Tyndale Open Study Notes2 Chronicles 26

The Chronicler introduced Uzziah, also known as Azariah in Kings, twice (2 Chronicles 26:1–2, 3–5). He quoted two passages from Kings (2 Kings 14:21–22; 15:2–3).

Uzziah ruled for fifty-two years, from 792 to 740 BC. He shared power with his father, Amaziah, from 792 to 767 BC, and with his son Jotham from 750 to 740 BC.

These verses summarize Uzziah’s international achievements. He conquered areas to the west, south, and southeast, but not to the north, where Jeroboam II’s kingdom was strong (2 Kings 14:23–29). With God's guidance (2 Chronicles 26:7), Uzziah aimed to control the coastal highway and build towns in the conquered areas.

• Uzziah fixed the damage to Jerusalem's walls caused by Jehoash during his attack on Amaziah. Uzziah might have also repaired damage from the famous earthquake of his time (Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5). Towers and cisterns found in excavations at Qumran, Gibeah, Beersheba, and other sites date back to this period.

• Uzziah supported agriculture, which was crucial for an independent society.

Uzziah had a large and well-equipped army that helped him expand and defend his land. His name appears on a fragment of a text from Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, which identifies Uzziah as the leader of an alliance.

Uzziah's leprosy was a punishment for breaking the covenant by burning incense in the temple. Only priests could do this (Exodus 30:7–9; Numbers 16).

Leprosy forced King Uzziah to spend his final years in quarantine in isolation (literally a free house). The meaning of this term is unclear; it often suggests he was free from royal duties. In Ugaritic texts, it appears to be a way to suggest a place of complete confinement.