his control of the kingdom. 145 15:20 Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria. 146 Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.
15:21 The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 147 15:22 Menahem passed away 148 and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.
15:23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 149 for two years. 15:24 He did evil in the sight of 150 the Lord; he did not repudiate 151 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace. 152 Pekah then took his place as king.
15:26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 153
15:27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 154 for twenty years. 15:28 He did evil in the sight of 155 the Lord; he did not repudiate 156 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:29 During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, 157 Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people 158 to Assyria. 15:30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him 159 and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
15:31 The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 160
15:32 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 15:33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 161 His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 15:34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 162 15:35 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.
15:36 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 163 15:37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. 164 15:38 Jotham passed away 165 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
16:1 In the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham’s son Ahaz became king over Judah. 16:2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 166 He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David. 167 16:3 He followed in the footsteps of 168 the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, 169 a horrible sin practiced by the nations 170 whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites. 16:4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
16:5 At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. 171 They besieged Ahaz, 172 but were unable to conquer him. 173 16:6 (At that time King Rezin of Syria 174 recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. 175 Syrians 176 arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.) 16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. 177 March up and rescue me from the power 178 of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked 179 me.” 16:8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were 180 in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute 181 to the king of Assyria. 16:9 The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; 182 he 183 attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people 184 to Kir and executed Rezin.
16:10 When King Ahaz went to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria in Damascus, he saw the altar there. 185 King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a drawing of the altar and a blueprint for its design. 186 16:11 Uriah the priest built an altar in conformity to the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. 187 Uriah the priest finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus. 188 16:12 When the king arrived back from Damascus and 189 saw the altar, he approached it 190 and offered a sacrifice on it. 191 16:13 He offered his burnt sacrifice and his grain offering. He poured out his libation and sprinkled the blood from his peace offerings on the altar. 16:14 He moved the bronze altar that stood in the Lord’s presence from the front of the temple (between the altar and the Lord’s temple) and put it on the north side of the new 192 altar. 16:15 King Ahaz ordered Uriah the priest, “On the large altar 193 offer the morning burnt sacrifice, the evening grain offering, the royal burnt sacrifices and grain offering, the burnt sacrifice for all the people of Israel, their grain offering, and their libations. Sprinkle all the blood of the burnt sacrifice and other sacrifices on it. The bronze altar will be for my personal use.” 194 16:16 So Uriah the priest did exactly as 195 King Ahaz ordered.
16:17 King Ahaz took off the frames of the movable stands, and removed the basins from them. He took “The Sea” 196 down from the bronze bulls that supported it 197 and put it on the pavement. 16:18 He also removed the Sabbath awning 198 that had been built 199 in the temple and the king’s outer entranceway, on account of the king of Assyria. 200
16:19 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 201 16:20 Ahaz passed away 202 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.
[13:1] 1 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[13:2] 2 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[13:2] 3 tn Heb “walked after.”
[13:2] 4 tn Heb “he did not turn aside from it.”
[13:3] 5 tn Heb “and the anger of the
[13:3] 6 tn Heb “he gave them into the hand of.”
[13:3] 7 tn Heb “all the days.”
[13:4] 8 tn Heb “appeased the face of the
[13:4] 9 tn Heb “and the
[13:4] 10 tn Heb “for he saw the oppression of Israel, for the king of Syria oppressed them.”
[13:5] 11 sn The identity of this unnamed “deliverer” is debated. For options see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 143.
[13:5] 12 tn Heb “and they went from under the hand of Syria.”
[13:5] 13 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as before.”
[13:6] 14 tn Heb “they did not turn away from.”
[13:6] 16 tc Heb “in it he walked.” The singular verb (הָלַךְ, halakh) is probably due to an error of haplography and should be emended to the plural (הָלְכּוּ, halÿku). Note that a vav immediately follows (on the form וְגַם, vÿgam).
[13:6] 17 tn Or “an image of Asherah”; ASV, NASB “the Asherah”; NCV “the Asherah idol.”
[13:6] sn Asherah was a leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles. These were to be burned or cut down (Deut 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4).
[13:7] 18 tn Heb “Indeed he did not leave to Jehoahaz people.” The identity of the subject is uncertain, but the king of Syria, mentioned later in the verse, is a likely candidate.
[13:7] 19 tn Heb “them,” i.e., the remainder of this troops.
[13:7] 20 tn Heb “and made them like dust for trampling.”
[13:8] 21 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jehoahaz, and all which he did and his strength, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[13:9] 22 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[13:9] 23 tn Heb “and they buried him.”
[13:10] 24 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[13:11] 25 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[13:11] 26 tn Heb “turn away from all.”
[13:11] 27 tn Heb “in it he walked.”
[13:12] 28 sn Jehoash and Joash are alternate forms of the same name.
[13:12] 29 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Joash, and all which he did and his strength, [and] how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[13:13] 30 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[13:13] 31 tn Heb “sat on his throne.”
[13:14] 32 tn Heb “Now Elisha was ill with the illness by which he would die.”
[13:14] 33 tn Heb “went down to him.”
[13:14] 34 tn Though the noun is singular here, it may be collective, in which case it could be translated “chariots.”
[13:14] 35 sn By comparing Elisha to a one-man army, the king emphasizes the power of the prophetic word. See the note at 2:12.
[13:15] 36 tn Heb “and he took a bow and some arrows.”
[13:16] 37 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:16] 38 tn Heb “Cause your hand to ride on the bow.”
[13:16] 39 tn Heb “and he caused his hand to ride.”
[13:17] 40 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:17] 41 tn Heb “He opened [it].”
[13:17] 42 tn Heb “and he shot.”
[13:17] 43 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:17] 44 tn Heb “The arrow of victory of the
[13:17] 45 tn Heb “you will strike down Syria in Aphek until destruction.”
[13:18] 46 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:18] 47 tn Heb “and he took [them].”
[13:19] 48 tn Heb “man of God.”
[13:19] 49 tn Heb “[It was necessary] to strike five or six times, then you would strike down Syria until destruction.” On the syntax of the infinitive construct, see GKC 349 §114.k.
[13:20] 50 tn Heb “and they buried him.”
[13:20] 52 tc The MT reading בָּא שָׁנָה (ba’ shanah), “it came, year,” should probably be emended to בְּבָּא הַשָּׁנָה (bÿba’ hashanah), “at the coming [i.e., ‘beginning’] of the year.” See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 148.
[13:21] 53 tn Heb “and it so happened [that] they.”
[13:21] 54 tn Heb “and look, they saw.”
[13:21] 55 tn Heb “the man”; the adjective “dead” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[13:21] 57 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the dead man) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Otherwise the reader might think it was Elisha rather than the unnamed dead man who came back to life.
[13:22] 58 tn Heb “all the days of Jehoahaz.”
[13:23] 59 tn Or “showed them compassion.”
[13:23] 60 tn Heb “he turned to them.”
[13:23] 61 tn Heb “because of his covenant with.”
[13:23] 62 tn Heb “until now.”
[13:25] 63 tn Heb “from the hand of.”
[14:1] 64 sn The name Joahaz is an alternate form of Jehoahaz.
[14:1] 65 sn The referent here is Joash of Judah (see 12:21), not Joash of Israel, mentioned earlier in the verse.
[14:2] 66 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[14:2] 67 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
[14:3] 68 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[14:3] 69 tn Heb “according to all which Joash his father had done, he did.”
[14:5] 70 tn Heb “when the kingdom was secure in his hand.”
[14:5] 71 tn Heb “he struck down his servants, the ones who had struck down the king, his father.”
[14:6] 72 tn Heb “as it is written in the scroll of the law of Moses which the
[14:6] 73 tn Heb “on account of sons.”
[14:6] 74 tn Heb “on account of fathers.”
[14:6] 75 sn This law is recorded in Deut 24:16.
[14:7] 76 tn Or “struck down.”
[14:8] 77 tn Heb “let us look at each other [in the] face.” The expression refers here to meeting in battle. See v. 11.
[14:9] 78 tn Heb “the animal of the field.”
[14:9] 79 sn Judah is the thorn in the allegory. Amaziah’s success has deceived him into thinking he is on the same level as the major powers in the area (symbolized by the cedar). In reality he is not capable of withstanding an attack by a real military power such as Israel (symbolized by the wild animal).
[14:10] 80 tn Or “you have indeed defeated Edom.”
[14:10] 81 tn Heb “and your heart has lifted you up.”
[14:10] 82 tn Heb “be glorified.”
[14:10] 83 tn Heb “Why get involved in calamity and fall, you and Judah with you?”
[14:11] 84 tn Heb “did not listen.”
[14:11] 86 tn Heb “looked at each other [in the] face.”
[14:12] 87 tn Heb “and Judah was struck down before Israel and they fled, each to his tent.”
[14:13] 88 tc The MT has the plural form of the verb, but the final vav (ו) is virtually dittographic. The word that immediately follows in the Hebrew text begins with a yod (י). The form should be emended to the singular, which is consistent in number with the verb (“he broke down”) that follows.
[14:13] 90 tn Heb “four hundred cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long.
[14:14] 91 tn Heb “the sons of the pledges.”
