{"id":66939,"date":"2018-07-09T17:45:29","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-373\/"},"modified":"2023-07-11T09:20:33","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T06:20:33","slug":"wall-373","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-373\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Isaiah-39"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"373","date":"20270202","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"66660","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 39 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 39","slug":"jps-audio-bible-isaiah-chapter-39","old_id":"66660","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":"373","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":"Isaiah Chapter 39","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_isaiah_chapter_39","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,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"116602","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"(Not) Raiders Of The (Not) Lost Ark ","post_title":"(Not) Raiders Of The (Not) Lost Ark","slug":"not-raiders-of-the-not-lost-ark","old_id":"116602","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":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A lot would be taken - just probably not that\u2026\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 39 is a repeat of the end of II Kings 20. Babylonian emissaries arrive in Jerusalem. Unlike their powerful Assyrian contemporaries, Babylonia is relatively weak. Hezekiah is amused and flattered that this far away kingdom shows any interest in tiny Jerusalem. Hezekiah gives the grand tour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hezekiah was pleased by their coming, and he showed them his treasure house\u2014the silver, the gold, the spices, and the fragrant oil\u2014and all his armory, and everything that was to be found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his palace or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them (verse 2).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isaiah is furious. He demands to know what Hezekiah did with the Babylonians. Hezekiah responds that he showed them everything. Isaiah is unimpressed:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A time is coming when everything in your palace, which your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left behind, said God (verse 6).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why is God upset? One possibility is that Hezekiah's actions showed hubris. He showed off all the riches that God helped him achieve but he did not credit God. Another possibility is that Hezekiah should have been humbler and not tried to show off. He was flattered with the kind words of the Babylonians, but should have held back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And perhaps Hezekiah was simply blind to an obvious stratagem. The Babylonians flattered him to gain access to the secrets of the city. Babylonia was not strong enough yet, but in the future when they will be, they now have the knowledge to strip the city clean.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isaiah\u2019s declared punishment seems to be an eye-for-eye level penalty. Everything you showed them they will take. The Talmud in Yoma takes this one step further.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Shimon ben Yo\u1e25ai says: The Ark was exiled to Babylonia, as it is stated: \u201cBehold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored until this day, shall be carried to Babylonia; nothing [<\/span>davar<\/span><\/em>] shall be left, says the Lord (Isaiah 39:6). These are the Ten Commandments [<\/span>dibrot<\/span><\/em>] that are inside it; they too shall not be left behind\u201d (Yoma 39a).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai links the Hebrew words for \u2018nothing\u2019 (literally, \u201ca thing\u201d) and \u2018commandments\u2019 to explain that the Ark was taken along with the Ten Commandments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The problem with this is that in II Kings 25 the Ark is not listed with all the vessels taken by the Babylonians. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai\u2019s opinion is isolated in Yoma 39a as others believe the ark was buried in place, and later on in Yoma 52b, the Talmud explains that Josiah hid the Ark. It is unclear what motivates Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to have such a contrary opinion. Perhaps he intended this as a metaphor. Hezekiah\u2019s sin resulted in the plundering of both the physical vessels and also the Torah itself was exiled when the Temple was destroyed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":57028,"alt":"","title":"isam4-ark-covenant-relief","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","width":361,"height":256,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief-300x213.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":213,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":256,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":256,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":256,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":256,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":256,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","home_baner-width":361,"home_baner-height":256}},"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":"(Not) Raiders Of The (Not) Lost Ark","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A lot would be taken - just probably not that\u2026","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":57028,"alt":"","title":"isam4-ark-covenant-relief","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","width":361,"height":256,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief-300x213.