## Rashi on II Kings Chapter 20

###### Rashi on II Kings 20:1:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:1:1)

**בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם.** שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לִפְנֵי מַפַּלְתּוֹ שֶל סַנְחֵרִיב.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**In those days.** [This occurred] three days before Sancheiriv's downfall.¹

footnotes:
¹ Alternatively, the entire episode is stated in chronological order, and it occurred after Sancheiriv's downfall. The assurance Chizkiyohu requested that he will be saved from Ashur mentioned here refers to future attacks. Although Ashur had been soundly defeated, Sancheiriv's successors might soon try again to attack.—Ralbag


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

**חָלָה חִזְקִיָּהוּ.** וְיוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי כְּשֶׁעָלָה בֵּית ה', יוֹם מַפַּלְתּוֹ שֶל סַנְחֵרִיב, וְיוֹם טוֹב שֶל פֶּסַח הָיָה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Chizkiyohu became … ill.** On the third day, when he went up to the Beis [Hamikdosh] of A, was the day of Sancheiriv's downfall, and it was on the Pesach holiday.²

footnotes:
² To commemorate this event, reference to Sancheiriv's downfall is mentioned in the Hagaddah on both Seder nights. On the first Seder night it is mentioned in ובכן ויהי בחצי הלילה, and on the second Seder night it is mentioned in ובכן ואמרתם זבח פסח.


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

**כִּי מֵת אַתָּה.** בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**For you are going to die.** On this world.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:1:4
[Rashi on II Kings 20:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:1:4)

**וְלֹא תִחְיֶה.** לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא נָסַבְתְּ אִשָּׁה, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּבְרָכוֹת.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And you will not live.** In the World to Come because you have not married as is [explained] in [Maseches] Berachos.³

footnotes:
³ 10a. Chizkiyohu refused to marry and have children because it was revealed to him that he would have a very wicked son, and a period of extreme corruption would follow.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:4:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:4:1)

**לֹא יָצָא חָצֵר וְגוֹ'.** מִהֵר הַקָּבָּ"ה לְהוֹדִיעַ רְפוּאָתוֹ, בְּטֶרֶם יֵצֵא קוֹל הֲבָרָה בָּעִיר שֶׁנִּקְנְסָה עָלָיו מִיתָה, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּירוּשַׁלְמִי.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Had not gone out of the … courtyard, etc.** The Holy One, Blessed Is He, hurried to notify him about his cure before the rumor would spread in the city that he has been sentenced to death, as stated in [Talmud] Yerushalmi.⁴ ⁵

footnotes:
⁴ Maseches Sanhedrin 10:2.
⁵ The כתיב [=it is written] is העיר, the city. The Gemara in Maseches Eiruvin 26a explains that the inner court behind the king's palace was the size of an average city.—Radak


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:6:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:6:1)

**וּמִכַּף מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר אַצִּילְךָ.** לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁלִּפְנֵי מַפָּלָתּוֹ שֶל סַנְחֵרִיב חָלָה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And I will save you from the hand of the king of Ashur.** We learn that he became ill before Sancheiriv's downfall.⁶

footnotes:
⁶ See note 1 above.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:7:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:7:1)

**דְּבֶלֶת תְּאֵנִים.** כְּשֶׁהֵם לַחִין קְרוּיִין תְּאֵנִים, וּכְשֶׁנִּדְרָסִים בְּעִגּוּל קְרוּיִין דְּבֵלָה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**A cake of pressed figs.** When they are fresh, they are called תאנים [=figs], and when they are pressed into a round cake, they are called דבלה.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:7:2
[Rashi on II Kings 20:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:7:2)

**וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל הַשְּׁחִין וַיֶּחִי.** וְנֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס, שֶׁהֲרֵי אַף בָּשָׂר חַי כְּשֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן עָלָיו דְּבֵלָה, נִסְרָח, וְהַקָּבָּ"ה נוֹתֵן דָּבָר הַמְחַבֵּל לְתוֹךְ דָּבָר שֶׁנִּתְחַבֵּל, וּמִתְרַפֵּא.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And placed it on the boil, and it was healed.** This was a miracle within a miracle, for even healthy flesh, when you place a cake of pressed figs upon it, decays, yet the Holy One, Blessed Is He, [instructs to] put something that is injurious upon something that is vulnerable, and it becomes healed.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:9:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:9:1)

**הָלַךְ הַצֵּל עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת אִם יָשׁוּב עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת.** הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר, כְּבָר יָרַד הַצֵּל לְמַעֲלוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת לִשְׁעוֹת הַיּוֹם, כְּמוֹ אורלויי"ן בְּלַעַ"ז (שָׁעוֹן), שֶׁעוֹשִׂין הָאֲנָשִׁים לִבְחֹן שְׁעוֹת הַיּוֹם, חָפֵץ אַתָּה שֶׁיַּמְתִּין בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא שָׁם כְּדֵי מַהֲלַךְ עֶשֶׂר שָׁעוֹת, אוֹ יָשׁוּב לְמַעְלָה עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת, וִיהֵא נִרְאֶה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא שַׁחֲרִית.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Should the shade advance ten steps or should it go back ten steps?** This is an abbreviated verse. The shade had already advanced the steps that are made [to measure] the hours of the day, like, *oriloje*, in O. F., the clocks that people make to determine the hour of the day. [He asked,] “Do you wish it to stay in the place where it is, for as long as it takes it to walk in ten hours, or should it go back up ten steps so that it will appear as though it is morning?”⁷

footnotes:
⁷ Alternatively, Yeshayohu asked, “Do you wish it to advance or to go back?—Radak


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:10:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:10:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ נָקֵל לַצֵּל לִנְטוֹת עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת.** דָּבָר קַל הוּא לִנְטוֹת בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, וְנוֹטֶה וְעוֹמֵד עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת אֵינוֹ דָּבָר הַנִּכָּר כָּל כָּךְ, לֹא כֵן אֶלָּא יָשׁוּב הַצֵּל, וְיִהְיֶה הַדָּבָר תֵּמַהּ, שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁפָּנָה הַיּוֹם לַעֲרֹב, וְחוֹזֵר לִהְיוֹת בֹּקֶר.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And Chizkiyohu said, ”It is easier for the shade to advance ten steps.”** It is easy [for the shade] to remain in its place, and stay for ten steps, it is not something that is so conspicuous. Not so, rather let the shade go back, and the event will be a wonder, for they saw that the day was turning toward evening, and it returns to become morning [again].


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:11:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:11:1)

**אֲשֶׁר יָרְדָה בְּמַעֲלוֹת אָחָז.** יוֹם שֶׁמֵּת אָחָז, נִתְקַצֵּר הַיּוֹם וּמִהֵר הַצֵּל לֵירֵד עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִסְפָּד, וְאוֹתָן עֶשֶׂר שָׁעוֹת חָזְרוּ עַכְשָׁיו לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**That it had gone down on the steps of Achaz.** The day that Achaz died, the day was shortened,⁸ and the shade hurried to advance ten steps, so that he would not be eulogized,⁹ and those ten hours returned now for Chizkiyohu.¹⁰

footnotes:
⁸ Alternatively, it is called the steps of Achaz because he had built this sundial.—Radak
⁹ I.e., there would not be enough time to eulogize him. See Maseches Sanhedrin 96a and Rashi there.
¹⁰ From the day it was created, God prepared the sun for this miracle. Concerning the creation of the sun and other heavenly bodies, in Bereishis 1:14 states, “they will be for signs,” i.e., God used them as signs for Yehoshua and Tzidkiyohu.—Chizkuni


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:12:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:12:1)

**כִּי שָׁמַע כִּי חָלָה.** וְעַד אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם לֹא הָיָה אָדָם חוֹלֶה וְחָיָה, וְאֵיךְ שָׁמַע, לָמוּד הָיָה לֶאֱכֹל בְּשָׁלשׁ שָׁעוֹת בַּיּוֹם, וְיָשַׁן עַד תֵּשַׁע, כֵּיוָן שֶׁחָזַר גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, נֵעוֹר בְּתֶשַׁע שָׁעוֹת וּמָצָא שֶׁהוּא שַׁחֲרִית, בִּקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת עֲבָדָיו, אָמַר: אַתֶּם הִנַּחְתֶּם אוֹתִי לִישֹׁן יוֹם וָלַיְלָה, אָמְרוּ: גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה חָזַר, אָמַר לָהֶם: מִי הֶחֱזִירוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֱלֹהָיו שֶל חִזְקִיָּהוּ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּפְסִיקְתָּא.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**For he heard that Chizkiyohu was ill.** And until that day no person who had ever been ill, had become well. Now, how did he hear? He was accustomed to eat after three hours [had elapsed] in the day, and he would sleep until the ninth [hour of the day]. Because the cycle of the sun had gone backwards on account of Chizkiyohu, he awoke after nine hours [of the day] and found that it was morning, and he wanted to kill his servants. He said, ”You let me sleep a day and a night!” They replied, “The sun's cycle went backwards.” He asked them, “Who brought it back?” They said to him, “The God of Chizkiyohu,”¹¹ as is [stated] in Pesikta.

footnotes:
¹¹ He then sent messengers to inquire about this great event and eventually heard about Chizkiyohu's miraculous cure. See Maseches Sanhedrin 96a.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:13:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:13:1)

**בֵּית נְכֹתֹה.** בֵּית גִּנְזֵי בְּשָׂמָיו, כְּמוֹ: נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹט.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**His treasure house.** The storehouse of his spices,¹² as in, “spices [=נכאת], balm, and lotus.”¹³

footnotes:
¹² נכאת is a term used to describe choice possessions. Accordingly, the Gemara presents different opinions. Some say נכאת is “his treasure house,” others say, “his most powerful weapons,” i.e., his armory. Yet others say that he had his wife [=בית נכתה] wait on them and pour their drinks. See Maseches Sanhedrin 104a and Rashi there
¹³ Bereishis 37:25..


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:13:2
[Rashi on II Kings 20:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:13:2)

**וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַטּוֹב.** יֵשׁ פּוֹתְרִין שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, וְיֵשׁ פּוֹתְרִים שֶׁמֶן אֲפַרְסְמוֹן (בלסמון), שֶׁהוּא מָצוּי בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה רֹכְלָיִךְ בְּחִטֵּי מִנִּית וּפַנַּג. וְרָאִיתִי בְסֵפֶר יוֹסִיפוּן: פַּנַּג הוּא אֲפַרְסְמוֹן, וְגָדֵל בִּירִיחוֹ, וְעַל שֵׁם הָרֵיחַ נִקְרָא יְרִיחוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**The fine oil.** Some interpret this as the anointment oil, and others interpret it as balsam oil, which is found in Eretz Yisroel, as it is said, ”Yehudah and [Eretz] Yisroel, they were your merchants, with wheat of מנית and פנג,”¹⁴ and I saw in the book of Yosephun, that פנג is balsam, and it grows in Yericho, and because of its aroma [=ריח], it is called Yericho [=יריחו].

footnotes:
¹⁴ Yechezkeil 27:17.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:13:3
[Rashi on II Kings 20:13:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:13:3)

**לֹא הָיָה דָבָר.** אֶת הָאָרוֹן וְהַלּוּחוֹת וְסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**There was nothing.** [He even showed them] the Ark, the Luchos, and the Torah Scroll.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:14:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:14:1)

**מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה בָּאוּ.** זֶה אֶחָד מִשְּׁלשָׁה שֶׁבְּדָקָן הַקָּבָּ"ה וּמְצָאָן עָבִיט שֶל מַיִם עֲכוּרִים, קַיִן, יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, וּבִלְעָם. קַיִן: לֹא יָדַעְתִּי הֲשׁוֹמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי, הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶל עוֹלָם הֲלֹא כָל הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת גְּלוּיוֹת לְךָ, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּתַנְחוּמָא; בִּלְעָם, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם: מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּךְ, הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה יָדָעְתָּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּיחֶזְקֵאל, וְהוּא הֵשִׁיב בְּגַאֲוָה: בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח אֵלַי, הַרְבֵּה מְבַקְּשִׁים יֵשׁ לִי; חִזְקִיָּהוּ, הָיָה לוֹ לְהָשִׁיב לִישַׁעְיָהוּ, אַתָּה נְבִיאוֹ שֶל מָקוֹם, וְאַתָּה שׁוֹאֵל אֵלַי, הִתְחִיל חִזְקִיָּה מִתְגָּאֶה וְאָמַר: מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה בָּאוּ אֵלַי, לְכָךְ נֶעֱנַשׁ, וְעַל שֶׁשָּׂמַח עֲלֵיהֶם וְהֶאֱכִילָם עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**”They came from a distant land.”** This is one of the three [men] whom the Holy One, Blessed Is He, tested and found them to be a pot of muddy water: [The three are,] Kayin, Chizkiyohu and Bilam. Kayin [said], “I don't know, am I my brother's keeper?”¹⁵ He should have said, ”Master of the Universe are all hidden things not revealed to You?” as it is [stated] in [Midrash] Tanchuma. Bilam, when the Omnipresent said to him, ”Who are these men with you?”¹⁶ he should have said, “Adonoy God, You know!” as it is stated concerning Yechezkeil,¹⁷ but he replied arrogantly, ”Balak son of Tzippor, king of Moav, sent them to me,”¹⁸ [i.e.,] many people seek me. Chizkiyohu should have replied to Yeshayohu, ”You are the prophet of the Omnipresent, yet you are asking me?” [Instead,] Chizkiyohu began to become haughty, and said, ”They came to me from a distant land.”¹⁹ Therefore, he was punished, and also [he was punished] because he rejoiced over them,²⁰ and served them at his table.

footnotes:
¹⁵ Bereishis 4:9.
¹⁶ Bamidbar 22:9.
¹⁷ Yechezkeil 37:3.
¹⁸ Bamidbar 22:10.
¹⁹ Yeshayohu 39:3.
²⁰ God's wrath was mainly because Chizkiyohu distracted his visitors from God's glory by seeking to impress them with his own wealth. See II Divrei Hayomim 32:25.


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

**לֹא יִוָּתֵר דָּבָר.** מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, לֹא הָיָה דָּבָר.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**Nothing will remain.** You shall be paid measure for measure, [as stated above,] “There was nothing.”²¹

footnotes:
²¹ Verse 15 above.


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

**וּמִבָּנֶיךָ.** חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And some of your sons.** Chananyoh, Mishoeil, and Azaryoh.²²

footnotes:
²² Some say that they were eunuchs, because it was the custom to castrate those who served in the palace. Targum maintains that סריסים means ‘officers.’ It is merely a figurative expression used here to symbolize that paganism's impotence was acknowledged in their time. Chananyoh, Mishoeil and Azaryoh would risk their lives by defying the order to worship idols and be miraculously saved. See Maseches Sanhedrin 93b.


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

**טוֹב דְּבַר ה'.** מֵאַחַר שֶׁבְּיָמַי יִהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**”The word of Adonoy … is good.”** Because in my days there will be peace.²³

footnotes:
²³ God's punishment would not be meted out until after his death.


###### Rashi on II Kings 20:20:1
[Rashi on II Kings 20:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20II%20Kings/r/20:20:1)

**וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת הַבְּרֵכָה וְגוֹ'.** בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים.

**The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:**
**And how he made the pool, etc.** In Divrei Hayomim.²⁴

footnotes:
²⁴ See II Divrei Hayomim 32:3-4 and 30. When Sancheiriv began his march on Yerusholayim, Chizkiyohu closed off all the springs and streams outside Yerusholayim as a defensive strategy.