2 Chronicles — Chapter 26

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1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

2Uzziah was the one who rebuilt Eloth and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah rested with his fathers.

3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.

4And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.

5He sought God throughout the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. And as long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

6Uzziah went out to wage war against the Philistines, and he tore down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. Then he built cities near Ashdod and among the Philistines.

7God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabs living in Gur-baal, and against the Meunites.

8The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, for he had become exceedingly powerful.

9Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate, and the angle in the wall, and he fortified them.

10Since he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns. And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hill country and in the fertile fields.

11Uzziah had an army ready for battle that went out to war by assigned divisions, as recorded by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officers.

12The total number of family leaders of the mighty men of valor was 2,600.

13Under their authority was an army of 307,500 trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies.

14Uzziah supplied the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingstones.

15And in Jerusalem he made skillfully designed devices to shoot arrows and catapult large stones from the towers and corners. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was helped tremendously until he became powerful.

16But when Uzziah became powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

17Then Azariah the priest, along with eighty brave priests of the LORD, went in after him.

18They took their stand against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the LORD. Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully; you will not receive honor from the LORD God.”

19Uzziah, with a censer in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But while he raged against the priests in their presence in the house of the LORD before the altar of incense, leprosy broke out on his forehead.

20When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw his leprous forehead, they rushed him out. Indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had afflicted him.

21So King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He lived in isolation, leprous and cut off from the house of the LORD, while his son Jotham had charge of the royal palace and governed the people of the land.

22As for the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from beginning to end, they are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.

23And Uzziah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in a field of burial that belonged to the kings, for the people said, “He was a leper.” And his son Jotham reigned in his place.

1Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

4And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

5And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

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 built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims.

8And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

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.

10Also he built towers in the desert, and digged 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.

11Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.

12The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.

13And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

14And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.

15And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning 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 marvellously helped, till he was strong.

16But 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.

17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:

18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth 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 had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

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 from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

21And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several 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.

22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

23So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

1And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

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.

4And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

5And 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 Jehovah, God made him to prosper.

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.

7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim.

8And the Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he waxed exceeding strong.

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.

10And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain: [and he had] husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved husbandry.

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 valor, was two thousand and six hundred.

13And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

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.

15And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

16But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Jehovah his God; for he went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of Jehovah, that were valiant men:

18and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto Jehovah, 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 honor from Jehovah 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 forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah, beside the altar of incense.

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 Jehovah had smitten him.

21And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Jehovah: and Jotham his son was over the king`s house, judging the people of the land.

22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

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.

1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place.

2Uzziah built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah had passed away.

3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem.

4He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done.

5He followed God during the lifetime of Zechariah, who taught him how to honor God. As long as he followed the Lord, God caused him to succeed.

6Uzziah attacked the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. He built cities in the region of Ashdod and throughout Philistine territory.

7God helped him in his campaigns against the Philistines, the Arabs living in Gur Baal, and the Meunites.

8The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame reached the border of Egypt, for he grew in power.

9Uzziah built and fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, Valley Gate, and at the Angle.

10He built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the foothills and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel, for he loved agriculture.

11Uzziah had an army of skilled warriors trained for battle. They were organized by divisions according to the muster rolls made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, a royal official.

12The total number of family leaders who led warriors was 2,600.

13They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend the king against his enemies.

14Uzziah supplied shields, spears, helmets, breastplates, bows, and slingstones for the entire army.

15In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful.

16But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar.

17Azariah the priest and eighty other brave priests of the Lord followed him in.

18They confronted King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not proper for you, Uzziah, to offer incense to the Lord. That is the responsibility of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to offer incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have disobeyed and the Lord God will not honor you!”

19Uzziah, who had an incense censer in his hand, became angry. While he was ranting and raving at the priests, a skin disease appeared on his forehead right there in front of the priests in the Lord’s temple near the incense altar.

