Chapter 33

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.   אבֶּן־שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֛ה שָׁנָ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בְמָלְכ֑וֹ וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֚ים וְחָמֵשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
2And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, like the abominations of the nations that the Lord had driven out from before the Children of Israel.   בוַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּתֽוֹעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
3And he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had demolished, and he erected altars to the baalim, and he made asheroth, and he prostrated himself to the entire host of the heaven, and he worshipped them.   גוַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִתַּ֖ץ יְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּח֚וֹת לַבְּעָלִים֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֲשֵׁר֔וֹת וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם:
4And he built altars in the House of the Lord, concerning which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem, My name shall be forever."   דוּבָנָ֥ה מִזְבְּח֖וֹת בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה בִּירֽוּשָׁלַ֥םִ יִֽהְיֶה־שְּׁמִ֖י לְעוֹלָֽם:
“In Jerusalem, My name shall be forever”. Scripture decries Manasseh, who built altars to pagan deities in the very House concerning which the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I wish My name to rest there.” The verse stated after this (verse 7) is also an expression of decrying: “And he placed the graven image of the idol that he made in the House of God, concerning which, etc.” And also the verse (8): “And I will not continue to remove Israel’s feet, etc.”   בירושלים יהיה שמי לעולם.  הפסוק קובל זה מנשה שבנה מזבחו' לעכומ"ז בבית שאמר הקב"ה אני רוצה שישכון שמי שם וגם פסוק שאמר בסמוך לשון קובלנא הוא, וישם את פסל הסמל אשר עשה בבית האלהים וגו'. וגם הפסוק ולא אוסיף להסיר את רגל:
5And he built altars to the entire host of heaven in the two courts of the House of the Lord.   הוַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבְּח֖וֹת לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בִּשְׁתֵּ֖י חַצְר֥וֹת בֵּֽית־יְהֹוָֽה:
6And he passed his sons through fire in the valley of Ben Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, divination, and sorcery, and he consulted necromancers and those who divine by the jidoa bone; he did much that was evil in the eyes of the Lord, to provoke Him.   ווְהוּא֩ הֶֽעֱבִ֨יר אֶת־בָּנָ֚יו בָּאֵשׁ֙ בְּגֵ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם וְעוֹנֵ֚ן וְנִחֵשׁ֙ וְכִשֵּׁ֔ף וְעָ֥שָׂה א֖וֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִ֑י הִרְבָּ֗ה לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִיסֽוֹ:
and those who divine by the jidoa bone. Heb. יִדְּעוֹנִי spelled in full with a “vav,” because he did much [evil], and he added to the graven image of the idol that he made. They would take the bone of an animal known as jidoa, and place it in their mouths, whence it would speak.   ועשה אוב וידעוני.  מלא בוי"ו לפי שהרבה לעשות והוא הוסיף על פסל הסמל אשר עשה:
7And he placed the graven image of the idol that he made, in the House of God, concerning which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, "In this House and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My name forever.   זוַיָּ֕שֶׂם אֶת־פֶּ֥סֶל הַסֶּ֖מֶל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה בְּבֵ֣ית הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֚ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־דָּוִיד֙ וְאֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בְנ֔וֹ בַּבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה וּבִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֚ר בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אָשִׂ֥ים אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י לְעֵילֽוֹם:
forever. Heb. לְעֵילוֹם, [a variant of] לְעוֹלָם.   לעילום.  לעולם:
8And I will not continue to remove Israel's feet from the land that I have given their forefathers; if they will but observe to do all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law, the statutes, and the ordinances that Moses My servant commanded them."   חוְלֹ֣א אוֹסִ֗יף לְהָסִיר֙ אֶת־רֶ֣גֶל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵעַל֙ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתִּי לַֽאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם רַ֣ק| אִם־יִשְׁמְר֣וּ לַֽעֲשׂ֗וֹת אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ים לְכָל־הַתּוֹרָ֛ה וְהַֽחֻקִּ֥ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֖ים בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה:
