Tanach
Divrei HaYamim II 19 דברי הימים ב י״ט
Part of: Setumah, II Chronicles 18:23Setumah, II Chronicles 19:2
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וַיָּשׇׁב יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם לִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס}
And Yehoshafat the king of Yehuda returned to his house in peace to Yerushalayim.
And Yehoshafat the king of Yehuda returned to his house in peace to Yerushalayim.
וַיֵּצֵא אֶל־פָּנָיו יֵהוּא בֶן־חֲנָנִי הַחֹזֶה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲלָרָשָׁע לַעְזֹר וּלְשֹׂנְאֵי יְהֹוָה תֶּאֱהָב וּבָזֹאת עָלֶיךָ קֶּצֶף מִלִּפְנֵי יְהֹוָֽה׃
And Yehu the son of Ḥanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Yehoshafat, Shouldst thou help the wicked, and love those who hate the Lord? therefore wrath is come upon thee from before the Lord.
And Yehu the son of Ḥanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Yehoshafat, Shouldst thou help the wicked, and love those who hate the Lord? therefore wrath is come upon thee from before the Lord.
אֲבָל דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים נִמְצְאוּ עִמָּךְ כִּֽי־בִעַרְתָּ הָאֲשֵׁרוֹת מִן־הָאָרֶץ וַהֲכִינוֹתָ לְבָבְךָ לִדְרֹשׁ הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the asherot out of the land, and hast directed thy heart to seek God.
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the asherot out of the land, and hast directed thy heart to seek God.
Rashi
לדרוש האלהים. כדלעיל (ב' יז) כי לאלהי אביו וגו':
to seek God as above (17:4): “but he inquired of the God of his father, etc.”
וַיֵּשֶׁב יְהוֹשָׁפָט בִּירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם וַיָּשׇׁב וַיֵּצֵא בָעָם מִבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עַד־הַר אֶפְרַיִם וַיְשִׁיבֵם אֶל־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
And Yehoshafat dwelt at Yerushalayim: and he went out again among the people from Be᾽er-sheva to mount Efrayim, and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers.
And Yehoshafat dwelt at Yerushalayim: and he went out again among the people from Be᾽er-sheva to mount Efrayim, and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers.
וַיַּעֲמֵד שֹׁפְטִים בָּאָרֶץ בְּכׇל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה הַבְּצֻרוֹת לְעִיר וָעִֽיר׃
And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Yehuda, city by city.
And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Yehuda, city by city.
Rashi
ויעמד שופטים. כשאמר לו החוזה דברים טובים נמצאו עמך כי בערת האשרות בא לו אצל סה"ת אם בערם כמשפט ומתחילה ראה כתיב אבד תאבדון עד ואשריהם תשרפון באש ופסילי אלהיהם תגדעון ונזכר שכ' בכי תשא (שמות ל״ד:י״ג) ואת מצבותם תשברון וגו' תמה בעצמו על שהטיב בעיני ה' שבער האשרים אשירי ישראל שהרי לא הזהירם אלא על אשיריהם ושוב חזר בשופטים ושוטרים ומצא כתוב (דברים טו) לא תטע לך אשירה ואז שמח שבערם וגם ראה שם כתוב שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך (שם) מיד ויעמד שופטים מוחזקי' בכל ערי יהודה לעיר ועיר:
And he appointed judges When the seer told him, “good things were found in you, for you abolished the asheroth,” he approached the Sepher Torah [to see] whether he had abolished them properly. He first saw that it was written (Deut. 12:2f.): “You shall utterly destroy...and you shall burn their asherim with fire and cut down the images of their gods,” and he remembered that it is written in כִּי תִשָׂא (Exod. 34:13): “And you shall break down their monuments, etc.” He wondered why he had pleased the Lord by abolishing the asherim, the Jewish asherim, for [the Torah] only warned about their asherim. He went back to [the Torah portion] (Deut. 16:18): “Judges and law enforcing agents,” and found written (verse 21): “You shall not plant an asherah.” Then he rejoiced that he had abolished them. He also saw written there: “Judges and law enforcing agents you shall appoint for yourself,” and immediately “he appointed judges,” strong ones.
