Chapter 26

1 Uzziah succeeding, and reigning well in the days of Zechariah, prospereth. 16 Waxing proud, he invadeth the priest’s office, and is smitten with leprosy. 22 He dieth, and Jotham succeedeth him.

1. Uzziah. Nearly all of this chapter is additional to the record of Uzziah’s reign found in 2 Kings 14:21, 22 and 15:1–7. The separation of the record of Uzziah’s reign into these two sections in Kings, with the narrative of Jeroboam’s reign coming in between (2 Kings 14:23–29), has led some to the conclusion that the items concerning Uzziah that are found in 2 Kings 14:21, 22 occur as an appendage to the account of Amaziah’s reign, and that the second introduction of Uzziah’s reign, coming after the account of Jeroboam II, may indicate that Uzziah had a period of coregency with his father, with the second entry referring to the beginning of his sole reign. The name Uzziah is used uniformly in Chronicles, except in 1 Chron. 3:12, where the name Azariah appears in a genealogy. In the Assyrian records the term Azriau, now generally identified as Azariah, is used. Except for the spelling “Azariah,” 2 Chron. 26:1, 2 is identical with 2 Kings 14:21, 22.

2. Eloth. A city on the Gulf of Aqabah not far from Ezion-geber (see on 2 Kings 14:22).

3. Sixteen years. Verses 3 and 4 are parallel to 2 Kings 15:2, 3. The synchronism with Israel (2 Kings 15:1) is, as usual, not included in Chronicles, since the latter does not deal with the reigns of the northern kingdom.

5. Zechariah. This is the only mention of this prophet.

Sought the Lord. Such statements, which constantly point out the blessings of obedience and the bitter fruitage of transgression, are characteristic of Chronicles.

6. Against the Philistines. Verses 6–15 deal with Uzziah’s military adventures, his public works, and his strength in arms. This section is found only in Chronicles and is an important contribution to information regarding the nature of Uzziah’s reign. It is thought that “Azriau of Iauda” in the Assyrian records was Azariah (Uzziah)of Judah. If so, these records (see on 2 Kings 14:28; 16:5) confirm the picture given in the Bible of Uzziah’s military importance.

7. Philistines. The Philistines and Arabians are also named together in chs. 17:11; 21:16.

Gur-baal. This place is unknown, though some think that it was probably a place in Edom.

The Mehunims. These were the people of Maon, in the vicinity of Mt. Seir (see on ch. 20:1).

8. The Ammonites. Compare ch. 20:1, where the Ammonites are mentioned as forming one group of a confederacy that attacked Jehoshaphat.

9. Towers in Jerusalem. Walls in Oriental cities still have great towers at the city gates. These are for the housing of troops and the storage of arms in times of emergency. The gate here mentioned was probably at the northwest corner of the city (see ch. 25:23).

The valley gate. This was probably the gate at the southwest corner (see Neh. 2:13; 3:13). See The Walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s Day.

Turning of the wall. Compare Neh. 3:19, 20, 25. Some think this tower was on the eastern side of Zion, at a bend in the wall, and thus served to defend both Zion and Mt. Moriah against attacks from the southeast.

10. In the desert. That is, in the grazing areas. The towers were for protection against marauding bands of Bedouins.

Plains. Heb. mishor, “level ground,” sometimes applied to the fertile tableland between the Arnon and Heshbon (see Deut. 3:10; 4:43; Joshua 13:9, 16, 17, 21; 20:8; Jer. 48:8, 21), but here a territory in Judah is evidently referred to.

Carmel. This word should probably be translated “orchards.” However, there was a place called Carmel in Judah 7 mi. south of Hebron.

13. An army. The size of the army, 307,500 men, is comparable to the size of Amaziah’s army of 300,000 men (ch. 25:5), but is considerably less than the armies attributed to Asa (ch. 14:8) and Jehoshaphat (ch. 17:14–18).

With mighty power. If Uzziah was the Azriau of the Assyrian inscriptions, he must have been the dominating figure in Western Asia during the reign of Tiglath-pileser III (745–727). See on 2 Kings 14:28.

14. Slings to cast stones. Literally, “for stones of slings.” Perhaps stones for use in slings are meant.

15. Engines. These may have been similar to the later Roman catapult, or ballista.

Spread far abroad. Tiglath-pileser III has a number of references to “Azriau of Iauda” (see on v. 13).

16. Transgressed against the Lord. Under ordinary circumstances only the priests were allowed to enter the Temple, and only they were permitted to offer incense on the golden altar before the veil (see Num. 18:1–7). Uzziah was guilty of presumption in his attempt to assume this sacred priestly prerogative.

17. With him fourscore priests. Uzziah had probably entered the Temple with a considerable retinue and might have made an endeavor to resist the high priest’s attempt to expel him, but Azariah was prepared to resort to force if necessary.

18. For thine honour. Transgression is never an honor but a shame. Uzziah marred his noble record by his sin in the latter part of his reign.

19. Was wroth. One sin almost invariably leads to another. The priests were doing their duty in endeavoring to restrain the king from offering sacrifice. But that he, the king, should be thus restrained filled him with violent wrath.

Leprosy even rose up. While the king stood before the Lord with his heart filled with wrath and rebellion, a visitation from God came upon him. Smitten with leprosy, he realized with horror that the hand of God had touched him.

20. Thrust him out. Seizing the smitten king, the priests were prepared to thrust him forcibly from the Temple. In terror Uzziah hastily withdrew.

21. Several house. That is, a separate house. Lepers were not permitted by Hebrew law to dwell with others, but must abide alone, anciently, “without the camp” (Lev. 13:46).

Cut off. Never again was the king permitted to enter the sacred precincts of the Temple.

Over the king’s house. Jotham became regent, ruling the country from the time that his father was stricken with leprosy.

22. Isaiah. Isaiah received his glorious vision of God “in the year that king Uzziah died” (Isa. 6:1). Since he seems to have continued his prophetic ministry up to the reign of Esarhaddon (Isa. 37:38), who came to the throne of Assyria in 681 b.c. he must have been a young man when he began his work about 740 (see PK 305, 310).

23. Field of the burial. “In the city of David” (2 Kings 15:7). The meaning is probably that Azariah was buried in a burial plot belonging to the kings, but not in the royal tombs themselves.

Ellen G. White comments

1–23PK 303–305

15 PK 303

16–21PK 304