TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
II - Chapter 22
Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:
- Commentary
- Buy E-book
- Buy the Israel Bible
1Yoshiyahu was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Yerushalayim. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
אבֶּן־שְׁמֹנֶה שָׁנָה יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ בְמָלְכוֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ יְדִידָה בַת־עֲדָיָה מִבָּצְקַת׃
2He did what was pleasing to Hashem and he followed all the ways of his ancestor David; he did not deviate to the right or to the left.
בוַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּרֶךְ דָּוִד אָבִיו וְלֹא־סָר יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול׃
3In the eighteenth year of King Yoshiyahu, the king sent the scribe Shafan son of Azaliah son of Meshullam to the House of Hashem, saying,
גוַיְהִי בִּשְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לַמֶּלֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ שָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־שָׁפָן בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָהוּ בֶן־מְשֻׁלָּם הַסֹּפֵר בֵּית יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר׃
4“Go to the Kohen Gadol Chilkiyahu and let him weigh the silver that has been deposited in the House of Hashem, which the guards of the threshold have collected from the people.
דעֲלֵה אֶל־חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וְיַתֵּם אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף הַמּוּבָא בֵּית יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר אָסְפוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַסַּף מֵאֵת הָעָם׃
5And let it be delivered to the overseers of the work who are in charge at the House of Hashem, that they in turn may pay it out to the workmen that are in the House of Hashem, for the repair of the House:
הויתנה [וְיִתְּנֻהוּ] עַל־יַד עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה הַמֻּפְקָדִים בבית [בֵּית] יְהֹוָה וְיִתְּנוּ אֹתוֹ לְעֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה לְחַזֵּק בֶּדֶק הַבָּיִת׃
6to the carpenters, the laborers, and the masons, and for the purchase of wood and quarried stones for repairing the House.
ולֶחָרָשִׁים וְלַבֹּנִים וְלַגֹּדְרִים וְלִקְנוֹת עֵצִים וְאַבְנֵי מַחְצֵב לְחַזֵּק אֶת־הַבָּיִת׃
7However, no check is to be kept on them for the silver that is delivered to them, for they deal honestly.”
זאַךְ לֹא־יֵחָשֵׁב אִתָּם הַכֶּסֶף הַנִּתָּן עַל־יָדָם כִּי בֶאֱמוּנָה הֵם עֹשִׂים׃
8Then the Kohen Gadol Chilkiyahu said to the scribe Shafan, “I have found a scroll of the Teaching in the House of Hashem.” And Chilkiyahu gave the scroll to Shafan, who read it.
חוַיֹּאמֶר חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל עַל־שָׁפָן הַסֹּפֵר סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה מָצָאתִי בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה וַיִּתֵּן חִלְקִיָּה אֶת־הַסֵּפֶר אֶל־שָׁפָן וַיִּקְרָאֵהוּ׃
9The scribe Shafan then went to the king and reported to the king: “Your servants have melted down the silver that was deposited in the House, and they have delivered it to the overseers of the work who are in charge at the House of Hashem.”
טוַיָּבֹא שָׁפָן הַסֹּפֵר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּשֶׁב אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּבָר וַיֹּאמֶר הִתִּיכוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף הַנִּמְצָא בַבַּיִת וַיִּתְּנֻהוּ עַל־יַד עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה הַמֻּפְקָדִים בֵּית יְהֹוָה׃
10The scribe Shafan also told the king, “The Kohen Gadol Chilkiyahu has given me a scroll”; and Shafan read it to the king.
יוַיַּגֵּד שָׁפָן הַסֹּפֵר לַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר סֵפֶר נָתַן לִי חִלְקִיָּה הַכֹּהֵן וַיִּקְרָאֵהוּ שָׁפָן לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃
11When the king heard the words of the scroll of the Teaching, he rent his clothes.
vai-HEE kish-MO-a ha-ME-lekh et div-RAY SAY-fer ha-to-RAH va-yik-RA et b'-ga-DAV
יאוַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו׃
22:11 He rent his clothes
IDF soldiers reading from the Torah near Gaza
In Jewish tradition, tearing one’s garment is a symbol of intense mourning. For the first time, King Yoshiyahu hears the words of God’s Torah, which has been hidden away for many years. He becomes aware of how low the People of Israel have sunk. This is the beginning of his resolve to lead a campaign of repentance and bring the nation back to God. Though Hashem has already declared that, due to Menashe’s sins, He was going to exile the nation (II Kings 21:10-15), He resolves to gives them another chance. Through the uncovered Torah scroll, He sends them the message that even though they have turned their backs on Him, He has not given up on His people. Instead of sending them away, He wants them to repent, and to remain with Him in the Holy Land.
