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All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.
Verse 1. Ozias, called Azarias (4 Kennicott. 14:21. Calmet.) improperly. Bible.
He built Eloth and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers.
Verse 2. Juda, till the reign of Achaz. 4 Kennicott. 16:6. It had revolted under Joram. Calmet.
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.
He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
Verse 4. Done. And was successful, as long as he attended to the high priest. Numbers 27:21. Worthington.
He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
Verse 5. God, or who had the gift of intelligence and prophecy from God. Hebrew “who was intelligent in the visions of God.” Others have read birath, with the Septuagint “in the fear;” or Chal. and so forth “instructing in the fear of the Lord.” The Jews childishly understand Zacharias to mean the king himself, in the early part of his reign. Others suppose the priest, who was slain by Joas, is designated. Lyran.—But this was rather his son ( Tirinus. Cajet. Calmet.) and successor, as well as a prophet, who had therefore a more perfect knowledge of God; though none can comprehend his being. Bible.
He went out and fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
Verse 6. In. Prot. “about Ashdod.” Septuagint “he built (or repaired) the cities of Azotus,” to keep under the Philistines, who had revolted under Joram. Calmet. 21:16.
God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim.
Verse 7. Gurbaal. Gerera, (Saint Jerome Trad.) or Gebal. Psalms 82:8. Septuagint “the rock,” or Petra, in Arabia, where Stephanus places the Gabalenes.—Ammonites. Hebrew mehunim. Septuagint “Mineans,” (Calmet. 20:1. Bible.) upon the Red Sea, (Steph.) or Mediterranean, (Pliny vi. 28,) or in Arabia Felix. Strabo. Menochius.
The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he grew exceedingly strong.
Verse 8. Gifts. Tribute. Calmet. 27:5. Calmet.—Victories. Prot. “the strengthened himself exceedingly.” Bible.
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
Verse 9. Corner. Repairing what Joas had demolished. 4 Kennicott. 14:13. Tirinus.
He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains. He had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved farming.
Verse 10. Wilderness, for the protection of shepherds. 4 Kennicott. 17:9.—Plains. Hebrew “valleys, and in the plains husbandmen, and vinedressers in the mountains, and in Carmel; for he loved the earth, or husbandry,” like David. 1 Chronicles 17:25. and so forth—Carmel, means, “the vine of God;” as both the mount in Juda, where Nabal resided, and that on the Mediterranean Sea, were famous for wine. Ozias probably cultivated the former mountain. Calmet.
Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who 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.
Verse 11. Doctor. Hebrew shoter. Septuagint “judge.” Prot. “ruler.” Bible.—The term is commonly understood of one who executes the sentence of the judge. But this employment does not suit a general, ( Calmet.) though such a one might well command. It many denote any “officer.” Bible.
The whole number of the heads of fathers’ households, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand six hundred.
Under their hand was an army, three hundred seven thousand five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.
In Jerusalem, he made devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, because he was marvelously helped until he was strong.
Verse 15. Engines. They are here mentioned for the first time. Calmet.—For the. Hebrew “for he was wonderfully helped till he was established.” Bible.—He invented may things for the defence of his kingdom. Calmet.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly and he trespassed against the LORD his God, for he went into the LORD’s temple to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of the LORD, who were valiant men.
Verse 17. Azarias. The prophet, who had hitherto kept the king ( Bible.) within bounds, was now no more, verse 5. Tirinus.
They resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed. It will not be for your honor from the LORD God.”
Verse 18. To thee. For usurping spiritual authority, the king was opposed by the high priest; and God confirmed the sentence of the latter, by striking Ozias with the leprosy; on which account, the was not only cast out of the temple, but also lost his kingdom, being obliged to live apart; (Leviticus 13:46,) and after death, he could not be buried with his ancestors. Worthington.
Then Uzziah was angry. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the LORD’s house, beside the altar of incense.
Verse 19. Forehead. So that it could not be concealed. According to the rigour of the law, such an offender was to be slain. Numbers 3:10 and 18:7. The leprosy was considered as equivalent, and is styled destruction, (verse 16,) and death. Isaiah 7:1. Menochius. See 4 Kennicott. 15:6.
Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead; and they thrust him out quickly from there. Indeed, he himself also hurried to go out, because the LORD had struck him.
Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the LORD’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote.
Verse 22. Prophet. Yet we find little concerning him in the prophecy of Isaias; so that the work has been lost, except what Esdras hath preserved. Calmet.
So 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.” Jotham his son reigned in his place.
Verse 23. Leper. So much was the disease abhorred, ( Calmet.) as well as the king’s late conduct. Bible.