2 Crônicas 26
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Crônicas 26
NJB (LXX versing) Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah Uzziah Reigns in Judah Uzziah's Good Beginning and Consequent Prosperity King Uzziah of Judah Accession of Uzziah 26:1-5 26:1-5 26:1-5 26:1-2 26:1-5 Uzziah Succeeds in War 26:3-5 His Military Strength 26:6-15 26:6-10 26:6-15 26:6-8 26:6-8 26:9-10 26:9-10 26:11-15 26:11-15 26:11-15 Pride Is Uzziah's Undoing The Penalty for Uzziah's Pride Uzziah's Subsequent Sin and Consequent Punishment Uzziah Is Punished for His Pride He Is Struck with a Virulent Skin Disease for His Pride 26:16-21 26:16-21 26:16-21 26:16-18 26:16-20 26:19-20 26:21 26:21 26:22-23 26:22-23 26:22-23 26:22-23 26:22-23 Etc.
2 Crônicas 26:1-5
26:1 "Uzziah" In 2 Kgs. 15:1 he is called Azariah (also note 1 Chr. 3:12). It is possible that the Chronicler uses Uzziah because of the possible confusion with the name of the High Priest, Azariah (cf. 2 Chr. 26:17,20; so named only in Chronicles). Almost everything we know about Uzziah (BDB 739) is from Chronicles. 26:2 "Eloth" This is an alternate name for Elath, a city at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, close to Ezion-geber. Solomon had started a commercial fleet in this area (1 Kgs. 9:26-28) and Jehoshaphat tried to restart it, but failed (2 Chr. 20:35-37). Apparently Uzziah was also attempting to restart these lucrative trade routes. Edom had earlier captured this area but Amaziah defeated Edom and his son recaptured the area. "after the king slept with his fathers" This would refer to the king of Edom. The term "slept" is a Hebraic idiom for burial, not a comment on the state of the dead. 26:3 The phrase "who was sixteen years old" is repeated and looks like a hint at the combination of two historical documents. 2 Chronicles 26:2 is typical introductory pattern. age at ascension length of reign mother's name "he reigned fifty-two years" However, the number includes co-reign with his father Amaziah co-reign with his son, Jotham 26:4 "He did right in the sight of the Lord" See full note at 2 Chr. 25:2. Uzziah's life, like his father Amaziah, can be seen as an early faithful period and a later faithless period. This is characteristic of how the Chronicler deals with the Judean kings of this period. 26:5 "He continued to seek God" See full note at 2 Chronicles 7:14. "in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God" YHWH spoke to Uzziah, both by prophet and by priest (cf. 2 Chr. 26:17). Initially he listened to Zechariah but later rejected the message of Azariah, the High Priest (v. 19). "as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him" This is a central theme of Chronicles. It expresses the performance-based Mosaic covenant (i.e., the two ways, cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28; 30:15,19; Psalm 1). Notice the "blessings" are conditional through time (cf. 2 Chr. 15:2). Notice how the two most common names for Deity are paralleled. YHWH ‒ see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D Elohim ‒ see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C
2 Crônicas 26:6-15
26:6 The list of Uzziah's successes demonstrates YHWH's blessings. defeated the Philistines, 2 Chr. 26:6 built Judean cities in the Philistine area, 2 Chr. 26:6 defeated other groups in the same area the Arabs in Gur-baal, v. 7 the Meunites, v. 7 (cf. 2 Chr. 20:1) the Ammonites, v. 8 (see note at v. 8) fortified the walls of Jerusalem, v. 9 (possibly repairs from 2 Chr. 25:23) had extensive agricultural enterprise livestock crops vineyards developed a large and effective army, vv. 11-13 armed his army well, v. 14 (see full note at 2 Chr. 25:5) designed and manufactured war machines, v. 15 arrows stones (the NASB Study Bible, p. 617, mentions that since catapults were not invented until 300 years later, this may refer to defensive structures that protected those shooting arrows and throwing stones) 26:8 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA, REB "Ammonites" NJB, LXX "Meunites" ‒ omit ‒ The UBS Text Project, p. 476, gives "Meunites" a "C" rating (considerable doubt). Notice how close the names are in Hebrew. Ammonites ‒ העמונים Meunites ‒ המעונים Josephus has "Ammonites," cf. Antiq. 9.10.3.
