Chapter 26

1And the entire people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and they made him king instead of his father Amaziah.   אוַיִּקְח֞וּ כָּל־עַ֚ם יְהוּדָה֙ אֶת־עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ וְה֕וּא בֶּן־שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה וַיַּמְלִ֣יכוּ אֹת֔וֹ תַּ֖חַת אָבִ֥יו אֲמַצְיָֽהוּ:
2He built Eloth and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his forefathers.   בהוּא בָּנָ֣ה אֶת־אֵיל֔וֹת וַיְשִׁיבֶ֖הָ לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה אַֽחֲרֵ֥י שְׁכַֽב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עִם־אֲבֹתָֽיו:
3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.   גבֶּן־שֵׁ֨שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֚ה שָׁנָה֙ עֻזִּיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֚ים וּשְׁתַּ֙יִם֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְכָלְיָ֖ה (כתיב יְכָילְיָ֖ה) מִן־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
4And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as all that Amaziah his father had done.   דוַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה אֲמַצְיָ֥הוּ אָבִֽיו:
And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord: like all the proper things that his father did, but not like his wickedness.   ויעש הישר בעיני ה': ככל הישר שעשה אביו עשה ולא עשה כרשעתו:
5And [it was his custom] to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who understood the visions of God, and when he sought the Lord, God caused him to prosper.   הוַיְהִי֙ לִדְרֹ֣שׁ אֱלֹהִ֔ים בִּימֵ֣י זְכַרְיָ֔הוּ הַמֵּבִ֖ין בִּרְא֣וֹת הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבִימֵי֙ דָּרְשׁ֣וֹ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה הִצְלִיח֖וֹ הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
in the days of Zechariah: This refers to Uzziah, and he was called by three names: Uzziah, Zechariah, and Azariah, similar to (II Kings 14): Yehoahaz/Ahaziah.   בימי זכריהו: זה עזיהו וג' שמות נקראו לו עזיהו זכריהו עזריהו ודוגמא (מלכים ב' יב) יהואחז אחזיהו:
who understood the visions of God: who understood that the fear of God is good, and feared the Lord.   המבין בראות האלהים: שהבין ביראת אלהים שטובה היא ונתירא מה':
6And he went forth and waged war with the Philistines, and he breached the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod, and he built cities in Ashdod and among the Philistines.   ווַיֵּצֵא֙ וַיִּלָּ֣חֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיִּפְרֹ֞ץ אֶת־ח֣וֹמַת גַּ֗ת וְאֵת֙ חוֹמַ֣ת יַבְנֶ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת חוֹמַ֣ת אַשְׁדּ֑וֹד וַיִּבְנֶ֣ה עָרִ֔ים בְּאַשְׁדּ֖וֹד וּבַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:
7And God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who dwelt in Gur-Baal and the Meunites.   זוַיַּעְזְרֵ֨הוּ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֜ים עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֧ים וְעַל־הָֽעַרְבִ֛ים (כתיב הָֽעַרְבִ֛יים) הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֥ים בְּגֽוּר־בַּ֖עַל וְהַמְּעוּנִֽים:
8And the Ammonites gave Uzziah a gift, and his name went until the approach to Egypt, for he had become exceedingly strong.   חוַיִּתְּנ֧וּ הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֛ים מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֻזִּיָּ֑הוּ וַיֵּ֚לֶךְ שְׁמוֹ֙ עַד־לְב֣וֹא מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּ֥י הֶֽחֱזִ֖יק עַד־לְמָֽעְלָה:
9And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner, and he strengthened them.   טוַיִּ֨בֶן עֻזִּיָּ֚הוּ מִגְדָּלִים֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַל־שַׁ֧עַר הַפִּנָּ֛ה וְעַל־שַׁ֥עַר הַגַּ֖יְא וְעַל־הַמִּקְצ֑וֹעַ וַֽיְחַזְּקֵֽם:
And Uzziah built towers, etc.: He had to strengthen the parts of the wall they breached in his father’s days.   ויבן עזיהו מגדלים וגו': הוצרך לחזק מה שפרצו בחומה בימי אביו:
10And he built towers in the desert, and he hewed many cisterns, for he had much cattle and in the lowlands and in the plains, plowmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved the soil.   יוַיִּ֨בֶן מִגְדָּלִ֜ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וַיַחְצֹב֙ בֹּר֣וֹת רַבִּ֔ים כִּ֚י מִקְנֶה־רַב֙ הָ֣יָה ל֔וֹ וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה וּבַמִּישׁ֑וֹר אִכָּרִ֣ים וְכֹֽרְמִ֗ים בֶּֽהָרִים֙ וּבַכַּרְמֶ֔ל כִּֽי־אֹהֵ֥ב אֲדָמָ֖ה הָיָֽה:
plowmen: Heb. אִכָּרִים, aratkori in Italian, plowmen.   אכרים: אראטו"רי בלע"ז:
  וכרמים: דוגמא (שם ב' כ"ה) לכורמים וליוגבים שומרי בהמות היה לו:
for he loved the soil: It is explained in Genesis Rabbah (See 22:3): Two had a passion for agriculture, and no good was found in them: he and Cain.   כי אוהב אדמה הי': מפורש בב"ר ב' להוטים אחרי אדמה היו ולא נמצא בם תועלת הוא וקין:
11And Uzziah had a force of warriors who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their counting, by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's chiefs.   יאוַיְהִ֣י לְעֻזִּיָּ֡הוּ חַיִל֩ עֹשֵׂ֨ה מִלְחָמָ֜ה יֽוֹצְאֵ֧י צָבָ֣א לִגְד֗וּד בְּמִסְפַּר֙ פְּקֻדָּתָ֔ם בְּיַד֙ יְעִיאֵ֣ל (כתיב יְעִואֵ֣ל) הַסּוֹפֵ֔ר וּמַֽעֲשֵׂיָ֖הוּ הַשּׁוֹטֵ֑ר עַל יַד־חֲנַנְיָ֔הוּ מִשָּׂרֵ֖י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
12The entire number of the heads of the fathers' [houses], of the mighty warriors-two thousand and six hundred.   יבכֹּ֠ל מִסְפַּ֞ר רָאשֵׁ֚י הָֽאָבוֹת֙ לְגִבּ֣וֹרֵי חָ֔יִל אַלְפַּ֖יִם וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
13And under their jurisdiction, an army of three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, those who wage war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.   יגוְעַל־יָדָם֩ חֵ֨יל צָבָ֜א שְׁלֹ֧שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אֶ֗לֶף וְשִׁבְעַ֚ת אֲלָפִים֙ וַֽחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת עוֹשֵׂ֥ה מִלְחָמָ֖ה בְּכֹ֣חַ חָ֑יִל לַעְזֹ֥ר לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־הָֽאוֹיֵֽב:
14And Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire host, shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and sling stones.   ידוַיָּכֶן֩ לָהֶ֨ם עֻזִּיָּ֜הוּ לְכָל־הַצָּבָ֗א מָֽגִנִּ֚ים וּרְמָחִים֙ וְכ֣וֹבָעִ֔ים וְשִׁרְיֹנ֖וֹת וּקְשָׁת֑וֹת וּלְאַבְנֵ֖י קְלָעִֽים:
15And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the corners, to shoot with arrows and with huge stones, and his name went forth far abroad for he did wondrous things to help himself, until he became strong.   טווַיַּ֣עַשׂ| בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֨ם חִשְּׁבֹנ֜וֹת מַֽחֲשֶׁ֣בֶת חוֹשֵׁ֗ב לִֽהְי֚וֹת עַל־הַמִּגְדָּלִים֙ וְעַל־הַפִּנּ֔וֹת לִירוֹא֙ בַּֽחִצִּ֔ים וּבָֽאֲבָנִ֖ים גְּדֹל֑וֹת וַיֵּצֵ֚א שְׁמוֹ֙ עַד־לְמֵ֣רָח֔וֹק כִּֽי־הִפְלִ֥יא לְהֵֽעָזֵ֖ר עַ֥ד כִּֽי־חָזָֽק:
engines, invented by skillful men: Heb. חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת מַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוֹשֵׁב, similar to (Exod. 28:6): “expert work (מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב.)” He made war engines with craftsmanship, such as siege mounds and battering rams, as it is written (Prov. 24:6): “For you shall wage war with strategies.”   חשבנות מחשבת חושב: דוגמא (שמות כ"ח) מעשה חושב כלי מלחמות עשה באומנות כגון דיק ואילים המנגחים בחומה כדכתיב (משלי כ"ד) כי בתחבולות תעשה לך מלחמה:
16And when he became strong, his heart became haughty until he became corrupt, and he trespassed against the Lord his God, and he came into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.   טזוּכְחֶזְקָת֗וֹ גָּבַ֚הּ לִבּוֹ֙ עַד־לְהַשְׁחִ֔ית וַיִּמְעַ֖ל בַּֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־הֵיכַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֔ה לְהַקְטִ֖יר עַל־מִזְבַּ֥ח הַקְּטֹֽרֶת:
and he trespassed against the Lord, his God: Heb. וַיִּמְעַל. Here it is appropriate to say מְעִילָה (trespass), for he sinned inadvertently, similar to (Lev. 5:15): “If a person commits a trespass (תִמְעֹל מַעַל) and sins inadvertently.”   וימעל בה' אלהיו: כאן נופל לומר מעילה כי בשגגה עשה דוגמא (ויקרא ה׳:ט״ו) נפש כי תמעול מעל וחטאה בשגגה:
and he came into the Temple of the Lord: for he said, “It is proper for a king to serve the King of glory.”   ויבא אל היכל ה': שאמר נאה למלך לשרת למלך הכבוד:
