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Sunday, December 22nd, 2024
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Uzziah
Easton's Bible Dictionary
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A contracted form of Azari'ah the Lord is my strength.
One of Amaziah's sons, whom the people made king of Judah in his father's stead (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chronicles 26:1 ). His long reign of about fifty-two years was "the most prosperous excepting that of Jehosaphat since the time of Solomon." He was a vigorous and able ruler, and "his name spread abroad, even to the entering in of Egypt" (2 Chronicles 26:8,14 ). In the earlier part of his reign, under the influence of Zechariah, he was faithful to Jehovah, and "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chronicles 26:4,5 ); but toward the close of his long life "his heart was lifted up to his destruction," and he wantonly invaded the priest's office (2 Chronicles 26:16 ), and entering the sanctuary proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar. Azariah the high priest saw the tendency of such a daring act on the part of the king, and with a band of eighty priests he withstood him (2 Chronicles 26:17 ), saying, "It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense." Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy while in the act of offering incense (26:19-21), and he was driven from the temple and compelled to reside in "a several house" to the day of his death (2 Kings 15:5,27; 2 Chronicles 26:3 ). He was buried in a separate grave "in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings" (2 Kings 15:7; 2 Chronicles 26:23 ). "That lonely grave in the royal necropolis would eloquently testify to coming generations that all earthly monarchy must bow before the inviolable order of the divine will, and that no interference could be tolerated with that unfolding of the purposes of God, which, in the fulness of time, would reveal the Christ, the true High Priest and King for evermore" (Dr. Green's Kingdom of Israel, etc.).
The father of Jehonathan, one of David's overseers (1 Chronicles 27:25 ). Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.
Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Uzziah'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/u/uzziah.html. 1897.
