וַיִּקְחוּ כָּל־עַם יְהוּדָה אֶת־עֻזִּיָּהוּ וְהוּא בֶּן־שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וַיַּמְלִיכוּ אֹתוֹ תַּחַת אָבִיו אֲמַצְיָהוּ

All the people of Judah took Uziyahu, who was sixteen years old, and crowned him king instead of his father Amatzyahu.

הוּא בָּנָה אֶת־אֵילוֹת וַיְשִׁיבֶהָ לִיהוּדָה אַחֲרֵי שְׁכַב־הַמֶּלֶךְ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו

He built Eilot, Eilat, the southern port city (see commentary on 8:17), and restored it to Judah, after the king, Amatzyahu, lay with his fathers.

בֶּן־שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה עֻזִּיָּהוּ בְמָלְכוֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ יְכָלְיָה מִן־יְרוּשָׁלִָם

Uziyahu was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His reign was one of the longest in the history of the Kingdom of Judah; only Menashe reigned for a longer period, fifty-five years (see 33:1). Uziyahu was able to accomplish much during his lengthy reign. His mother’s name was Yekholya of Jerusalem.

וַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה' כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה אֲמַצְיָהוּ אָבִיו

He did what is right in the eyes of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father Amatzyahu had done in the first years of his reign.

וַיְהִי לִדְרֹשׁ אֱלֹהִים בִּימֵי זְכַרְיָהוּ הַמֵּבִין בִּרְאֹת הָאֱלֹהִים וּבִימֵי דָּרְשׁוֹ אֶת־ה' הִצְלִיחוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים

He would frequently seek God in the days of Zekharyahu, a prophet or a holy man who understood the visions of God; alternatively, Zekharyahu understood what God wanted from people. During the days that he, Uziyahu, sought the Lord and acted appropriately, God caused him to succeed.

וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּלָּחֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּפְרֹץ אֶת־חוֹמַת גַּת וְאֵת חוֹמַת יַבְנֶה וְאֵת חוֹמַת אַשְׁדּוֹד וַיִּבְנֶה עָרִים בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד וּב פְּלִשְׁתִּים

He, Uziyahu, went out and waged war against the Philistines and breached the wall of Gat, the wall of Yavne, and the wall of Ashdod,all Philistine cities. He built cities in the area of Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

וַיַּעְזְרֵהוּ הָאֱלֹהִים עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וְעַל־הָעַרְבִים הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּגוּר־בָּעַל וְהַמְּעוּנִים

God helped him to victory against the Philistines, who were no longer a large and powerful people, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and also the Meunites (see commentary on 20:1), a small nation. In Uziyahu’s attempts to strengthen the Judean kingdom, he waged war against surrounding enemies, such as the Philistines to the east, and the Arabians and Meunites, in other directions.

וַיִּתְּנוּ הָעַמּוֹנִים מִנְחָה לְעֻזִּיָּהוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁמוֹ עַד־לְבוֹא מִצְרַיִם כִּי הֶחֱזִיק עַד־לְמָעְלָה

The Amonites gave tribute to Uziyahu, signifying their submission and loyalty. The Amonites’ submission to Uziyahu without war is indicative of the strength of the Kingdom of Judah at that time. And his renown spread to the approach to Egypt, as he grew exceedingly strong. Even the Egyptians acknowledged the political strength of the Kingdom of Judah under Uziyahu. Although there remained nomadic tribes roaming the region between Egypt and the Land of Israel, as well as the Edomites living in that area, they were not a significant threat to Uziyahu’s power.

וַיִּבֶן עֻזִּיָּהוּ מִגְדָּלִים בִּירוּשָׁלִַם עַל־שַׁעַר הַפִּנָּה וְעַל־שַׁעַר הַגַּיְא וְעַל־הַמִּקְצוֹעַ וַיְחַזְּקֵם

Uziyahu built towers for the walls in Jerusalem, at the Corner Gate, and at the Valley Gate, and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.

וַיִּבֶן מִגְדָּלִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּחְצֹב בֹּרוֹת רַבִּים כִּי מִקְנֶה־רַב הָיָה לוֹ וּבַשְּׁפֵלָה וּבַמִּישׁוֹר אִכָּרִים וְכֹרְמִים בֶּהָרִים וּבַכַּרְמֶל כִּי־אֹהֵב אֲדָמָה הָיָה

He built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He also had farmers and viticulturists in the mountains and on the fertile lands, terrain of fields and vineyards, as he sought to promote agriculture in his kingdom as he was a lover of the soil.

וַיְהִי לְעֻזִּיָּהוּ חַיִל עֹשֵׂה מִלְחָמָה יוֹצְאֵי צָבָא לִגְדוּד בְּמִסְפַּר פְּקֻדָּתָם בְּיַד יְעִיאֵל הַסּוֹפֵר וּמַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ הַשּׁוֹטֵר עַל יַד־חֲנַנְיָהוּ מִשָּׂרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ

Uziyahu had a force of warriors, fit for military service, mobilized in troops, in accordance with the number of their tally, numbered in accordance with their orders and divisions, at the hand of Ye’iel the scribe and Maaseyahu the official, under the hand of Hananyahu, one of the king’s commanders.

כֹּל מִסְפַּר רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לְגִבּוֹרֵי חָיִל אַלְפַּיִם וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת

The total number of the heads of the patrilineal houses, the mighty warriors, the command staff, was two thousand six hundred.

וְעַל־יָדָם חֵיל צָבָא שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת עוֹשֵׂי מִלְחָמָה בְּכֹחַ חָיִל לַעְזֹר לַמֶּלֶךְ עַל־הָאוֹיֵב

Under their hand, their command, was an armed force which numbered three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, wagers of war with the force of an army, as their mission was to help the king against the enemy.

וַיָּכֶן לָהֶם עֻזִּיָּהוּ לְכָל־הַצָּבָא מָגִנִּים וּרְמָחִים וְכוֹבָעִים וְשִׁרְיֹנוֹת וּקְשָׁתוֹת וּלְאַבְנֵי קְלָעִים

Uziyahu prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, mail, bows, and slingstones. Uziyahu was an effective administrator. In contrast to Amatzyahu’s somewhat haphazard approach, Uziyahu steadily and thoroughly improved the country in all areas: agriculture, infrastructure, security, and the provision of equipment and weapons to the army.

וַיַּעַשׂ בִּירוּשָׁלִַם חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת מַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוֹשֵׁב לִהְיוֹת עַל־הַמִּגְדָּלִים וְעַל־הַפִּנּוֹת לִירוֹא בַּחִצִּים וּבָאֲבָנִים גְּדֹלוֹת וַיֵּצֵא שְׁמוֹ עַד־לְמֵרָחוֹק כִּי־הִפְלִיא לְהֵעָזֵר עַד כִּי־חָזָק

He made in Jerusalem inventions, clever devices, to be on the towers and on the corners, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. These were war engines, similar to catapults. Alternatively, these were structures positioned on top of towers and on the corners of walls, from where arrows could be safely shot. His, Uziyahu’s, renown spread far, for he was greatly helped by all of his innovations, until he became strong. Although he ruled over a small country, he greatly upgraded his army and strongholds, with each step leading to further advancements.

וכְחֶזְקָתוֹ גָּבַהּ לִבּוֹ עַד־לְהַשְׁחִית וַיִּמְעַל בַּה' אֱלֹהָיו וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הֵיכַל ה' לְהַקְטִיר עַל־מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת

It had been many years since there was a king in Judah who was as powerful and successful as Uziyahu. But with his strengthening, his heart grew arrogant, until it became corrupt, and he trespassed against the Lord his God and came into the Sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Other nations in the region considered their kings holy, and therefore they would be allowed to bring offerings themselves from time to time. This was not the Judean practice; only priests were permitted to burn incense in the Temple, but as Uziyahu became arrogant from all his successes as a major player on the international scene, he decided that he would burn incense himself.

וַיָּבֹא אַחֲרָיו עֲזַרְיָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן וְעִמּוֹ כֹּהֲנִים לַה' שְׁמוֹנִים בְּנֵי־חָיִל ו

Azaryahu the High Priest came after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord, capable men, quick and brave.

וַיַּעַמְדוּ עַל־עֻזִּיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ לֹא־לְךָ עֻזִּיָּהוּ לְהַקְטִיר לַה' כִּי לַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי־אַהֲרֹן הַמְקֻדָּשִׁים לְהַקְטִיר צֵא מִן־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ כִּי מָעַלְתָּ וְלֹא־לְךָ לְכָבוֹד מֵה' אֱלֹהִים

They stood against Uziyahu the king and said to him: It is not for you, Uziyahu, to burn incense to the Lord; rather, it is for the priests, sons of Aaron, who are sanctified to burn incense. Depart from the Temple, as you have trespassed, and it is not honorable for you from the Lord God.

וַיִּזְעַף עֻזִּיָּהוּ וּבְיָדוֹ מִקְטֶרֶת לְהַקְטִיר וּבְזַעְפּוֹ עִם־הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַצָּרַעַת זָרְחָה בְמִצְחוֹ לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּבֵית ה' מֵעַל לְמִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת

It can be assumed that Uziyahu had come with a small entourage of his own, but he was followed by a large group of priests who sought to expel him. Uziyahu was furious, and he already had a censer in his hand to burn incense. While he was furious with the priests, leprosy suddenly erupted on his forehead before the priests in the House of the Lord, as he stood adjacent to the altar of incense.

וַיִּפֶן אֵלָיו עֲזַרְיָהוּ כֹהֵן הָרֹאשׁ וְכָל־הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהִנֵּה־הוּא מְצֹרָע בְּמִצְחוֹ וַיַּבְהִלוּהוּ מִשָּׁם וְגַם־הוּא נִדְחַף לָצֵאת כִּי נִגְּעוֹ ה'

Azaryahu the head priest and all the priests turned to him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead. Leprosy was considered a disease that necessitated the isolation of the afflicted individual from society, and therefore they rushed him from there; and he too hastened to leave, because he sensed that the Lord had afflicted him.

וַיְהִי עֻזִּיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ מְצֹרָע עַד־יוֹם מוֹתוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב בֵית הַחָפְשִׁית מְצֹרָע כִּי נִגְזַר מִבֵּית ה' וְיוֹתָם בְּנוֹ עַל־בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁוֹפֵט אֶת־עַם הָאָרֶץ

King Uziyahu was a leper to the day of his death. He lived in the isolation house, a quarantined area outside the city where lepers were confined. He was still called King Uziyahu, because he had not been formally removed from power, but in practice he no longer ruled the country. He lived as a leper because he was excised from the House of the Lord. Yotam his son was appointed in charge of the king’s house, governing the people of the land. In effect, Yotam took over his father’s reign.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי עֻזִּיָּהוּ הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרֹנִים כָּתַב יְשַׁעְיָהוּ בֶן־אָמוֹץ הַנָּבִיא

The rest of the early deeds, which were judged favorably, and the late deeds, which were not, of Uziyahu were written by Isaiah son of Amotz, the prophet. Since the book of Isaiah mentions only that the prophet preached during the days of Uziyahu, and nothing of the king’s own actions, this is evidently referring to a different book that did not survive.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב עֻזִּיָּהוּ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ עִם־אֲבֹתָיו בִּשְׂדֵה הַקְּבוּרָה אֲשֶׁר לַמְּלָכִים כִּי אָמְרוּ מְצֹרָע הוּא וַיִּמְלֹךְ יוֹתָם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Uziyahu lay with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the burial field that was for the kings,not in the actual burial plot of the house of David, but adjacent to it, as they said: He is a leper. Yotam his son reigned in his stead.