בכל ערי יהודה הבצרות. העמיד מוחזקים להכריחם ולכופן לדין מתחילה ושוב העמיד שופטים שאינן מוחזקים כל כך לעיירות שאינן בצורות לפי שהן יראי' להיות סרבנים יותר מאותן היושבים בערים בצורות שבוטחים בערי מבצרם:
in all the fortified cities of Judah, for every city He first appointed strong [judges] in all the fortified cities of Judah to coerce them [the people] and compel them to [accept] judgment. He later appointed judges who were not as strong for the cities that were not fortified, for they [the inhabitants] were more afraid to rebel than those who dwelt in the fortified cities, for they felt secure in their fortified cities.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הַשֹּׁפְטִים רְאוּ מָה־אַתֶּם עֹשִׂים כִּי לֹא לְאָדָם תִּשְׁפְּטוּ כִּי לַיהֹוָה וְעִמָּכֶם בִּדְבַר מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
And he said to the judges, take heed what you do: for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
And he said to the judges, take heed what you do: for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
Rashi
כי לא לאדם תשפטו. פתרון אל תחשבו בלבבכם לומר מה לנו אם אנו מטים את הדין לזכות את אוהבינו להטות דין דלים ולישא פני עשירים הלא אין המשפט לה' לכך נאמר לה' שלו הוא אם חייבת את הזכאי כאלו נטלת ולקחת משל בוראך ודין שמים עקלת לתת משפט מעוקל לפיכך תראו מה שתעשו והיה לבבכם בכל דין ודין כאלו הקב"ה עומד לפניכם בדין וזהו ועמכם בדבר משפט ובסנהדרין מפורש מה אתם עושים כי לא לאדם תשפטו כי לה' ושמא יאמר הדיין מה לי ולצער הזה ת"ל ועמכם בדבר משפט כלומר מוטל עליכם לעשות ואין לו לדיין לעשות אלא מה שעיניו רואות:
for you do not judge for man The meaning is: Do not think in your heart: What difference does it make if we pervert the law to declare our friends innocent and pervert the rights of the poor and favor the rich? Is it not so that the judgment is not for the Lord? Therefore, it says, “for the Lord.” It is for Him. If you convict the innocent, it is as though you take from your Creator’s property and pervert the law of Heaven, by bestowing a distorted verdict. Therefore, “see what you are doing,” and may your heart be in every judgment, as if the Holy One, blessed be He, is standing before you in judgment, and this is the meaning of: “and [He] is with you in the matter of the judgment.” In Sanhedrin (6b) it is stated “What are you doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord.” This is explained [as follows]: Perhaps the judge will say, “How does this problem concern me?” Therefore, Scripture states: “and it is with you concerning the matter of the judgment,” i.e., it is incumbent upon you to rule justly. And the judge must deal only with that which he sees with his own eyes.
וְעַתָּה יְהִי פַחַד־יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיכֶם שִׁמְרוּ וַעֲשׂוּ כִּֽי־אֵין עִם־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַוְלָה וּמַשֹּׂא פָנִים וּמִקַּח־שֹֽׁחַד׃
And now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
And now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
Rashi
אין עם ה' אלהינו עולה ומשא פנים ומקח שוחד. והוא עמכם במשפט לפיכך אינו רוצה שתעשו עול במשפט:
for with the Lord your God there is neither injustice, favoritism, nor bribe-taking and He is with you in judgment; therefore, He does not wish you to commit injustice in judgment.
וְגַם בִּירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם הֶעֱמִיד יְהוֹשָׁפָט מִן־הַלְוִיִּם וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וּמֵרָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִשְׁפַּט יְהֹוָה וְלָרִיב וַיָּשֻׁבוּ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
Moreover in Yerushalayim did Yehoshafat set certain Levites, and priests, and heads of the fathers’ houses of Yisra᾽el, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies. And they returned to Yerushalayim.
Moreover in Yerushalayim did Yehoshafat set certain Levites, and priests, and heads of the fathers’ houses of Yisra᾽el, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies. And they returned to Yerushalayim.
Rashi
וגם בירושלים העמיד. אע"פ שהוא בעצמו בירושלים:
And also in Jerusalem...set up judges even though he himself was in Jerusalem.
