{"id":100676,"date":"2018-07-09T18:03:30","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-921\/"},"modified":"2022-01-22T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T21:00:00","slug":"wall-921","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-921\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Writings-II Chronicles-28"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"921","date":"20290311","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"28","chapter_main_number":"921","books_group":"Writings","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"100749","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible II Chronicles 28  ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible II Chronicles 28","slug":"jps-audio-bible-ii-chronicles-28","old_id":"100749","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"921","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"II Chronicles 28","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-753876298\/jps_audio_bible_II_Chronicles_28","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"28","chapter_main_number":"921","date":"20290311","wall_id":"921"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"100883","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Molech ","post_title":"Molech","slug":"molech","old_id":"100883","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah.  Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"921","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Nothing quite as bad as child sacrifice\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahaz is a very very bad king. In fact, he is probably one of the worst kings of Judah. It is actually quite amazing to see how bad he was, considering his father, Jotham, and his son, Hezekiah, were two of the most righteous kings. He is the epitome of a rebellious child. One of the things that Ahaz did that was so horrible was passing his sons through fire for the god Molech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHe made offerings in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in fire, in the abhorrent fashion of the nations which the L<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ORD<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had dispossessed before the Israelites\u201d (Verse 3).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout Tanach there are only a handful of idols and gods that appear by name- Baal and Asherah are two of the most widespread ones. But it is the god Molech that God has a particular hatred towards. The book of Leviticus addresses the command against worshiping Molech by burning children in four full verses. (Leviticus 20:2-20:5). No other form of named idol worship receives that much attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asherah receives the second most mentions, with three, but those three verses are spread over multiple chapters in Deuteronomy (7:5, 12:3, 16:21). Furthermore, the Asherah mentions do not discuss the specific punishment like Molech worship. Someone who worships Molech is to be put to death by stoning. (Leviticus 20:2). God himself will target this individual and have him cut off from the people of Israel because he defiles God\u2019s sanctuary (20:3). God even warns those who turn away and avoid punishing such an individual that God will not only take out the worshiper, but all those who let him continue. (20:4-5).\u00a0 Molech receives so much attention because worshiping this fire god hurts an innocent child, unlike other forms of worship, which just affect the worshiper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahaz is willing to hurt or kill his own children by passing them through fire. This is completely unacceptable to God. That is why the northern tribes, slated for imminent destruction at this time, look like the more noble party in this chapter. It is also why Ahaz is not even buried in the royal burial plot. Such a horrible person is certainly cut off from the nation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":53825,"alt":"","title":"jo12-molech","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","width":800,"height":895,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-268x300.jpg","medium-width":268,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-768x859.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":859,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":895,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":895,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":895,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":895,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-375x420.jpg","home_baner-width":375,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Molech","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Nothing quite as bad as child sacrifice","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":53825,"alt":"","title":"jo12-molech","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","width":800,"height":895,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-268x300.jpg","medium-width":268,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-768x859.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":859,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":895,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":895,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":895,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":895,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo12-molech-375x420.jpg","home_baner-width":375,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"28","chapter_main_number":"921","date":"20290311","wall_id":"921"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"100888","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"A Burning Issue ","post_title":"A Burning Issue","slug":"a-burning-issue","old_id":"100888","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. 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Apropos of \u201cHe [King Ahaz] made offerings in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and burned his sons in fire, in the abhorrent fashion of the nations which the L<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ORD<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had dispossessed before the Israelites\u201d (3), the Targum sought to address a logical inconsistency: If Ahaz had his sons burned, how could it be that \u201chis son Hezekiah succeeded him as king\u201d (27)?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, in detail, is its answer, which contrives to associate Hezekiah\u2019s escape from the fate of his brothers to a history of a particular brand of Jewish martyrology.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He [Ahaz} offered incense in the valley of Ben Hinnom and burned his sons in the flames. The Word of God spared Hezekiah among them because it was seen by God that there would emerge from him three righteous men: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who would allow themselves to be thrown into the fiery furnace for the sake of His great name and would be spared from its flames.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first [so spared] was Abraham who was saved from the fiery furnace of the Chaldeans into which Nimrod had cast him because he would not worship his abomination. Second was Tamar who was saved from the flames of the court of Judah who had sentenced her to be burned. Third to be saved from the flames was Hezekiah when his father cast him in the valley of Ben Hinnom at the high places of Tophet. Fourth saved were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Fifth was Joshua ben Jehozadak, the High Priest, who was cast into the fiery furnace by the wicked Nebuchadnezzar along with Ahab ben Kolaya and Zedekiah ben Maasiah the false prophets. They were consumed by the flames but Joshua ben Jehozadak was saved on account of his merit.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joshua ben Jehozadak features prominently in Haggai (1:1, 12,14; 2:2,4) and Zechariah (6:11), while Ahab ben Kolaya and Zedekiah ben Maasiah are mentioned in Jeremiah (29:21). Our Targum may be the only source that links them together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":79224,"alt":"","title":"zech3-fire","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zech3-fire-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"A Burning Issue","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Who was saved from the flames - 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He did not do what was pleasing to the LORD as his father David had done, but followed the ways of the kings of Israel; he even made molten images for the Baals.\u201d (II Chronicles 28:1-2)<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These \u201cmolten images\u201d are familiar to use from another story of idolatry \u2013 the Golden Calf in the desert:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis [Aaron] took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. [\u2026] They have made themselves a molten calf and bowed low to it and sacrificed to it\u2026\u201d (Exodus 32:4,8)<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But while the concept of a molten idol might be familiar, the term used might seem odd today. The Hebrew word in these verses is <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">masekha<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That word has a very different meaning in modern Hebrew (and one that is in very common use in the past few years) \u2013 \u201cmask.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How did the same word come to mean both \u201cmolten\u201d and \u201cmask\u201d? And are they related somehow to the similar sounding word in English \u2013 \u201cmask\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s first look at <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">masekha<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0as \u201cmolten\u201d. It comes from the root <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n-s-kh<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, meaning \u201cto pour,\u201d referring to the pouring of the metal when casting the images. Other related words are <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nesekh<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u2013 \u201clibation,\u201d and <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nasikh<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u2013 \u201cprince\u201d (literally, \u201cthe one who had oil poured upon him as anointment.\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Masekha<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0as \u201cmask\u201d originally meant \u201ccovering.\u201d It also comes from a root <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n-s-kh<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but this is an unrelated root which meant \u201cto weave.\u201d A related word is <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">masechet<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In the Bible (Judges 16:14) it meant \u201cweb of the loom,\u201d and then in Rabbinic Hebrew it referred to a \u201ctractate (of the Talmud).\u201d Just as the loom collects the strings, a collection of teachings is found in a tractate. English has a pair of related words with a similar connection \u2013 \u201ctextile\u201d and \u201ctext.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what about the English word \u201cmask\u201d? It isn\u2019t related to either of the Hebrew words we\u2019ve discussed, but it (and its French cognate <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">masque<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) did influence the second meaning of <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">masekha<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, encouraging the transition from \u201ccovering\u201d to \u201cmask.\u201d However, the word \u201cmask\u201d actually does have a Semitic origin, deriving from the Arabic <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mashkara<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0meaning \u201cclown.\u201d It may ultimately be related to the Hebrew <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sheker<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u2013 \u201ca lie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So looking at all these words, we find some with a very positive connotation: libations and tractates, and others with negative connotations: molten images and lies. And what about masks? 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word of God hovers, then strikes\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>\"But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them<\/em>\u2026\" (28:9)<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nan eagle<br \/>\r\nhovers<br \/>\r\nstationary<br \/>\r\nabove a cliff on a scorched summer morning;<br \/>\r\nsuspended<br \/>\r\nin the air, as if<br \/>\r\na huge magnet above,<br \/>\r\na huge magnet below,<br \/>\r\nkeep it in perfect perpetual balance; a photographed eagle, preserved<br \/>\r\nin a photographed desert sky would budge<br \/>\r\nno less,<br \/>\r\nno more;<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">until<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">its dark eye shifts a thousandth of an inch, focusing<br \/>\r\non a rabbit or mouse or even snake slithering unaware from rock to rock.