17And Azariah the priest came after him, and with him were priests of the Lord, eighty mighty men.   יזוַיָּבֹ֥א אַֽחֲרָ֖יו עֲזַרְיָ֣הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְעִמּ֞וֹ כֹּֽהֲנִ֧ים| לַֽיהֹוָ֛ה שְׁמוֹנִ֖ים בְּנֵי־חָֽיִל:
18And they stood beside Uzziah the king and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn [incense]. Leave the Sanctuary, for you have trespassed, and it will not be glory for you from the Lord God."   יחוַיַּֽעַמְד֞וּ עַל־עֻזִּיָּ֣הוּ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיֹּ֚אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֹֽא־לְךָ֣ עֻזִּיָּ֗הוּ לְהַקְטִיר֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֣י לַכֹּֽהֲנִ֧ים בְּנֵי־אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן הַֽמְקֻדָּשִׁ֖ים לְהַקְטִ֑יר צֵ֚א מִן־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ כִּ֣י מָעַ֔לְתָּ וְלֹֽא־לְךָ֥ לְכָב֖וֹד מֵֽיְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִֽים:
19And Uzziah became furious, and in his hand was a censer to burn, and in his fury with the priests, the zaraath shone upon his forehead before the priests in the House of the Lord, over the altar of incense.   יטוַיִּזְעַף֙ עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ וּבְיָד֥וֹ מִקְטֶ֖רֶת לְהַקְטִ֑יר וּבְזַעְפּ֣וֹ עִם־הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֗ים וְ֠הַצָּרַעַת זָֽרְחָ֨ה בְמִצְח֜וֹ לִפְנֵ֚י הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל לְמִזְבַּ֥ח הַקְּטֹֽרֶת:
and in his hand was a censer to burn: and he wished to strike the priest who prevented him from burning incense.   ובידו מקטרת להקטיר: ורצה להכות בו הכהן המונעו מלהקטיר קטורת:
20And Azariah, the chief priest, and all the priests, turned to him, and behold he was stricken with zaraath on his forehead; so they rushed him out of there, and he too hastened to leave, for the Lord had smitten him.   כוַיִּ֣פֶן אֵלָ֡יו עֲזַרְיָהוּ֩ כֹהֵ֨ן הָרֹ֜אשׁ וְכָל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֗ים וְהִנֵּה־ה֚וּא מְצֹרָע֙ בְּמִצְח֔וֹ וַיַּבְהִל֖וּהוּ מִשָּׁ֑ם וְגַם־הוּא֙ נִדְחַ֣ף לָצֵ֔את כִּ֥י נִגְּע֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה:
21And King Uzziah was stricken with zaraath until the day of his death, and he lived in a house of retirement, for it had been decreed from the House of the Lord, and Jotham his son was over the king's house; he judged the people of the land.   כאוַיְהִי֩ עֻזִּיָּ֨הוּ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מְצֹרָ֣ע| עַד־י֣וֹם מוֹת֗וֹ וַיֵּ֜שֶׁב בֵּ֚ית הַֽחָפְשִׁית֙ (כתיב הַֽחָפְשִׁות֙) מְצֹרָ֔ע כִּ֥י נִגְזַ֖ר מִבֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וְיוֹתָ֚ם בְּנוֹ֙ עַל־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שׁוֹפֵ֖ט אֶת־עַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ:
in a house of retirement: Heb. בֵּית הַחָפְשִׁית. And in Yerushalmi (unknown) it is explained that he made himself a house in the cemetery, reminiscent of (Ps. 88:6): “Among the dead, a free man (חָפְשִׁי).”   בית החפשית: ובירושלמי מפורש עשה לו בית בבית הקברות על שם במתים חפשי (תהלים פ"ח):
for it had been decreed: upon him to come no longer among people, similar to (Esther 2:1): “and that which was decreed upon her.”   כי נגזר: לו מלבא עוד בין הבריות דוגמא (מגילה ב) ואת אשר נגזר עליה:
22And the rest of the events of Uzziah, both the earlier ones and the later ones, Isaiah the son of Amoz the prophet inscribed.   כבוְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאַֽחֲרֹנִ֑ים כָּתַ֛ב יְשַׁעְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־אָמ֖וֹץ הַנָּבִֽיא:
23And Uzziah slept with his forefathers, and they buried him with his forefathers in the cemetery of the kings, for they said, "He is a mezora," and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.   כגוַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב עֻזִּיָּ֜הוּ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ אֹת֚וֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֚ה הַקְּבוּרָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַמְּלָכִ֔ים כִּ֥י אָֽמְר֖וּ מְצוֹרָ֣ע ה֑וּא וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יוֹתָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו:
in the cemetery: but not in the cave with the kings.   בשדה הקבורה: ולא במערה עם המלכים: