Add parallel Print Page Options

16 But when [King Uzziah] was strong, he became proud to his destruction; and he trespassed against the Lord his God, for he went [a]into the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

17 And Azariah the priest went in after him and with him eighty priests of the Lord, men of courage.

18 They opposed King Uzziah and said to him, It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are set apart to burn incense. Withdraw from the sanctuary; you have trespassed, and that will not be to your credit and honor before the Lord God.

19 Then Uzziah was enraged, and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was enraged with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar.

20 And as Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked upon him, behold, he was leprous on his forehead! So they forced him out of there; and he also made haste to get out, because the Lord had smitten him.

21 And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death, and, being a leper, he dwelt in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Lord’s house. And Jotham his son took charge of the king’s household, ruling the people of the land.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:16 No one but an ordained priest was permitted by law to enter the tabernacle or later the temple proper, even in Jesus’ time. See footnote on Num. 3:38.

16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride(A) led to his downfall.(B) He was unfaithful(C) to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense(D) on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah(E) the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests,(F) the descendants(G) of Aaron,(H) who have been consecrated to burn incense.(I) Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

19 Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy[a](J) broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.

21 King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house[b](K)—leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:19 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 20, 21 and 23.
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:21 Or in a house where he was relieved of responsibilities