Pride and Apostasy
16But when he had become strong he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was false to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to make offering on the altar of incense. 17But the priest Azariah went in after him, with eighty priests of the LORD who were men of valor; 18they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to make offering to the LORD, but for the priests the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to make offering. Go out of the sanctuary; for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the LORD God.” 19Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to make offering, and when he became angry with the priests a leprousa disease broke out on his forehead, in the presence of the priests in the house of the LORD, by the altar of incense. 20When the chief priest Azariah, and all the priests, looked at him, he was leprousb in his forehead. They hurried him out, and he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him. 21King Uzziah was leprousc to the day of his death, and being leprousd lived in a separate house, for he was excluded from the house of the LORD. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace of the king, governing the people of the land.
22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz wrote. 23Uzziah slept with his ancestors; they buried him near his ancestors in the burial field that belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is leprous.”e His son Jotham succeeded him.
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a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
b A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
c A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
d A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
e A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
26.1–15 Cf. 2 Kings 14.21–15.4. Vv. 5–15, which identify the signs of blessings in Uzziah ’s reign, are unique to Chronicles. In 2 Kings, which gives a brief account of his very long reign, he is usually called Azariah.
26.2 Eloth, alternate spelling for Elath, a port city on the northeastern arm of the Red Sea that revolted during the reign of Jehoram (21.8–10).
26.4 The Chronicler qualifies his positive assessment of Uzziah in vv. 16–21. An early good period is followed by infidelity, just as with the reign of Amaziah.
26.5 Zechariah, an unknown adviser, during whose days the king’s piety leads to success. Cf. Joash and Zechariah in ch. 24. God made him prosper refers to foreign relationships.
26.6 Gath, a Philistine city on the coastal plain. Jabneh, a city in northwest Judah identical to Jabneel and Jamnia; Ashdod, another Philistine city near the coast.
26.7 Gur-baal. Emend to “Gur and against.” Gur is east of Beer-sheba. Meunites, see note on 20.1. Uzziah’s expansion is all in a southerly direction; Jeroboam II is too strong in the North.
26.9–10 Royal building activities are a sign of blessing; numerous archaeological remains have been related to Uzziah. Shephelah, low hills in western Palestine. Plain, perhaps the plain of Sharon. The hills, the hill country of Judah.
26.11–13 Large armies are another sign of God’s blessing (cf. 1 Chr 12.23–40; 2 Chr 12.3; 13.3, 17; 14.9; 17.12–19; 25.5–6).
26.15 Machines, not catapults, but defensive structures that protected the soldiers.
26.16–23 Cf. 2 Kings 15.5–7. Vv. 16–21 are found only in Chronicles.
26.16 Grew proud. Uzziah’s sinful pride (cf. 12.1) leads to negative consequences in the second half of his reign. Incense offerings are to be conducted only by priests (Ex 30.1–10; Num 16.40; 18.1–7).
26.17 Azariah, an otherwise unknown priest.
26.20 Because of his illness, Uzziah serves in a coregency with his son Jotham. God effects immediate retribution.
26.22 Isaiah. The account of Uzziah is traced to prophetic authorship (cf. 1 Chr 29.29; 2 Chr 9.29; 12.15; 32.32). The book of Isaiah refers to Uzziah in 1.1; 6.1; 7.1. 2 Kings 15.6 reads “Are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah?”
26.23 His grave is near, but not in, the royal cemetery. A later, Hasmonean ossuary text reads: “Herein are the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Do not open.” The separate burial of the king may have led to the discovery and reburial of his bones in the first century BCE.
2 CHRONICLES 27
Reign of Jotham
1Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. 2He did what was right in the sight of the LORD just as his father Uzziah had done—only he did not invade the temple of the LORD. But the people still followed corrupt practices. 3He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD, and did extensive building on the wall of Ophel. 4Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills. 5He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. The Ammonites gave him that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and the third years. 6So Jotham became strong because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God. 7Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9Jotham slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David; and his son Ahaz succeeded him.
