Chapter 25

1When he was twenty-five years old, Amaziah became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.   אבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֚שׁ שָׁנָה֙ מָלַ֣ךְ אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְהֽוֹעַדָּ֖ן מִירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
2He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.   בוַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה רַ֕ק לֹ֖א בְּלֵבָ֥ב שָׁלֵֽם:
3And it was when the kingdom became well established with him, that he executed his servants who had assassinated the king his father.   גוַיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר חָֽזְקָ֥ה הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַיַּֽהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַמַּכִּ֖ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָבִֽיו:
4But their sons he did not execute, for as is written in the Torah, in the book of Moses, that the Lord had commanded, saying: "Fathers shall not die for sons, nor shall sons die for fathers, but each man shall die for his own sin."   דוְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֣א הֵמִ֑ית כִּ֣י כַכָּת֣וּב בַּתּוֹרָ֡ה בְּסֵ֣פֶר מֹשֶׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹֽא־יָמ֨וּתוּ אָב֚וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וּבָנִים֙ לֹא־יָמ֣וּתוּ עַל־אָב֔וֹת כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ יָמֽוּתוּ:
5And Amaziah gathered Judah and stood them up according to their fathers' houses, according to the chiefs of the thousands and the chiefs of the hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin, and he counted them from twenty years and upward, and he found them three hundred thousand youths who go out to the army, who hold a spear and a shield.   הוַיִּקְבֹּ֚ץ אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲמִידֵ֣ם לְבֵֽית־אָב֗וֹת לְשָׂרֵ֚י הָֽאֲלָפִים֙ וּלְשָׂרֵ֣י הַמֵּא֔וֹת לְכָל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן וַיִּפְקְדֵ֗ם לְמִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֚ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וַיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם שְׁלֹֽשׁ־מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֚לֶף בָּחוּר֙ יוֹצֵ֣א צָבָ֔א אֹחֵ֖ז רֹ֥מַח וְצִנָּֽה:
6And he hired of Israel one hundred thousand mighty warriors for a hundred talents of silver.   ווַיִּשְׂכֹּ֣ר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֥אָה אֶ֛לֶף גִּבּ֥וֹר חָ֖יִל בְּמֵאָ֥ה כִכַּר־כָּֽסֶף:
7And a man of God came to him, saying, "O king, let not the army of Israel come with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, even with all the sons of Ephraim.   זוְאִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֚א אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַמֶּ֕לֶךְ אַל־יָב֥וֹא עִמְּךָ֖ צְבָ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י אֵ֚ין יְהֹוָה֙ עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י אֶפְרָֽיִם:
for God is not with Israel, all the sons of Ephraim: because Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, and he was the first to cause Israel to sin. And in every generation thereafter he remained a stumbling block for them, for they worshipped the golden calves of Jeroboam.   כי אין ה' עם ישראל כל בני אפרים: לפי שירבעם משבט אפרים והוא היה הראשון שהחטיא את ישראל ובכל דור ודור אחריו היה להם למוקש שהיו עובדין לעגלי זהב של ירבעם:
8But if you come, do, strengthen yourself for war, [lest] God cause you to stumble before the enemy, for God has strength to help or to cause to stumble."   חכִּי אִם־בֹּ֣א אַתָּ֔ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה חֲזַ֣ק לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה יַכְשִֽׁילְךָ֚ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־כֹּ֛חַ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֖ים לַעְז֥וֹר וּלְהַכְשִֽׁיל:
But if you come: The meaning is: If you do not believe my words, will you not try [to put effort into your military campaign?] Come, do, and strengthen yourself for war.   כי אם בא אתה: פתרון אם לא תאמין בדברי הלא תנסה בא אתה ועשה וחזק למלחמה:
to help or to cause to stumble: The meaning is: He has the strength to help you without the army of Ephraim and to cause you to stumble if you take them with you.   לעזור ולהכשיל: פתרון יש לו כח וגבורה לעזור לך בלא חיל של אפרים ולהכשיל אותך אם תוליכם עמך:
9And Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall I do about the hundred talents that I gave to the Israelite troop?" And the man of God replied, "God has much more than this to give you."   טוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמַה־לַּֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ לִמְאַ֣ת הַכִּכָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִגְד֣וּד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים יֵשׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מִזֶּֽה:
10And Amaziah separated the troop that had come to him from Ephraim to go to their place, and they were very angry with Judah, and they returned to their place in fierce anger.   יוַיַּבְדִּילֵ֣ם אֲמַצְיָ֗הוּ לְהַגְּדוּד֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֚א אֵלָיו֙ מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם לָלֶ֖כֶת לִמְקוֹמָ֑ם וַיִּ֨חַר אַפָּ֚ם מְאֹד֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ לִמְקוֹמָ֖ם בָּֽחֳרִי־אָֽף:
11And Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people, and he went to the Valley of Salt, and he smote the children of Seir, ten thousand.   יאוַֽאֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ הִתְחַזַּ֔ק וַיִּנְהַג֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ גֵּ֣יא הַמֶּ֑לַח וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־שֵׂעִ֖יר עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִֽים:
12And the children of Judah captured ten thousand alive, and they brought them to the top of the rock, and they cast them from the top of the rock, and they were all split open.   יבוַֽעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים חַיִּ֗ים שָׁבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְבִיא֖וּם לְרֹ֣אשׁ הַסָּ֑לַע וַיַּשְׁלִיכ֛וּם מֵֽרֹאשׁ־הַסֶּ֖לַע וְכֻלָּ֥ם נִבְקָֽעוּ:
and they were all split open, etc… after [Amaziah] had come, etc.: In Lam. Rabbah it says about him, “whether he is angry or he laughs” (Prov. 29:9).   וכולם נבקעו: ויהי אחרי בא וגו' באיכה רבתי עליו נאמר ורגז ושחק ואין נחת (משלי כט):
13And the members of the troop that Amaziah had sent back that they should not go with him to war, raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-Horon, and they smote three thousand of them and plundered much booty.   יגוּבְנֵ֣י הַגְּד֗וּד אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵשִׁ֚יב אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מִלֶּ֚כֶת עִמּוֹ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַיִּפְשְׁטוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִשֹּֽׁמְר֖וֹן וְעַד־בֵּ֣ית חוֹר֑וֹן וַיַּכּ֚וּ מֵהֶם֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ בִּזָּ֥ה רַבָּֽה:
raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-Horon: after they returned to their place, as above, “they were very angry with Judah and returned to their place.” For if it were not so, i.e., if they had raided the cities of Judah as soon as they left Amaziah, Scripture would have said, “and they raided the cities of Judah from Beth-Horon to Samaria,” [i.e., going from Judah to Samaria].   ויפשטו בערי יהודה משמרון ועד בית חורון: לאחר שחזרו למקומם כדלעיל ויחר אפם מאד ביהודה וישובו למקומם שאם לא כן אלא מיד שנבדלו מאמציה פשטו בערי יהודה היה לו לומר ויפשטו בערי יהודה מבית חורון עד שומרון:
14And it was, after Amaziah had come from smiting the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up for himself for gods, and he prostrated himself before them and burned incense to them.   ידוַיְהִ֗י אַֽחֲרֵ֨י ב֚וֹא אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵֽהַכּ֣וֹת אֶת־אֲדוֹמִ֔ים וַיָּבֵ֗א אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י שֵׂעִ֔יר וַיַּֽעֲמִידֵ֥ם ל֖וֹ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְלִפְנֵיהֶ֥ם יִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֖ה וְלָהֶ֥ם יְקַטֵּֽר:
15And the Lord became wroth with Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet, and he said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of the people who did not save their people from your hand?"   טווַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽאֲמַצְיָ֑הוּ וַיִּשְׁלַ֚ח אֵלָיו֙ נָבִ֔יא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לָ֚מָּה דָרַ֙שְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־עַמָּ֖ם מִיָּדֶֽךָ:
16And it was when he spoke to him, that he replied to him, "Did we make you an adviser to the king? Desist. Why should they smite you?" So the prophet desisted, and he said, "I know that God has given counsel to destroy you, because you have done this, and you have not heeded my counsel."   טזוַיְהִ֣י| בְּדַבְּר֣וֹ אֵלָ֗יו וַיֹּ֚אמֶר לוֹ֙ הַלְיוֹעֵ֚ץ לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ נְתַנּ֔וּךָ חֲדַֽל־לְךָ֖ לָ֣מָּה יַכּ֑וּךָ וַיֶּחְדַּ֣ל הַנָּבִ֗יא וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יָעַ֚ץ אֱלֹהִים֙ לְהַשְׁחִיתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּ֔את וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ לַֽעֲצָתִֽי:
that God has given counsel to destroy you: i.e., If you do not hearken to My advice to follow the straight path, you should know, O king, that the Lord has given counsel to destroy you because you have done this, and have not hearkened to the counsel. Now what is the counsel? That he enticed you to provoke the king of Israel and to fall before him, as it is written: “And Amaziah the king of Judah took counsel, and he sent to Joash, etc.”   כי יעץ אלהים להשחיתך: כלומר אם אין אתה שומע לעצתי לילך בדרך ישרה דע לך אתה המלך כי יעץ ה' להשתיתך הואיל כי עשית זאת ולא שמעת לעצה ומה היא העצ' שהשיאך להתגרות במלך ישראל וליפול לפניו כדכתיב ויועץ אמציה מלך יהודה וישלח אל יואש וגו':
17And Amaziah, the king of Judah, took counsel, and he sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us confront each other."   יזוַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶל־יוֹאָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהֽוֹאָחָ֧ז בֶּן־יֵה֛וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לְךָ֖ נִתְרָאֶ֥ה פָנִֽים:
Come, let us confront each other: to show our might on horses with spears.   לך נתראה פנים: להראות גבורתינו על סוסים ברמחים:
18And Joash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah the king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying: Give your daughter to my son for a wife; and the wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.   יחוַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח יוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֘ לֵאמֹר֒ הַח֜וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן שָׁ֠לַח אֶל־הָאֶ֜רֶז אֲשֶׁ֚ר בַּלְּבָנוֹן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָ֧ה אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֛ לִבְנִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַתַּֽעֲבֹ֞ר חַיַּ֚ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַתִּרְמֹ֖ס אֶת־הַחֽוֹחַ:
The thistle that was in Lebanon: which is of short stature.   החוח אשר בלבנון: שהוא שפל רוח:
sent to the cedar: which is the greatest prince of all the trees.   שלח אל הארז: שהוא שר גדול מכל האילנות:
passed by and trampled the thistle: The cedar did not wish to kill it because it was degrading in his eyes to cut down the thistle, but a beast of the field passed by and trampled it in contempt, for how did he dare to send such a great insult to the lofty cedar? You too are like the thistle, for you have only two tribes, and now my servants will rise up against you and trample you when they hear of this disgrace.   ותעבר: ותרמוס ולא רצה הארז להרגו כי זילות הוא בעיניו לטרוף החוח אלא עברה עליו ורמסתו לבזיון כי היאך נשאו לבו לשלוח בזיון גדול כזה לארז גבוה אף אתה כחוח שאין לך רק שני שבטי' ועת' עבדי יקומון עליך וירמסוך כשישמעו הבזיון הזה:
19You said that behold, you have defeated Edom, and your heart has made you haughty to seek glory. Now, stay in your home. Why should you provoke evil and fall, you and Judah with you?"   יטאָמַ֗רְתָּ הִנֵּ֚ה הִכִּ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־אֱד֔וֹם וּנְשָֽׂאֲךָ֥ לִבְּךָ֖ לְהַכְבִּ֑יד עַתָּה֙ שְׁבָ֣ה בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ לָ֚מָּה תִתְגָּרֶה֙ בְּרָעָ֔ה וְנָ֣פַלְתָּ֔ אַתָּ֥ה וִֽיהוּדָ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ:
and your heart has made you haughty: to pursue glory, and you wish to be glorified also on my account. In II Kings (14:10), the reading is: “Retain your honor by staying home.”   ונשאך לבך: לרדוף אחר הכבוד ורוצה אתה להתכבד אף בי ובמלכים (ב' י"ד) הכבד ושב בביתך:
20But Amaziah did not heed, because this was from God, in order to deliver them into their hands, for they had sought the gods of Edom.   כוְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ כִּ֚י מֵהָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ הִ֔יא לְמַ֖עַן תִּתָּ֣ם בְּיָ֑ד כִּ֣י דָֽרְשׁ֔וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֱדֽוֹם:
because this was from God in order to deliver them into their hands: i.e., into their hands, as above (verse 16): “I know that God has given counsel to destroy you.”   כי מהאלהים היא למען תתם ביד: כלומר בידיהם כדלעיל ידעתי כי יעץ אלהים להשחיתך:
21And Joash the king of Israel went up, and they confronted one another, he and Amaziah the king of Judah, in Beth-Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.   כאוַיַּ֨עַל יוֹאָ֚שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיִּתְרָא֣וּ פָנִ֔ים ה֖וּא וַֽאֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה בְּבֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִֽיהוּדָֽה:
in Beth-Shemesh: the war took place. It was necessary to say this lest you ask why they brought Amaziah to Jerusalem and not to Samaria when they seized him. [The answer is] that Beth-Shemesh was near Jerusalem.   בבית שמש: היתה המלחמה והוצרך לומר שלא תאמר כשתפשו אמציה למה הביאו לירושלים ולא לשומרון לפי שהיה בית שמש סמוך לירושלים:
22And Judah was beaten before Israel, and they fled each man to his tent.   כבוַיִּנָּ֥גֶף יְהוּדָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹֽהָלָֽיו:
23And Joash the king of Israel seized Amaziah the king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, in Beth Shemesh, and he brought him to Jerusalem and breached the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim until the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits.   כגוְאֵת֩ אֲמַצְיָ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה בֶּן־יוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־יְהֽוֹאָחָ֗ז תָּפַ֛שׂ יוֹאָ֥שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֣ית שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וַיְבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיִּפְרֹ֞ץ בְּחוֹמַ֣ת יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִשַּׁ֚עַר אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־שַׁ֣עַר הַפּוֹנֶ֔ה אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אַמָּֽה:
and breached the wall of…: He said, “From now on, he will not rebel against me, because his heart will not be so haughty since the wall has been breached ”   ויפרץ בחומת: שאמר מעתה לא ימרוד בי כי לא גבה לבו כל כך למרוד הואיל ונפרצה החומה:
24And [he took] all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the House of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king's palace, and the hostage children; and he returned to Samaria.   כדוְכָל־הַזָּהָ֣ב וְהַכֶּ֡סֶף וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־הַ֠כֵּלִים֩ הַנִּמְצְאִ֨ים בְּבֵֽית־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֜ים עִם־עֹבֵ֣ד אֱד֗וֹם וְאֶת־אֹֽצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י הַתַּֽעֲרֻב֑וֹת וַיָּ֖שָׁב שֹׁמְרֽוֹן:
that were found in the House of God with Obed-Edom: for he and his sons were keepers of the treasures all their lives.   הנמצאים בבית האלהים עם עובד אדום: כי הוא ובניו נגידים על האוצרות כל ימיהם כדלעיל:
and the hostage children: For the Jews did not permit Amaziah to be king any longer in Jerusalem until he made the children of the officers hostages so that they would no longer rebel against him, and so did Jonathan translate it in II Kings (14:14): “the children of the officers.” Rabbi Joseph (Kara) explained “the hostage children” to mean those hostages that the king had taken as security so that their fathers would not rebel against him. This, however, does not appear correct to me because we do not find that Judah had such power over others that they could have [forced them] to give Judah their children as hostages.   ואת בני התערבות: שלא הניחו ישראל את אמציהו להיות עוד מלך בירושלים עד שנתן בני השרים ערבון שלא ימרדו עוד בו וכן תרגם יונתן אותו במלכים (ב' יד) בני רברביא, ורבינו יוסף פירש תערובות אותן התערובות שהיה לו למלך נתונים בערבות שלא ימרדו אבותם בו ולא נראה לי כי לא מצינו שגברה יד יהודה כל כך על אחרים שיהו צריכים ליתן ליהודה בניהם לערבון:
25And Amaziah the son of Joash the king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz the king of Israel.   כהוַיְחִ֨י אֲמַצְיָ֚הוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה אַֽחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת יוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־יְהֽוֹאָחָ֖ז מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל חֲמֵ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה:
26And the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, both the earlier ones and the later ones-are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?   כווְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָֽאַֽחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא֙ הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר מַלְכֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
27And from the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. And they sent after him to Lachish and assassinated him there.   כזוּמֵעֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁר־סָ֚ר אֲמַצְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵאַֽחֲרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּקְשְׁר֨וּ עָלָ֥יו קֶ֛שֶׁר בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וַיָּ֣נָס לָכִ֑ישָׁה וַיִּשְׁלְח֚וּ אַֽחֲרָיו֨ לָכִ֔ישָׁה וַיְמִיתֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁם:
And from the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord: and was immediately defeated by the king of Israel.   ומעת אשר סר אמציה מאחרי ה': ונפל לפני מלך ישראל מיד:
they conspired against him in Jerusalem: to kill him, because each one was grieved over his son, his brother, and his kinsman who were slain because of him, because he provoked the king of Israel.   ויקשרו עליו קשר בירושלים: להרגו כי הי' לבם דוה איש על בנו ועל אחיו ועל קרובו שנהרגו על ידו לפי שנתגרה במלך ישראל:
and he fled to Lachish: a fortified city against which Sennacherib waged war. He fled to Lachish, where he remained fifteen years until they followed him to Lachish and assassinated him there. And during those fifteen years that he was in Lachish, Jecoliah, Uzziah’s mother, reigned in his stead. This is how it appears to me. In the commentary of Rabbi Joseph (Kara), I saw that during those fifteen years that he was in Lachish, Uzziah his son reigned in his stead, but it is incorrect to interpret it in this manner, for it is written immediately following (26:1): “who was sixteen years old.” We find that when his father fled, he was only one year old. Moreover, if this is the case, it should say, “took Uzziah and made him king instead of his father during his lifetime.” Rather, Scripture intimated that he did not reign during his father’s lifetime.   וינס לכישה: עיר מבצר אשר נלחם עליה סנחריב ונס לכישה ויהי שם ט"ו שנים עד ששלחו אחריו לכיש' וימיתהו שם ואותן ט"ו שנה שהי' בלכיש מלכה יכליהו אם עזיהו תחתיו אך קשה לי ובפי' ר' יוסף זצ"ל ראיתי גם אותן ט"ו שנים שהי' בלכיש מלך עזיהו בנו תחתיו ולא נכון לפותרו כן שהרי כתיב בסמוך והוא בן שש עשר' שנה נמצא שלא היה בזמן שברח אביו אלא בן שנה ועוד שא"כ היה לו לומר ויקחו את עזיהו וימליכו תחת אביו בחייו אלא משמע שלא מלך בחיי אביו:
28And they carried him on the horses, and they buried him with his forefathers in the city of Judah.   כחוַיִּשָּׂאֻ֖הוּ עַל־הַסּוּסִ֑ים וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֥יר יְהוּדָֽה: