=1‒4= (= 2 Kings xiv. 21, 22, xv. 2, 3).
UZZIAH’S REIGN.
¹And all the people of Judah took Uzziah¹, who was sixteen
years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
¹ In 2 Kings xiv. 21, _Azariah_.
=1.= _all the people of Judah_] Popular choice does not seem to have
determined the succession to the throne, except when the reigning king
had perished by a violent or untimely death, compare xxii. 1.
_Uzziah_] Called “Azariah” in 1 Chronicles iii. 12 and in 2 Kings
(eight times), but “Uzziah” in 2 Kings xv. 13, 32, 34; Isaiah i. 1,
vi. 1; Hosea i. 1; Amos i. 1; Zechariah xiv. 5. The two forms of the
name when written in Hebrew consonants closely resemble each other;
moreover the meanings of the two are similar, “Jah is my strength”
and “Jah hath given help.” Perhaps the king bore both names; compare
“Abram” and “Abraham”――“Eliakim” and “Jehoiakim” (xxxvi. 4).
²He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king
slept with his fathers.
=2.= _Eloth_] So spelt in viii. 17 (= 1 Kings ix. 26), but “Elath” in
Deuteronomy ii. 8; 2 Kings xiv. 22. In 2 Kings xvi. 6 the two forms are
found side by side in one verse.
_after that the king_, etc.] The meaning seems to be it was after king
_Amaziah_ slept with his fathers that _Uzziah_ his son restored Elath
to Judah; and it is a natural inference that Uzziah was ruling in
Jerusalem for some while before the death of Amaziah at Lachish left
him sole and undisputed king. A considerable time may have elapsed
between Amaziah’s flight and his capture as related in xxv. 27. Yet
this is not very likely, and from the position of the present verse
in Kings it would seem as though the statement in its original context
should be interpreted thus: “he, _Amaziah_, built Eloth,” etc.; and
the king referred to in the clause “after that the king slept with
his fathers” is probably Jeroboam king of Israel (so Barnes on 2 Kings
xiv. 22).
³Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he
reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name
was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.
=3.= _Jechiliah_] so the _Kethīb_; the _Ḳerī_ =Jecoliah= agrees with
the parallel passage of Kings.
⁴And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD,
according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
=4.= _his father Amaziah_] This verse suits its original context in
Kings, for Kings records nothing against Amaziah; it is out of place in
Chronicles, for according to xxv. 14 Amaziah was an idolater.
=5‒10= (not in Kings).
THE PROSPERITY OF UZZIAH.
=5‒10.= It is probable that the Chronicler had old and genuine
tradition to rely on for the account which he here gives of Uzziah’s
prosperity――his wars against neighbouring tribes (verses 6‒8), and
his building activity (verses 8‒10). Doubtless in the earlier years of
Uzziah’s reign Judah was still suffering from the effects of the defeat
inflicted by Joash of Israel. But the general accuracy of the picture
of the reign is assured by such facts as (1) the stout resistance
offered by Jerusalem to the Assyrians in Hezekiah’s time as contrasted
with its capture by the Israelites in Amaziah’s reign (xxv. 23);
(2) the frequency of metaphors from building implements and materials
in the pages of the prophets of this period (e.g. Amos vii. 7 ff.);
(3) the commercial activity and luxury of Jerusalem in the reign of
Uzziah’s successor Ahaz――witness the writings of Isaiah, _passim_.
⁵And he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who
had understanding¹ in the vision² of God: and as long as he
sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
¹ Or, _gave instruction_.
² Hebrew _the seeing_. Many ancient authorities have, _the
fear_.
=5.= _Zechariah_] Nothing is known (apart from this passage) of this
Zechariah.
_who had understanding_] margin, “who gave instruction Hebrew _mēbhīn_,
a word applied to a leader of song (1 Chronicles xv. 22, “skilful”; 1
Chronicles xxv. 7, “cunning”; 1 Chronicles xxv. verse 8, “teacher”).
_in the vision of God_] Read, =in the fear of God= (so LXX., Targum
Peshitṭa), making a slight correction of the Hebrew text.
⁶And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake
down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of
Ashdod; and he built cities in _the country of_ Ashdod, and
among the Philistines.
=6.= _the Philistines_] Compare xvii. 11, xxi. 16, xxviii. 18; 2 Kings
xviii. 8; 1 Maccabees v. 66‒68, xiv. 34.
_brake down the wall_] See note on xxv. 23.
_Jabneh_] Mentioned only here in the Old Testament, but probably
to be identified with “Jabneel” (Joshua xv. 11). At a later date
it was called “Jamnia” (2 Maccabees xii. 8), and, after the fall of
Jerusalem in 70 A.D., it became for a while the chief centre of Jewish
intellectual and religious activities. Its ruins are to be seen about
10 miles south of Jaffa (Joppa) on the coast. The modern Yebna is a few
miles inland. Bädeker, _Palestine_⁵, p. 122.
_Ashdod_] compare 1 Samuel v. 1 ff.; Isaiah xx. 1; Zephaniah ii. 4;
Nehemiah iv. 7, xxiii. 23; Acts viii, 40 (Ἄζωτος). Ashdod (modern
_Esdūd_) was situated between Gaza and Joppa, some three miles from the
sea.
_in_ the country of _Ashdod_] (literally “in Ashdod”). Perhaps the name
has been repeated through an early scribal error and we should read
simply “and built cities among the Philistines.”
⁷And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the
Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim.
=7.= _against the Philistines, and against the Arabians_] “Conditions
in the comparatively small and half-desert land of Judah depended
essentially on its relations with the Edomite and Arabian tribes on
the south-east and with the Philistines on the west”: note how this
comes out in the traditions of the period as narrated in Chronicles
Jehoshaphat dominated both Philistines and Arabians (Edomites) (xvii.
11); but Libnah (near Lachish) and Edom revolted successfully against
his son Jehoram (xxi. 10). After the reigns of Ahaziah and Joash,
Amaziah found himself able to assail Edom and gained a great victory
(xxv. 11, 12). Later in his reign Amaziah suffered a crushing defeat
at the hands of Joash of Israel, and it is reasonable to suppose that
Edom would seize the opportunity to reassert its independence, though
Chronicles is silent on the point. It is therefore in harmony with the
sequence of events as narrated by the Chronicler, when in the present
verse (compare verse 2) we are told that Amaziah’s successor, Uzziah,
reestablished the Judean power over Edom, and that later, against Ahaz,
Edom and the Philistine cities gained the upper hand (xxviii. 17, 18).
_Gur-baal_] An unidentified place; a “Gur” is mentioned in 2 Kings
ix. 27. A slight correction of the Hebrew would give “in Gerar (compare
Genesis xx. 1) and against the Meunim.”
_Meunim_] compare xx. 1 (note).
⁸And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread
abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he waxed exceeding
strong.
=8.= _gave gifts_] i.e. tribute. Compare 1 Chronicles xviii. 2 (note).
⁹Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate,
and at the valley gate, and at the turning _of the wall_, and
fortified them.
=9.= _towers in Jerusalem_, etc.] The Chronicler is evidently fond
of recording such traditions; compare xxxii. 30, xxxiii. 14; and the
Introduction § 7, p. xlviii.
_the corner gate_] At the north-west corner of the walls. Compare xxv.
23 (note).
_the valley gate_] Nehemiah ii. 13, iii. 13. Probably near the
south-west corner of the walls.
_the turning_ of the wall] Mentioned Nehemiah iii. 19, 24. See G. A.
Smith, _Jerusalem_, II. 120.
¹⁰And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many
cisterns, for he had much cattle; in the lowland also, and in
the plain¹: _and he had_ husbandmen and vinedressers in the
mountains and in the fruitful fields²; for he loved husbandry.
¹ Or, _table land_.
² Or, _Carmel_ See 1 Samuel xxv. 2.
=10.= _the wilderness_] i.e. the southern pasture land of Judah.
Compare Psalms lxv. 12. Fortified towers have always proved effective
for controlling the Bedouin and keeping the desert roads open.
_in the lowland also, and in the plain_] For the “lowland” (Hebrew
_Shephēlah_) see i. 15 (note). The “plain” (margin =table land=;
Hebrew _Mishōr_) is the name of the high pasture lands east of Jordan;
apparently the part occupied by the Ammonites whom Uzziah had subdued
is meant here. (For a different view see Smith, _Jerusalem_, II. 119,
note.)
=11‒15= (no parallel in Kings).
UZZIAH’S ARMY.
¹¹Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to
war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made
by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand
of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. ¹²The whole number of
the heads of fathers’ _houses_, even the mighty men of valour,
was two thousand and six hundred. ¹³And under their hand was
a trained army¹, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and
five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king
against the enemy.
¹ Or, _the power of an army_.
=13.= _three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred_]
Compare xxv. 5 (Amaziah’s army), and the notes on xiv. 8 and xvii. 14
(the forces of Asa and of Jehoshaphat).
¹⁴And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields,
and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones
for slinging.
=14.= _stones for slinging_] Such stones needed to be carefully chosen,
for they had to be smooth and of a suitable size, compare 1 Samuel xvii.
40. Bows and slings appear to have been favourite weapons in Benjamin,
compare 1 Chronicles xii. 2; Judges xx. 16.
¹⁵And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to
be on the towers and upon the battlements¹, to shoot arrows and
great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was
marvellously helped, till he was strong.
¹ Or, _corner towers_.
=15.= _engines_] Doubtless contrivances similar to the Roman
_catapulta_ and _balista_. It is questionable whether such engines
of war were really in use as early as the time of Uzziah, at least
among the Israelites (see Smith, _Jerusalem_, ii. 121, 122; and the
_Encyclopedia Biblia_ s.v. _siege_, especially col. 4510). The next
reference to similar instruments of war is in 1 Maccabees vi. 51, 52.
_helped_] compare verse 7.
=16‒20= (not in Kings).
UZZIAH’S PRESUMPTION.
=16‒20.= Uzziah died from leprosy, as is related in verses 21‒23
(= 2 Kings xv. 5‒7). That terrible disease was always regarded as a
manifestation of Divine anger against the sufferer (compare Numbers xii.
9 ff.; 2 Kings v. 27), but no special cause is assigned in Kings why
the disaster befell Uzziah. In the present verses an adequate reason is
brought forward――Uzziah, blinded by the pride of his success, infringed
the privileges of the priesthood and was guilty of sacrilege. The
motive for some such tale is so strong and the actual sin alleged so
akin to the Chronicler’s prejudices that it may well be that the tale
originated with him or his immediate circle. Yet it is possible that
there may be behind the present form of the tale a valid tradition of
a dispute at this period between the hierarchy and the authority of the
king.
¹⁶But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up so that he
did corruptly¹, and he trespassed against the LORD his God; for
he went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the
altar of incense.
¹ Or, _to_ his _destruction_.
=16.= _did corruptly_] Compare xxvii. 2.
_he trespassed_] compare xii. 2; Joshua vii. 1, xxii. 16. The Hebrew
word implies presumptuous dealing with holy things.
_the altar of incense_] Compare Exodus xxx. 1‒10. Not only the altar,
but the incense itself was “most holy”; Exodus xxx. verses 34‒38.
¹⁷And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him
fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
=17.= _Azariah the priest_] i.e. the high-priest (verse 20). He cannot
be identified with any priest in the list given 1 Chronicles vi. 4‒15
(v. 30‒41, Hebrew).
¹⁸and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It
pertaineth 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 sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed;
neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. ¹⁹Then
Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn
incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy
brake forth¹ in his forehead before the priests in the house of
the LORD, beside the altar of incense.
¹ Hebrew _rose_ (as the sun).
=18.= _the priests the sons of Aaron_] Compare xiii. 10, 11 and Numbers
xvi. 40.
_neither shall it be for thine honour_] A euphemism covering a threat
of danger and disgrace.
²⁰And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked
upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they
thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself hasted also to
go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
=20.= _the LORD had smitten him_] So 2 Kings xv. 5.
=21‒23= (= 2 Kings xv. 5‒7).
THE END OF UZZIAH.
²¹And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death,
and dwelt in a several house¹, 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.
¹ Or, _lazar house_.
=21.= _a several house_] i.e. separate, special; compare Numbers xxviii.
13; Matthew xxv. 15. The same Hebrew word is used in Psalms lxxxviii. 5,
“_free_ (Revised Version ‘cast off’) among the dead.”
_cut off_] The same Hebrew word is translated in the same way in Isaiah
liii. 8.
²²Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah
the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
=22.= _did Isaiah ... write_] This statement is not in Kings. Uzziah
is mentioned in Isaiah vi. 1, and this fact may be all that lies behind
the present statement. It is utterly improbable that the reference is
to some writing of Isaiah which has not been preserved. Possibly some
section of the midrashic Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel is meant,
presuming that such a work was known to the Chronicler actually or by
tradition (see Introduction § 5, pp. xxxii, xxxvi).
²³So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his
fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for
they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his
stead.
=23.= _the field of burial_] i.e. not actually in the tombs of the
kings, lest they should be defiled, but in ground adjoining the royal
tombs. Kings has simply “in the city of David.” Compare xxi. 20, xxiv.
25, xxviii. 27.