Uzziah
“Strength of Jehovah”
Summary
The tenth king of the separate kingdom of Judah who reigned for fifty-two years, achieving great prosperity until pride led him to usurp priestly functions, for which God struck him with leprosy.
☩Rise to Power
After the murder of his father Amaziah, Uzziah (also called Azariah) was chosen by the people at age sixteen to occupy the vacant throne. For most of his fifty-two year reign, he lived in the fear of God and proved himself a wise, active, and pious ruler, particularly while under the influence of the prophet Zechariah 'who had understanding in the visions of God.'
☩Military Achievements
Uzziah conducted successful military campaigns against multiple enemies. He defeated the Edomites and recovered the port city of Elath at the head of the Gulf of Akaba, establishing it as a commercial center. He waged victorious wars against the Philistines, breaking down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod, and also subdued the Arabians, Mehunim, and received tribute from the Ammonites. His fame spread as far as Egypt, and he strengthened Jerusalem's walls with towers and equipped his army of over 307,000 men with advanced military equipment.
☩Pride and Downfall
When Uzziah became strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. He determined to burn incense on the altar of God, a function reserved exclusively for the priests. When the high priest Azariah and eighty priests opposed him, the king became enraged. As he pressed forward with his censer, leprosy suddenly appeared on his forehead. This catastrophe compelled Uzziah to live in a separate house, excluded from the Temple and public life, while his son Jotham served as regent until Uzziah's death. He was buried near, but not in, the royal sepulchers due to his leprosy.
☩The Earthquake
A significant earthquake occurred during Uzziah's reign, serious enough to be referenced by the prophets Amos and Zechariah as a chronological marker, with Zechariah noting that people 'fled' from its devastation.
☩Other Figures Named Uzziah
Other men bearing this name include: a Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Samuel; the father of Jehonathan, David's overseer of royal depositories; a priest who divorced his foreign wife after the exile; and the father of Athaiah, a post-exilic resident of Jerusalem.
Related Verses38 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Uzziah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Uzziah," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Uzziah," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 4.James Orr (ed.), "Uzziah; (Azariah)," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. V (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 5.George Morrish, "Uzziah," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 6.John McClintock and James Strong, "Uzziah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 7.James Orr (ed.), "Uzziah; (Azariah)," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. V (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 8.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Uzziah," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 9.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Uzziah," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 10.John McClintock and James Strong, "Uzziah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).