The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 19 · Concurrent kings · Judah · Uzziah
Tenth King of Judah, UZZIAH.ƲZZIAH (or Azariah as he is called, 2 King. 15.1.) Son of Amaziah was the next that reigned in Judah. In Mat. 1.8. 'tis ſaid that Ʋzziah ſucceeded Joram, [And Joram begat Ozias] whereas there were four that reigned in Judah between Joram and Ʋzziah, viz. Ahaziah, Athaliah, Joaſh and Amaziah. Some think that theſe were omitted becauſe of their evil Government and unnatural deaths, (each of them being ſlain one after another) or becauſe by the mother-ſide they deſcended from the ſtock of wicked Ahab, whoſe houſe the Lord doomed to be rooted up. Ʋzziah when his Father was ſlain was about four or five years old, and there ſeems to have been a kind of Interregnum or vacancy in the Throne of Judah for about twelve years, viz, from the 15th. to the 27th. year of Jeroboam the ſecond King of Iſrael, at which time Ʋzziah being ſixteen years of age, was ſetled in the Throne by the general conſent of the people and not till then. And this poſſibly may be intimated to us by that unuſual phraſe, And all the people of Judah took Ʋzziah being ſixteen years old, and made him King inſtead of his Father, 2 King. 14.21. And this might happen partly by reaſon of his minority, and partly through the prevalency of ſome powerful men who perchance had had a hand in putting his Father to death; or poſſibly the Government of the Kingdom might be carried on in his name all that time, though he came not to the full exerciſe of his Regal power till the 27th. year of Jeroboam. So that the twelve years from his Fathers death (which happened in the 15th. year of Jeroboam, ſee 2 King. 14.23.) unto the 27th. of Jeroboam (when he was put into full poſſeſſion of the Crown) are to be accounted into the number of the fifty two years he is ſaid to have reigned; and according to this account in the 26th. year of his reign Jeroboam died. After which (it ſeems) there was an Interregnum or vacancy in the Kingdom of Iſrael alſo for about eleven or twelve years, viz. to the 38th. year of Ʋzziah's reign. After which Zachariah reigned in Iſrael ſix months, Shallum one month, Menahem ten years, Pekahiah two years, and Pekah had reigned a year or ſomething more before he died, which was in the fifty ſecond year of his reign, 2 King. 15.27. ſo that he lived in the times of ſix Kings that ſat on the Throne of Iſrael.
In the beginning of his reign he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, and maintained the worſhip of God uncorrupt, (as his Father had done) ſave that the high places were not removed, but the people ſtill offered ſacrifice, and burnt incenſe on them. And during the life of Zachariah (Son of that Zachariah that was ſtoned in the Temple) who was an eminent Prophet, and had underſtanding in the viſions of God; that is, was accuſtomed to ſee viſions, and had a ſingular underſtanding in ancient Propheſies, (and ſo was able to counſel and inſtruct Ʋzziah in matters that concerned the knowledg of God and his Laws) and poſſibly was skilful to interpret the dreams and night-viſions of others (as Joſeph and Daniel were) I ſay during the life of this Prophet Ʋzziah ſought the Lord, and ſo long the Lord made him to proſper.
He recovered Elath (a City near the Red-Sea which had been taken from the Crown of Judah by the enemies bordering upon it) and repair'd and fortified it. In Ahaz's time it was loſt again being taken by the Syrians, ſee 2 King. 14.22. He was a great warrior, he had under his command three hundred ſeven thouſand five hundred fighting men, under two thouſand and ſix hundred Captains, all which were diſpos'd into Regiments, and companies, and regiſtred, that they might be in readineſs againſt any urgent occaſion. And he furniſhed all theſe with Shields and Spears, Helmets and Habergeons *Armour for Back and Breſt., and Bows and Slings to caſt ſtones.
He was very victorious againſt the Philiſtines, of whoſe Towns he brake down the walls of ſome, and diſmantled them, as particularly Gath, Jabneh and Aſhdod, and built Cities in the Country of Aſhdod, and Garriſon'd them to keep them in ſubjection. Alſo he maſtered ſome parts of Arabia, and brought the Ammonites to pay him tribute: For God helped him. So that his fame ſpread abroad, and he grew very much renowned in all Countries between Judah and Egypt, and he went on ſtrengthening himſelf daily. And if we conſider the great ſucceſs of Jeroboam the ſecond at the ſame time King in Iſrael, theſe two Kingdoms ſince the diviſion never were in an higher flouriſh than now. He repaired the wall of Jeruſalem which in his Fathers days Joaſh King of Iſrael had demoliſhed, and fortified it with Towers, wherein he placed new invented Engines to ſhoot arrows of an extraordinary bigneſs, (and poſſibly many of them together) for the annoying of an enemy at a diſtance, and for the ſhooting of great ſtones, greater (tis like) than the greateſt of our Cannon-bullets.
He was a great ſheep-maſter, and had many cattel, which he kept in the low grounds and plains, and he built Towers for the defence of his berdſmen and cattel, and digged many wells of water for them. He was a lover of husbandry, and a great planter of Vines, which he planted in the fruitful Carmel, and the hills about it, employing many Vinedreſſers in that work. About the 22th. year of his reign (as 'tis probable) that dreadful Earthquake *The Prophet Zachary alſo ſpeaks of it, Chap. 14.5. Ye ſhall flee like as ye fled from before the Earthquake in the days of Uzziah King of Judah.happened which Amos ſpeaks of, Ch. 1.1. The words of Amos—which he ſaw concerning Iſrael in the days of Ʋzziah King of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam King of Iſrael, two years before the Earthquake. And ſeeing Earthquakes are uſually forerunners and preſages of great changes in Kingdoms, (though they have not always immediately followed but ſome years after) therefore poſſibly that ſpeech of the Prophet Iſaiah, Ch. 7.8. may have ſome reference to that Earthquake, for the head of Syria is Damaſcus, and the head of Damaſcus is Rezin, and within threeſcore and five years ſhall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people. Thoſe ſixty five years cannot be underſtood to begin from the time when this Propheſie was ſpoken, which was in the firſt year of Ahaz, Iſa. 7.1. (for from thence there were not above twenty years to the Captivity of Iſrael) but muſt be underſtood to commence from the 22th. or 23th. year of Ʋzziah, and from thence to the year wherein the Kingdom of Iſrael was broken were indeed about ſixty five years, as learned men compute them.
Under theſe two renowned Kings, Jeroboam the ſecond of Iſrael, and Ʋzziah of Judah, there flouriſhed ſundry eminent Prophets *Theſe holy Prophets Speeches and Sermons were ſet down in writing by themſelves, and (as ſome think) kept in the Temple, and added to other holy Books to ſtand for Authentick Scripture. Their Miniſtry was directed to theſe general Ends: 1. To maintain the purity of Religion. 2. To beat down the diſorders and growing evils and vices of the times they lived in. 3. To keep always alive the promiſes of the Meſſias, and to hold the faith and expectation of the Jews always bent towards him.in each Kingdom, particularly in Judah.
The Prophet ISAIAH.ISAIAH, he is thought by learned men to have been of an illuſtrious family, his Father Amoz being (as they conjectured) brother to Amaziah. Jerom with others is of opinion that he was of a noble deſcent. Indeed his Propheſie is ſo ſublime and eloquent, and ſo curiouſly garniſhed with Rhetorick and all ſorts of Elegancies that he ſeems to have been a perſon of more than ordinary education. He propheſies of the deſtruction of the Kingdoms of Syria and Samaria ſhortly to be accompliſhed by the Aſſyrian, and of the Kingdom of Judah afterwards by the Babylonian; and of the deſtruction of the Babylonians by the Medes and Perſians, and of the Jews deliverance from the Babylonian Captivity by Cyrus, whom by name he mentions above one hundred years before he was born. And withal he declares the reſtitution and enlargement of the Church, whereof the deliverance from the Babyloniſh Captivity was a figure, together with the calling of the Gentiles by Chriſt, whoſe Incarnation, Birth, Offices, (Royal, Prieſtly and Prophetical) life, teaching, ſufferings, death, riſing again, glory enſuing, and his Kingdoms extent, he ſo largely and lively deſcribes that he ſeems rather to write a ſtory of things already done than a Propheſie of things to come. In regard whereof he is call'd an Evangelical Prophet. He often mixes his ſevere denunciations of judgments with promiſes of grace in Chriſt to all ſave only the Babylonians, who by reaſon of their pride and mercileſs perſecution of the Church did bear the image of Antichriſt and his faction, condemned together with the Devil the head thereof, to everlaſting perdition, the terrors whereof are very lively deſcribed in many places of this Book.
How long he Propheſied is obſcurely intimated, Iſa. 1.1. viz. in the days of Ʋzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah; but in what year of Ʋzziah he began, and in what year of Hezekiah he ceaſed is not declared. 'Tis evident that he Propheſied in the year Ʋzziah died, Iſa. 6.1. and by the Propheſies foregoing that Chapter it ſeems probable that he Propheſied a good while before. But let us ſuppoſe with ſome that he Propheſied only two years under Ʋzziah, ſixteen years under Jotham, ſixteen under Ahaz, fourteen under Hezekiah. For Hezekiah reigning twenty nine years in all, in his fourteenth year Iſaiah was ſent to him in his ſickneſs to tell him that God would add to his days fifteen years more. After that Iſaiah threatens the Babyloniſh Captivity upon Hezekiah's ſhewing all his Treaſures to the Babyloniſh Ambaſſadors, v. 17. Here is in all 48 years. Now if we may ſuppoſe with the Jewiſh Doctors that Iſaiah was ſawn aſunder by Manaſſeh, there's fifteen years more under Hezekiah, and one year at leaſt under Manaſſeh, and ſo we have 64 years in all for the time of his Propheſying. A very long time this was for a Prophet to preach to a*How patient then ſhould Gods Miniſters be in their function, though their peoples profiting for a long time anſwers not their labours. rebellious and gainſaying people. See Iſa. 65.2. and Rom. 10.21. Some divide this Book of Iſaiah into three parts, and ſo according to them the firſt contains the Sermons he Preached under Ʋzziah, from Ch. 1. to 6. The ſecond contains the Sermons he preached under Jotham and Ahaz, from Ch. 6. to 15. The third, the Sermons he preached, and the Propheſies he uttered, and the things that fell out under Hezekiah, from Ch. 15. to the end.
Others divide this Propheſie thus:
1. In the twelve firſt Chapters are contained Propheſies immediately directed to the Jews, whom he does ſharply reprehend for their ſins, intermixing exhortations and conſolations to the penitent.
2. From the 13. Ch. to the 29. he Propheſies againſt the bordering Nations that were enemies to the Jews, viz. the Babylonians, Philiſtines, Moabites, Syrians, Aſſyrians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, Arabians, Tyrians, and laſtly againſt the Iſraelites of the Ten Tribes.
3. From the 29. Ch. to the 40. he Propheſies of the Conqueſt of the Jews by the Babylonians, and their leading them Captive into Babylon. In which there are four Hiſtorical Chapters [viz. Ch. 36, 37, 38, 39.] occaſionally interpoſed about the invaſion of Judea by Senacherib, of which we ſhall ſpeak more particularly in the life of Hezekiah.
4. From Ch. 40. to 49. he foretels the deliverance of the people of the Jews from the Babyloniſh Captivity.
5. From 49. to the end are contained Propheſies of the Meſſiah and his Kingdom.
This Propheſie was always of very great account in the Church, our Saviour himſelf (whoſe Sermons were all Text) took his Text out of this Prophet, Luk. 4.17, 18. The Ethiopian Eunuch read this Prophet in his Chariot, Act. 8.27, 30. 'Tis oftner quoted in the New Teſtament than any Book of the Old, excepting the Pſalms, which are quoted ſixty four times, and this Propheſie of Iſaiah no leſs than ſixty, as the learned Alſted obſerves*In Praecogn. Theolog. lib. 2. cap. 122.. And this is all we ſhall ſay at preſent concerning this Prophet.
