Chapter 14

1At this time Abijah, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick.   אבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא חָלָ֖ה אֲבִיָּ֥ה בֶן־יָרָבְעָֽם:
2And Jeroboam said to his wife, "Arise now and disguise yourself so that [people] should not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and you shall go to Shilo, behold there is Ahijah, the prophet; He spoke about me that [I would] be king over this people.   בוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יָרָבְעָ֜ם לְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ ק֚וּמִי נָא֙ וְהִשְׁתַּנִּ֔ית וְלֹ֣א יֵֽדְע֔וּ כִּי־אַ֖תְּ (כתיב אַ֖תְּי) אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֑ם וְהָלַ֣כְתְּ שִׁלֹ֗ה הִנֵּה־שָׁם֙ אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֔יא הֽוּא־דִבֶּ֥ר עָלַ֛י לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה:
3And you shall take in your hand ten loaves [of bread] and biscuits and a flask of honey, and come to him. He will tell you what will be of the child."   גוְלָקַ֣חַתְּ בְּ֠יָדֵךְ עֲשָׂרָ֨ה לֶ֧חֶם וְנִקֻּדִ֛ים וּבַקְבֻּ֥ק דְּבַ֖שׁ וּבָ֣את אֵלָ֑יו הוּא יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔ךְ מַה־יִּֽהְיֶ֖ה לַנָּֽעַר:
biscuits: Heb. ונקדים. A type of parched grain, dried in an oven. They make flour from it to make it into a dish known in the language of the Gemara as ‘shethitha.’   וְנִקֻּדִים: מִין קְלָיוֹת, מְיַבְּשִׁין בְּתַנּוּר וְעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן קֶמַח לַעֲשׂוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ מַאֲכָל, שֶׁקּוֹרִין לוֹ שְׁתִיתָא בִּלְשׁוֹן גְּמָרָא.
4And Jeroboam's wife did so, and she arose and went to Shilo and came to the house of Ahijah; Ahijah could not see for his eyes were still because of his advanced age.   דוַתַּ֚עַשׂ כֵּן֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתָּ֙קָם֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַתָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֣ית אֲחִיָּ֑ה וַאֲחִיָּ֙הוּ֙ לֹֽא־יָכֹ֣ל לִרְא֔וֹת כִּ֛י קָ֥מוּ עֵינָ֖יו מִשֵּׂיבֽוֹ:
5Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, "Behold the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask of you concerning her son as he is sick; you shall speak to her thus and thus." And it was, when she arrived she was disguised.   הוַיהֹוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אֲחִיָּ֗הוּ הִנֵּ֣ה אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֡ם בָּאָ֣ה לִדְרשׁ֩ דָּבָ֨ר מֵעִמְּךָ֚ אֶל־בְּנָהּ֙ כִּֽי־חֹלֶ֣ה ה֔וּא כָּזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֑יהָ וִיהִ֣י כְבֹאָ֔הּ וְהִ֖יא מִתְנַכֵּרָֽה:
she was disguised: as though she were not this one.   וְהִיא מִתְנַכֵּרָה: כְּאִלּוּ אֵינָהּ זֹאת.
6And it was as Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps into the doorway, that he said, "Come in, Jeroboam's wife. Why are you disguised? I am sent to you to tell you harsh tidings.   ווַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲחִיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־ק֚וֹל רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּאָ֣ה בַפֶּ֔תַח וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בֹּ֖אִי אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֗ה אַתְּ מִתְנַכֵּרָ֔ה וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י שָׁל֥וּחַ אֵלַ֖יִךְ קָשָֽׁה:
I am sent to you: from the Holy One Blessed be He with a harsh message.   שָׁלוּחַ אֵלַיִךְ: מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁלִיחוּת קָשָׁה.
