Chapter 26
A bit of a short chapter.
First verse reads this way:
1 And all the people of Judah took Uzziah (Azariah), who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. [2Ch 26:1 ESV] This does not really indicate that Amaziah had died, though we know from previous reading that Amaziah makes some big mistakes at the end of his life. After defeating Edom, he brings the gods of Edom home and begins to worship them. Ultimately, a conspiracy is formed against him because of these false gods, and he is pursued to Lachish, and there assassinated. Further indication that Uzziah becomes King while his father is still alive is in the wording of vs 2:
2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers. [2Ch 26:2 ESV] This makes it seem as though Uzziah did some things before his father died, but this Eloth rebuild was not until later, after the former king died. The conspiracy against Amaziah over the gods of Seir forced him to flee to Lachish. Likely Uzziah was made king once Amaziah abandoned Jerusalem. Eventually, enough force is mustered, or enough spies infiltrate Lachish to bring about his assassination.
In any case, Uzziah is a good king, mostly. He set himself to follow God's ways, and God blessed him for as long as this continued. Uzziah attacks the Philistines, and breaks down the walls of Gath, Ashdod, and Jabneh. He builds Israeli cities there in their land. The Ammonites pay tribute to him. He and the kingdom of Judah grow strong, and his fame spreads all the way to Egypt. He fortifies Jerusalem, and builds towers to protect the countryside. He has herds and vineyards, for he loves the land. He is a farmer at heart. He also makes machines invented by skillful men to place on the towers to shoot arrows and great stones.
However, his pride begins to cause him problems. Uzziah decides that he should be the one to go into the Holy of Holies and burn incense. The priests, the sons of Aaron withstand him, and refuse to let him do so. Uzziah is very angry about this. Pride. When he gets angry, leprosy appears immediately on his forehead. The priests hurry to rush him out of the Temple, and he himself hurries out. He is a leper for the rest of his life, and lives in isolation. During this time, his son Jotham is over the household and the people of the land. Interesting that Uzziah rules for a time as King while his father is in exile in Lachish, and history then repeats as Jotham rules while his leprous father lives in exile. This fills in a lot of what 2K15 tells us. Now we know that Azariah was King a long time before the leprosy took him. By that time, it may be that Jotham was old enough to help him out. It also means, to me at least, that Jotham was born before the King had leprosy.
vs 22:
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz wrote. [2Ch 26:22 ESV]
I noticed that tomorrow I start reading the book of Isaiah. This pretty well determines the date of the book of Isaiah.
First notes, 9/3/18
Uzziah was a good king in Judah. God made him powerful and he defeated his enemies. But his pride got him, and he decided he could burn incense in the temple. Maybe believed he'd earned God's respect instead of recognizing that his success was from God. So there in the temple, holding the incense burner, God gave him leprosy. He lived alone in a special house for the rest of his life.
God is the reason for our success. His help lifts us. If He doesn't help us, the field is level. We compete according to the evil and random rules of this world. Some still succeed. Some still do not.
God can punish those who regard His most sacred rules lightly.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
Proverbs 3:7-8 NKJV