Then Uzziah was angry. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense. Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from Yahweh’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
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2 Chronicles 26:19-21 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Then Uzziah was angry. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense. Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from Yahweh’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote. So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Jotham his son reigned in his place.
Parallel Translations
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Then Uzziah was angry. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense.
Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.
Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from Yahweh’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
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Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
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Then Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense.
And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself made haste also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a house set apart, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD; and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Science (1)
Historical claims about the natural world, weighed against the scientific record.
Cross-references (13)
- Leviticus 13:46 (v21) All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. His dwelling shall be outside of the…
- Numbers 12:10 (v19) The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was…
- Leviticus 14:34 (v20) “When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in the land of…
- Numbers 5:2-3 (v21) “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is unclean by a…
- Numbers 12:15 (v21) Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again.
Show all 13 cross-references
- Deuteronomy 28:22 (v20) Yahweh will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with fiery heat, with the sword, with blight, and with mildew. They…
- Deuteronomy 28:35 (v20) Yahweh will strike you in the knees and in the legs with a sore boil, of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the…
- 2 Kings 5:25-27 (v19) But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”…
- 2 Kings 7:3 (v21) Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die?
- 2 Kings 15:5-7 (v21) Yahweh struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham, the king’s son was over the…
- 2 Chronicles 25:16 (v19) As he talked with him, the king said to him, “Have we made you one of the king’s counselors? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the…
- Esther 6:12 (v20) Mordecai came back to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
- 2 Chronicles 16:10 (v19) Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v21 According to the commandment of the Lord, Lev. 13:46.
According to the commandment of the Lord, Lev. 13:46.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv19–21 2Ch 26:19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and [had] a…
2Ch 26:19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and [had] a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
Ver. 19. Then Uzziah was wroth.] See on 2Ch 24:21; 2Ch 24:20.
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The leprosy even rose up in his forehead.] Let our lay preachers look to it, though not presently punished, as here God will maintain his own order set by himself in Church or State, and take an order, sooner or later, with such as violate the same. See 2Ki 15:5.
Before the priests.] To show that he sideth with them.
From beside the incense altar.] Or, From upon; which showeth, saith one, {a} that by some visible sign - as by some vapour or ashes stirred up, &c., against Uzziah’s face - God manifested that this leprosy was immediately sent from him. Josephus saith that that terrible earthquake {Amo 1:1 Zec 14:5} happened at this time, with other prodigies.
{a} Diod.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv19–21 Uzziah was wroth with the priests. The leprosy even…
Uzziah was wroth with the priests. The leprosy even rose up in his forehead; so as he could not hide his shame; though it is probable it was also in the rest of his body.
From beside the incense altar; by a stroke from an invisible hand coming from the altar, that he might be assured that this was the effect of God’s just displeasure against him.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv19–21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the…
And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper,.... See Gill on Kg2 15:5,
for he was cut off from the house of the Lord; not, suffered to enter into that, because of his uncleanness:
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and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land; see Kg2 15:5.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv19–21 His forehead - So that he could not hide…
His forehead - So that he could not hide his shame: though it is probable it was also in the rest of his body. From beside - By a stroke from an invisible hand coming from the altar; that he might be assured this was the effect of God's displeasure.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv20–21 Verse 20. Because the Lord had smitten him.] "Because…
Verse 20. Because the Lord had smitten him.] "Because the WORD of the Lord had brought the plague upon him." - T.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv19–21 2Ch 26:19. Then Uzziah was wroth — With the…
2Ch 26:19. Then Uzziah was wroth — With the priests. While he was wroth the leprosy rose up in his forehead — So that he could not hide his shame: though it is probable it was also in the rest of his body. From beside the incense-altar — By a stroke from an invisible hand, coming from the altar; that he might be assured this was the effect of God’s displeasure.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv20–21 Death was denounced by the Law against those who…
Death was denounced by the Law against those who invaded the office of the priest; and death had been the actual punishment of Korah and his company. Uzziah feared lest from him also the extreme penalty should be exacted, and therefore hasted to quit the sacred building where his bare presence was a capital crime.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v19 Forehead. So that it could not be concealed. According…
Forehead. So that it could not be concealed. According to the rigour of the law, such an offender was to be slain, Num. iii. 10., and xviii. 7. The leprosy was considered as equivalent, and is styled destruction, (v. 16,) and death, Isaias vi. 1. M. See 4 K. xv. 6.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v21 dwelt in a several house--in an infirmary [BERTHEAU].
dwelt in a several house--in an infirmary [BERTHEAU].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv19, 21 19. The leprosy even rose up in his forehead…
19. The leprosy even rose up in his forehead — A judgment as sudden and signal as that which smote Miriam and Gehazi. Num_12:10; 2Ki_5:27. The offence was such as to demand swift and signal retribution.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–21 19. and had] R.V. and he had.
19. and had] R.V. and he had.
even rose up] R.V. brake forth.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–21 (19) Then.—And.
(19) Then.—And.
Was wroth.—Zaʻaf i.e., foamed with anger.
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And had.—And in his hand was a censer (Eze_8:11).
Even.—Omit.
Rose up.—Zarah. The word is not used in this sense elsewhere.
From beside—i.e., near, hard by.
Uzziah’s punishment was the same as that which fell upon Miriam (Num_12:10) and Gehazi (2Ki_5:27). Thenius, while asserting the historical character of Uzziah’s invasion of the sanctuary, declares that the chronicler has followed traditional exegesis in making the king’s leprosy a judgment upon his offence. At all events, we may be sure that the chronicler has given the story as he found it in the history of Uzziah, to which he alludes in 2Ch_26:22.
In Josephus the story is further embellished by the statements that the great earthquake mentioned in Amo_1:1 happened at the moment when Uzziah threatened the opposing priests; and that a ray of sunlight falling upon the king’s face through the Temple roof, which was cloven by the shock, produced the leprosy. (Comp. Amo_4:11; Zec_14:4-5.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv19–21 Render, Then Uzziah was wrath, and in his hand…
Render, Then Uzziah was wrath, and in his hand (at that moment) was a censer to burn incense, etc. From the most literal rendering of the Hebrew text, not unfrequently the most forcible Bible English results. From beside; render, at the very side of. (comp. 2Ki_5:27)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v19 Then Uzziah was wroth.
2Ch_26:19
Then Uzziah was wroth.
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Impatience of reproof
How often is the sinner only provoked to greater wickedness by the obstacles which Divine grace opposes to his wrong-doing! How few men will tolerate the suggestion that their intentions are cruel, selfish, or dishonourable! Remonstrance is an insult, an offence against their personal dignity; they feel that their self-respect demands that they should persevere in their purpose, and that they should resent and punish any one who has tried to thwart them. The most dramatic feature of this episode, the sudden frost of leprosy in the kings forehead, is not without its spiritual antitype. Mens anger at well-merited reproof has often blighted their lives once for all with ineradicable moral leprosy. In the madness of passion they have broken bonds which have hitherto restrained them and committed themselves beyond recall to evil pursuits and fatal friendships. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv19, 21 This is a special pan or bowl used for…
censer
This is a special pan or bowl used for burning incense.
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behold, he had become leprous
The word "behold" here shows that the priests were surprised by what they saw.
They quickly drove him out of there
"They quickly forced him out of there" or "They quickly made him leave"
Yahweh had struck him
This speaks of Yahweh making him sick as if Yahweh had hit him. AT: "Yahweh had made him ill" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
anger
leper
altar
chief priests
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v21 26:21 The leprosy forced King Uzziah to spend the…
26:21 The leprosy forced King Uzziah to spend the end of his life in quarantine in a separate house (literally a free house). The significance of this term is not known; it is often interpreted to mean that he was free from the duties of the monarchy. In Ugaritic texts, it seems to be a euphemism for a place of total confinement.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.