What is the meaning of "Resom ha'Merkavah la'Rechesh [Yosheves Lachish]"?
Rashi: Tie the chariot to the horse, which runs quickly, and flee! Dunash says that this is Arabic.
Radak: Also here, the words are similar - la'Rechesh is like Lachish. It is like "Rochevei ha'Rechesh" (Esther 8:14). It is a fast animal. I.e. go speedily to Galus!
Malbim: They initially started to serve idolatry in Lachish. We find that Amatziyah Melech Yehudah began to serve Elohei Se'ir and his servants rebelled against him 1 . It says "va'Yis'u Oso Al ha'Susim va'Yikaver bi'Yrushalayim" (Melachim II, 14:20). Idolaters (their primary idolatry was the sun, which they considered to rule in Shamayim) designated horses and a chariot for its Avodah. When the sun came out, they went to greet it in the east with a chariot and horses ? "va'Yashbes Es ha'Susim Asher Nasnu Malchei Yehudah la'Shemesh? v'Es Markevos ha'Shemesh Saraf ba'Esh" (Melachim II, 23:11). Amatziyah had special horses in Lachish for Avodas ha'Shemesh. When Ovedei Hashem overpowered and killed him, they carried his body on those horses for disgrace. They used to make the chariots from Resem wood, which store the sun's heat for many days, like the Gemara says 2 . Resom ha'Merkavah ? cover the known Merkavah, of the sun, with Resom, to hint to the sun's constant heat and fire. Do not cover the Rechesh (horse), just saddle it, to flee the enemy.
Malbim: He fled to Lachish and ruled there for 12 years and Uziyah ruled in Yerushalayim, like I explained in Melachim II, Perek 14. In Yerushalayim, Kohanei Hashem had Kin'ah (objected to) idolatry, and in Lachish they supported him. He reigned for 12 years, until Yoshevei Yerushalayim overpowered and killed him.
Bava Basra 74b says that its coals burn a long time. Rashi (Tehilim 120:4) says that only Resamim coals keep burning inside even after the outside extinguished. Perhaps Malbim explains that this is because the sun's heat is stored inside. (PF)
Why does it say "Reishis Chatas Hi l'Vas Tziyon"?
Radak: Lachish is a city of Yehudah. It initially learned Avodas ha'Be'alim from Yisrael, for Achav began to serve them; Yaravam did not serve Ba'al.
Malbim: It is the first place in Malchus Yehudah where they began this Chatas (serving the sun).
What do we learn from "Ki Vach Nimtze'u Pish'ei Yisrael"?
Radak: Avodas ha'Be'alim spread within Yisrael. Yehudah did not serve Be'alim. Lachish learned to serve them from Yisrael ? it was found in you first, and spread in Yehudah until Tziyon.
Malbim: Avodas ha'Shemesh, which was among the sins of Yisrael (the 10 tribes), was found in you (Lachish), even though you are from Yehudah.