2 Crônicas 26:16-21
26:16 Uzziah's successes caused his heart to be proud (also note 2 Chr. 25:19; 32:25), which means he did not recognize YHWH's benefits (i.e., Deut. 8:11-20). He thought his successes were of his doing. It is possible that he attempted to join the office of priest and king (i.e., Psalm 110; Zechariah 3-4). Melchizedek is an example of a Canaanite priest/king. He later became a type of the Messiah (i.e., Hebrews 7). "he acted corruptly" This unfaithful act is described in 2 Chr. 26:16-23. It involved his attempting to offer incense in YHWH's temple, which was the job of the priests (v. 18). Saul did this same type of violation (i.e., 1 Sam. 13:9). "the altar of incense" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF INCENSE. 26:17 "valiant men" This is literally "sons of strength" (BDB CONSTRUCT BDB 298, used of the army in 2 Chr. 26:11). The JPSOA translation calls them "brave." They were willing to confront an arrogant king with unlimited power. They were to support Azariah the High Priest protect the sacred precincts try to keep Uzziah from sinning 26:18 Azariah the High Priest had a stern message for arrogant Uzziah. "Get out" ‒ BDB 422, KB 425, Qal IMPERATIVE "for you have been unfaithful" ‒ BDB 591, KB 612, Qal PERFECT It is used of Moses ‒ Deut. 32:51 trans-Jordan tribes ‒ 1 Chr. 5:25 Rehoboam ‒ 2 Chr. 12:2 Ahaz of Judah ‒ 2 Chr. 28:22 Hezekiah, in a warning ‒ 2 Chr. 30:7 All involved disobedience to YHWH or His law. 26:19 Uzziah was "enraged" (BDB 277, KB 277), used twice in v. 19 (Qal IMPERFECT with waw and Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT). This same anger against YHWH's spokesman is seen in 2 Chr. 16:10. Proverbs 19:3 expresses the folly of withstanding the Lord. Uzziah was warned but still intended to follow his own thoughts/plans. But YHWH steps in (cf. 2 Chr. 26:20)! Uzziah became a leper. From this historical account, later Judaism saw leprosy (cf. Leviticus 13-14) as a divinely given disease (cf. Num. 12:10). Josephus, Antiq. 9.10.4., adds an interesting note: "Accordingly, when a remarkable day was come, and a general festival was to be celebrated, he put on the holy garment, and went into the temple to offer incense to God upon the golden altar, which he was prohibited to do by Azariah the high priest, who had fourscore priests with him, and who told him that it was not lawful for him to offer sacrifice, and that 'none besides the posterity of Aaron were permitted so to do.' And when they cried out, that he must go out of the temple, and not transgress against God, he was wroth at them, and threatened to kill them, unless they would hold their peace. In the meantime, a great earthquake shook the ground, and a rent was made in the temple, and the bright rays of the sun shone through it, and fell upon the king's face, insomuch that the leprosy seized upon him immediately; and before the city, at a place called Eroge, half the mountain broke off from the rest on the west, and rolled itself four furlongs, and stood still at the east mountain, till the roads, as well as the king's gardens, were spoiled by the obstruction. Now, as soon as the priests saw that the king's face was infected with the leprosy, they told him of the calamity he was under, and commanded that he should go out of the city as a polluted person." It is based on both Amos (i.e., 1:1) and Zechariah (i.e., 14:5) mention an earthquake at this time the term "leprosy" (BDB 280) can also refer to the sun shining; this is how Josephus took the word "on his forehead" This would be visible to all. No way to hide it. 26:21 Uzziah's disobedience in the temple caused him to be forever excluded from the temple (i.e., Num. 5:2). Even after death he was excluded from the royal tombs (2 Chr. 26:23). "lived in a separate house" This term (BDB 345) may be from Ugaritic literature , "house of pollution" (AB, p. 151).
2 Crônicas 26:22-23
26:22 "the prophet Isaiah" This is surprising since Uzziah is mentioned only as a way to date something else (cf. Isa. 1:1; 7:1). Isaiah surely does not record Uzziah's life "first to last." Both the Jewish Study Bible and the NASB Study Bible suggest that this refers, not to the canonical book of Isaiah, but another written source available to the Chronicler.