Uzziah (2 Kings 14:21–22; 2 Kings 15:1–7; 2 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 15:17; 2 Kings 15:32–35; 1 Chronicles 3:12; 2 Chronicles 26:1–5; 2 Chronicles 26:6–15; 2 Chronicles 26:16–20; 2 Chronicles 26:21–23; 2 Chronicles 27:1–2; Isaiah 1:1; Isaiah 6:1; Isaiah 7:1; Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 1:8–9)

King of Judah, Also Called Azariah

Made king of Judah at sixteen in the room of his father Amaziah, he reigned fifty and two years, sought God and prospered, waxed exceeding strong, and when he was strong went into the temple to burn incense and was smitten with leprosy; Kings mostly calls the king Azariah, Chronicles Uzziah.

Two books tell of this reign under two names. 2 Kings says, “all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah” (2 Kings 14:21), and 2 Chronicles says, “all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah” (2 Chronicles 26:1). Both give the same age, the same reign of fifty and two years, and the same son, Jotham (2 Kings 15:1-2, 7; 2 Chronicles 26:3, 23). Kings mostly calls the king Azariah, yet also writes of “the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah” (2 Kings 15:13) and, a few verses on, of “the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah” (2 Kings 15:17). The text does not comment on the two names.

Both books say, “he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done” (2 Chronicles 26:4), and Kings adds, “Howbeit the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places” (2 Kings 15:4). Chronicles tells the most. “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” (2 Chronicles 26:5). He warred against the Philistines, the Ammonites gave him tribute, he built towers and hewed out cisterns, he “loved husbandry” (2 Chronicles 26:10), and he raised an army and made engines for the towers and battlements. “His name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong” (2 Chronicles 26:15).

Then Chronicles says, “But 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” (2 Chronicles 26:16). Azariah the priest and fourscore priests withstood him, the leprosy brake forth in his forehead, and he was a leper unto the day of his death, dwelling in a separate house while Jotham his son was over the household (2 Kings 15:5; 2 Chronicles 26:19-21). Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and Zechariah all name his days: “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1). In the New Testament, “Joram begat Uzziah; and Uzziah begat Jotham” (Matthew 1:8-9).

Strengths

• Did right in the eyes of the LORD
• Set himself to seek God
• Built and fortified
• Loved husbandry

Weaknesses

• High places not taken away
• Heart lifted up when strong
• Went into the temple to burn incense
• Wroth with the priests

Themes

• Seeking God and prospering
• Strength and pride
• The altar of incense
• Leprosy and a separate house
• A king dated by the prophets

Made king at sixteen (2 Kings 14:21–22; 2 Kings 15:1–2; 2 Chronicles 26:1–3)

The people of Judah take him and make him king in the room of his father Amaziah; he builds Elath (Eloth in Chronicles) and restores it to Judah, and reigns fifty and two years.

Made king at sixteen

Kings says, “all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah” (2 Kings 14:21). Chronicles says, “all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah” (2 Chronicles 26:1).

Kings writes, “He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers” (2 Kings 14:22); Chronicles writes, “He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers” (2 Chronicles 26:2).

“Sixteen 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” (2 Chronicles 26:3). Kings gives her name as “Jecoliah of Jerusalem” (2 Kings 15:2).

Sought God, and prospered (2 Kings 15:3–4; 2 Chronicles 26:4–5)

He does what is right in the eyes of the LORD, as Amaziah had done, though the high places are not taken away, and he sets himself to seek God, and as long as he seeks the LORD, God makes him prosper.

Wars against the Philistines, tribute from the Ammonites (2 Chronicles 26:6–8)

He goes forth and wars against the Philistines, breaks down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod, and God helps him against the Philistines and the Arabians; the Ammonites give tribute and his name spreads to the entrance of Egypt.

Towers, cisterns and husbandry (2 Chronicles 26:9–10)

He builds and fortifies towers in Jerusalem and in the wilderness, hews out many cisterns, and keeps cattle, husbandmen and vinedressers, for he loved husbandry.

An army and engines on the towers (2 Chronicles 26:11–15)

His army of fighting men goes out to war by bands, he prepares shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows and stones for slinging, and he makes engines on the towers and battlements; he is marvellously helped till he is strong.

Incense on the altar, and leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16–20)

When he is strong his heart is lifted up and he goes into the temple to burn incense; Azariah the priest and fourscore priests withstand him, he is wroth, and leprosy breaks forth in his forehead.

Incense on the altar, and leprosy

“But 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. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of Jehovah, that were valiant men” (2 Chronicles 26:16-17). Here Azariah is the priest, not the king.

“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” (2 Chronicles 26:18).

“Then 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. 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 quickly from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because Jehovah had smitten him” (2 Chronicles 26:19-20).

A leper in a separate house; death and burial (2 Kings 15:5–7; 2 Chronicles 26:21–23)

The LORD smote the king so that he was a leper unto the day of his death and dwelt in a separate house, cut off from the house of the LORD, while Jotham his son was over the household; he slept with his fathers, and Kings and Chronicles word his burial differently.

A leper in a separate house; death and burial

“And Jehovah smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house. And Jotham the king's son was over the household, judging the people of the land” (2 Kings 15:5). Chronicles adds that “he was cut off from the house of Jehovah” (2 Chronicles 26:21).

“Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write” (2 Chronicles 26:22). Kings points instead to “the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah” (2 Kings 15:6).

Kings says, “Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David” (2 Kings 15:7). Chronicles says, “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” (2 Chronicles 26:23).

The year that king Uzziah died (Isaiah 1:1; Isaiah 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5)

Isaiah, Hosea and Amos date their words by his days, Amos adds two years before the earthquake, Zechariah speaks of the earthquake in his days, and Isaiah dates his sight of the Lord by the year he died.

The year that king Uzziah died

“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isaiah 1:1). Hosea's word came “in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah” (Hosea 1:1).

Amos saw his words “in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1:1). Zechariah writes of “the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah” (Zechariah 14:5). The text gives no further account of the earthquake.

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1).

Amaziah (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chronicles 26:1; 2 Chronicles 26:4)

His father, in whose room the people of Judah made him king, and whose way of doing right in the eyes of the LORD he followed.

Jecoliah (2 Kings 15:2; 2 Chronicles 26:3)

His mother, of Jerusalem, called Jechiliah in Chronicles.

Jotham (2 Kings 15:5; 2 Kings 15:7; 2 Chronicles 26:21; 2 Chronicles 26:23)

His son, who was over the household while he dwelt in a separate house, and who reigned in his stead.

The LORD (2 Chronicles 26:5; 2 Chronicles 26:7; 2 Chronicles 26:20)

God made him prosper while he sought the LORD, helped him against his enemies, and smote him with leprosy.

Azariah the priest and the priests (2 Chronicles 26:17–20)

Azariah the priest and fourscore priests went in after him, withstood him at the altar of incense, and thrust him out.

The Philistines (2 Chronicles 26:6–7)

He warred against them, broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod, and built cities among them.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 14:21–22
• 2 Kings 15:1–7
• 2 Chronicles 26
• Isaiah 6:1

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