למשפט ה' ולריב. משפט נופל לומר על דיני ממונות דוגמא (במדבר כ"ו) והיתה לבני ישראל לחקת משפט ולרוב נופל על דיני נפשות וחבלות דוגמת (שמות כ"א) וכי יריבון אנשים וגו':
for the judgment of the Lord and for quarrels It is appropriate to use the term “judgment” (לְמִשְׁפַּט) concerning money matters, an example being (Num. 27:11) “and it shall be for the Children of Israel as a legal norm (לְחֻקַּת מִשְׁפָּט).” “And for quarrels” (וְלָרִיב) refers to capital cases and bodily injuries, an example being (Exod. 21:18) “And if men quarrel, etc.” (יְרִיבוּן).
וַיְצַו עֲלֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר כֹּה תַֽעֲשׂוּן בְּיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה בֶּאֱמוּנָה וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵֽם׃
And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
Rashi
כה תעשון. משום זריזות וזהירות ולחוזק הוסיף נו"ן כמו (רות ג׳:י״ח) עד אשר תדעין איך יפול דבר וכמו (בראשית ל״ב:ה׳) כה תאמרון לאדני לעשו וכה תדבקין וגו' אשר יקצרון (רות ב׳:ח׳):
So shall you do Because of alacrity, caution, and encouragement, he added a “nun,” like (Gen. 32: 5): “So shall you say (תאמְרוּן),” and like (Ruth 2:8f.): “and here you shall stay (תִדְבָּקִין) with my maidens. Your eyes shall be on the field that they reap (יִִִקְצרוּן),” and like (ibid. 3:18): “until you know (תֵּדְעִין) how the matter will be resolved, for the man will not rest, etc.”
וְכׇל־רִיב אֲשֶׁר־יָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם מֵאֲחֵיכֶם ׀ הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם בֵּֽין־דָּם ׀ לְדָם בֵּין־תּוֹרָה לְמִצְוָה לְחֻקִּים וּלְמִשְׁפָּטִים וְהִזְהַרְתֶּם אֹתָם וְלֹא יֶאְשְׁמוּ לַֽיהֹוָה וְהָיָה־קֶצֶף עֲלֵיכֶם וְעַל־אֲחֵיכֶם כֹּה תַעֲשׂוּן וְלֹא תֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃
And whatever cause shall come to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, concerning Tora and commandment, and statutes and judgments, you shall warn them not to trespass against the Lord, so as to bring wrath upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and you shall not trespass.
And whatever cause shall come to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, concerning Tora and commandment, and statutes and judgments, you shall warn them not to trespass against the Lord, so as to bring wrath upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and you shall not trespass.
Rashi
בין דם לדם. בין דם רציחת שוגג למזיד:
between blood[shed] and blood[shed] between the bloodshed of an unintentional murder and an intentional one.
והזהרתם אותם. אחיכם:
you shall admonish them your brethren.
והיה קצף עליכם ועל אחיכם. לפיכך כה תעשון והזהרתם את אחיכם:
and there be wrath upon you and upon your brethren Therefore so shall you do You shall admonish your brethren.
ולא תאשמו. אותם מכל מקום שאם תקבלו את האזהרה לא יהיה לכם קצף ואף לא יהיה בשום דבר אשם עליכם הואיל ועשיתם חובתכם המוטל עליכם לעשות:
and you will not be guilty In any case, you [will not be guilty], for if you accept the admonition, there will be no wrath upon you, and there will also be no guilt upon you in anything since you performed the duty which was incumbent upon you to perform.
וְהִנֵּה אֲמַרְיָהוּ כֹהֵן הָרֹאשׁ עֲלֵיכֶם לְכֹל דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה וּזְבַדְיָהוּ בֶן־יִשְׁמָעֵאל הַנָּגִיד לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה לְכֹל דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְשֹׁטְרִים הַלְוִיִּם לִפְנֵיכֶם חִזְקוּ וַעֲשׂוּ וִיהִי יְהֹוָה עִם־הַטּֽוֹב׃ {פ}
And, behold, Amaryahu the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zevadyahu the son of Yishma᾽el, the ruler of the house of Yehuda, for all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.
And, behold, Amaryahu the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zevadyahu the son of Yishma᾽el, the ruler of the house of Yehuda, for all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.
Rashi
ויהי ה' עם הטוב. עם עושה הטוב והישר:
and may the Lord be with the good with the one who performs that which is good and upright.
כי בערת האשרות. כדלעיל ועוד הסיר את הבמות וגו':
for you have abolished the asheroth as above (17:6), “and he removed the high places [and the asherim], etc.”