2 Chronicles 26

1 Forsooth all the people of Judah made Uzziah , his son, of sixteen years age, king for his father Amaziah. (Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, or Azariah, Amaziah's son, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father.)
2 He builded Eloth (And he rebuilt Eloth), and restored it to the lordship of Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
3 Uzziah was of sixteen years (Uzziah was sixteen years old), when he began to reign; and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Jecoliah, of Jerusalem.
4 And he did that, that was rightful in the sight of the Lord, by all things which Amaziah, his father, had done.
5 And he sought the Lord in the days of Zechariah, understanding and seeing God (who had understanding in the visions of God); and when he sought God, God ruled him in all things.
6 And he went out, and fought against (the) Philistines, and destroyed the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he builded strong places in Ashdod, and in Philistines (and he built fortified cities in Ashdod, and among the Philistines).
7 And the Lord helped him both against Philistines, and against Arabians that dwelled in Gurbaal, and against Ammonites. (And the Lord helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabs who lived in Gurbaal, and against the Meunites/and the Mehunims.)
8 [And] Ammonites paid gifts to Uzziah (And the Ammonites paid tribute, or taxes, to Uzziah), and his name was published unto the entering of Egypt for his oft victories.
9 And Uzziah builded towers in Jerusalem over the gate of the corner, and over the gate of the valley, and other towers in the same side of the wall (and other towers on the same side of the wall); and he made those steadfast, or strong.
10 Also he builded towers in the wilderness, and digged full many cisterns; for he had many beasts, as well in the field places, as in the vastness of desert (for he had many beasts, in the fields, and in the vast wilderness). Also he had vineries, and tillers of vines in the hills/in the great mountain(s), and in Carmel; for he was a man given to earth-tilling.
11 And (he had) the host of his warriors, that went forth to battles, under the hand of Jeiel, (the) scribe, and of Maaseiah, the teacher, and under the hand of Hananiah, that was of the dukes of the king. (And he had the army of his warriors, who went forth to battle, all listed, or registered, by Jeiel, the writer, or the royal secretary, and Maaseiah, the teacher, and Hananiah, who was one of the king's leaders;)
12 and all the number of (the) princes, by their families, was of strong men two thousand and six hundred. (and the number of all the leaders of his fighting men, by their families, was two thousand and six hundred.)
13 And under them was all the host, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that were able to battle (who were well able for battle), and fought for the king against (his) adversaries.
14 And Uzziah made ready to them, that is, to all the host, shields, and spears, and basinets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. (And Uzziah had made for all his army, many shields, and spears, helmets, and breastplates, and bows, and slings to throw stones.)
15 And he made in Jerusalem engines of diverse kind, which he set in towers, and in the corners of walls, that those should cast out arrows and great stones (from which they would send out arrows and great stones); and his name went out far, for the Lord helped him, and had made him strong.
16 But when he was made strong, his heart was raised up into his perishing; and he despised the Lord his God (for he defied the Lord his God); and he entered into the temple of the Lord, and would burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And anon Azariah, the priest, entered after him, and with him sixty priests of the Lord, men full noble; (And at once, the High Priest Azariah went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord, all very noble men;)
18 which against-stood the king, and said to him, Uzziah, it is not of thine office, that thou burn incense to the Lord, but of the priests of the Lord, that is, the sons of Aaron, that be hallowed to such service; go thou out of the saintuary; and despise thou not God; for this thing shall not be areckoned of the Lord God to thee into glory. (who stood against the king, and said to him, Uzziah, it is not thy duty to burn incense to the Lord, but only the duty of the priests of the Lord, that is, the sons of Aaron, who be consecrated for such service; go thou out of the sanctuary; offend thou not; for this thing shall not be counted as glory for thee by the Lord God.)
19 And Uzziah was wroth, and he held in his hand the censer for to offer incense, and he menaced the priests; and anon leprosy was sprung forth in his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, upon the altar of incense. (And Uzziah was angry, and he held in his hand the censer to offer incense, and he threatened the priests; and at once leprosy sprung out on his forehead, in front of the priests in the House of the Lord, as they stood by the altar of incense.)
20 And when Azariah, the bishop, had beheld him, and also all the other priests, they saw leprosy in his forehead, and anon they putted the king out of the temple; but also he was afeared, and hasted to go out; for he feeled anon the vengeance of the Lord. (And when the High Priest Azariah, and all the other priests, beheld him, and they saw that leprosy had sprung out on his forehead, they put the king out of the Temple at once; and he was afraid, and hastened to go out; for he felt at once the vengeance of the Lord.)
21 Therefore king Uzziah was leprous unto the day of his death, and dwelled in an house by itself (and lived in a house set apart), and he was full of leprosy; for which he was cast out of the house of the Lord. And Jotham, his son, governed the house of the king, and deemed the people of the land.
22 And Isaiah, the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote the residue of the former and of the last words of Uzziah. (And the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, wrote down the rest of the first and the last deeds of Uzziah.)
23 And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried not him in the field of the kings? sepulchres, for he was leprous; and Jotham, his son, reigned for him. (And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in a field, and not in the tombs of the kings, for he was leprous; and his son Jotham reigned for him.)

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

2 Chronicles 26 Commentaries

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.