2 Chronicles 26:18

_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._ It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, х_ LO'_ (H3808) _ LªKAA_ (H3807a) ... _ LªHAQTIYR_ (H6999)] - it is not to thee (not thy province) to burn incense. Rage and threats were the only answers he deigned to return; but God took care to vindicate the sacredness of the priestly office, and at the moment of the king's lifting the censer, struck him with leprosy. The earthquake mentioned, Amos 1:1;...

16-23 The transgression of the kings before Uzziah was, forsaking the temple of the Lord, and burning incense upon idolatrous altars. But his transgression was, going into the holy place, and attempting to burn incense upon the altar of God. See how hard it is to avoid one extreme, and not run into another. Pride of heart was at the bottom of his sin; a lust that ruins many. Instead of lifting up the name God in gratitude to him who had done so much for him, his heart was lifted up to his hurt. Men's pretending to forbidden knowledge, and seeking things too high for them, are owing to pride of heart. The incense of our prayers must be, by faith, put into the hands of our Lord Jesus, the great High Priest of our profession, else we cannot expect it to be accepted by God, Revelation 8:3. Though Uzziah strove with the priests, he would not strive with his Maker. But he was punished for his...

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 THEY WITHSTOOD UZZIAH THE KING,.... They not only stood against him, but stood about him, surrounded him, so as to hinder him from approaching the altar of incense: AND SAID UNTO HIM, IT APPERTAINETH NOT UNTO THEE, UZZIAH, TO BURN INCENSE UNTO THE LORD; it did not belong to his office as a king, it was no part of it BUT TO THE PRIESTS THE SONS OF AARON, THAT ARE CONSECRATED TO BURN INCENSE; and to them only; for even the Levites might not do it, only those of the tribe of Levi, that descended from Aaron, see Numbers 16:35, GO OUT OF THE SANCTUARY, FOR THOU HAST TRESPASSED; by going into that: NEITHER SHALL IT BE FOR THINE HONOUR FROM THE LORD GOD; but to his hurt, and be a brand of infamy upon him; for more is designed than is expressed, and as the event showed....

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...

CONSECRATED. sanctified, or set apart. See note on Exodus 28:41. TRESPASSED. Same word as "transgressed" (2 Chronicles 26:16)....

_the priests the sons of Aaron_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 13:10-11 and Numbers 16:40. _neither_shall it be _for thine honour_ A euphemism, a threat of danger and disgrace....

FOR THOU HAST TRESPASSED, &C.— _For it is not lawful for thee to assume that honour, contrary to the will of God._ Houbigant. What it was that tempted the king to this extravagant folly, is difficult to imagine; but the most likely conjecture is, that he had a vain ambition to imitate heathen princes, who in several countries joined the regal and sacerdotal offices together. But, however it may be in all other countries, the priesthood in Judea was confined to the house of Aaron only; and every one who pretended to usurp that office was, by the law of the land, to be put to death. See Numbers 18:7. Therefore God smote Uzziah with such a disease as was a kind of death, because it separated the person afflicted with it from the commerce and society of men, even as if he were departed this world. See Joseph. Bell....

11. THE REIGN OF UZZIAH (Chapter 26) TEXT 2 Chronicles 26:1. And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2. He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3. 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 Jecholiah, of Jerusalem. 4. And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5. And 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. 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 he built cities in the country of A