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| 1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. |
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| 2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. |
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| 3 Sixteen 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. |
Fifty and two years – Link No.36 in the chain of Bible chronology. B50; R1980:4
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| 4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. |
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| 5 And 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. |
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| 6 And 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. |
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| 7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. |
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| 8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. |
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| 9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. |
Fortified them – It was quite proper for the kings of Israel and Judah to defend the land which the Almighty had specially given to their nation. R4786:2
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| 10 Also 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. |
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| 11 Moreover 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.
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| 12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. |
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| 13 And 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. |
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| 14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. |
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| 15 And 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. |
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| 16 But 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. |
To his destruction – "Pride goeth before destruction." (Prov. 16:18). R4786:2
Went into the temple – Uzziah evidently felt that God was proud of him and would be pleased to have him enter the Temple after the manner of the priests. R4786:2
Many successful people fall into the same error in their approach to God. R4786:2
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| 17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: |
Valiant men – Courageous men. King Uzziah was likely to resent any interference. R4786:6
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| 18 And 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. |
Not unto thee – The great King Eternal has rules and regulations governing all attempts to approach him. R4786:3
But to the priests – Recognizing Jesus as the great antitypical Priest none should intrude into the divine presence in prayer other than through him. R4786:5
Thou hast trespassed – If the king had good intentions they should have guided him to a study of the divine arrangements. Ignorance of the Law is no excuse. R4786:6
Honour from the LORD – True honor cannot be found in opposition to the divine arrangements. R4786:6
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| 19 Then 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. |
Leprosy – Typifying sin. R4786:5
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| 20 And 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. |
LORD had smitten him – Signifying typically that whoever with knowledge would approach God aside from his ordained priest would come under divine sentence as a wilful sinner. R4786:5
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| 21 And 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. |
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| 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. |
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| 23 So 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. |
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