And I will not continue to remove Israel’s feet. This refers back to the above verse, and all is a complaint; i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “So I said to David and to Solomon, ‘In this House I will place My name forever,’ and I also promised him, 'And I will not continue to remove Israel’s feet from the land, if they will but observe, etc.’” But now...   ולא אוסיף להסיר את רגל ישראל.  מוסב על פסוק של מעלה והכל קובלנא הוא כלומר הקב"ה אומר כך אמרתי אל דוד ואל שלמה בבית הזה אשים שמי שם לעולם וגם הבטחתים לא אוסיף להסיר רגל ישראל מעל האדמה רק אם ישמרו וגו' ועתה:
9And Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray to do what was evil, more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the Children of Israel.   טוַיֶּ֣תַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה אֶת־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹֽשְׁבֵ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת רָ֔ע מִ֨ן־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הִשְׁמִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
And Manasseh led astray, etc.. Because of him the Shechinah departed, and we are also still in exile because of him.   ויתע מנשה וגו'.  נמצא שעל ידו נסתלקה שכינה וגם אנו עדיין בגלות על ידו:
10And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they did not listen.   יוַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א הִקְשִֽׁיבוּ:
11And the Lord brought upon them the generals of the king of Assyria, and they seized Manasseh with hooks and bound him with copper chains and brought him to Babylon.   יאוַיָּבֵ֨א יְהֹוָ֜ה עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־שָׂרֵ֚י הַצָּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה בַּֽחֹחִ֑ים וַיַּֽאַסְרֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיּֽוֹלִיכֻ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽלָה:
12And when he was distressed, he entreated the Lord his God, and he humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.   יבוּכְהָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ חִלָּ֕ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מְאֹ֔ד מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו:
13And he prayed to Him, and He accepted his prayer, and He heard his supplication and He restored him to Jerusalem to his kingdom, and Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.   יגוַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלָ֗יו וַיֵּעָ֚תֶר לוֹ֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ וַֽיְשִׁיבֵ֥הוּ יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם לְמַלְכוּת֑וֹ וַיֵּ֣דַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֥וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
14And afterwards, he built an outer wall to the City of David on the west of Gihon in the valley, even to the Fish Gate, and he surrounded the Ophel and raised it exceedingly, and he placed military officers in all the fortified cities in Judah.   ידוְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֡ן בָּנָ֣ה חוֹמָ֣ה חִֽיצוֹנָ֣ה| לְעִֽיר־דָּוִ֡יד מַעְרָבָה֩ לְגִיח֨וֹן בַּנַּ֜חַל וְלָב֨וֹא בְשַׁ֚עַר הַדָּגִים֙ וְסָבַ֣ב לָעֹ֔פֶל וַיַּגְבִּיהֶ֖הָ מְאֹ֑ד וַיָּ֧שֶׂם שָֽׂרֵי־חַ֛יִל בְּכָל־הֶעָרִ֥ים הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת בִּֽיהוּדָֽה:
of Gihon in the valley. beside the valley of Gihon, the name of a place.   לגיחון בנחל.  אצל נחל גיחון שם מקום:
and he surrounded the Ophel. And he surrounded from there the strength of the towers built with the work of Ophel.   וסבב לעופל.  וסבב משם חוזק המגדלים הבנוי' במלאכ' עופל:
15And he removed the foreign gods and the idol from the House of the Lord and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the House of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he cast them outside the city.   טווַ֠יָּסַר אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֨י הַנֵּכָ֚ר וְאֶת־הַסֶּ֙מֶל֙ מִבֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה וְכָל־הַמִּזְבְּח֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֛ה בְּהַ֥ר בֵּֽית־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבִירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ ח֥וּצָה לָעִֽיר:
and he cast them outside. but he neither broke them nor hid them from the eye. Therefore, his son went astray after them, as it is written (below verse 22): “and to all the graven images that [Manasseh his father] had made,” for he took them from the place where he had cast them.   וישלך חוצה.  ולא שברם ולא גנזם מן העין לפיכך נכשל בהם בנו כדכתיב ולכל הפסילים אשר עשה מנשה אביו וגו' שלקח אותם ממקום שהשליך אותם:
16And he built the altar of the Lord, and he sacrificed on it peace-offerings and thanksgiving offerings, and he told Judah to worship the Lord God of Israel.   טזוַיִּ֙בֶן֙ (כתיב וַיִּ֙כֶן֙) אֶת־מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח עָלָ֔יו זִבְחֵ֥י שְׁלָמִ֖ים וְתוֹדָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה לַֽעֲב֕וֹד אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
and he sacrificed upon it peace-offerings and thanksgiving offerings. He brought a thanksgiving offering and thanked the Holy One, blessed be He, for restoring him to Jerusalem and to his kingdom.   ויזבח עליו זבחי שלמים ותודה.  שהביא קרבן תודה והתוודה להקב"ה שהשיבו לירושלים ולמלכותו:
17But the people were still sacrificing on the high places, but only to the Lord their God.   יזאֲבָל֙ ע֣וֹד הָעָ֔ם זֹֽבְחִ֖ים בַּבָּמ֑וֹת רַ֖ק לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶֽם:
18And the rest of Manasseh's affairs and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel-behold they are with the affairs of the kings of Israel.   יחוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁה֘ וּתְפִלָּת֣וֹ אֶל־אֱלֹהָיו֒ וְדִבְרֵי֙ הַֽחֹזִ֔ים הַֽמְדַבְּרִ֣ים אֵלָ֔יו בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִנָּ֕ם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
and his prayer. how he prayed.   ותפלתו.  היאך נתפלל:
19And his prayer and its acceptance, and his sin and his treacherous acts, and the places where he built high places and erected the asherim and the graven images before he humbled himself-behold they are inscribed with the words of Hozai.   יטוּתְפִלָּת֣וֹ וְהֵעָֽתֶר־לוֹ֘ וְכָל־חַטָּאת֣וֹ וּמַעְלוֹ֒ וְהַמְּקֹמ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁר֩ בָּנָ֨ה בָהֶ֚ם בָּמוֹת֙ וְהֶֽעֱמִיד֙ הָֽאֲשֵׁרִ֣ים וְהַפְּסִלִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י הִכָּֽנְע֑וֹ הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַ֖ל דִּבְרֵ֥י חוֹזָֽי:
and its acceptance. and his return to his kingdom.   והעתר לו.  והשיבו על מלכותו:
20And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his house, and Amon his son reigned in his stead.   כוַיִּשְׁכַּ֚ב מְנַשֶּׁה֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בֵּית֑וֹ וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אָמ֥וֹן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו:
and they buried him in his house. Like “in his house.” In II Kings (21:18) it is written: “in the garden of his house.” He did not merit to be buried with his forefathers.   ויקברוהו ביתו.  כמו בביתו (ובמלכים ב' כ"ח) כתוב בגן ביתו לא זכה ליקבר עם אבותיו:
21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.   כאבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וּשְׁתַּ֛יִם שָׁנָ֖ה אָמ֣וֹן בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁתַּ֣יִם שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
22And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord as Manasseh his father had done, and to all the graven images that Manasseh his father had made, Amon sacrificed, and he worshipped them.   כבוַיַּ֚עַשׂ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֑יו וּלְכָל־הַפְּסִילִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשָׂה֙ מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֔יו זִבַּ֥ח אָמ֖וֹן וַיַּֽעַבְדֵֽם:
23And he did not humble himself before the Lord as Manasseh his father had done, for he-Amon-became more and more guilty.   כגוְלֹ֚א נִכְנַע֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה כְּהִכָּנַ֖ע מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה אָבִ֑יו כִּ֛י ה֥וּא אָמ֖וֹן הִרְבָּ֥ה אַשְׁמָֽה:
24And his servants conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace.   כדוַיִּקְשְׁר֚וּ עָלָיו֙ עֲבָדָ֔יו וַיְמִיתֻ֖הוּ בְּבֵיתֽוֹ:
25And the people of the land slew all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.   כהוַיַּכּוּ֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַקֹּֽשְׁרִ֖ים עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָמ֑וֹן וַיַּמְלִ֧יכוּ עַם־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֶת־יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו: