That is what is written: “One hand to another will not be absolved from evil, [but the descendant of the righteous will escape]” (Proverbs 11:21). Bar Kappara said: Aḥaz and all the wicked kings of Israel have no portion in the World to Come, as it is stated: “All their kings have fallen, none of them calls to me” (Hosea 7:7). But he is enumerated among the tally of the years of kings, as it is stated: “In the days of Uziyahu, Yotam, Aḥaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isaiah 1:1).11The midrash sees the fact that he is included in this list together with righteous kings as indicating that he was righteous.
Rav Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is because he had humility. How so? When the prophet came to rebuke him, he would go out to a place of impurity saying that the Divine Presence does not rest in a place of impurity.12He was embarrassed to hear the prophet’s rebuke, and therefore sought to avoid him by going to a place of impurity, where the prophet would not want to go because it might mean missing out on any potential prophecy (Etz Yosef).
That is what is written: “The Lord said to Isaiah: Go out now to Aḥaz, you and She’ar Yashuv your son, to the end of the channel of the upper pool, on the path of the launderer’s field [sede khoves]” (Isaiah 7:3). Do not read it as khoves, but rather, as lower [khovesh]. How so? When the prophet would come to rebuke him, he would lower his face [in shame].
Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: It is because he was tormented over his firstborn son. That is what is written: “Zikhri, a mighty warrior of Ephraim, killed Maaseyahu the king’s son, and Azrikam chief official of the house, and Elkana the viceroy” (II Chronicles 28:7).13The suffering he endured as a result of the death of his son atoned for the sins he had committed until that point (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Hoshaya the Great said: It is because his father was a righteous man.
That is what Hezekiah says: “Behold, with peace, it is very bitter for me [mar li mar]” (Isaiah 38:17). It is bitter [mar] for me from before me, from Aḥaz; it is bitter for me from after me, from Menashe.14Hezekiah was righteous but his father, Aḥaz, and his son, Menashe, were wicked. Rather, Menashe’s father was righteous and his son was wicked, but Aḥaz’s father was righteous and his son was righteous.15Consequently, Aḥaz is listed among the righteous kings but Menashe is not, even though Isaiah prophesied in his time as well.
Rabbi Simon said: “But the descendant of the righteous [tzaddik] will escape”16Singular. is not written here, but rather, “the descendant of the righteous [tzaddikim]”17Plural. – one who is inserted between two righteous men will escape. Rabbi Pinḥas said: Anyone who performs a mitzva and seeks to take his reward for it, “one hand to another will not be absolved from evil” (Proverbs 11:21), he is wicked and will not leave anything to his children.
Rabbi Simon said: Like a man who says: ‘Here is the sack, here is the sela, here is the se’a; arise and take.’ So, had the early patriarchs demanded to receive their reward for the minor mitzvot that they performed in this world, from where would merit remain for their descendants after them, as it says: “I will remember My covenant with Jacob.”