Tanach
Divrei HaYamim II 14 דברי הימים ב י״ד
Part of: Petuchah, II Chronicles 14:1Petuchah, II Chronicles 14:7Setumah, II Chronicles 14:7Setumah, II Chronicles 14:11
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיַּעַשׂ אָסָא הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
וַיָּסַר אֶת־מִזְבְּחוֹת הַנֵּכָר וְהַבָּמוֹת וַיְשַׁבֵּר אֶת־הַמַּצֵּבוֹת וַיְגַדַּע אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִֽים׃
for he took away the altars of the foreign gods, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and cut down the asherim:
for he took away the altars of the foreign gods, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and cut down the asherim:
וַיֹּאמֶר לִֽיהוּדָה לִדְרוֹשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָֽה׃
and he commanded Yehuda to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to carry out the Tora and the commandment.
and he commanded Yehuda to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to carry out the Tora and the commandment.
Rashi
וַיָּסַר מִכׇּל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה אֶת־הַבָּמוֹת וְאֶת־הַחַמָּנִים וַתִּשְׁקֹט הַמַּמְלָכָה לְפָנָֽיו׃
Also he took away out of all the cities of Yehuda the high places and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
Also he took away out of all the cities of Yehuda the high places and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מְצוּרָה בִּֽיהוּדָה כִּֽי־שָׁקְטָה הָאָרֶץ וְאֵין־עִמּוֹ מִלְחָמָה בַּשָּׁנִים הָאֵלֶּה כִּֽי־הֵנִיחַ יְהֹוָה לֽוֹ׃
And he built fortified cities in Yehuda: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
And he built fortified cities in Yehuda: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
וַיֹּאמֶר לִיהוּדָה נִבְנֶה ׀ אֶת־הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְנָסֵב חוֹמָה וּמִגְדָּלִים דְּלָתַיִם וּבְרִיחִים עוֹדֶנּוּ הָאָרֶץ לְפָנֵינוּ כִּי דָרַשְׁנוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ דָּרַשְׁנוּ וַיָּנַֽח־לָנוּ מִסָּבִיב וַיִּבְנוּ וַיַּצְלִֽיחוּ׃ {פ}
Therefore he said to Yehuda, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
Therefore he said to Yehuda, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
Rashi
עודנו הארץ לפנינו. בעוד שהמלכות נכונה לפנינו שאם נצרכו להם יהיו לנו למנוס וכל אלה היה בעשר שנים שכתוב בימיו שקטה הארץ ולאחר אותן עשר שנים היתה מלחמה בינו ובין בעשא כל ימיהם כי בשנת שלש לאסא מלך בעשא וז' שנים היו שלום ביניהם וכן מוכח אף כאן אין עמו מלחמה בשנים האלה אבל בשנים אחרים היתה עמו מלחמה ולמטה (ט"ו) כתיב ומלחמה לא היתה עד שנת ל"ה למלכות אסא אבל יכולים אנו לפרש אותה מלחמה שהיתה לו עם הכושי' לא היתה עד שנת שלשים וחמש למלכותו אבל זה קשה לי שכתוב למטה (ט"ז) בשנת ל"ו למלכות אסא עלה בעשא וגו' עד נסכלת על זאת כי מעתה יהיו לך מלחמות משמע שקודם לכן לא היו לו מלחמות והוא לאחר כן כי אם ג' שנים ובמלכים (א ט"ו) כתיב ומלחמה היתה בין אסא ובין בעשא כל ימיהם ובסדר עולם מפרש הטיב:
as long as the land is before us As long as the kingdom is established before us, so that if we need them, they will be a refuge for us. And all this happened in the ten years about which it is written (above 13:23): “in his time the land was tranquil.” But after those ten years, there was a war between him and Baasha all their lives, for in the third year of Asa, Baasha reigned, and seven years there was peace between them, and so it is proven here as well (verse 5): “and there was no war with him in these years.” But in the other years there was war with him, and below (15:19) it is written: “And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.” We can, however, explain that the war that he had with the Cushites was not until the thirty-fifth year of his reign, but this is difficult to me, for it is written below (16:1): “In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha...advanced,” until (verse 9): “you have dealt foolishly concerning this, for from now on there will be wars with you.” It appears from here that prior to this, he did not have wars, and he lived after that only five years, and in I Kings 15:32, it is written: “And there was war between Asa and Baasha, etc. all their lives.” In Seder Olam (ch. 16) it is explained clearly.
כי דרשנו את ה' אלהינו דרשנו וגו'. לפי שדרשנוהו הניח לנו מסביב:
for we sought the Lord our God; we sought [Him] Since we sought Him, He gave us peace from round about.
ויבנו. ערים:
So they built cities.
ויצליחו. ודוגמא (לעיל י"ב) ובראות ה' כי נכנע וגו':
and prospered And a similar instance is (above 12:7): “And when the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, etc.”
וַיְהִי לְאָסָא חַיִל נֹשֵׂא צִנָּה וָרֹמַח מִֽיהוּדָה שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף {ס} וּמִבִּנְיָמִן נֹשְׂאֵי מָגֵן וְדֹרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת מָאתַיִם וּשְׁמוֹנִים אָלֶף כׇּל־אֵלֶּה גִּבּוֹרֵי חָֽיִל׃
And Asa had an army of men who bore targets and spears, out of Yehuda three hundred thousand; and out of Binyamin, who bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these were mighty men at arms.
