2 Chronicles 26:15

_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._ Made ... engines, invented by cunning men ... to shoot arrows and great stones - catapults contrived by х_ HOWSHEEB_ (H3427)], an artificer. This is the first notice that occurs in history of the use of machines for throwing projectiles. The invention is apparently ascribed to the reign of Uzziah, and Pliny expressly says they originated in Syria. HE WAS MARVELOUSLY HELPED, UNTIL HE WAS STRONG. He conducted himself as became the viceroy of the Divine King, and prospered....

1-15 As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper. Those only prosper whom God makes to prosper; for prosperity is his gift. Many have owned, that as long as they sought the Lord, and kept close to their duty, they prospered; but when they forsook God, every thing went cross. God never continues either to bless the indolent or to withhold his blessing from the diligent. He will never suffer any to seek his face in vain. Uzziah's name was famed throughout all the neighbouring countries. A name with God and good people makes truly honourable. He did not delight in war, nor addict himself to sports, but delighted in husbandry....

Verse 2 Chronicles 26:15. _ENGINES - TO SHOOT ARROWS AND GREAT STONES_] The _Targum_ says, "He made in Jerusalem ingenious instruments, and little hollow towers, to stand upon the towers and upon the bastions, for the shooting of arrows, and projecting of great stones." This is the very first intimation on record of any warlike engines for the _attack_ or _defense_ of besieged places; and this account is long prior to any thing of the kind among either the Greeks or Romans. Previously to such inventions, the besieged could only be _starved out_, and hence sieges were very _long_ and _tedious_. Shalmaneser consumed _three_ years before such an inconsiderable place as Samaria, 2 Kings 17:5; Sardanapalus maintained himself in Nineveh for...

Uzziah’s engines seem to have corresponded respectively to the Roman balista and catapulta. The balista, which threw stones, was known to the Assyrians as early as the time of Sardanapalus I, the contemporary of Jehoshaphat. The catapult is not represented either on the Assyrian or the Egyptian sculptures. It would seem on the whole most probable that both kinds of engines were invented in Assyria and introduced from thence into Palestine....

EXPOSITION The twenty-three verses of this chapter, entirely occupied with the career of Uzziah, have to be content with a parallel of nine verses only, viz. 2 Kings 14:21, 2 Kings 14:22; 2 Kings 15:1. Our chapter first glances at the usual prefatory particulars of the age, pedigree, length of reign, kind of character, and choice between virtue and vice of the new king (2 Chronicles 26:1; but note the remarkable appearance of 2 Chronicles 26:2, looking as though it had strayed). Next, of his good works ...

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,.... Such as with the Romans were called "catapultae", "ballistae" u, "scorpiones" w, c. and by this it appears that these were not first invented in Greece and Rome, but in Judea. It is said x, that the Romans received the machine to batter cities from the Greeks, and that the Trojan horse was no other than a battering ram but if they did, the invention of them must be ascribed, not to them, but rather to the Syrians and Phoenicians, according to Pliny y; though others z suppose the Carthaginians, who were a colony of theirs, to be the inventors of them; yet, after all, they seem to be the device of some skilful men among the Jews, in the times of Uzziah; according to Diodorus Siculus a, they were not found out when Nineveh was besieged in the ti...

CHAPTER 26 THE REIGN OF UZZIAH _ 1. The beginning of his reign (2 Chronicles 26:1)_ 2. Uzziah's success and fortifications (2 Chronicles 26:6) 3. Uzziah's sin and leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16) 4. The death of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:22) The Son of Amaziah, Uzziah, in his sixteenth year, was made king by the people. In Second Kings 15 he is called Azariah. (In the annotations on 2 Kings 15:1 an explanation is given on this double name of Uzziah.) Isaiah was then pro

THE REIGN OF UZZIAH (see notes on 2 Kings 14:21 to 2 Kings 15:7). The Chronicler amplifies considerably the account of this reign in 2 K. which is very meagre: his additions are in all probability based, in the main, upon some historical source, since fuller records of this reign, which was one of the longest in the history of Judah, must have been in existence. 2 Chronicles 26:1. Uzziah: called Azariah in 2 Kings 14:21; 2 Kings 15:1, etc., which is probably a mistake; in...

ENGINES. The Roman balista, or catapults that would cast stones up to 300 lb.. quarter of. mile. CUNNING. Old Eng.. knowing, or skilful. MARVELLOUSLY HELPED: or, marvelled at for being helped. TILL HE WAS STRONG. This is the zone of real danger. When we are weak, then are we strong (2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Corinthians 13:4)....

_engines_ Cp. 1Ma 6:51-52 and article Engine Hastings" _Bible Dictionary_. _bulwarks_ R.V. BATTLEMENTS (lit. "corners"). _helped_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 26:7....