7Go say to Jeroboam, So has the Lord the God of Israel said, 'Since I raised you from amidst the people and I made you the ruler over my people Israel.   זלְכִ֞י אִמְרִ֣י לְיָרָבְעָ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַ֛עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרִֽמֹתִ֖יךָ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָעָ֑ם וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֣ נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
8And I tore the kingdom from the House of David and I gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who heeded My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart to do only what was proper in My eyes.   חוָאֶקְרַ֚ע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֔ד וָאֶתְּנֶ֖הָ לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־הָיִ֜יתָ כְּעַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁמַ֨ר מִצְו‍ֹתַ֜י וַאֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֚ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בְּכָל־לְבָב֔וֹ לַעֲשֹ֕וֹת רַ֖ק הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽי:
9And you have done worse than all that were before you and you have gone and made for yourself foreign gods and molten images to anger Me, and you have cast Me behind your back.   טוַתָּ֣רַע לַעֲשֹ֔וֹת מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֡לֶךְ וַתַּעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֚ים וּמַסֵּכוֹת֙ לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי וְאֹתִ֥י הִשְׁלַ֖כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גַוֶּֽךָ:
10Therefore, I shall bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, and I will cut off from Jeroboam every male child and those who are restrained and those who are free in Israel, and I will expunge after the house of Jeroboam as one expunges dung, until it is completed.   ילָכֵ֗ן הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֚יא רָעָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֔ם וְהִכְרַתִּ֚י לְיָֽרָבְעָם֙ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֔יר עָצ֥וּר וְעָז֖וּב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבִֽעַרְתִּי֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י בֵית־יָרָבְעָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְבַעֵ֥ר הַגָּלָ֖ל עַד־תֻּמּֽוֹ:
male child: Jonathan renders: One who knows knowledge; one who places [wisdom or counsel] into the walls of his heart.   מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר: תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: יָדַע מַדָּע, מֵשִׁית בְּקִירוֹת לִבּוֹ.
those who are restrained and those who are free: Heb. עצור ועזוב. עצור is one who has someone restraining his hand, similar to “This one shall rule over (יעצור) My people” (Sam. 9:17). ועזוב means one who has no one restraining his hand.   עָצוּר וְעָזוּב: עָצוּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מַחֲזִיק יָד, כְּמוֹ: זֶה יַעְצֹר בְּעַמִּי, וְעָזוּב, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַחֲזִיק בַּיָּד.
as one expunges: As the one who [consumes food to make] it eventually into dung, so will I expunge after him until he is completely consumed.   כַּאֲשֶׁר יְבַעֵר: הַמְבַעֵר אֶת הַמַּאֲכָל בְּפִיו, לַעֲשׂוֹת גָּלָל, כָּךְ אֲבָעֵר אַחֲרָיו עַד תֻּמּוֹ.
11The dead of Jeroboam in the city the dogs shall eat, and the dead in the field, the birds of the heaven shall eat, because the Lord has spoken.   יאהַמֵּ֨ת לְיָֽרָבְעָ֚ם בָּעִיר֙ יֹאכְל֣וּ הַכְּלָבִ֔ים וְהַמֵּת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר:
12And you arise and go to your house; as your feet come into the city, the child shall die.   יבוְאַ֥תְּ ק֖וּמִי לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ בְּבֹאָ֥ה רַגְלַ֛יִךְ הָעִ֖ירָה וּמֵ֥ת הַיָּֽלֶד:
13And all of Israel shall eulogize him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam shall come to a grave, because there is found in him a good deed toward the Lord, the God of Israel, in the House of Jeroboam.   יגוְסָֽפְדוּ־ל֚וֹ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְקָבְר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כִּֽי־זֶ֣ה לְבַדּ֔וֹ יָבֹ֥א לְיָרָבְעָ֖ם אֶל־קָ֑בֶר יַ֣עַן נִמְצָא־ב֞וֹ דָּבָ֣ר ט֗וֹב אֶל־יְהֹוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֥ית יָרָבְעָֽם:
a good deed: For he absented his watch, for his father had stationed him as a sentry so that no man would go up on the pilgrimage festivals. Instead, he absented his watch and he himself went up.   דָּבָר טוֹב: שֶׁבִּטֵּל מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ, שֶׁהוֹשִׁיבוֹ אָבִיו שׁוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה אִישׁ לָרֶגֶל, וּבִטֵּל מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ וְעָלָה.