[14:14] 92 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[14:15] 93 sn Jehoash and Joash are alternate forms of the same name.
[14:15] 94 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jehoash, and all which he did and his strength, [and] how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[14:16] 95 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[14:18] 96 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Amaziah, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[14:19] 97 tn Heb “and they conspired against him [with] a conspiracy in Jerusalem.”
[14:19] 98 tn Heb “and they sent after him to Lachish.”
[14:20] 99 tn Heb “and they carried him on horses.”
[14:22] 100 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Azariah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:22] 101 sn This must refer to Amaziah.
[14:22] 102 tn Heb “lay with his fathers.”
[14:23] 103 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[14:24] 104 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[14:24] 105 tn Heb “turn away from all.”
[14:25] 106 tn The phrases “in the north” and “in the south” are added in the translation for clarification.
[14:25] 107 tn Heb “which he spoke by the hand of.”
[14:26] 108 tc Heb “for the
[14:26] 109 tn Heb “[there was] none but the restrained, and [there was] none but the abandoned, and there was no deliverer for Israel.” On the meaning of the terms עָצוּר (’atsur) and עָזוּב (’azur), see the note at 1 Kgs 14:10.
[14:27] 111 tn The phrase “from under heaven” adds emphasis to the verb “blot out” and suggest total annihilation. For other examples of the verb מָחָה (makhah), “blot out,” combined with “from under heaven,” see Exod 17:14; Deut 9:14; 25:19; 29:20.
[14:28] 112 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam, and all which he did and his strength, [and] how he fought and how he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah in Israel, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?” The phrase “to Judah” is probably not original; it may be a scribal addition by a Judahite scribe who was trying to link Jeroboam’s conquests with the earlier achievements of David and Solomon, who ruled in Judah. The Syriac Peshitta has simply “to Israel.” M. Cogan and H. Tadmor (II Kings [AB], 162) offer this proposal, but acknowledge that it is “highly speculative.”
[14:29] 113 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[14:29] 114 tn The MT has simply “with the kings of Israel,” which appears to stand in apposition to the immediately preceding “with his fathers.” But it is likely that the words “and he was buried in Samaria” have been accidentally omitted from the text. See 13:13 and 14:16.
[15:2] 115 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:3] 116 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[15:5] 117 tn Traditionally, “he was a leper.” But see the note at 5:1.
[15:5] 118 tn The precise meaning of בֵית הַחָפְשִׁית (bet hakhofÿshit), “house of […?],” is uncertain. For a discussion of various proposals, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 166-67.
[15:6] 119 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Azariah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[15:7] 120 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[15:7] 121 tn Heb “and they buried him.”
[15:8] 122 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[15:9] 123 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[15:9] 124 tn Heb “turn away from.”
[15:10] 125 tc The MT reads, “and he struck him down before the people and killed him” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). However, the reading קָבָל עָם (qaval ’am), “before the people,” is problematic to some because קָבָל is a relatively late Aramaic term. Nevertheless, the Aramaic term qobel certainly antedates the writing of Kings. The bigger problem seems to be the unnecessary intrusion of an Aramaic word at all here. Most interpreters prefer to follow Lucian’s Greek version and read “in Ibleam” (בְיִבְלְעָם, bÿivle’am). Cf. NAB, TEV.
[15:11] 126 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
[15:12] 127 tn Heb “It was the word of the
[15:12] 128 tn “sons of four generations will sit for you on the throne of Israel.”
[15:12] sn See the note at 2 Kgs 10:30.
[15:12] 129 tn Heb “and it was so.”
[15:13] 130 sn Azariah was also known by the name Uzziah.
[15:13] 131 tn Heb “a month of days.”
[15:14] 132 tn Heb “and came to.”
[15:14] 133 tn Heb “went up from Tirzah and arrived in Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria.”
[15:15] 134 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he conspired, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
[15:16] 135 tn Heb “then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, for it would not open, and he attacked.”
[15:16] tn Instead of “Tiphsah,” the LXX has “Tirzah,” while Lucian’s Greek version reads “Tappuah.” For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 171.
[15:17] 136 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[15:18] 137 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[15:18] 138 tn Heb “turn away from.”
[15:18] 139 tc The MT of v. 18 ends with the words, “all his days.” If this phrase is taken with what precedes, then one should translate, “[who encouraged Israel to sin] throughout his reign.” However, it may be preferable to emend the text to בְיֹמָיו (bÿyomav), “in his days,” and join the phrase to what follows. The translation assumes this change.
[15:19] 140 sn Pul was a nickname of Tiglath-pileser III (cf. 15:29). See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 171-72.