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">suddenly<br \/>\r\nIt<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Strikes.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">the Word of God<br \/>\r\nhovers<br \/>\r\nbeyond our perception<br \/>\r\nlike a radio transmission broadcast from Somewhere, amidst the static<br \/>\r\ndesperately seeking a receiver to pick up its message;<br \/>\r\nundetected even by the soul\u2019s ear<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">until<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">the chosen one is focused: man or woman; farmer or kohen; child<br \/>\r\nhalf-asleep in his bed, totally unprepared,<br \/>\r\nor aged prophet meditating in devout readiness after years of anticipation;<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">suddenly<br \/>\r\nIt<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Strikes.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\n<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":100886,"alt":"","title":"2chron28-bald-eagle 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Chronicles","chapter":"28","chapter_main_number":"921","date":"20290311","wall_id":"921"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"100851","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Ahaz The Paganizer  ","post_title":"Ahaz The Paganizer","slug":"ahaz-the-paganizer","old_id":"100851","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 -  from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"921","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"It cost him in a grave way\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">28:27 \u201cAnd Ahaz lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him to the graves of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son was king in his stead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Kings, he is actually buried in the City of David among the royal tombs. The Chronicler evidently wants to make the point that Ahaz suffered exclusion from the most honored burial grounds because of his paganizing ways. It should also be noted that the Chronicles is not consistent in its use of \u201cIsrael\u201d; in the war reported above, \u201cIsrael\u201d clearly designates the northern kingdom, but here it is used interchangeably with \u201cJudah.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From: Robert Alter, <em>The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 3: Writings, W. W. Norton &amp; Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Ahaz The Paganizer","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"It cost him in a grave way","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"28","chapter_main_number":"921","date":"20290311","wall_id":"921"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"100849","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - II Chronicles 28  ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - II Chronicles 28","slug":"points-to-ponder-ii-chronicles-28","old_id":"100849","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"921","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"<ol>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Comp lit<\/em>. The reign of Ahaz is told in 2 Kings 16 and also Isaiah 7. In this case, it\u2019s probably better to relate to the different sources not in comparison with one another, but rather as pieces of a puzzle that together make up a whole that is not fully present in any one of them separately.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>There\u2019s some good too (or maybe it\u2019s just all relative).<\/em> After many chapters where the kingdom of Israel is presented as evil, and born in sin, it is shown here in a more positive light. Maybe it\u2019s because there is actually some good there, or at least good people, or maybe just because as compared with the evil of Ahaz - it\u2019s all relative.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>They deserve the credit<\/em>. \u201cSome of the chief men of the Ephraimites\u201d who listened to the prophet, and worked to free the captives, and treated them kindly, were named in the chapter. So give credit where credit is due, to \u201cAzariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai\u201d (verses 12-15).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>It\u2019s not so nice to see a house closed up<\/em>. Verse 24 tells of Ahaz\u2019s trespass against the Temple, \u201cHe shut the doors of the House of the LORD,\u201d and connects it to the increase in the pagan cults that replace the Temple worship. From verse 21 it seems that closing the doors and curing the utensils to pieces is also connected to the heavy tribute paid to the King of Assyria, which was taken from the Temple itself.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"II Chronicles 28","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"II Chronicles","chapter":"28","chapter_main_number":"921","date":"20290311","wall_id":"921"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"100694","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Sefaria Source Sheets - II Chronicles 28  ","post_title":"Sefaria Source Sheets - II Chronicles 28","slug":"sefaria-source-sheets-ii-chronicles-28","old_id":"100694","type":"song","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42228,"post_title":"Sefaria","slug":"sefaria","old_id":"42228","first_name":"","last_name":"Sefaria","description":"Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. We are assembling a free living library of Jewish texts and their interconnections, in Hebrew and in translation. With these digital texts, we can create new, interactive interfaces for Web, tablet and mobile, allowing more people to engage with the textual treasures of our tradition.","short_description":"Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42230,"alt":"","title":"Sefaria Logo2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","width":1200,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-1024x1024.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":1200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":1200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-420x420.png","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"921","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/sheets\/207515?lang=bi\">\u201cWar and Peace II~War in Rabbinic sources~preparations and exemptions\u201d<\/a> by Nelly Altenburger: Looking at how the Rabbis related to war.<\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/sheets\/168628?lang=bi\">\u201cPesach in Iyar???\u201d<\/a> by Noah E Abramowitz: Understanding a unique story about Chizkiyahu.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Source Sheets - 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