2 พงศาวดาร 26:6 วิจารณ์

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 God helped him against the Philistines,.... He did not do all before related of himself, and by his own strength, but by the help of God; the Targum is"the Word of the Lord helped him:" and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal; the same with Gerar, according to the Targum; which also belonged to the Philistines, and had a king in Abraham's time, Gen 20:1, the same with Askelon, another of the five principalities of the Philistines: and the Mehunims; or the Minaeans, as the Septuagint, and whom Pliny (n) makes mention of among the Arabians; they seem to be the Scenite Arabs; see Ch2 20:1, or rather, as the Targum, those that dwelt in the plain of Maon, which was in Arabia Petraea. (n) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28.

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).

he went forth and warred against the Philistines--He overcame them in many engagements--dismantled their towns, and erected fortified cities in various parts of the country, to keep them in subjection. Jabneh--the same as Jabneel (Jos 15:11).

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.).

Wars, buildings, and army of Uzziah. - Of the successful undertakings by which Uzziah raised the kingdom of Judah to greater worldly power and prosperity, nothing is said in the book of Kings; but the fact itself is placed beyond all doubt, for it is confirmed by the portrayal of the might and greatness of Judah in the prophecies of Isaiah (Isa 2-4), which date from the times of Uzziah and Jotham. Ch2 26:6 After Uzziah had, in the very beginning of his reign, completed the subjection of the Edomites commenced by his father by the capture and fortification of the seaport Elath (Ch2 26:2), he took the field to chastise the Philistines and Arabians, who had under Joram made an inroad upon Judah and plundered Jerusalem (Ch2 21:16.). In the war against the Philistines he broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod (i.e., after capturing these cities), and built cities in Ashdod, i.e., in the domain of Ashdod, and בּפּלשׁתּים, i.e., in other domains of the Philistines, whence we gather that he had wholly subdued Philistia. The city of Gath had been already taken from the Philistines by David; see Ch1 18:1; and as to situation, see on Ch1 11:8. Jabneh, here named for the first time, but probably occurring in Jos 15:11 under the name Jabneel, is often mentioned under the name Jamnia in the books of the Maccabees and in Josephus. It is now a considerable village, Jebnah, four hours south of Joppa, and one and a half hours from the sea; see on Jos 15:11. Ashdod is now a village called Esdud; see on Jos 13:3. Ch2 26:7 As against the Philistines, so also against the Arabians, who dwelt in Gur-baal, God helped him, and against the Maanites, so that he overcame them and made them tributary. Gur-baal occurs only here, and its position is unknown. According to the Targum, the city Gerar is supposed to be intended; Lxx translate ἐπὶ τῆς Πέτρας, having probably had the capital city of the Edomites, Petra, in their thoughts. The מעוּנים are the inhabitants of Maan; see on Ch1 4:41. Ch2 26:8 And the Ammonites also paid him tribute (מנחה), and his name spread abroad even to the neighbourhood of Egypt; i.e., in this connection, not merely that his fame spread abroad to that distance, but that the report of his victorious power reached so far, he having extended his rule to near the frontiers of Egypt, for he was exceedingly powerful. החזיק, to show power, as in Dan 11:7. Ch2 26:9 In order enduringly to establish the power of his kingdom, he still more strongly fortified Jerusalem by building towers at the gates, and the wall of the citadel. At the corner gate, i.e., at the north-west corner of the city (see on Ch2 25:23 and Kg2 14:13), and at the valley gate, i.e., on the west side, where the Jaffa gate now is. From these sides Jerusalem was most open to attack. המּקצוע, at the corner, i.e., according to Neh 3:19., Neh 3:24., on the east side of Zion, at the place where the wall of Zion crossed over at an angle to the Ophel, and joined itself to the south wall of the temple hill, so that the tower at this corner defended both Zion and the temple hill against attack from the valley to the south-east. ויחזּקם, he made them (there) strong or firm; not, he put them in a condition of defence (Berth.), although the making strong was for that end. Ch2 26:10 Moreover, Uzziah took measures for the defence of his herds, which formed one main part of his revenues and wealth. He built towers in the wilderness, in the steppe-lands on the west side of the Dead Sea, so well fitted for cattle-breeding (i.e., in the wilderness of Judah), to protect the herds against the attacks of the robber peoples of Edom and Arabia. And he dug many wells to water the cattle; "for he had much cattle" in the wilderness just mentioned, and "in the lowland" (Shephelah) on the Mediterranean Sea (see Ch1 27:28), and "in the plain" (מישׁור), i.e., the flat land on the east side of the Dead Sea, extending from Arnon to near Heshbon in the north, and to the northeast as far as Rabbath Ammon (see on Deu 3:10), i.e., the tribal land of Reuben, which accordingly at that time belonged to Judah. Probably it had been taken from the Israelites by the Moabites and Ammonites, and reconquered from them by Uzziah, and incorporated with his kingdom; for, according to Ch2 26:8, he had made the Ammonites tributary; cf. on Ch1 5:17. Husbandmen and vine-dressers had he in the mountains and upon Carmel, for he loved husbandry. After וגו אכּרים, לו היוּ is to be supplied. אדמה, the land, which is cultivated, stands here for agriculture. As to Carmel, see on Jos 19:26.