1Uzziah succeedeth Amaziah, and reigning well in the days of Zechariah the seer prospereth. 9His buildings: 11his host, and engines of war. 16Growing proud he invadeth the priests' office, is opposed by Azariah, and smitten with leprosy by God. 22He dieth; Jotham succeedeth him.
1THEN1a all the people of Judah took 2Uzziah, who was 3sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
1 Namely, when his father Amaziah fled to Lachish. See 2 Kings 14 on verse 21.
a 2 Kings 14:21.
2 Called also Azariah, 2 Kings 14:21.
3 Hebr. a son of sixteen year, and so in the sequel.
2Heb built 4Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
b 2 Kings 14:22.
4 Called also Elath, 2 Kings 14:22. See of this city 1 Kings 9 on verse 26.
3Sixteenc years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
c 2 Kings 15:2.
4And he 5did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, 6according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 That is, he set up and maintained the pure worship of God, which was fallen into decay about the end of the reign of Amaziah.
6 In the government of his kingdom he did not only follow the footsteps of his father, but was also become like unto in the last; for, as his father Amaziah, after that he had overcome the Edomites, fell to idolatry, 2 Chron. 25:14, so likewise did Uzziah, after that he became mighty and successful, fell into this presumption, that he himself wanted to be clothed with the priest’s office, verse 16.
5And 7he sought God in the days of Zechariah, 8who had understanding 9in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
7 Hebr. he was to seek God. What it is to seek God, see 2 Chron. 11 on verse 16. Understand that he was busy in seeking God.
8 Other, who made him wise, that is, who taught and instructed him; for, the Hebrew word signifies not only to have understanding and to be understanding, but also sometimes to make another wise and understanding by good doctrine and instruction.
9 Other, in the fears of God. Understand by visions the entire doctrine of what was to be believed and practiced unto salvation, revealed by Moses and the other prophets, and daily imprinted by them upon the people, expounded and applied.
6And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of 10Gath, and the wall of 11Jabneh, and the wall of 12Ashdod, and built cities 13about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
10 See of this city 1 Kings 2 on verse 39.
11 A city of the Philistines at the Mediterranean Sea.
12 Also a city in the land of the Philistines; of which see Joshua 11:22; 15:46; 1 Sam. 5:1.
13 Understand the land, belonging to the city of Ashdod.
7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in 14Gur-baal, and the 15Mehunims.
14 A place situated southward of Judea, as the Philistines were westward of it and the Ammonites eastward.
15 The name of a certain region and people.
8And the 16Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and 17his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself 18exceedingly.
16 See 2 Chron. 20 on verse 1.
17 That is, he became very famous and renowned. Compare verse 15; 1 Chron. 14:17; Ezek. 16:14.
18 The word in the original is likewise so taken 1 Chron. 14:2; 23:17; 29:25; 2 Chron. 1:1.
9Moreover Uzziah built 19towers in Jerusalem at the 20corner gate, and at the 21valley gate, and at 22the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
19 Namely, at the walls which Joash, the king of Israel, had broken down at the time of Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25:23.
20 Hebr. the gate of the corner. See 2 Kings 14 on verse 13.
21 Hebr. the gate of the valley. See of this Neh. 2:13; 3:13.
22 Or, turnings, namely, of the wall. Others retain the word Mikzoa, as the proper name of a tower or stronghold in the highest part of the city of David. See hereof also Neh. 3:19, 24.
10Also he built 23towers in the desert, and digged many 24wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in 25Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
23 Namely, of Arabia, to prevent the raids from there, which were made in the days of Joram, 2 Chron. 21:16.
24 Wherein they gathered and kept water for the use for man and beast.
25 That is, in the agriculture or region of the city Carmel, situated by the wilderness of Maon, in the tribe of Judah, very fruitful, and abounding with beautiful fruits and vineyards. Elsewhere Carmel is a mountain situated in the tribe of Issachar, exceeding well planted, sown and very fruitful. See 1 Kings 18 on verse 19, from where it arises that fruitful countries are called a Carmel. See 2 Kings 19 on verse 23.
11Moreover Uzziah had an 26host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account 27by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under 28the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
26 Understand some ordinary bands of soldiers, which the king had in readiness for any urgent occasion which might happen. Compare 1 Chronicles 27; 2 Chron. 17:14.
27 That is, which mustering was performed by means of Jeiel, etc.
28 That is, under the conduct. Also verse 13.
12The whole number of the 29chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.
29 Also 2 Chron. 23:2.
13And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made 30war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
30 Hebr. doing war; that is, that practiced war, were suitable for war and permitted themselves to be used for it. See 1 Kings 12 on verse 21.
14And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons,d and bows, and 31slings to cast stones.
d coat of mail*
31 That is, stones, which they were to throw with the sling at the enemy. With such a sling-cast David hit the giant Goliath in the forehead in such a way that he was struck down by it, 1 Sam. 17:49. Compare Job 41:28.
15And he made in Jerusalem 32engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. 33And his name spread far abroad; 34for he was marvellously helped, 35till he was strong.
32 Hebr. devices by the device of the devisor, that is, artful and well devised works, contrived by the skilful invention of a cunning or skilful craftsman or engineer.
33 See on verse 8.
34 Hebr. he made it marvelously with, or to be helped; namely, of God, Who is a buckler to all those that trust in him, Psalm 18:30.
35 Or, strengthened, namely, in his kingdom.
16¶But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went 36into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
36 Understand into the holy place, where the altar of incense stood, and into which no man was permitted to come, much less to offer incense, save the priests only. This place in verse 18 is called the sanctuary.
17And Azariah the 37priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
37 Understand the high priest. See 1 Chron. 6:10, and below verse 20.
18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, 38It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the 39sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour 40from the LORD God.
38 Compare Exod. 30:7, etc.
39 See on verse 16, where this sanctuary is called the temple. Compare 1 Kings 8:10, and the annotation.
40 Namely, because He will not approve of it, but will surely punish it.
1941Then Uzziah was 42wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests 43in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
41 Some perceive that at that time the earthquake occurred, of which see Amos 1:1; Zech. 14:5, as a public proof of God’s anger against this king.
42 Of the Hebrew word see Gen. 40 on verse 6.
43 Namely, from the Lord, Who seems to have shot something from above or from beside this altar against the king’s face, which caused this leprosy.
20And Azariah 44the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself 45hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
44 Hebr. the priest the head, namely, of the priests, that is, the chief priest.
45 Compare Esther 6:12.
21Ande Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt 46in a several house, being a leper; for he was 47cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, 48judging the people of the land.
e 2 Kings 15:5.
46 Lev. 13:46; Num. 5:2; 12:14. See further 2 Kings 15 on verse 5.
47 That is, he was declared to be unclean and was to dwell alone, and not permitted to come into the people’s court, into the public congregation, and that according to the law, Lev. 13:46.
48 That is, governing and executing judgment. See 2 Kings 15 on verse 5.
22¶Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
23So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers 49in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
49 That is, in the field, wherein were the sepulchers of the kings; howbeit, they buried not his body, because of the leprosy, in or among those sepulchers, but in a distinct and separate place.