2 Cronache 26:18 Commento

This chapter gives us an account of the reign of Uzziah (Azariah he was called in the Kings) more fully than we had it before, though it was long, and in some respects illustrious, yet it was very briefly related, Kg2 14:21; Kg2 15:1, etc. Here is, I. His good character in general (Ch2 26:1-5) II. His great prosperity in his wars, his buildings, and all the affairs of his kingdom (Ch2 26:6-15). III. His presumption in invading the priests' office, for which he was struck with a leprosy, and confined by it (Ch2 26:16-21) even to his death (Ch2 26:22, Ch2 26:23).

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 26 This chapter relates the good reign of Uzziah, Ch2 26:1, his wars and victories, his buildings, the number of his soldiers, and his military stores, Ch2 26:6, his invasion of the priest's office, in attempting to offer incense, for which he was smitten with a leprosy, which continued to his death, Ch2 26:16.

And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead,.... He was leprous all over his body, no doubt, but it appeared in his forehead very remarkably, and was seen by them all, who, without doubt, informed him of his case, and of which he soon became sensible: and they thrust him out from thence; the holy place, he being now unfit to be in a common dwelling house, or his own palace, and much less to be in the house of God: yea, himself also hasted to go out, because the Lord had smitten him; fearing, should he continue there, that something worse would befall him; the Targum is, the Word of the Lord. The leprosy was a disease sent immediately from God, as the case of Miriam, and this of Uzziah, show; and so the Persians (d) had a notion, that those had it who sinned against the sun, and for that reason, and which they accounted and worshipped as God. (d) Herodot. Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 138.

When King Uzziah carried a censer and violently took on himself to sacrifice, against the law of God, and refused to submit or give place, despite the opposition of Azariah the priest, he was confounded by God’s indignation and defiled with the markings of leprosy on his forehead, branded by the Lord’s anger on that part of the body on which those who win the Lord’s favor are sealed.

Uzziah is described as at first having been righteous, and then it is related that he was lifted up in mind and dared to offer sacrifice to God himself, and his face became leprous in consequence. But Josephus carefully studied the additional comments of the expounders as well, and a Hebrew of the Hebrews as he was, hear his description of the events of those times. He tells: “Though the priests urged Uzziah to go out of the temple and not to break the law of God, he angrily threatened them with death unless they held their peace. And meanwhile an earthquake shook the earth, and a bright light shone through a breach in the temple and struck the king’s face, so that at once it became leprous. And before the city at the place called Eroga, the western half of the Mount was split asunder and rolling four stadia stopped at the eastern mountain, so as to block up the royal approach and gardens.” This I take from the work of Josephus on Jewish antiquities. And I found in the beginning of the prophet Amos the statement that he began to prophecy “in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, two years before the earthquake.” What earthquake he does not clearly say. But I think the same prophet further on suggests this earthquake when he says, “I saw the Lord standing on the altar. And he said, Strike the altar, and the doors shall be shaken, and strike the heads of all, and the remnant I will slay with the sword.”Here I understand a prediction of the earthquake, and of the destruction of the ancient solemnities of the Jewish race and of the worship practiced by them in Jerusalem, the ruin that should overtake them after the coming of our Savior, when, since they rejected the Christ of God, the true High Priest, leprosy infected their souls, as in the days of Uzziah, when the Lord himself standing on the altar gave leave to him that struck, saying, “Strike the altar.”

In the midst of paradise God had planted the Tree of Knowledge to separate off, above and below, sanctuary from Holy of Holies. Adam made bold to touch and was smitten like Uzziah: the king became leprous, Adam was tripped. Being struck like Uzziah, he hastened to leave: both kings fled and hid, in shame of their bodies.

Remember Uzziah, how he entered the sanctuary; by seeking to seize the priesthood he lost his kingdom. Adam, by wishing to enrich himself, incurred a double loss. Recognize in the sanctuary the Tree, in the censer the fruit and in the leprosy the nakedness. From these two treasures there proceeded harm in both cases.

As, therefore, it was not lawful for one of another tribe that was not a Levite to offer anything or to approach the altar without the priest, so also do you do nothing without the bishop; for if anyone does anything without the bishop, he does it to no purpose. For it will not be esteemed as of any avail to him.… For as Uzziah the king, who was not a priest and yet would exercise the functions of the priests, was smitten with leprosy for his transgression; so every lay person shall not be unpunished who despises God, and is so mad as to affront his priests and unjustly to snatch that honor to himself: not imitating Christ, “who glorified not himself to be made an high priest” but waited till he heard from his Father, “The Lord swore and will not repent, You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” If, therefore, Christ did not glorify himself without the Father, how dare anyone thrust himself into the priesthood who has not received that dignity from his superior and do such things that it is lawful only for the priests to do?

Neither do we permit the laity to perform any of the offices belonging to the priesthood, as, for instance, neither the sacrifice, nor baptism, nor the laying on of hands nor the blessing, whether the smaller or the greater, for “no one takes this honor to himself, but he that is called of God.” For such sacred offices are conferred by the laying on of the hands of the bishop. But a person to whom such an office is not committed but seizes on it for himself, he shall undergo the punishment of Uzziah.

Uzziah, the son of Amaziah, succeeds; and begins his reign piously and prosperously, which continued during the life of Zechariah the prophet, Ch2 26:1-5. He fights successfully against the Philistines, and takes and dismantles some of their chief cities, Ch2 26:6; prevails over the Arabians and Mehunims, Ch2 26:7; and brings the Ammonites under tribute, Ch2 26:8. He fortifies Jerusalem, and builds towers in different parts of the country, and delights in husbandry, Ch2 26:9, Ch2 26:10. An account of his military strength, warlike instruments, and machines, Ch2 26:11-15. He is elated with his prosperity, invades the priest's office, and is smitten with the leprosy, Ch2 26:16-20. He is obliged to abdicate the regal office, and dwell apart from this people, his son Jotham acting as regent, Ch2 26:21. His death and burial, Ch2 26:22, Ch2 26:23.

UZZIAH SUCCEEDS AMAZIAH AND REIGNS WELL IN THE DAYS OF ZECHARIAH. (Ch2 26:1-8) Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah--(See on Kg2 14:21; Kg2 15:1).

Jotham having ascended the throne at the age of twenty-five, reigned altogether in the spirit and power of his father, with the single limitation that he did not go into the sanctuary of Jahve (cf. Ch2 26:16.). This remark is not found in 2 Kings 15, because there Uzziah's intrusion into the temple is also omitted. The people still did corruptly (cf. Ch2 26:16). This refers, indeed, to the continuation of the worship in the high places, but hints also at the deep moral corruption which the prophets of that time censure (cf. especially Isa 2:5., Ch2 5:7.; Mic 1:5; Mic 2:1.).