2 Chronicles 26

1 All the people [the entire nation] of Judah took Uzziah [my strength is Jehovah], who was sixteen [six and ten] years old, and made him king [to reign, to rule] in place [underneath, in succession] of his father [parent, ancestor] Amaziah [Jehovah is mighty]. word study 2 Uzziah was the one who rebuilt Eloth [Elath, a port city] and restored it to Judah [the tribe, the region] after King Amaziah [the ruler, the leader] rested [slept, lay down] with his fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 3 Uzziah [a son of sixteen years, sixteen years old] was sixteen years old when he became king [began to reign], and he reigned [ruled, was king] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital city] fifty-two [fifty and two] years. His mother’s [female parent, maternal figure] name was Jecoliah [mother of Uzziah]; she was from [a native of, belonging to] Jerusalem. word study 4 And he did [what was righteous, just] what was right [upright, just] in the eyes [sight, gaze] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], just as [according to all that] his father [parent, ancestor] Amaziah [Jehovah is mighty] had done [accomplished, made]. word study 5 He sought [diligently inquired of, to ask] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] throughout the days [period of time, era] of Zechariah [Jehovah remembers], who instructed [taught, guided] him in the fear [reverence, awe] of God [the one true God]. And as long as he sought [to worship, inquire of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], God [the Provider, caretaker] gave him success [to prosper, rush forward]. word study 6 Uzziah went out [to come out, to depart] to wage war [to fight, to battle] against the Philistines [a person from the region of Philistia], and he tore down [broke through, demolished] the walls [a wall of protection] of Gath [a major city of the Philistines], Jabneh [a Philistine city, building of God], and Ashdod [a powerful Philistine city]. Then he built [established, constructed] cities [towns, settlements] near Ashdod [in the region of Ashdod] and among the Philistines [in the midst of the Philistine people]. word study 7 God [Elohim, the supreme Being] helped him against the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia], against the Arabs [people from Arabia] living in Gur-baal [dwelling of Baal], and against the Meunites [descendants of Meun, a group from Edom]. word study 8 The Ammonites [people of Ammon, descendants of Lot] brought tribute [gifts, offerings] to Uzziah [my strength is Jehovah], and his fame [name, reputation, shem] spread as far as [till, until] the border [entrance, entering in] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], for he had become [strengthened himself, waxed] exceedingly [very, most] powerful [strong, courageous]. word study 9 Uzziah [my strength is Jehovah] built towers [fortified structures, watchtowers] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] at the Corner Gate [the doorway in the angle], the Valley Gate [the gateway to the lowland], and the angle [the corner, the turning point] in the wall, and he fortified [strengthened, made secure] them. word study 10 Since he had much livestock [a large number of cattle, sheep, and goats] in the foothills [low-lying areas, the Shephelah] and in the plain [a level or flat area], he built towers [strongholds, watchtowers] in the desert [the wilderness, a barren land] and dug many cisterns [wells, water storage pits]. And since he was a lover [one who has great affection] of the soil [the land, the earth], he had farmers [husbandmen, those who till the soil] and vinedressers [those who tend vineyards, care for grapes] in the hill country [the mountains, elevated areas] and in the fertile fields [the fruitful land, areas of abundant harvest]. word study 11 Uzziah had an army [host of fighting men] ready for battle [war] that went out to war [into battle] by assigned divisions [bands], as recorded [counted, numbered] by Jeiel [secretary] the scribe and Maaseiah [ruler] the officer under the direction [hand, authority] of Hananiah [one of the king’s captains, rulers], one of the royal officers [king’s captains]. word study 12 The total [whole, entire] number [quantity, count] of family [father’s households, ancestral groups] leaders [chiefs, heads] of the mighty [strong, valiant] men [warriors, champions] of valor [strength, power, courage] was 2,600 [two thousand and six hundred, a large company]. word study 13 Under their [divine] authority [upon them, in their hand] was an army [warriors, a powerful force] of 307,500 [three hundred and seven thousand, and five hundred] trained [skilled, prepared] for war [battle, conflict], a powerful [strong, mighty] force to support [help, aid] the king [ruler, monarch] against his enemies [adversaries, foes]. word study 14 Uzziah [the king of Judah, my strength is Jehovah] supplied [prepared, equipped] the entire [whole, all-inclusive] army [host, large group of people] with shields [bucklers, protective coverings], spears [lances, javelins], helmets [head coverings, protective headgear], armor [coats of mail, breastplates], bows [weapons for hunting or battle], and slingstones [stones for slinging, projectiles]. word study 15 And in Jerusalem [the city of peace] he made [invented, devised] skillfully designed devices [engines, machines] to shoot [to cast, to hurl] arrows [sharp projectiles] and catapult [to throw, to launch] large stones [great rocks] from the towers [high structures, strongholds] and corners [angles, pinnacles]. So his fame [reputation, name] spread far and wide [to a distant place, abroad], for he was helped [assisted, aided] tremendously [in a wonderful manner, marvelously] so that he became powerful [strong, courageous]. word study 16 But when Uzziah grew powerful [in strength and influence], his arrogance [exalting himself, lifted up] led to his own destruction [ruin, corruption]. He was unfaithful [transgressing, acting treacherously] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] his God [Elohim, the supreme God], for he entered [went into, approached] the temple [the large public building, palace] of the LORD to burn incense [to offer, making a sweet smoke] on the altar [the place of sacrifice] of incense [the sweet smoke, perfume]. word study 17 Then Azariah [the Supreme Priest] the priest, along with eighty [fourscore] brave [valiant men, strong] priests of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], went in [came, approached] after [in the rear, following] him. word study 18 They took their stand [withstood, resisted] against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right [it is not for you, it does not belong to you] to offer incense [to burn incense as an act of worship] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. Only the priests [those set apart for God’s service], the descendants of Aaron [the first high priest], are consecrated [set apart as holy] to burn incense [to offer worship]. Leave [go out from] the sanctuary [the holy place, the temple], for you have acted unfaithfully [been unfaithful, trespassed]; you will not receive honor [glory, great honor] from the LORD God [the supreme Creator].” word study 19 Uzziah [with a burning anger], with a censer [vessel for burning incense] in his hand to offer [burn as an act of worship] incense, was enraged [became extremely angry, like boiling water]. But while he raged [was furious, full of wrath] against the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and man] in their presence [face to face, before their eyes] in the house [temple, place of worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] before the altar [place of sacrifice, incense offering] of incense, leprosy [a skin disease] broke out [suddenly appeared, rose up] on his forehead [the prominent part of the face]. word study 20 When Azariah [the high priest, spiritual leader] the chief priest and all [every single one] the priests turned [faced, looked] to him and saw his leprous [diseased] forehead, they rushed [thrust, hastened] him out. Indeed, he himself hurried [was compelled, hastened] to get out, because the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had afflicted [struck, smitten] him. word study 21 So King Uzziah [the king with strength from Jehovah] was a leper [afflicted with a skin disease, separated from others] until the day [a period of 24 hours, a point in time] of his death [the end of his earthly life]. He lived [dwelt, remained] in isolation [a separate house, alone], leprous [with a contagious skin disease, cut off from others] and cut off [separated, divided] from the house [the temple, the place of worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], while his son Jotham [Jehovah is perfect, a son of the king] had charge [was over, supervised] of the royal palace [the king’s house, the place of authority] to govern [to judge, to rule] the people [a nation, a group of individuals] of the land [the earth, the territory]. word study 22 As for the rest [remainder, what is left] of the acts [chronicles, events] of Uzziah [my strength is Jehovah], from beginning [first, initial] to end [last, final], they are recorded [written down, inscribed] by the prophet [one who speaks for God] Isaiah [Jehovah has saved] son [descendant, offspring] of Amoz [the father of Isaiah]. word study 23 And Uzziah [the king, my strength is Jehovah] rested [slept, lay down] with his fathers [ancestors, lineage] and was buried [interred, laid to rest] near them in a field [land, area] of burial [tomb, grave] that belonged to the kings [royal ones, rulers]; for the people said, “He was a leper [afflicted with a skin disease, unclean] [because of his condition, as an outcast].” And his son [descendant, heir] Jotham [Jehovah is perfect] reigned [ruled, governed] in his place [stead, position]. word study