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":213,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":256,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":256,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":256,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":256,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":256,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam4-ark-covenant-relief.jpg","home_baner-width":361,"home_baner-height":256}},"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,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"547","name":"Punishment","old_id":"947"},{"term_id":"670","name":"Ark","old_id":"1070"},{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"}]},{"order":3,"id":"66976","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Never Better ","post_title":"Never Better","slug":"never-better","old_id":"66976","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":66440,"post_title":"Yoni Hammer-Kossoy","slug":"yoni-hammer-kossoy","old_id":"66440","first_name":"Yoni ","last_name":"Hammer-Kossoy","description":"Yoni Hammer-Kossoy\u2019s poetry appears in numerous journals and anthologies, including most recently the Lily Poetry Review, Juniper Poetry, Sky Island Journal and River Heron Review. Originally from the US, Yoni has lived in Israel with his family for the last twenty years.","short_description":"Yoni Hammer-Kossoy is an American-born poet who has been living in Jerusalem for the last twenty years.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":66441,"alt":"","title":"yoni hammer-kossoy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy.jpg","width":2482,"height":2893,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy-257x300.jpg","medium-width":257,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy-768x895.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":895,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy-879x1024.jpg","large-width":879,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy.jpg","1536x1536-width":1318,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy.jpg","2048x2048-width":1757,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy-1030x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1030,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/yoni-hammer-kossoy-360x420.jpg","home_baner-width":360,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"\u201cSafety is assured for my time.\u201d And then\u2026?","post_main_content_content":"

Hezekiah declared to Isaiah, \u201cThe word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.\u201d For he thought, \u201cIt means that safety is assured for my time\u201d<\/span> (Isaiah 39:8)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind Amazon fires.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind bleached reefs.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind carbon neutrality.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind decades of drought.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind empty wells.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind final warnings.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind glaciers melting.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind hurricanes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind island nations.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind justice.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind kids.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind leadership.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind methane.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind non-reusables.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind over-fishing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind plagues.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind quotas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind righteous indignation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind science.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind talking points.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind under water.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind Venice or vaquitas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind waste management.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind extreme weather.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind you or me.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Never mind zero emissions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: by Ben Schachter<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66977,"alt":"","title":"Is39-HammerKossoy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","width":826,"height":826,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","large-width":826,"large-height":826,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","1536x1536-width":826,"1536x1536-height":826,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","2048x2048-width":826,"2048x2048-height":826,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","post_full_size-width":826,"post_full_size-height":826,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-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":"","tile_main_caption":"Never Better","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"\u201cSafety is assured for my time.\u201d And then\u2026?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66977,"alt":"","title":"Is39-HammerKossoy","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","width":826,"height":826,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","large-width":826,"large-height":826,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","1536x1536-width":826,"1536x1536-height":826,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","2048x2048-width":826,"2048x2048-height":826,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy.jpg","post_full_size-width":826,"post_full_size-height":826,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Is39-HammerKossoy-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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"301","name":"Ben Schachter","old_id":"701"},{"term_id":"360","name":"Nature\/Environment","old_id":"760"}]},{"order":4,"id":"67009","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Almost the Messiah\u00a0 ","post_title":"Almost The Messiah\u00a0","slug":"almost-the-messiah","old_id":"67009","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Hezekiah misses his chance","post_main_content_content":"

Following the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian invasion and King Hezekiah\u2019s own miraculous recovery from death\u2019s doorstep, Hezekiah expressed his gratitude to God, and recognition of His divine intervention with words like \u201cI will give up all my sleep (to praise Him) (38:15).\u201d\u00a0 Although some sages say this expression of gratitude fell short, being delivered in writing rather than in song, by all accounts, Hezekiah was poised on the precipice of becoming the Messiah and changing the course of history.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

At the beginning of chapter there are still political and military threats facing the Jewish nation. The king of Babylonia, having heard of the great miracles bestowed on Hezekiah\u2019s nation, sends a delegation ostensibly to congratulate Hezekiah but more likely to find out what really transpired and how. Seeing an opportunity to form an alliance with the enemy of his enemy, King Hezekiah doesn\u2019t just allow an audience for these representatives from Babylonia but \u201crejoiced with them (39:2)\u201d and proudly gave them the grand tour of his palace and treasure houses.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There\u2019s an undeniable level of haughtiness in Hezekiah\u2019s actions, further evidenced when the Prophet Isaiah asks Hezekiah \u201cWho were those people and what did they see?\u201d, to which Hezekiah responds \u201cOh, they came from faraway lands and I showed them everything! (39:3-4).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The glaring omission in Hezekiah\u2019s response to the Babylonians is his negligence in praising God and acknowledging the source of the defeat of the Assyrian invasion, and his own return to health. For this, Hezekiah loses his position of Messiah-in-waiting.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But in addition to neglecting praise for God, Hezekiah also seems to be ingratiating himself to the Babylonians by trying to convince them that he\u2019s a valuable ally and one they should want to form an alliance with. In his commentary on this episode, Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster (outorah.org) draws a distinction between tactical alliances \u2013 those that may be strategically necessary in a certain situation, and alliances that come from some need or desire for self-aggrandizement. Hezekiah\u2019s response to this opportunity with the Babylonian delegation seems to lean towards the latter. In other words, you might have to work with them, but you don\u2019t have to rejoice in it, and you shouldn\u2019t feel good about it \u2013 certainly a political reality that persists today. Ultimately, as Isaiah chastises Hezekiah, he forgot to mention that God is the ultimate ally, \u201cMaster of Legions,\u201d or \u201cLord of Hosts\u201d (39:5).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":67011,"alt":"","title":"is39-messiah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","width":800,"height":948,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-253x300.jpg","medium-width":253,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-768x910.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":910,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":948,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":948,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":948,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":948,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-354x420.jpg","home_baner-width":354,"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":"Almost The Messiah\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Hezekiah misses his chance","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":67011,"alt":"","title":"is39-messiah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","width":800,"height":948,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-253x300.jpg","medium-width":253,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-768x910.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":910,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":948,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":948,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":948,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":948,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-messiah-354x420.jpg","home_baner-width":354,"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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"},{"term_id":"500","name":"Messiah","old_id":"900"},{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"},{"term_id":"948","name":"Babylonians","old_id":"1348"}]},{"order":5,"id":"66992","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Merodach-Baladan ","post_title":"Merodach-Baladan","slug":"merodach-baladan","old_id":"66992","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36147,"post_title":"Aaron Koller","slug":"aaron-koller","old_id":"36147","first_name":"Aaron","last_name":"Koller","description":"Aaron Koller is professor of Near Eastern studies at Yeshiva University, where he is chair of the Beren Department of Jewish Studies. His last book was Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought (Cambridge University Press), and his next is Unbinding Isaac: The Akedah in Jewish Thought (forthcoming from JPS\/University of Nebraska Press in 2020); he is also the author of numerous studies in Semitic philology. Aaron has served as a visiting professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and held research fellowships at the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research and the Hartman Institute. 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The \u201cking of Babylon,\u201d Merodach-Baladan, came to visit. As it turns out,<\/span> he wasn\u2019t exactly a \u201cking<\/span><\/a>.\u201d He was a rebel leader of the Babylonians, who \u2013 along with Hezekiah \u2013 was plotting the demise of the mighty Assyrian empire. While our chapter tells that the visit was primarily social, it was certainly politics that were the topic of conversation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is why Hezekiah \u201cshowed them his treasure house... all his armory, and everything that was to be found in his storehouses\u2026.\u201d The point was to demonstrate his strength, to assure Merodach-Baladan that the Judeans would be formidable allies, and to seal the anti- Assyrian alliance.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since Merodach-Baladan\u2019s career ended in 704 BCE, this story must have taken place c. 705-704, after the accession of Sennacherib and in the heady days of a new Assyrian king, whose strength and mettle had not yet been tested.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

All of this helps the end of the story make sense. Isaiah is furious at Hezekiah\u2019s actions, and threatens him with a future exile, and the suffering of his descendants: \u201cAnd some of your sons, your own issue, whom you will have fathered, will be taken to serve as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.\u201d But Hezekiah stays strong: \u201cThe word of the Lord that you have spoken is good, as long as there is peace and security in my day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Is Hezekiah a monster? How could he be so callous regarding the fate of his descendants? Isaiah\u2019s criticism was in line with what the prophet has been saying throughout the book: walls, treaties, and alliances are not needed to protect against the Assyrians. All that is needed is faith in God! So Hezekiah\u2019s negotiations with Merodach-Baladan are a betrayal of faith, and must be punished. Hezekiah\u2019s response is not callous; it\u2019s realistic and pragmatic. \u201cAs a king,\u201d he tells the prophet, \u201cI can\u2019t rely on God to save the people without doing my part. Defenses must be planned, storehouses must be stocked, soldiers need to be stationed. And allies need to be secured! And if you tell me that this will all work, but in a few generations there may be repercussions \u2013 well, I\u2019ve done my job. As long as there is peace and security in my day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The clash between Isaiah and Hezekiah here is, then, a clash between the prophet and the king. Their viewpoints are irreconcilably different, and they part at the end of Chapter 39, never again to speak.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Finally, as noted, this chapter is out of order, as it must have taken place some years before the events of Isaiah 36-37, of 701 BCE. But its placement here is no accident. Tomorrow, we will begin Isaiah 40, the second half of the book, about the return from the Babylonian exile. That exile is mentioned only here. Chapter 39 was moved down to this point to introduce the exile that is about to end in the next chapter. More on that \u2013 tomorrow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Merodach-Baladan, King of Babylon, enfeoffs (makes a legal agreement with) a vassal. From the original in the Altes Museum, Berlin \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66999,"alt":"","title":"is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1.jpg","width":1583,"height":2308,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-206x300.jpg","medium-width":206,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-702x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":702,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-702x1024.jpg","large-width":702,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1054,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1405,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-823x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":823,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-288x420.jpg","home_baner-width":288,"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":"Merodach-Baladan","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And another clash between prophet and king","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66999,"alt":"","title":"is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1.jpg","width":1583,"height":2308,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-206x300.jpg","medium-width":206,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-702x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":702,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-702x1024.jpg","large-width":702,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1054,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1405,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-823x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":823,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-Marduk-apla-iddina_II-1-288x420.jpg","home_baner-width":288,"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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"390","name":"Prophets","old_id":"790"},{"term_id":"432","name":"Exile","old_id":"832"},{"term_id":"835","name":"King","old_id":"1235"},{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"},{"term_id":"948","name":"Babylonians","old_id":"1348"}]},{"order":6,"id":"67015","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Reason Behind The Miracle ","post_title":"The Reason Behind The Miracle","slug":"the-reason-behind-the-miracle","old_id":"67015","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. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

Although a straightforward reading of the previous chapter indicates that God caused the shadows to recede in order to augment Hezekiah\u2019s confidence in his imminent recovery, Malbim* took it very differently.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Chronicles (32:31), it is explained that the essence of the [Babylonian] mission was to inquire into the miracle that occurred, since the receding of the shadows by ten degrees was a great miracle that became known throughout the world and they came to investigate its circumstances. In truth, the reason God performed a wonder that had not been seen since the time of Joshua was not to give Hezekiah the confidence that he would be cured and go to the Temple. God would not do something so grand for such a minimal reason because even without the wonder, by the third day he would know that he had been cured.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rather, its purpose was of great value to the general populace, who had been dispersed by Sennacherib to the ends of the earth. God wanted them to have some support lest these scattered sheep be lost among the many wolves. Therefore, He performed this great wonder for them that would be seen and feared at the corners of the earth and their neighbors would fear them. The scattered ones were heartened and some of them returned to their land and [took refuge] in Hezekiah\u2019s shade without opposition, because all the inhabitants of the earth were in fear of them\u2014just as [Isaiah] had prophesied (in chapters 18 and 24:13-17, inter alia).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Had they merited it, the overall ingathering [of the exiles] would have taken place under Hezekiah, as I have mentioned, but the sin that is reported here was their undoing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Malbim, here, is rendering his interpretation of an enigmatic talmudic passage that declares: \u201cThere will be no Messiah for Israel\u2014they already consumed him (<\/span>akhaluhu<\/span><\/em>) at the time of Hezekiah\u201d (BT Sanhedrin 98b). (He elaborated on this in 11:1, regarding the \u201cshoot from the stump of Jesse.\u201d See <\/span>our comments there<\/span><\/a>.) His opinion is that after the miraculous victory over Assyria, the potential was present for a complete restoration of Israel to its land and its release from all foreign oppression and subjugation\u2014were it not for Hezekiah\u2019s folly in showing off his wealth to the Babylonians.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*For the significance of Malbim\u2019s commentary to the Book of Isaiah,<\/span> see our introduction to chapter 1.<\/span><\/a><\/p>","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":"The Reason Behind The Miracle","tile_main_caption":"After the miraculous victory over Assyria, the potential was present for the restoration of Israel to its land and its release from foreign oppression and subjugation\u2014were it not for Hezekiah\u2019s folly...","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"},{"term_id":"948","name":"Babylonians","old_id":"1348"}]},{"order":7,"id":"66973","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Hezekiah\u2019s Blind Spot ","post_title":"Hezekiah\u2019s Blind Spot","slug":"hezekiahs-blind-spot","old_id":"66973","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":65182,"post_title":"Benny Lau & Yoel Bin Nun","slug":"benny-lau-yoel-bin-nun","old_id":"65182","first_name":"Benny Lau","last_name":"and Yoel Bin Nun","description":"Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau is the founder and head of the Israeli initiative 929 and is a community leader, activist, author, and public speaker.\r\nRabbi Yoel Bin Nun, PhD. is a religious Zionist rabbi who was among the founders of Yeshivat Har Etzion and who emphasized the importance of the study of Tanach, and not just Talmud, in yeshiva. \r\nTogether they are the authors of \"Isaiah: Prophet of Righteousness and Justice\" (Maggid Books, 2019)","short_description":"Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau is the founder and head of the Israeli initiative 929. Rabbi Yoel Bin Nun, PhD. is a religious Zionist rabbi who was among the founders of Yeshivat Har Etzion. Together they are the authors of \"Isaiah: Prophet of Righteousness and Justice\" (Maggid Books, 2019)\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":65183,"alt":"","title":"lau bin nun","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun.jpg","width":1054,"height":691,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun-300x197.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":197,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun-768x503.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":503,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun-1024x671.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":671,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun.jpg","1536x1536-width":1054,"1536x1536-height":691,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun.jpg","2048x2048-width":1054,"2048x2048-height":691,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun.jpg","post_full_size-width":1054,"post_full_size-height":691,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/lau-bin-nun-641x420.jpg","home_baner-width":641,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And Isaiah\u2019s terrifying prophecy","post_main_content_content":"

With the delegation\u2019s departure, Isaiah launched into a furious rant against the king. [Isaiah 39: 3-8]\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It seems that Hezekiah initially failed to understand the prophet\u2019s questions. Hezekiah did little to hide his pride at the fact that they had come all the way \u201cfrom a far country, Babylon.\u201d He was pleased that word of his power and capabilities had reached as far as Babylonia. His answer also hinted that he considered this delegation to be of a different caliber than the nearby Ashdod rebellion. Hezekiah proudly continued, telling of how he had shown his entire treasury to the Babylonians, at which point Isaiah launched into his attack: \u201cA time is coming when everything in your house, which your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left behind, said the Lord. And some of your sons, your own issue, whom you will have fathered, will be taken to serve as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hezekiah\u2019s reaction seems strange, perhaps because his tone of voice is unknown to us. Malbim explains Hezekiah\u2019s intent: \u201cFor in any case, [the prophet\u2019s words say] that it will surely come to pass that there will be safety in my day, but as for the prophecy about my children (and the Children of Israel in the future), that could change if they improve their deeds.\u201d According to this, Hezekiah considered the prophecy as comprising two separate parts. He was pleased with the first part; he had been promised that there would be peace in his time, and so he responded, \u201cthe word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.\u201d As for the harsh punishment in store for his children, Hezekiah believed that their fate could change for the better if their deeds were worthy. Once again, the prophet and the king held opposing views. Hezekiah was certain that he was executing God\u2019s will. When Isaiah had predicted Hezekiah\u2019s death, the decree was amended due to Heze\u00adkiah\u2019s deep, sincere prayer. So, too, Hezekiah believed that if he and his children acted for the sake of Jerusalem and its people, God would look favorably upon them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isaiah, however, was firmly set in the view that he had held his entire life. He rejected earthly politics, dismissing both rebellion and submission. Isaiah demanded of Hezekiah what he had demanded of his father before him; that the only kingdom he would submit to would be the Kingdom of Heaven. Let the nations act out their earthly, bloody games, said the prophet, without Judah joining in. Isaiah viewed Heze\u00adkiah\u2019s display of his treasuries to the Babylonians as an omen of that kingdom\u2019s rise a century later. Merodach-Baladan failed to leave his mark on history, but 125 years later, Nebuchadnezzar would seize everything Hezekiah had displayed to his predecessor, destroying Jerusalem and the House of God, and fulfilling every last detail of Isaiah\u2019s terrible prophecy.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65184,"alt":"","title":"Isaiah-LauBinNun","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun.png","width":1816,"height":1816,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-1024x1024.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun.png","2048x2048-width":1816,"2048x2048-height":1816,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-1200x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-420x420.png","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":"Excerpts from \"Isaiah: Prophet of Righteousness and Justice\"","tile_main_caption":"Hezekiah\u2019s Blind Spot","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And Isaiah\u2019s terrifying prophecy","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65184,"alt":"","title":"Isaiah-LauBinNun","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun.png","width":1816,"height":1816,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-1024x1024.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun.png","2048x2048-width":1816,"2048x2048-height":1816,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-1200x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Isaiah-LauBinNun-420x420.png","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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"},{"term_id":"940","name":"Isaiah","old_id":"1340"}]},{"order":8,"id":"67002","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"When Is A Dream Not A Dream? ","post_title":"When Is A Dream Not A Dream?","slug":"when-is-a-dream-not-a-dream","old_id":"67002","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34250,"post_title":"Sarah Rudolph","slug":"sarah-rudolph","old_id":"34250","first_name":"Sarah ","last_name":"Rudolph","description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor. She has been sharing her passion for Jewish texts of all kinds for over 15 years, with students of all ages. Sarah\u2019s essays have been published in a variety of internet and print media, including Times of Israel, Kveller, Jewish Action, OU Life, The Lehrhaus, TorahMusings, and more. Sarah lives in Cleveland with her husband and four children, but is privileged to learn online with students all over the world through www.TorahTutors.org and www.WebYeshiva.org. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34251,"alt":"","title":"Sarah R","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","width":2824,"height":4246,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":681,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","large-width":681,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","1536x1536-width":1022,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","2048x2048-width":1362,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-798x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":798,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-279x420.jpg","home_baner-width":279,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"When it is either less, or more, than a dream\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

My daughter has a book (<\/span>Just a Dream<\/span><\/i>, by Chris Van Allsburg) about a boy named Walter who litters, doesn\u2019t recycle, and can\u2019t understand why the girl next door planted a tree for her birthday \u2013 until a series of sobering dreams shows him how the future might turn out if we don\u2019t take care.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s ironic for a book to teach children the importance of building a better future for <\/span>their<\/span><\/em> children; shouldn\u2019t their parents be modeling that already?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But it\u2019s hard to think ahead to a future we will never see. Even King Hezekiah \u2013 one of the good guys! \u2013 seems bizarrely nonchalant when told of a bitter future for his descendants. \u201cYour sons, your own issue, whom you have fathered, will be taken to serve\u2026 Hezekiah declared to Isaiah, \u2018The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.\u2019 And he said, \u2018For there will be peace and truth in my days\u2019\u201d (39:7-8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Is Hezekiah, like Walter at the beginning of the story, too secure in the present to worry about the future?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Metzudat David\u2019s reading offers one possible insight: \u201cSince there will be peace in my days, and God will fulfill my promise [to survive illness], I am not worried what will be after my death.\u201d In a sense, we can understand the practical outlook that leads one to say \u201cwell, I can\u2019t do anything about what happens when I\u2019m not here!\u201d (He may also feel he\u2019s not in a position to ask more favors \u2013 or perhaps his healing inspires him with optimism despite the prophecy.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And yet, this is the king we\u2019re talking about. Shouldn\u2019t he take <\/span>some<\/em> <\/span>responsibility? Even Walter comes to realize his responsibility to do what he can \u2013 and in many views, negative prophecies can be changed by changes in behavior. Like the scenes in Walter\u2019s dream, this prophecy was not set in stone. Was there no metaphorical tree Hezekiah could plant for his descendants? Could he not be bothered to <\/span>try<\/span><\/em>, or even to sound upset if he couldn\u2019t think of something?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Other commentators suggest various ways to read Hezekiah\u2019s reaction as less callous than it seems. For instance \u2013 maybe we\u2019re reading it wrong:\u00a0<\/span>Is \u201cpeace and truth will be in my days\u201d a comfortable descriptive statement, or a commitment to create a reality?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chomat Anach writes, \u201cFor the world stands on three things: justice, truth, and peace [Avot 1:18]. Now that the attribute of justice [\u201cthe word of God\u201d in verse 8] has been decreed, is it not good to grab onto the other two pillars?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Maybe Hezekiah isn\u2019t settling into his own peaceful life before harsh justice comes to others. True, he accepts that divine justice is out of his hands \u2013 but there is something he can do. He can grab onto \u2013 pursue \u2013 \u201cpeace and truth in his days.\u201d Maybe he hopes that by holding up what he can of the world, he can even change the decree, making a better future for his children more than <\/span>just a dream<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":67004,"alt":"","title":"is39-dream","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream.jpg","width":1920,"height":1299,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-300x203.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":203,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-768x520.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":520,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-1024x693.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":693,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1039,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1299,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-1200x812.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":812,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-621x420.jpg","home_baner-width":621,"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":"When Is A Dream Not A Dream?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"When it is either less, or more, than a dream\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":67004,"alt":"","title":"is39-dream","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream.jpg","width":1920,"height":1299,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-300x203.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":203,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-768x520.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":520,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-1024x693.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":693,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1039,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1299,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-1200x812.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":812,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is39-dream-621x420.jpg","home_baner-width":621,"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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"412","name":"Responsibility","old_id":"812"},{"term_id":"439","name":"Dreams","old_id":"839"},{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"}]},{"order":9,"id":"116605","color":"#f6edf6","size":"2","name":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah39","post_title":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah39","slug":"the-tanakh-podcast-isaiah39","old_id":"116605","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. 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See his website www.alexisrael.org, and his podcasts at https:\/\/elmad.pardes.org\/ and https:\/\/tanachstudy.com\/ \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33693,"alt":"","title":"alex israel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","width":1657,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":679,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","large-width":679,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1018,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-795x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":795,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"373","type_929":"4","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","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":"The Tanakh Podcast","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah 39: One Isaiah Or Two?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Is Isaiah one single book or two separate works? We suggest that ch.39 is the close of Isaiah's prophecies, and that ch.40-66 constitute a prophetic collection from a post-exilic world of consolation, and hope of a return to land, sovereignty and national flourishing.","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":108885,"alt":"","title":"-635baf915f04f--635baf915f050tanakh podcast - Alex Israel.JPG","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","width":350,"height":352,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG-298x300.jpg","medium-width":298,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","medium_large-width":350,"medium_large-height":352,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","large-width":350,"large-height":352,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","1536x1536-width":350,"1536x1536-height":352,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","2048x2048-width":350,"2048x2048-height":352,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","post_full_size-width":350,"post_full_size-height":352,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/10\/635baf915f04f-635baf915f050tanakh-podcast-Alex-Israel.JPG.jpg","home_baner-width":350,"home_baner-height":352}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/53gNfnc4FaJ7R9qkMOeBTf","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,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"589","name":"audio","old_id":"989"},{"term_id":"857","name":"podcast","old_id":"1257"}]},{"order":10,"id":"66974","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Hezekiah\u2019s Bizarre Response To Disaster ","post_title":"Hezekiah\u2019s Bizarre Response To Disaster","slug":"hezekiahs-bizarre-response-to-disaster","old_id":"66974","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":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But this brings us to (second) Isaiah\u2019s prophecies of comfort","post_main_content_content":"

39:8 \u201cAnd Hezekiah said to Isaiah, \u201cThe word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.\u201d And he thought, \u201cFor there will be peace and trust in my days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This response by Hezekiah to the grim prophecy is astonishing. On the surface, he seems to be saying to Isaiah that he accepts the word of the Lord, that it must be good because it is God\u2019s will. In the next sentence, however, he thinks to himself that what is good about it is that the disaster will not happen in his lifetime\u2014something that in fact Isaiah has not clearly told him. This self-centered view of national catastrophe puts the virtuous Hezekiah in a somewhat questionable light. The narrative material taken from 2 Kings breaks off abruptly at this point, and the book resumes with the soaring poetry of an anonymous prophet of the Babylonian exile called by scholars Second Isaiah. The editorial placement of chapter 39 serves as a bridge to Second Isaiah because it involves a prophecy of the Babylonian conquest: after the devastating conquest and the exile of a large part of the Judahite population, the comforting words of Second Isaiah announces a glorious return from exile.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, <\/span>The Hebrew Bible<\/span><\/em>, vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.<\/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":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"Hezekiah\u2019s Bizarre Response To Disaster","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But this brings us to (second) Isaiah\u2019s prophecies of comfort","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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"898","name":"Hezekiah","old_id":"1298"}]},{"order":11,"id":"66971","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 39 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 39","slug":"points-to-ponder-isaiah-39","old_id":"66971","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":"373","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. What and when?<\/em> The historic Merodach-baladan took advantage of a moment of weakness in the Assyrian empire to crown himself king over Babylon in the years 722-1 BCE. He reigned intermittently for several years, in continuous confrontation with the Assyrians, and eventually disappeared from history following Sennecharib\u2019s first campaign against the rebels (703 BCE). As far as the historical progression, this chapter is connected to the beginning of the rebellion against Assyria, and it is likely that the connection between Babylon and Judah expressed shared opposition to Assyria. The prophetic message connects the visit to the next historical chapter - the days of the Babylonian empire, and what that will eventually do to Judah.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Pride<\/em>. When reading the story of Hezekiah in the context of the book of Isaiah, there can be no doubt: To brag about all the treasures, and about the military strength (verse 2), is precisely the sin of pride.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. What sort of reaction is that?<\/em> This is Hezekiah\u2019s reaction to Isaiah\u2019s dire prophecy: \u201cThe word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.\u201d For he thought, \u201cIt means that safety is assured for my time\u201d (verse 8). How does this sound? Apathy and unbelief? Egotistical? Or perhaps seeing the glass half-full?<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. To begin from the beginning\u2026<\/em> Well, not exactly the beginning. But tomorrow, chapter 40, is a new beginning in the book of Isaiah.<\/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":"Isaiah 39","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","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"39","chapter_main_number":"373","date":"20270202","wall_id":"373"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/66939"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}