12And the king gave orders to the Kohen Chilkiyahu, and to Achikam son of Shafan, Achbor son of Michaiah, the scribe Shafan, and Asaiah the king's minister:
יבוַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־חִלְקִיָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶת־אֲחִיקָם בֶּן־שָׁפָן וְאֶת־עַכְבּוֹר בֶּן־מִיכָיָה וְאֵת שָׁפָן הַסֹּפֵר וְאֵת עֲשָׂיָה עֶבֶד־הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר׃
13“Go, inquire of Hashem on my behalf, and on behalf of the people, and on behalf of all Yehuda, concerning the words of this scroll that has been found. For great indeed must be the wrath of Hashem that has been kindled against us, because our fathers did not obey the words of this scroll to do all that has been prescribed for us.”
יגלְכוּ דִרְשׁוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה בַּעֲדִי וּבְעַד־הָעָם וּבְעַד כָּל־יְהוּדָה עַל־דִּבְרֵי הַסֵּפֶר הַנִּמְצָא הַזֶּה כִּי־גְדוֹלָה חֲמַת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־הִיא נִצְּתָה בָנוּ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שָׁמְעוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכָל־הַכָּתוּב עָלֵינוּ׃
14So the Kohen Chilkiyahu, and Achikam, Achbor, Shafan, and Asaiah went to the Neviah Chulda—the wife of Shalum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe—who was living in Yerushalayim in the Mishneh, and they spoke to her.
ידוַיֵּלֶךְ חִלְקִיָּהוּ הַכֹּהֵן וַאֲחִיקָם וְעַכְבּוֹר וְשָׁפָן וַעֲשָׂיָה אֶל־חֻלְדָּה הַנְּבִיאָה אֵשֶׁת שַׁלֻּם בֶּן־תִּקְוָה בֶּן־חַרְחַס שֹׁמֵר הַבְּגָדִים וְהִיא יֹשֶׁבֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם בַּמִּשְׁנֶה וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלֶיהָ׃
15She responded: “Thus said Hashem, the God of Yisrael: Say to the man who sent you to me:
טווַתֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִמְרוּ לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַח אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי׃
16Thus said Hashem: I am going to bring disaster upon this place and its inhabitants, in accordance with all the words of the scroll which the king of Yehuda has read.
טזכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה הִנְנִי מֵבִיא רָעָה אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְעַל־יֹשְׁבָיו אֵת כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַסֵּפֶר אֲשֶׁר קָרָא מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה׃
17Because they have forsaken Me and have made offerings to other gods and vexed Me with all their deeds, My wrath is kindled against this place and it shall not be quenched.
יזתַּחַת אֲשֶׁר עֲזָבוּנִי וַיְקַטְּרוּ לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים לְמַעַן הַכְעִיסֵנִי בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם וְנִצְּתָה חֲמָתִי בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְלֹא תִכְבֶּה׃
18But say this to the king of Yehuda, who sent you to inquire of Hashem: Thus said Hashem, the God of Yisrael: As for the words which you have heard
יחוְאֶל־מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה הַשֹּׁלֵחַ אֶתְכֶם לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה כֹּה תֹאמְרוּ אֵלָיו כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁמָעְתָּ׃
19because your heart was softened and you humbled yourself before Hashem when you heard what I decreed against this place and its inhabitants—that it will become a desolation and a curse—and because you rent your clothes and wept before Me, I for My part have listened—declares Hashem.
יטיַעַן רַךְ־לְבָבְךָ וַתִּכָּנַע מִפְּנֵי יְהֹוָה בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי עַל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְעַל־יֹשְׁבָיו לִהְיוֹת לְשַׁמָּה וְלִקְלָלָה וַתִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדֶיךָ וַתִּבְכֶּה לְפָנָי וְגַם אָנֹכִי שָׁמַעְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃
20Assuredly, I will gather you to your fathers and you will be laid in your tomb in peace. Your eyes shall not see all the disaster which I will bring upon this place.” So they brought back the reply to the king.
כלָכֵן הִנְנִי אֹסִפְךָ עַל־אֲבֹתֶיךָ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ אֶל־קִבְרֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם וְלֹא־תִרְאֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ בְּכֹל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִי מֵבִיא עַל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּבָר׃