20When Azariah the high priest and the other priests looked at him, there was a skin disease on his forehead. They hurried him out of there; even the king himself wanted to leave quickly because the Lord had afflicted him.

21King Uzziah suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, afflicted by a skin disease and banned from the Lord’s temple. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.

22The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from start to finish, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.

23Uzziah passed away and was buried near his ancestors in a cemetery belonging to the kings. (This was because he had a skin disease.) His son Jotham replaced him as king.

1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

3Uzziah 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.

4He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

5He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God; and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him prosper.

6He 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.

7God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim.

8The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceedingly strong.

9Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

10He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain. He had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved farming.

11Moreover 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.

12The whole number of the heads of fathers’ households, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand six hundred.

13Under their hand was an army, three hundred seven thousand five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

14Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.

15In 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.

16But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into Yahweh’s temple to burn incense on the altar of incense.

17Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men.

18They resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, 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 Yahweh God.”

19Then 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 Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense.

20Azariah 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. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.

21Uzziah 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 Yahweh’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote.

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.” Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

The people make the sixteen-year-old Uzziah king after his father Amaziah, and he reigns fifty-two years in Jerusalem, doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD as his father had done (vv. 1-4). He seeks God in the days of Zechariah, who instructs him in the fear of God, and as long as he seeks the LORD, God grants him success (v. 5). He wages successful war against the Philistines, tearing down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod and building new towns in their territory, and receives tribute from the Ammonites as his fame spreads to Egypt (vv. 6-8). He fortifies Jerusalem with towers, digs cisterns and builds towers in the wilderness for his herds, keeps farmers and vinedressers because he loves the soil, and raises a large trained army equipped with shields, spears, armor, and engines of war for shooting arrows and stones from the towers (vv. 9-15). But when he grows strong, pride leads to his downfall: he enters the temple to burn incense, a duty reserved for consecrated priests, and when Azariah and eighty other priests confront him, he becomes enraged, and leprosy breaks out on his forehead before them (vv. 16-19). He is rushed from the temple, remains a leper until his death, living in isolation and excluded from the house of the LORD, with his son Jotham governing in his place (vv. 20-23).

Authorship & Background

Author: Traditionally attributed to Ezra the scribe. Originally one book with 1 Chronicles. Written post-exile (approximately 450-400 BC). 2 Chronicles covers Solomon's reign through the Babylonian exile and Cyrus's decree of return (approximately 970-538 BC). The Chronicler focuses exclusively on Judah (ignoring the northern kingdom) and emphasizes Temple worship, reform movements, and the principle of 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people... shall humble themselves, and pray... then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Historical Context: Chapter 26 records the remarkable fifty-two-year reign of Uzziah (also called Azariah in 2 Kings 15), one of Judah's longest-reigning and most powerful kings (approximately 792-740 BC). His reign coincided with the prophetic ministries of Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos, and represents a period of extraordinary military, agricultural, and technological achievement. The Chronicler devotes unusual attention to Uzziah's material accomplishments — military conquests (vv.6-8), fortifications (v.9), agricultural development (v.10), army organization (vv.11-14), and technological innovation (v.15) — precisely to heighten the tragedy of his fall.
Classification: Historical Narrative
Key Themes: Fifty-two years of prosperity tied explicitly to a duration rather than to a fixed character, as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper, achievements itemised like a state record, broken cities, dug wells, an army of over three hundred thousand and engines invented for the towers, a boundary violation rather than mere unbelief, a king who was strong enough to think he could burn incense that belonged only to the priests, eighty priests confronting him with the censer still in his hand, and leprosy rising in his forehead as the sentence that defines the rest of his life
The Reign That Prospered, and the Engines on the Towers (vv.1-15): Uzziah's fifty-two years are the most prosperous in the book after Solomon's, and the condition is stated as a duration rather than a character trait, as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. The prosperity is itemised in a way that reads like a state record. Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod broken down and Judean towns built in Philistine territory. Ammonite tribute. Towers in Jerusalem and towers in the desert, wells dug for large herds, vine dressers in the mountains, and a note that explains the interest, for he loved husbandry. An army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred under twenty-six hundred officers, with armouries stocked to match. And engines devised by skilful men and mounted on the towers to shoot arrows and great stones, which is the earliest description of artillery in the Bible. The section ends on the hinge, his name spread far abroad, for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
The Censer in the Temple, and the Leprosy (vv.16-23): But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. The offence is specific and the Chronicler treats it as a boundary violation rather than as unbelief: he goes into the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense, which is priestly work. Azariah and fourscore priests go in after him and say so, it appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron. He is standing there angry with the censer in his hand when the leprosy rises in his forehead, and the rest of his life is the sentence: thrust out, a leper until the day of his death, living in a several house, cut off from the house of the LORD he had tried to serve in, with his son running the kingdom. Isaiah wrote the record of his reign, and it is in the year of Uzziah's death that Isaiah sees the LORD sitting on a throne in the temple. He is buried in the field belonging to the kings rather than in their sepulchres, for they said, He is a leper.

Map & Geography

  • Parallels 1-2 Kings but focuses exclusively on Judah (the southern kingdom). Jerusalem and the Temple are the theological center throughout.
  • Key locations include various battle sites, reform locations, and high places destroyed or rebuilt by successive kings.
  • The book ends with exile to Babylon (586 BC) and Cyrus's decree permitting return — the geographic arc moves from Jerusalem to Babylon and back.

Places on this map

  • JerusalemJerusalemA hill town about 2,500 feet up in the central spine of Judah, roughly 35 miles inland from the Mediterranean and 15 miles west of the Jordan. It sits on no trade route and has no river, which is why it mattered as a fortress and a sanctuary rather than as a market. Wikipedia
  • Babylonnear Hillah, IraqOn the Euphrates about 55 miles south of modern Baghdad. Judah's exiles were marched roughly 900 miles to get here, the long way round the Arabian desert, which is why the journey took months and the return was a genuine undertaking rather than a short trip home. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the pattern "marvellously helped, till he was strong" — noting that success itself became Uzziah's greatest spiritual danger. He highlights that Uzziah's sin was not gross immorality but religious presumption — he wanted to do something "spiritual" but in his own way, bypassing God's ordained order. Guzik connects this to modern leaders who believe success exempts them from accountability and established boundaries.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

2 Chronicles 26 Summary: 5 Minute Bible Study
2BeLikeChrist

2 Chronicles 25-26 | Pride Before a Fall | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of 2 Chronicles -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Prosperity Tied to Seeking God (v.5) — Uzziah's remarkable success is explicitly tied to seeking the Lord, not to his own skill or ambition. Can you trace your own good seasons back to a genuine pursuit of God, or have you started crediting yourself instead?
  • Strength Becoming a Snare (v.15) — Uzziah is marvelously helped until he becomes strong, and that very strength sets the stage for his fall. In your strongest, most successful season, are you staying as dependent on God as you were when you were weak?
  • Pride Rising With Power (v.16) — Once strong, Uzziah's heart lifts up to his own destruction, leading him to overstep a role God never gave him. Where has growing confidence or influence tempted you to act outside what God has actually assigned you to do?
  • Boundaries as Protection, Not Insult (v.18) — The priests confront Uzziah not out of jealousy but to guard a sacred boundary meant to protect Israel's worship. When you run into a limit you didn't set, do you receive it as protection or resent it as restriction?
  • Swift Consequences as Mercy (v.19) — Uzziah's judgment falls immediately, while he is still angrily defying the priests, cutting off further sin before it could go deeper. Have you experienced a quick correction from God that, in hindsight, actually spared you from something worse?
  • A Life Marked by One Moment of Presumption (v.21) — Despite fifty-two years of largely faithful, productive rule, Uzziah spends his final years isolated because of a single act of pride. Does knowing that one moment of presumption can carry lasting consequences change how seriously you take small compromises today?