2 Chronicles 26:13-23

13 Under them were reinforcement troops numbering 307,000, with 500 of them on constant alert - a strong royal defense against any attack.
14 Uzziah had them well-armed with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingshots.
15 He also installed the latest in military technology on the towers and corners of Jerusalem for shooting arrows and hurling stones. He became well known for all this - a famous king. Everything seemed to go his way.
16 But then the strength and success went to his head. Arrogant and proud, he fell. One day, contemptuous of God, he walked into The Temple of God like he owned it and took over, burning incense on the Incense Altar.
17 The priest Azariah, backed up by eighty brave priests of God, tried to prevent him.
18 They confronted Uzziah: "You must not, you cannot do this, Uzziah - only the Aaronite priests, especially consecrated for the work, are permitted to burn incense. Get out of God's Temple; you are unfaithful and a disgrace!"
19 But Uzziah, censer in hand, was already in the middle of doing it and angrily rebuffed the priests. He lost his temper; angry words were exchanged - and then, even as they quarreled, a skin disease appeared on his forehead.
20 As soon as they saw it, the chief priest Azariah and the other priests got him out of there as fast as they could. He hurried out - he knew that God then and there had given him the disease.
21 Uzziah had his skin disease for the rest of his life and had to live in quarantine; he was not permitted to set foot in The Temple of God. His son Jotham, who managed the royal palace, took over the government of the country.
22 The rest of the history of Uzziah, from start to finish, was written by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
23 When Uzziah died, they buried him with his ancestors in a field next to the royal cemetery. His skin disease disqualified him from burial in the royal cemetery. His son Jotham became the next king.

2 Chronicles 26:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

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

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.