14And the Lord shall raise for Himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam this day, and also those who will be (born) from now on.   ידוְהֵקִים֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה ל֥וֹ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַכְרִ֛ית אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יָרָבְעָ֖ם זֶ֣ה הַיּ֑וֹם וּמֶ֖ה גַּם־עָֽתָּה:
who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day, and also those who will be born from now on.: [Those] who are already born to him this day, and those who are destined to be born to him from now on. So did Jonathan render.   אֲשֶׁר יַכְרִית אֶת בֵּית יָרָבְעָם זֶה הַיּוֹם וּמֶה גַּם עַתָּה: הַנּוֹלָדִים לוֹ הַיּוֹם, וַאֲשֶׁר עֲתִידִין לְהִוָּלֵד לוֹ מֵעַתָּה, כָּךְ תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן.
15And the Lord shall smite Israel as a reed sways in the water, and He will uproot Israel from this good land that He has given to your fathers and He will scatter them on the other side of the river because they have made their trees of idol worship which anger the Lord.   טווְהִכָּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֣וּד הַקָּנֶה֘ בַּמַּיִם֒ וְנָתַ֣שׁ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֠עַל הָאֲדָמָ֨ה הַטּוֹבָ֚ה הַזֹּאת֙ אֲשֶׁ֚ר נָתַן֙ לַאֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְזֵרָ֖ם מֵעֵ֣בֶר לַנָּהָ֑ר יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשׂוּ֙ אֶת־אֲשֵׁ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם מַכְעִיסִ֖ים אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה:
16And he will put Israel [to shame] because of the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he has caused Israel to sin."   טזוְיִתֵּ֖ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בִּגְלַ֞ל חַטֹּ֚אות יָֽרָבְעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
17And Jeroboam's wife arose, and she went and arrived in Tirzah; she came onto the threshold of the house, and the youth died.   יזוַתָּ֙קָם֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ וַתָּבֹ֣א תִרְצָ֑תָה הִ֛יא בָּאָ֥ה בְסַף־הַבַּ֖יִת וְהַנַּ֥עַר מֵֽת:
18And all of Israel buried him and eulogized him as the word of the Lord that He spoke through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.   יחוַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־ל֖וֹ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּדְבַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַד־עַבְדּ֖וֹ אֲחִיָּ֥הוּ הַנָּבִֽיא:
19And the rest of the events of Jeroboam that he fought and how he ruled are written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Israel.   יטוְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י יָֽרָבְעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִלְחַ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלָ֑ךְ הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
20And the days that Jeroboam reigned were twenty-two years and he slept with his forefathers, and his son Nadab ruled instead of him.   כוְהַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ יָרָבְעָ֔ם עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ נָדָ֥ב בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו:
21And Rehoboam the son of Solomon ruled in Judah; forty-one years of age was Rehoboam when he became king and seventeen years he reigned in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen to place His Name there out of all the tribes of Israel, and his mother's name was Naamah the Amonitess.   כאוּרְחַבְעָם֙ בֶּן־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים וְאַחַ֣ת שָׁנָה֩ רְחַבְעָ֨ם בְּמָלְכ֜וֹ וּֽשְׁבַ֨ע עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֣ה | מָלַ֣ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלַ֗םִ הָ֠עִיר אֲשֶׁר־בָּחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֜ה לָשֹ֨וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֥וֹ שָׁם֙ מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נַעֲמָ֖ה הָעַמֹּנִֽית:
the city that the Lord had chosen: Yet, even so…   הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר ה': וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן:
22And Judah did what displeased the Lord, and they angered Him more than their forefathers had done with their sins that they sinned.   כבוַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהוּדָ֛ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיְקַנְא֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ מִכֹּל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשֹ֣וּ אֲבֹתָ֔ם בְּחַטֹּאתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽאוּ:
And Judah did what displeased the Lord: and they did not pay attention to this.   וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוּדָה הָרָע: וְלֹא נָתְנוּ זֶה עַל לִבָּם.
and they angered Him: Heb. ויקנאו [usually used in the sense of jealousy or zeal but here is] an expression of angering.   וַיְקַנְאוּ: לְשׁוֹן קְנִיטָה.