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27.1–9 Cf. 2 Kings 15.32–38. Unlike his three predecessors, Jotham is given a totally positive judgment.
27.2 Chronicles adds a note that Jotham did not invade the temple because of the tradition included in 26.16–20 concerning Uzziah’s improper use of incense. Corrupt practices, a paraphrase of information in 2 Kings about making sacrifices and burning incense at the high places.
27.3 In Chronicles pious kings usually carry out building projects. Ophel, a ridge extending south of Jerusalem that was fortified by David. Jotham’s work on the temple gate and on towers echoes the activities of Uzziah.
27.5 The tribute from the Ammonites demonstrates that divine favor rests with Jotham. One hundred talents, 6,700 pounds. Ten thousand cors, somewhere between 65,000 and 140,000 bushels.
27.6 A clear statement of the doctrine of retribution.
27.7 Chronicles omits the reference to Rezin and Pekah during the reign of Jotham from 2 Kings 15.37 and associates their attack with the next king, Ahaz (28.5–8).
2 CHRONICLES 28
Reign of Ahaz
1Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his ancestor David had done, 2but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made cast images for the Baals; 3and he made offerings in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and made his sons pass through fire, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. 4He sacrificed and made offerings on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Aram and Israel Defeat Judah
5Therefore the LORD his God gave him into the hand of the king of Aram, who defeated him and took captive a great number of his people and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with great slaughter. 6Pekah son of Remaliah killed one hundred twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all of them valiant warriors, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors. 7And Zichri, a mighty warrior of Ephraim, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam the commander of the palace, and Elkanah the next in authority to the king.
Intervention of Oded
8The people of Israel took captive two hundred thousand of their kin, women, sons, and daughters; they also took much booty from them and brought the booty to Samaria. 9But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria
, and said to them, “Because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. 10Now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. But what have you except sins against the LORD your God? 11Now hear me, and send back the captives whom you have taken from your kindred, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.” 12Moreover, certain chiefs of the Ephraimites, Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war, 13and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring on us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” 14So the warriors left the captives and the booty before the officials and all the assembly. 15Then those who were mentioned by name got up and took the captives, and with the booty they clothed all that were naked among them; they clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them; and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kindred at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
Assyria Refuses to Help Judah
16At that time King Ahaz sent to the kinga of Assyria for help. 17For the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah, and carried away captives. 18And the Philistines had made raids on the cities in the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they settled there. 19For the LORD brought Judah low because of King Ahaz of Israel, for he had behaved without restraint in Judah and had been faithless to the LORD. 20So King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria came against him, and oppressed him instead of strengthening him. 21For Ahaz plundered the house of the LORD and the houses of the king and of the officials, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria; but it did not help him.
Apostasy and Death of Ahaz
22In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the LORD—this same King Ahaz. 23For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, and cut in pieces the utensils of the house of God. He shut up the doors of the house of the LORD and made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25In every city of Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the LORD, the God of his ancestors. 26Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him.
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a Gk Syr Vg Compare 2 Kings 16.7: Heb kings
28.1–4 Cf. 2 Kings 16.1–4. Chronicles follows Kings closely in this sharply negative summary of Ahaz.
28.2 Cast images for the Baals. Ahaz commits the same sin as Jeroboam, first king of the Northern Kingdom (13.8).
28.3 Valley of the son of Hinnom, a wadi south of Jerusalem where child sacrifice was practiced (33.6; Jer 7.31–32).
28.5–7 Cf. 2 Kings 16.5.
28.5 The king of Aram (Syria) is identified in 2 Kings as Rezin. He was allied with Pekah of the Northern Kingdom against Judah in what is known as the Syro-Ephraimite war. Here the two enemies of Judah attack independently. According to Chronicles, the wicked king Ahaz suffers retribution through both opposing countries.
28.6 One hundred twenty thousand. The exaggerated number of casualties—and in one day!—shows the penalty for abandoning the Lord (cf. 13.9–12).
28.7 Next in authority. Cf. Esth 10.3.
28.8–15 The Chronicler inserts a sermon by a prophet and an admonition by Ephraimite chiefs that lead the Northern troops to change their mind. Certain details of this narrative may have influenced the account of the good Samaritan in the NT.
28.8 Two hundred thousand captives plus the fatalities in v. 6 would have depopulated Judah.
28.9–10 Oded, otherwise unknown. This prophet concedes the wickedness of Judah but accuses the Northern army of excesses (cf. Isa 10.5–19), the killing of some in anger and the enslaving of the rest (Lev 25.39–55). Note that the LORD (Yahweh) is still considered as the God of the North.
28.11 Citizens of the two kingdoms are kindred (lit. “brothers”).
28.12 The decisive action by certain chiefs may mean that the Northern monarchy is already a thing of the past.
28.13 The four chiefs also admonish the army not to add guilt from the present incident to their existing guilt (cf. 13.4–12).
28.14 Remarkably, the army repents.
28.15 Those mentioned by name in v. 12 (or “men nominated for this duty” as translated by the New English Bible) outfit the captives from the booty that had been taken and return them to Judean authorities at Jericho.
28.16–21 Cf. 2 Kings 16.6–9. In 2 Kings Ahaz appeals to the Assyrian king for relief from the Northern invaders. Since the Chronicler had already reported that the North had repented and restored its captives, he identifies the cause of Ahaz’s plea as pressure from other neighboring countries, the Edomites and Philistines. This additional material is historically plausible.
28.16 Ahaz should have asked God rather than a foreign king for help (cf. 26.7, 15).
28.18 The Philistines capture a number of cities between themselves and Judah. Gimzo, a town north of Gezer.
28.19 The Philistine attack metes out appropriate retribution to Ahaz.
28.20 Tilgath-pilneser, spelled Tiglath-pileser [III] in 2 Kings 16.7 (but see 1 Chr 5.6). The Assyrian king attacks the South instead of coming to its aid. According to 2 Kings 16.9 the Assyrian king listens to Ahaz and provides him relief by attacking Damascus and killing Rezin. In 733 BCE Tiglath-pileser reorganized the Northern Kingdom into three Assyrian provinces.
28.21 In this added verse, Chronicles attributes Judah’s defeat to the fact that Ahaz wrongly paid tribute to the Assyrians.
28.22–27 Cf. 2 Kings 16.10–20.
28.23 Ahaz compounds his guilt by worshiping the Aramean gods. According to 2 Kings 16.10–13 Ahaz copied an Aramean altar and worshiped the Lord with it.
28.24 By closing the Jerusalem temple and thus distancing himself from it, Ahaz acts in a way similar to Jeroboam. In 2 Kings 16.12–14 Ahaz makes special offerings to the temple, but in 2 Kings 16.17–18 the king plunders the temple in order to pay tribute.
28.27 Like Uzziah, Ahaz is buried in Jerusalem, but not with the other kings (cf. 2 Kings 16.20; 2 Chr 21.20; 24.25; 26.23).
2 CHRONICLES 29
Reign of Hezekiah
1Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, just as his ancestor David had done.
The Temple Cleansed
3In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. 4He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east. 5He said to them, “Listen to me, Levites! Sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and carry out the filth from the holy place. 6For our ancestors have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the LORD our God; they have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the dwelling of the LORD, and turned their backs. 7They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps, and have not offered incense or made burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8Therefore the wrath of the LORD came upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your o
wn eyes. 9Our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence to minister to him, and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”
12Then the Levites arose, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah; 13and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in as the king had commanded, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16The priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and they brought out all the unclean things that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD; and the Levites took them and carried them out to the Wadi Kidron. 17They began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD; then for eight days they sanctified the house of the LORD, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. 18Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows of bread and all its utensils. 19All the utensils that King Ahaz repudiated during his reign when he was faithless, we have made ready and sanctified; see, they are in front of the altar of the LORD.”
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