G12 U 1-3. Introduction.
V 4,5. Personal. Well-being.
W X 6,7. Event-foreign wars.
Y 8. Renown.
W X 9-15-. Events. Home affairs.
Y -15. Renown.
V 16-21. Personal. Evil-doing.
U 22,23. Conclusion.
1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah (= strength of Yehovah. Another spelling is Azariah. In Chronicles and the Prophets it is usually Uzziah, except in 1 Chron. 3:12), who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king (i.e. Amaziah) slept with his fathers. (See Deut. 31:16)
701-649. B.C.
3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign (2 Kings 15:1 says he began to reign in 27th year of Jeroboam. This leaves a gap of 13 years [714-701. 13 = rebellion, apostasy, defection, disintegration, revolution), and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord (cp. 25:2 and 2 Kings 15:3), according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 And he sought the [true] God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and (emphasizing the details the details) as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh (now "Yebnah". Between Joppa and Ashdod, on northern border of Judah), and the wall of Ashdod, and built fortresses about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. (See 20:1 and 1 Chron. 4:41)
8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
X a 9. Jerusalem.
b 10. Defenses. Forts, &c.
c 11-13. Armies.
b 14. Defenses. Armor.
a 15-. Jerusalem. Fortifications.
9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert, and dug many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an force of fighting men, that went out to war by troops, according to the number of their account under the direction of of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
12 The whole number of the head of the fathers of the mighty men of valor were two thousand and six hundred.
13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
15 And he made in Jerusalem engines (the Roman balista, or catapults, that would cast stones up to 300 lbs. a quarter of a mile), invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal.
And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped (or, marveled at for being helped), till he was strong. (This is the zone of real danger. When we are weak, then are we strong [2 Cor. 12:9,10;13:4].)
V d 16. Uzziah. Transgression.
e 17,18. Yahaveh. Opposition.
d 19-. Uzziah. Anger.
e -19-21. Yahaveh. Judgment.
652? B.C.
16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were sons of valor:
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, "It appertains not to you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are set apart (see Ex. 28:41) to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from the Lord God."
19 Then Uzziah was wroth,
and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests (1 of 11 rulers offended with God's faithful servants. See Ex. 10:28), the leprosy (1 of 9 affected. See Ex. 4:8. The death penalty of Num. 18:7 was thus limited) even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from there; yes, himself hasted also to go out (as did Haman [Est. 6:12]), because the Lord had smitten him.
21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in the separate house (or lazar house), being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet (raised up in his reign. Wrote parts of 2 Kings, and his prophecy, cp. 32:32), the son of Amoz, write.
23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers (see Deut. 34:16), and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings (not in the royal sepulchers); for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.