2 Chronicles 26

1 Meanwhile, all the people of Y'hudah had taken 'Uziyahu at the age of sixteen and made him king in place of his father Amatzyahu.

2 He recovered Eilot for Y'hudah and rebuilt it; it was after this that the king [Amatzyahu] slept with his ancestors.

3 'Uziyahu was sixteen years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for fifty-two years in Yerushalayim. His mother's name was Y'kholyahu, from Yerushalayim.

4 He did what was right from ADONAI's perspective, following the example of everything his father Amatzyahu had done.

5 He consulted God during the lifetime of Z'kharyahu, who understood visions of God; and as long as he consulted ADONAI, God gave him success.

6 He went out to fight the P'lishtim, breaking down the walls of Gat, Yavneh and Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the P'lishtim.

7 God helped him against the P'lishtim, against the Arabs living in Gur-Ba'al, and against the Me'unim.

8 The 'Amonim brought tribute to 'Uziyahu, and his fame spread abroad as far as the Egyptian frontier, since he kept growing stronger.

9 'Uziyahu built towers in Yerushalayim at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the Angle, and fortified them.

10 He built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock, likewise in the Sh'felah and the coastal plain. He had farmers and vineyard-workers in the hills and in the fertile lands, because he loved the soil.

11 'Uziyahu had a standing army of fit soldiers divided into units according to the census taken by the secretary Ye'i'el and the officer Ma'aseiyah, under the direction of Hananyah, one of the king's officials.

12 The total number of clan heads over these strong, brave men was 2,600.

13 They directed a trained army of 307,500 fighting men, a strong force supporting the king in war against the enemy.

14 'Uziyahu equipped them, the whole army, with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows and slingstones.

15 In Yerushalayim he built devices designed by experts for the towers and angles, from which to shoot arrows and lob large stones. His fame spread far and wide, for he was miraculously helped, until he became strong.

16 But when he was strong, he became arrogant, which caused him to become corrupt, so that he sinned against ADONAI his God by going into the temple of ADONAI to burn incense on the incense altar.

17 'Azaryahu the cohen went in after him, and with him were eighty of ADONAI's cohanim, brave men.

18 They stood up to 'Uziyahu the king; they told him, "It isn't your job, 'Uziyahu, to burn incense to ADONAI! The job of burning incense belongs to the cohanim, the descendants of Aharon, who have been consecrated. Get out of the sanctuary! You have trespassed, and ADONAI, God, will not honor you for this."

19 This made 'Uziyahu angry as he stood there with a censer in his hand ready to burn incense; and in his anger at the cohanim, tzara'at broke out on his forehead right in front of the cohanim in the house of ADONAI beside the altar for incense.

20 'Azaryahu the chief cohen and all the cohanim stared at him -there he was, with tzara'at on his forehead! Quickly they threw him out of there; and indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because ADONAI had struck him.

21 'Uziyahu the king had tzara'at until his dying day; he lived in a separate house because he had tzara'at, and was not allowed into the house of ADONAI. Meanwhile, Yotam the king's son ran the king's household and was regent over the people of the land.

22 Other activities of 'Uziyahu, from beginning to end, were recorded by Yesha'yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz.

23 So 'Uziyahu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him with his ancestors in the graveyard belonging to the kings, because they said, "He had tzara'at."Then Yotam his son took his place as king.

2 Chronicles 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

Uzziah's good reign in Judah. (1-15) Uzziah's attempt to burn incense. (16-23)

Verses 1-15 As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper. Those only prosper whom God makes to prosper; for prosperity is his gift. Many have owned, that as long as they sought the Lord, and kept close to their duty, they prospered; but when they forsook God, every thing went cross. God never continues either to bless the indolent or to withhold his blessing from the diligent. He will never suffer any to seek his face in vain. Uzziah's name was famed throughout all the neighbouring countries. A name with God and good people makes truly honourable. He did not delight in war, nor addict himself to sports, but delighted in husbandry.

Verses 16-23 The transgression of the kings before Uzziah was, forsaking the temple of the Lord, and burning incense upon idolatrous altars. But his transgression was, going into the holy place, and attempting to burn incense upon the altar of God. See how hard it is to avoid one extreme, and not run into another. Pride of heart was at the bottom of his sin; a lust that ruins many. Instead of lifting up the name God in gratitude to him who had done so much for him, his heart was lifted up to his hurt. Men's pretending to forbidden knowledge, and seeking things too high for them, are owing to pride of heart. The incense of our prayers must be, by faith, put into the hands of our Lord Jesus, the great High Priest of our profession, else we cannot expect it to be accepted by God, ( Revelation 8:3 ) . Though Uzziah strove with the priests, he would not strive with his Maker. But he was punished for his transgression; he continued a leper to his death, shut out from society. The punishment answered the sin as face to face in a glass. Pride was at the bottom of his transgression, and thus God humbled him, and put dishonour upon him. Those that covet forbidden honours, forfeit allowed ones. Adam, by catching at the tree of knowledge which he might not eat of, debarred himself of the tree of life which he might have eaten of. Let all that read say, The Lord is righteous. And when the Lord sees good to throw prosperous and useful men aside, as broken vessels, if he raises up others to fill their places, they may rejoice to renounce all worldly concerns, and employ their remaining days in preparation for death.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 26

This chapter relates the good reign of Uzziah, 2Ch 26:1-5, his wars and victories, his buildings, the number of his soldiers, and his military stores, 2Ch 26:6-15, his invasion of the priest's office, in attempting to offer incense, for which he was smitten with a leprosy, which continued to his death, 2Ch 26:16-23.

the three following verses, see the notes on 2Ki 14:21,22, 15:2,3 where Uzziah is called Azariah. \\See Gill on "2Ki 14:21"\\ \\See Gill on "2Ki 14:22"\\ \\See Gill on "2Ki 15:2"\\ \\See Gill on "2Ki 15:3"\\ 19692-950125-1735-2Ch26.2