Uzziah

Biblical Record

The life of Uzziah is recorded in 2 Kings 14:21–22 and 15:1–7 under the name "Azariah," and in 2 Chronicles 26 under the name "Uzziah." His father was Amaziah, and his mother was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. He is said to have become king at the age of sixteen and to have reigned fifty-two years (2 Kings 15:2).

Second Chronicles states that he sought God during the lifetime of the prophet Zechariah, and that "as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper" (2 Chronicles 26:5). He made war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod; he prevailed over the Arabians and the Mehunims; and he received tribute from the Ammonites. He also built Eloth and restored it to Judah. Within the kingdom he built towers in Jerusalem and in the desert and dug wells, and Scripture notes that he loved husbandry. He also organized the army and is said to have made engines for shooting arrows and great stones, which he placed on the city's defenses.

But when the nation grew strong, his heart was lifted up in pride (2 Chronicles 26:16). He entered the temple in Jerusalem to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest and eighty other priests withstood him, declaring that burning incense belonged only to the priests, the sons of Aaron (2 Chronicles 26:18). When the king grew angry, leprosy broke out on his forehead. He lived in a separate house until the day of his death, while his son Jotham had charge of the palace. Because he was a leper, he was buried not in the royal tombs but in the burial field beside them.

Significance Within Scripture

The reign of Uzziah serves as a reference point for dating prophetic ministry in Isaiah 1:1, Hosea 1:1, and Amos 1:1. Amos 1:1, with its phrase "two years before the earthquake," and Zechariah 14:5 both recall a great earthquake that occurred in his time. The vision in which the prophet Isaiah received his call begins, "In the year that king Uzziah died" (Isaiah 6:1). Second Chronicles 26:22 states that Isaiah recorded his acts.

In the New Testament his name appears in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:8–9. This genealogy omits three kings who reigned between Joram and Uzziah: Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah. Various interpretations have been offered for the omission, including the explanation that the genealogy was arranged to fit a pattern of fourteen generations.

Interpretations and Debated Points

• Two names: Azariah is understood to mean "the LORD has helped," and Uzziah "the LORD is my strength." Explanations for why he bore two names vary; one view holds that one was a throne name received at his accession and the other his original name.
• Reason for the judgment: Second Kings gives no reason and records only that he became a leper. Second Chronicles identifies his pride and his presumptuous burning of incense as the cause. The Westminster Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian tradition is known to cite 2 Chronicles 26:18 among the proof texts for its statement that the civil magistrate may not assume the administration of the Word and sacraments. Accordingly, this passage is frequently cited, together with the account of Saul offering the burnt offering (1 Samuel 13), in discussions of the distinction between the offices of king and priest.
• Leprosy: Some hold that the Hebrew term tsara'at refers to a broader range of skin diseases than modern Hansen's disease.
• Chronology: Many scholars hold that he shared the throne for a time (a coregency) with his father Amaziah or his son Jotham. For this reason, chronological reckonings differ among scholars.
• Additional traditions: Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews relates that an earthquake occurred when Uzziah attempted to burn incense, although the biblical text does not connect the two events. There is also a later Aramaic inscription stating that "the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah, were brought here," which is generally understood as evidence that his remains were reburied during the Second Temple period.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Uzziah is frequently presented as an example of a person who became proud in times of prosperity, and 2 Chronicles 26:5 and 26:16 are often cited together. The words "In the year that king Uzziah died" in Isaiah 6:1 are widely used as a text for sermons on looking to God after losing someone on whom one had depended. Uzziah is also cited as an example when preachers emphasize the boundaries and order of church offices.