INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 26 This chapter relates the good reign of Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:1, his wars and victories, his buildings, the number of his soldiers, and his military stores, 2 Chronicles 26:6, his invasion of the priest's office, in attempting to offer incense, for which he was smit... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 1-4. THEN ALL THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH TOOK UZZIAH,.... Of this and the three following verses, see the notes on 2 Kings 14:21 where Uzziah is called Azariah. 2 Kings 14:21 2 Kings 14:22 2 Kings 15:2 2 Kings 15:3... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 26:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 26:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 26:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SOUGHT GOD IN THE DAYS OF ZECHARIAH,.... Not that Zechariah, the last of the prophets save one, he lived three hundred years after this; nor he that Joash slew; but, as it may seem, a son of his, perhaps the same with him in Isaiah 8:2, WHO HAD UNDERSTANDING IN THE VISIONS OF GOD: who either... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT FORTH, AND WARRED AGAINST THE PHILISTINES,.... Who in the times of Jehoram broke in upon Judah, and distressed them, 2 Chronicles 21:16 AND BRAKE DOWN THE WALL OF GATH; which was one of the five principalities of the Philistines: AND THE WALL OF JABNEH; nowhere else mentioned in Script... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GOD HELPED HIM AGAINST THE PHILISTINES,.... He did not do all before related of himself, and by his own strength, but by the help of God; the Targum is "the Word of the Lord helped him:'' AND AGAINST THE ARABIANS THAT DWELT IN GURBAAL; the same with Gerar, according to the Targum; which also b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE AMMONITES GAVE GIFTS TO UZZIAH,.... As tributaries to him, or; however, as desirous to live in friendship with him: AND HIS NAME SPREAD ABROAD, EVEN TO THE ENTERING IN OF EGYPT; so far he carried his arms, and conquered the countries that lay between Palestine and Egypt: FOR HE STRENGTHENE... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER UZZIAH BUILT TOWERS IN JERUSALEM AT THE CORNER GATE,.... Which was broken down by the king of Israel in his father's time, 2 Chronicles 25:23 and which he not only repaired, but strengthened, by building a tower upon it: AND AT THE VALLEY GATE; which led to the valley, Ne 2:13, called the... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO HE BUILT TOWERS IN THE DESERT,.... In the desert of Arabia, to protect travellers from thieves and robbers, and particularly shepherds and their flocks, as appears by what follows; which a certain writer p thinks are the same which the Indians call pagodas; not such as served for temples, but w... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, UZZIAH HAD AN HOST OF FIGHTING MEN,.... A standing army: THAT WENT OUT TO WAR BY BANDS; to annoy his enemies, and to scour the country from thieves and robbers, that came in troops to plunder: ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THEIR ACCOUNT, BY THE HAND OF JEIEL THE SCRIBE; the secretary of war... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHOLE NUMBER OF THE CHIEF OF THE FATHERS OF THE MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR WERE TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED. Who were the commanders and principal officers of his army; and such a number supposed a large army, as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UNDER THEIR HAND WAS AN ARMY, THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND SEVEN THOUSAND AND FIVE HUNDRED,.... Which was larger than that in his father's time by 7500, 2 Chronicles 25:5 besides officers: THAT MADE WAR WITH MIGHTY POWER, TO HELP THE KING AGAINST THE ENEMY; they were ready to fight, and fight val... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UZZIAH PREPARED FOR THEM THROUGHOUT ALL THE HOST,.... For every soldier in the army: SHIELDS AND SPEARS; defensive and offensive weapons, the one to cover and protect their bodies, the other to push and pierce their enemies: AND HELMETS, AND HABERGEONS; the first of these were a covering for t... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE WAS STRONG,.... Became great and powerful, through his victories, the enlargement of his dominions, and having a numerous army, and these well accoutred, and many fortified cities and towers: HIS HEART WAS LIFTED UP TO HIS DESTRUCTION; he grew vain and proud, elated with his flourishing cir... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AZARIAH THE PRIEST WENT IN AFTER HIM,.... To hinder him from doing it, and to persuade him to go out. This was the high priest, as appears from 2 Chronicles 26:20 and is thought to be the same that is spoken of in 1 Chronicles 6:10 AND WITH HIM EIGHTY PRIESTS OF THE LORD, THAT WERE VALIANT MEN;... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN UZZIAH WAS WROTH,.... With the priests, and, as Josephus b says, threatened to kill them: AND HAD A CENSER IN HIS HAND TO BURN INCENSE; ready to do it, and resolved upon it: AND WHILE HE WAS WROTH WITH THE PRIESTS; and expressing his indignation, and do what he would do to them, if they conti... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AZARIAH THE CHIEF PRIEST, AND ALL THE PRIESTS, LOOKED UPON HIM, AND, BEHOLD, HE WAS LEPROUS IN HIS FOREHEAD,.... He was leprous all over his body, no doubt, but it appeared in his forehead very remarkably, and was seen by them all, who, without doubt, informed him of his case, and of which he so... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UZZIAH THE KING WAS A LEPER UNTO THE DAY OF HIS DEATH, AND DWELT IN A SEVERAL HOUSE, BEING A LEPER,.... 2 Kings 15:5, FOR HE WAS CUT OFF FROM THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; not, suffered to enter into that, because of his uncleanness: AND JOTHAM HIS SON WAS OVER THE KING'S HOUSE, JUDGING THE PEOPLE O... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE REST OF THE ACTS OF UZZIAH, FIRST AND LAST,.... What were done by him, both in the beginning and latter end of his reign: DID ISAIAH THE PROPHET, THE SON OF AMOZ, WRITE: not in his own prophecy, but in the history of his own times, which was usual for every prophet to write, though now lost... [ Continue Reading ]
SO UZZIAH SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS,.... Died as they did, the same year, according to Dr. Lightfoot e, in which he was smitten with the leprosy; and in the year of his death it was Isaiah had the vision related in Isaiah 6:1, c. AND THEY BURIED HIM WITH HIS FATHERS 2 Kings 15:7. e Works, vol. 1. p.... [ Continue Reading ]