## Radak on II Chronicles Chapter 30

###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:2:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:2:1)

**ויועץ המלך.** אחר שנועץ, שלח על כל ישראל ויהודה; כי מה שאמ' "וישלח יחזקיהו על כל ישראל ויהודה...לעשות פסח" (לעיל פס' א) – בעבור שנועץ עם השרים והקהל לעשות פסח בחדש השני. ואני תמה על מה שאמרו רבותי' ז"ל (ב' בר' י,ב): עִבֵּר ניסן בניסן ולא הודו לו, שהרי הכת' אומ' "ויועץ המלך **ושריו וכל הקהל בירושלם**" – הנה הכתו' אומ' כי הודו לו! גם מה שאמרו "עבר ניסן בניסן" אין להם ראיה מן הפסוק, כי אפשר כי באדר היתה ההסכמה הזאת – לעשות אדר שני במקום ניסן, ולעשות הפסח בחדש השני שהוא אייר, ויהיה הוא ניסן לעשות בו הפסח. גם מה שאמרו (ב' סנה' יב,א-ב) וחלקו על מה שבקש רחמים חזקיהו (להלן פסוק יח), הרי מפורש לפי שרבים מהם אכלו הפסח בטומאה, כמו שאמ' "כי אכלו את הפסח בלא ככתוב" (שם)!:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**The king came to an agreement.** *After* he came to an agreement he sent word to all Israel and Judah. For when the text says “Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah … to observe Passover” (v. 1), this was *because* he had come to an agreement with the officers and the congregation to observe Passover in the second month. I wonder about what our Sages say (b. Berakhot 10b) that [Hezekiah] added another Nisan during Nisan [itself], and that [the rabbinic authorities] did not accede to this. For the text says, “The king came to an agreement **with his officers and the entire congregation in Jerusalem**”—so it says that they did accede to it! They also have no proof from the verse that he added another Nisan during Nisan. For this agreement could have taken place in Adar—to make a second Adar in place of Nisan and to observe Passover in the second month; that is, Iyyar: it could have been turned into Nisan so that they might observe Passover in it. Moreover, as for the assertions they make (b. Sanhedrin 12a-b) in debating why Hezekiah sought mercy (v. 18), it is explicit, after all, that this was because many of the people had eaten the paschal sacrifice in an unclean state, as the text says, “yet they ate the paschal sacrifice in violation of what was written” (ibid.)!


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:2:2
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:2:2)

**לעשות הפסח בחדש השני.** לא היה זה כמו פסח שני, שהרי בחדש ניסן לא עשו פסח כלל; אלא עשו מניסן אדר. כי עברו השנה מפני הטומאה ומפני העם שלא יוכלו להגיע לירושלם, כי לא היה עדין לבבם נכנע אל עבודת האלהים, ולא היו רוצים לבא לירושלם לעשות הפסח; לפיכך הוצרכו לעבר השנה ולהאריך הזמן, כמו שאומר "כי לא לרב עשו ככתוב" (להלן פס' ה), כלו': רוב ישראל לא עשו עד עתה ככתוב, כי היו עובדים הגלולים, ולא היו חוששין לבא ירושלם לעבודת האלהים. כי אע"פ ששלח חזקיהו הרצים (להלן פס' ו), רובם היו מלעיגים בם (פס' י), ואף אותם שבאו לא התקדשו כלם ואכלו הפסח בטומאה (פס' יז-יח), עד שהוצרך חזקיהו להתפלל עליהם כמו שכתו' (פס' יח); ועל כן הוצרכו לעבר את השנה. והחדש השני נתנו אותו במקום ניסן, ועשו בו הפסח, ועשו חג המצות שבעת ימים:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**To observe Passover in the second month.** This was not akin to a “second Passover,” because they did not observe Passover in the month of Nisan at all. Instead, they changed Nisan into Adar: they made it a leap year because of the uncleanness and because of the people who would not have been able to reach Jerusalem. For their hearts had not yet acquiesced to serve God, and they had not wanted to come to Jerusalem to make the paschal sacrifice, as the text says, “because *la-rov* they did not do as was written” (v. 5). That is, to this point, *rov* (=most) of Israel had not done as was written, because they had been worshiping idols and did not care to come to Jerusalem for the service of God—hence the need to make it a leap year and extend the time. For even though Hezekiah had sent couriers (v. 6), most people mocked them (v. 10). And even those who came did not all sanctify themselves but rather ate the paschal sacrifice in an unclean state (vv. 17–18), so that Hezekiah had to seek mercy on their behalf, as the text says (v. 18). Thus, they were compelled to make it a leap year: they assigned the second month the status of Nisan, made the paschal sacrifice in it, and made the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:3:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:3:1)

**כי הכהנים לא התקדשו למדי.** כמו "למן די", והמ"ם פתוחה כמ"ם "כי למבראשונה" (דה"א טו,יג). ופי': כי לא התקדשו כל כך הכהנים שיהיה די בהם להקריב הקרבנות:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**For the priests had not sanctified themselves *le-ma-day* (=in great enough numbers).** This is equivalent to *le-min day*, albeit with a *pataḥ* under the *mem* as in *le-ma-ba-rishonah* (=the first time; 1 Chr 15:13). [The phrase] means: for not enough priests had sanctified themselves for there to be enough (*day*) of them to bring the offerings.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:16:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:16:1)

**הכהנים זרקים את הדם מיד הלוים.** כי מקבלה ואילך מצות כהונה (ב' בר' לא,ב):

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**The priests dashed the blood [that they received] from the Levites—**for the priests are commanded to do everything from the receiving of the blood onward (b. Ber. 31b).


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:17:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:17:1)

**כי רבת בקהל.** שם, כמו "רבת צררוני" (תה' קכט,א); כלומ': הרבה היו בקהל ש**לא התקדשו**:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**Because *rabbat* (=many) in the congregation.** This is a noun, as in “*rabbat* (=many) have assailed me” (Ps 129:1). The point is that there were many in the congregation who **had not sanctified themselves**.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:17:2
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:17:2)

**לכל לא טהור.** פי': בעבור כל איש מישראל שלא היה טהור היו הלוים מוכנים על שחיטת פסחיהם. כי אע"פ שהרבה מהם אכלו הפסח בטומאה, לא היו יכולין לעשות דבר אחר, ומוכרחים היו כי לא היה להם פנאי להטהר; אבל ליכנס לעזרה טמאים – זה לא הותר להם, כי היו יכולין לעשות על ידי הלוים:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**For anyone not clean.** This means: The Levites were prepared to slaughter the paschal sacrifice for the sake of any Israelite who was not clean. For even though many of them *ate* the sacrifice in an unclean state, they had no other choice: they were compelled to do so because they had had no opportunity to become clean. But they received no dispensation to enter the court unclean, because the Levites were able to act on their behalf.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:18:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:18:1)

**כי אכלו את הפסח בלא ככתוב.** פי': בלא משפטו. כי טמא שאכל את הקדש הוא בכרת, ככת' "כל איש אשר יקרב מכל זרעכם...אשר יקדישו" וגו' "ונכרתה" (וי' כב,ג), ופרשו רבותי' ז"ל: קריבה זו אכילה – כי בנגיעה לבדה אינו חייב כרת, אלא פרושו: כי יקרב לאכול – ופסח קדשים קלים היה:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**Yet they ate the paschal sacrifice in violation of what was written.** This means: not in accordance with its regulations. For an unclean person who eats of sacred things is cut off, consistent with the verse: “any man among your offspring who approaches [any sacred donation] that [the Israelite people] may consecrate … [that person] shall be cut off” (Lev 22:3); and our Sages, of blessed memory (cf. b. Zevaḥim 45b) explain “approaching” to mean eating. For one does not incur the punishment of being cut off by touching alone. Rather, [the phrase] means: [any man] who approaches and eats. And the paschal sacrifice is indeed a sacred thing (of lesser stringency).


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:18:2
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:18:2)

**יי' הטוב יכפר בעד.** דבק עם ראש הפסוק האחר – "כל לבבו הכין" (פס' יט). והחכם ר' אברהם בן עזרא פרש (תהלים עג,טו) כי איננו דבק, ו"כל לבבו" הוא אומ' על חזקיהו; ופי' "יכפר בעד": יכפר בעד אלה שאכלו הפסח בטומאה:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**The good Lord will provide atonement for.** This is connected to the beginning of the next verse—*kol levavo hekhin* (=anyone who sets his mind). But the scholar Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra (Ps 73:15) explains that it is not connected: *kol levavo* (=his entire heart) refers to Hezekiah, and “will provide atonement for” means that He will provide atonement for those who ate the paschal sacrifice in an unclean state.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:19:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:19:1)

**ולא כטהרת הקדש.** פי': ואע"פ שאכלו שלא כטהרת הקדש, התפלל חזקיהו עליהם שיכפר השם אליהם כיון שהכינו לבבם לדרש האלהים:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**And in violation of the standard of cleanness associated with sacred things.** This means: Even though they ate in violation of the standard of cleanness associated with sacred things, Hezekiah prayed on their behalf that God should provide atonement for them, on the grounds that they had set their minds on worshiping God.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:20:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:20:1)

**וירפא את העם.** שסלח להם עונם. וכן בענין הסליחה: "רפאה נפשי כי חטאתי לך" (תה' מא,ה):

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**And [God] healed the people.** That is, He forgave their transgression. “Heal me for I have sinned against you” (Ps 41:5) also bears the sense of forgiveness.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:21:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:21:1)

**בכלי עז ליי'.** על דרך "מכרכר בכל עז" (ש"ב ו,יד):

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**With instruments of *‘oz* (=vitality) for the Lord**—in the sense of “dancing with full *‘oz* (=vitality)” (2 Sam 6:14).


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:22:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:22:1)

**ויאכלו את המועד.** פי': זבחי המועד:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**And they ate the *mo‘ed*.** This means the sacrifices of the *mo‘ed* (=festival).


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:24:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:24:1)

**הרים לקהל.** הפרישם בעבור הקהל, ונתנם להם שיעשו מהם עולות ושלמים:

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
**Contributed to the congregation.** [Hezekiah] set [the animals] aside for the congregation, and he presented them to be used for burnt offerings and peace offerings.


###### Radak on II Chronicles 30:27:1
[Radak on II Chronicles 30:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20II%20Chronicles/r/30:27:1)

**וישָמע בקולם.** נתרצה להם; וכן "לשמע אוזן ישָמעו לי" (ש"ב כב,מה):

**The Commentary of Radak to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary, by Yitzhak Berger, Brown University, 2007:**
***Vayyishama‘ be-qolam* (=and their voice was heard).** [God] heeded them, as in: “The moment they hear Me, *yishame‘u* (=they will obey)” (2 Sam 22:45).