[15:19] 142 tn Heb “Pul.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[15:19] 143 tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 75,000 pounds of silver (cf. NCV “about seventy-four thousand pounds”); NLT “thirty-seven tons”; CEV “over thirty tons”; TEV “34,000 kilogrammes.”
[15:19] 144 tn Heb “so his hands would be with him.”
[15:19] 145 tn Heb “to keep hold of the kingdom in his hand.”
[15:20] 146 tn Heb “and Menahem brought out the silver over Israel, over the prominent men of means, to give to the king of Assyria, fifty shekels of silver for each man.”
[15:21] 147 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Menahem, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[15:22] 148 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[15:23] 149 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[15:24] 150 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[15:24] 151 tn Heb “turn away from.”
[15:25] 152 tn Heb “and he struck him down in Samaria in the fortress of the house of the king, Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men from the sons of the Gileadites, and they killed him.”
[15:25] sn The precise identity of Argob and Arieh, as well as their relationship to the king, are uncertain. The usual assumption is that they were officials assassinated along with Pekahiah, or that they were two of the more prominent Gileadites involved in the revolt. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 173.
[15:26] 153 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Pekahiah, and all which he did, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
[15:27] 154 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[15:28] 155 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[15:28] 156 tn Heb “turn away from.”
[15:29] 157 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
[15:30] 159 tn Heb “and struck him down and killed him.”
[15:31] 160 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Pekah, and all which he did, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
[15:33] 161 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:34] 162 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[15:36] 163 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jotham, and that which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[15:37] 164 tn Heb “the
[15:38] 165 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[16:2] 166 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[16:2] 167 tn Heb “and he did not do what was proper in the eyes of the
[16:3] 168 tn Heb “he walked in the way of.”
[16:3] 169 sn This may refer to child sacrifice, though some interpret it as a less drastic cultic practice. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 266-67.
[16:3] 170 tn Heb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”
[16:5] 171 tn Heb “went up to Jerusalem for battle.”
[16:5] 172 tn That is, Jerusalem, Ahaz’s capital city.
[16:5] 173 tn Heb “they were unable to fight.” The object must be supplied from the preceding sentence. Elsewhere when the Niphal infinitive of לָחָם (lakham) follows the verb יָכֹל (yakhol), the infinitive appears to have the force of “prevail against.” See Num 22:11; 1 Sam 17:9; and the parallel passage in Isa 7:1.
[16:6] 174 tc Some prefer to read “the king of Edom” and “for Edom” here. The names Syria (Heb “Aram,” אֲרָם, ’aram) and Edom (אֱדֹם, ’edom) are easily confused in the Hebrew consonantal script.
[16:6] 175 tn Heb “from Elat.”
[16:6] 176 tc The consonantal text (Kethib), supported by many medieval Hebrew
[16:7] 177 tn Heb “son.” Both terms (“servant” and “son”) reflect Ahaz’s subordinate position as Tiglath-pileser’s subject.
[16:7] 178 tn Heb “hand, palm.”
[16:7] 179 tn Heb “who have arisen against.”
[16:8] 180 tn Heb “that was found.”
[16:8] 181 tn Or “bribe money.”
[16:9] 182 tn Heb “listened to him.”
[16:9] 183 tn Heb “the king of Assyria.”
[16:10] 185 tn Heb “in Damascus.”
[16:10] 186 tn Heb “the likeness of the altar and its pattern for all its work.”
[16:11] 187 tn Heb “according to all that King Ahaz sent from Damascus.”
[16:11] 188 tn Heb “so Uriah the priest did, until the arrival of King Ahaz from Damascus.”
[16:12] 189 tn Heb “and the king.”
[16:12] 190 tn Heb “the altar.”
[16:12] 191 tn Or “ascended it.”
[16:14] 192 tn The word “new” is added in the translation for clarification.
[16:15] 193 tn That is, the newly constructed altar.
[16:15] 194 tn Heb “for me to seek.” The precise meaning of בָּקַר (baqar), “seek,” is uncertain in this context. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 189.
[16:16] 195 tn Heb “according to all which.”
[16:17] 196 sn See the note at 1 Kgs 7:23.
[16:17] 197 tn Heb “that [were] under it.”
[16:18] 198 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מוּסַךְ (musakh; Qere) / מִיסַךְ (misakh; Kethib) is uncertain. For discussion see HALOT 557 s.v. מוּסַךְ and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 189-90.
[16:18] 199 tn Heb “that they built.”
[16:18] 200 sn It is doubtful that Tiglath-pileser ordered these architectural changes. Ahaz probably made these changes so he could send some of the items and materials to the Assyrian king as tribute. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 190, 193.
[16:19] 201 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Ahaz, and that which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