Another eminent Prophet whom God raiſed up at this time, and ſent him to Propheſie to Judah and Jeruſalem was Joel. The Prophet JOEL.He ſets forth to them how the fierce anger of God was manifeſted againſt them in that terrible judgment of dearth and famine now upon them occaſioned by an extream drought, and ſwarms of Caterpillars with Lionlike teeth, and other ſuch deſtroying inſects, the one devouring what the other had left. Thereupon he exhorts them to true repentance and deep humiliation before the Lord ſhewing it muſt be general of all ſorts and conditions becauſe they had generally offended, and it muſt be ſerious and hearty, teſtified by faſting, weeping and mourning, to which they muſt join earneſt prayer and ſupplication for mercy; which if they would do, he promiſes not only deliverance to them from that terrible plague, but that their loſſes ſhould be repaired and made up to them again by a wonderful plenty. And from a promiſe of theſe temporal bleſſings, he riſes to ſhew them what ſpiritual bleſſings in their due time the true Iſrael of God ſhould enjoy under the Meſſiah foretelling the plentiful effuſion of the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt which ſhould then be poured forth, viz. on the day of Pentecoſt. He alſo tells them they ſhould have deliverance from their enemies the heathen round about them, and that God himſelf would judg their adverſaries and take vengeance upon them, for the wrongs they had done to his people. And ſo much concerning that Prophet.
Ʋzziah who had before ſhewed himſelf to be a worthy Prince, towards the latter end of his reign after he had been ſo wonderfully helped and bleſſed by the Lord, and made ſo proſperous, grew proud, and his heart was lifted up to his deſtruction; ſo prone are men to abuſe the mercies of God to pride and preſumption, which is uſually a forerunner of ruin. Ʋzziah would needs now out of a ſtrange arrogance uſurp the Prieſts office, and go into the Temple to burn incenſe. Accordingly he goes preſumptuouſly into the holy place to the Altar of Incenſe, which none but the Prieſts might do. The High Prieſt as ſoon as he underſtood whither he was gone, immediately followed after him attended with eighty Prieſts (men of courage) who coming to him juſt as he was ready with a Cenſer in his hand to burn incenſe, they withſtood him, and plainly told him he had highly treſpaſſed in coming thither; it appertained not to him, but to the Prieſts only (and that by Gods appointment) to burn incenſe. Therefore they adviſe him to go preſently out of the Temple, for he would receive no honour from God for what he had done, but contrarily might expect ſome ſevere puniſhment. Ʋzziah was very wroth at this their reprehenſion (Kings and great men uſually ſcorning to be ſtopt in the career of their ſins by the ſervants of God) but his wrath againſt them did but the more incenſe the wrath of God againſt him; for immediately the Lord ſmote him with a leproſie in his forehead as he ſtood beſides*V. 19. Megnal pro Inal juxta. the Altar of Incenſe. And thus having ſinned with ſo bold a face, and ſo much arrogance he was puniſhed in his forehead that his ſin might be read in his puniſhment. The Prieſts ſeeing this, and being encouraged by Gods ſo eminently owning of them, and appearing for them, they thruſt him out of the Temple, yea he himſelf haſted to go out, perceiving that the Lord had ſmitten him. And from hence forward to the day of his death he was a leper, and dwelt in an houſe apart by himſelf, and ſo was cut off from the houſe of the Lord, and he that had ſo preſumptuouſly gone into the holy place, was now excluded from going even to the Court of the people there to worſhip God. Ʋzziah being thus ſmitten of the Lord, Jotham his Son as Viceroy and Deputy-King governed the Kingdom in his ſtead (as 'tis thought) about four years. Ʋzziah's Acts were written by Iſaiah the Prophet, though that Book ſeems not now extant, as not neceſſary for the uſe of the Church, as neither that of Jaſher, mentioned, 2 Sam. 1.18.
Ʋzziah being dead they buried him in the field where the Sepulchers of the Kings were, but in ſome remote corner thereof, (where none of the former Kings Sepulchers were) becauſe he was a Leper †Supplicium triplex, lepra, excommunicatio, funus inglorium; ut a populo vivum lepra, defunctum a Regibus aliis dimoverit. Anonym. in loc..
When this King died it ſeems the Philiſtines greatly rejoiced and triumphed becauſe he had been ſuch a ſcourge to them as is related, 2 Chron. 26.6. Whereupon Iſaiah Propheſied that a King ſhould ſpring from this Ʋzziah, viz. Hezekiah (the Son of his Grandchild Ahaz) who ſhould ſting them worſe than ever he had done, Iſa. 14.29. Rejoice not thou whole Paleſtina becauſe the rod of him that ſmote thee is broken, for out of the ſerpents root ſhall come forth a cocatrice, and his fruit ſhall be a fiery flying ſerpent.
2 King. 14.21, 22.
2 King. 15. from v. 1, to 8.
2 Chron. 26. wh. Ch.