And Asa had an army of men who bore targets and spears, out of Yehuda three hundred thousand; and out of Binyamin, who bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these were mighty men at arms.
וַיֵּצֵא אֲלֵיהֶם זֶרַח הַכּוּשִׁי בְּחַיִל אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים וּמַרְכָּבוֹת שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וַיָּבֹא עַד־מָרֵשָֽׁה׃
And there came out against them Zeraĥ the Kushite with an army of a million men, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Maresha.
And there came out against them Zeraĥ the Kushite with an army of a million men, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Maresha.
וַיֵּצֵא אָסָא לְפָנָיו וַיַּֽעַרְכוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּגֵיא צְפַתָה לְמָרֵשָֽׁה׃
Then Asa went out against him, and they ranged the battle in the valley of Żefata at Maresha.
Then Asa went out against him, and they ranged the battle in the valley of Żefata at Maresha.
וַיִּקְרָא אָסָא אֶל־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו וַיֹּאמַר יְהֹוָה אֵֽין־עִמְּךָ לַעְזֹר בֵּין רַב לְאֵין כֹּחַ עׇזְרֵנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ כִּֽי־עָלֶיךָ נִשְׁעַנּוּ וּבְשִׁמְךָ בָאנוּ עַל־הֶהָמוֹן הַזֶּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אַתָּה אַל־יַעְצֹר עִמְּךָ אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ {ס}
And Asa cried to the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with those who have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
And Asa cried to the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with those who have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
Rashi
אין עמך לעזור. כלומר אע"פ שאנו מעטים והם רבים כחול הים ואין כח לנו בפניהם עמך לעזור בין רב לאין כח כלומר בידוע שיש לך כח לעזור לפיכך עזרנו ה' אלהינו כי עליך נשענו:
it makes no difference to You to aid i.e., even though we are few and they are as numerous as the sand by the sea, and we have no strength before them, You can help both the great and the powerless; it is known that You have strength to aid; therefore, help us, O Lord our God, for we have relied on You.
אל יעצר עמך אנוש. אל יהיה לאויבינו לאותו אנוש כי אנוש מושל עוצר ידי עמך נגדך לנצחנו שלא יאמר נצחנו אלהיהם, ד"א מפי הרב, אל יהי לנו אנוש שאנו אנושים עוצר יד מלנצח' דוגמא (דברים י״א:י״ז) ועצר את השמים כי עצר עצר ה' (ראשית כ') כמו אם תעצרני (שופטים י"ג):
let no man rule against You Let not our enemies - man - have human strength to rule (עִמְּךָ) with You, i.e., against You, to be victorious, so that they should not say, “We have defeated their God.” Another explanation from the Rabbi: Let not the weak one (אֱנוֹשׁ) be held back (יַעְצר), for we are weak, deprived of strength, keeping us back (עוֹצְרֵי יָד) from defeating them. And an example is (Deut. 11:17): “and He will hold back (וְעָצַר) the heaven”; (Gen. 20:18): “For the Lord had held back (וְעָצר עָצַר),” and like (Jud. 13:16): “If you take me in (תַּעְצְרֵנִי).”
וַיִּגֹּף יְהֹוָה אֶת־הַכּוּשִׁים לִפְנֵי אָסָא וְלִפְנֵי יְהוּדָה וַיָּנֻסוּ הַכּוּשִֽׁים׃
So the Lord smote the Kushim before Asa, and before Yehuda; and the Kushim fled.
So the Lord smote the Kushim before Asa, and before Yehuda; and the Kushim fled.
וַיִּרְדְּפֵם אָסָא וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּוֹ עַד־לִגְרָר וַיִּפֹּל מִכּוּשִׁים לְאֵין לָהֶם מִֽחְיָה כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּרוּ לִפְנֵי־יְהֹוָה וְלִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ שָׁלָל הַרְבֵּה מְאֹֽד׃
And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and the Kushim were overthrown, so that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and the Kushim were overthrown, so that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
וַיַּכּוּ אֵת כׇּל־הֶעָרִים סְבִיבוֹת גְּרָר כִּי־הָיָה פַחַד־יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיהֶם וַיָּבֹזּוּ אֶת־כׇּל־הֶעָרִים כִּֽי־בִזָּה רַבָּה הָיְתָה בָהֶֽם׃
And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was very much spoil in them.
And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was very much spoil in them.
וְגַם־אׇהֳלֵי מִקְנֶה הִכּוּ וַיִּשְׁבּוּ צֹאן לָרֹב וּגְמַלִּים וַיָּשֻׁבוּ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס}
They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Yerushalayim.
They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Yerushalayim.
ויאמר ליהודה לדרוש. ולא כעשרה שבטים שדרשו לאלהים אחרים חדשים מקרוב באו ואת אלהי אבותם לא דרשו:
And he commanded Judah to seek unlike the Ten Tribes, who sought other, new Gods, which came up of late, and did not seek the God of their fathers.