23And they, too, built for themselves high places, monuments and trees for idol worship on every high hill and under every green tree.   כגוַיִּבְנ֨וּ גַם־הֵ֧מָּה לָהֶ֛ם בָּמ֥וֹת וּמַצֵּב֖וֹת וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים עַל כָּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן:
And they too: [like the other] tribes.   גַּם הֵמָּה: כִּשְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים.
24And also adultery was in the land; they did as all the abominations of the nations that the Lord had driven out from before the Children of Israel.   כדוְגַם־קָדֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֣ה בָאָ֑רֶץ עָשֹ֗וּ כְּכֹל֙ הַתּוֹעֲבֹ֣ת הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
  קָדֵשׁ: נִאוּף.
25And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak, the king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem.   כהוַיְהִ֛י בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֖ית לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֑ם עָלָ֛ה שִׁישַׁ֥ק (כתיב שִׁושַׁ֥ק) מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָֽםִ:
Shishak the king of Egypt: We find in Midrash Shir Hashirim: This was Pharaoh Neco. He was called Shishak because all his life he longed for (שוקק) the ivory throne that belonged to Solomon, his son-in-law. Now, he went up and took it.   שִׁישַׁק: מָצִינוּ בְּמִדְרַשׁ (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים) הוּא פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה, וְנִקְרָא שִׁישַׁק, עַל שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹקֵק וּמִתְאַוֶּה כָּל יָמָיו לְכִסֵּא הַשֵּׁן שֶׁהָיָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה חֲתָנוֹ, וְעַכְשָׁיו עָלָה וּלְקָחוֹ.
26And he took the treasures of the House of the Lord and the treasures of the king's palace, and he took everything; and he took all the golden shields that Solomon had made.   כווַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־אֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת־הַכֹּ֖ל לָקָ֑ח וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־כָּל־מָגִנֵּ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֹ֖ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה:
and he took everything: the throne that was dearer to him than everything.   וְאֶת הַכֹּל לָקַח: אֶת הַכִּסֵּא, הֶחָבִיב מִן הַכֹּל.
27King Rehoboam made copper shields instead of them, and he put them under the jurisdiction of the captain of the runners that guarded the door of the king's palace.   כזוַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֚לֶךְ רְחַבְעָם֙ תַּחְתָּ֔ם מָגִנֵּ֖י נְח֑שֶׁת וְהִפְקִ֗יד עַל־יַד֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הָרָצִ֔ים הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
28And it was, whenever the king went to the house of the Lord, the runners would carry them and return them to the runners' chamber.   כחוַיְהִ֛י מִדֵּי־בֹ֥א הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה יִשָּׂאוּם֙ הָֽרָצִ֔ים וֶהֱשִׁיב֖וּם אֶל־תָּ֥א הָרָצִֽים:
the runners would carry them: before him in honor. Afterwards, they would return them to the chamber where the runners were always stationed.   יִשָּׂאוּם הָרָצִים: לְפָנָיו לְכָבוֹד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְשִׁיבוּם אֶל תָּא שֶׁהָרָצִים עוֹמְדִים שָׁם תָּמִיד.
29And the rest of the events of Rehoboam and all that he did, they are written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Judah.   כטוְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י רְחַבְעָ֖ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָֹ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣מָּה כְתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה:
30And there was a war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.   לוּמִלְחָמָ֨ה הָיְתָ֧ה בֵין־רְחַבְעָ֛ם וּבֵ֥ין יָרָבְעָ֖ם כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
31And Rehoboam lay with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David, and his mother's name was Naamah, the Amonitess, and Abijam his son reigned in his place.   לאוַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב רְחַבְעָ֜ם עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֚ר עִם־אֲבֹתָיו֙ בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֔ד וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נַעֲמָ֖ה הָעַמֹּנִ֑ית וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֲבִיָּ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו: