2 Chronicles 26 16

2 Chronicles 26:16 kjv

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:16 nkjv

But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:16 niv

But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:16 esv

But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:16 nlt

But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the LORD his God by entering the sanctuary of the LORD's Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.

2 Chronicles 26 verses

2 Chronicles 26 16 Meaning

When King Uzziah was at the height of his power and prosperity, his heart became arrogant, which led to his ruin. He committed a grave offense against the Lord his God by presumptuously entering the Temple to burn incense, a sacred act reserved solely for the consecrated priests. This transgression resulted in God's judgment and his downfall.

2 Chronicles 26 16 Context

2 Chronicles chapter 26 recounts the generally prosperous and successful reign of King Uzziah (also known as Azariah). From an early age, Uzziah sought God and was blessed with strength, military victories, building projects, and a well-equipped army. His fame spread, for "he was marvelously helped till he was strong" (2 Chr 26:15). Verse 16, however, marks the tragic turning point in his reign. Despite all the divine assistance and success, Uzziah's heart became proud. This pride led him to transgress a foundational boundary within Israel's divinely ordained governance, specifically by encroaching upon the exclusive domain of the Levitical priesthood. The historical context highlights the clear distinction God had established between the roles of king (civil authority) and priest (religious authority) to prevent the abuses seen in surrounding pagan nations where kings often doubled as chief priests, wielding absolute power.

2 Chronicles 26 16 Word analysis

• But: A transitional conjunction indicating a sharp contrast or turning point, signaling a negative shift from the preceding account of Uzziah's success.
• when he was strong: (Heb. בְּחֶזְקָתוֹ, beḥezqāṯô from חָזַק, chazaq) Implies physical vigor, military power, consolidated reign, and immense prosperity. This strength was given by God, as stated in the previous verse, but became the very condition that birthed his downfall.
• his heart: (לִבּוֹ, libbō) Refers to the inner person, the mind, will, and affections. It is the seat of moral and spiritual decisions.
• was lifted up: (וַיִּגְבַּהּ, vayyigbah) From גָּבַהּ, gavah, meaning "to be high, exalted, proud." This denotes arrogance, haughtiness, or an inflated sense of self-importance. It is a spiritual state of mind.
• to his destruction: (לְהַשְׁחִית, l'hashchīt - a hiphil infinitive constructive from שָׁחַת, shachat). While "destruction" is a common translation, it more literally means "to act corruptly," "to ruin himself," or "to destroy himself." This indicates that his pride caused his ruin and moral corruption, rather than pride being a separate cause for destruction by God. It signifies the self-inflicted harm brought about by his transgression.
• for he transgressed: (וַיִּמְעַל, vayyima'al) From מָעַל, ma'al, a strong Hebrew verb meaning "to act unfaithfully," "to commit sacrilege," "to break trust." This term specifically refers to a violation against a divine standard, often involving something sacred or entrusted by God, like a holy offering or covenant. It indicates a deliberate act of unfaithfulness to God's ordained order.
• against the Lord his God: Explicitly states the one against whom the transgression was committed, emphasizing the gravity of the sin. Uzziah had a relationship with God ("his God"), making the unfaithfulness even more poignant.
• and went into the temple of the Lord: A prohibited act for any non-priest. The Temple, particularly the Holy Place, was sacred space restricted to the Levitical priesthood. His entry violated divine law regarding sacred space.
• to burn incense: (לְהַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת, l'haqṭîr qəṭōreṯ) The act of offering incense on the golden altar (Exod 30:7-8; Num 16:40) was a specific, divinely ordained duty belonging exclusively to the priests of the Aaronic line.
• upon the altar of incense: The specific altar located in the Holy Place, before the Veil, upon which daily incense was to be offered by the priests.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up": This phrase reveals the dangerous connection between power/prosperity and pride. The very blessings God gave him became the occasion for his arrogance. His strength, rather than being used in humility for God's purposes, fueled a self-exalting attitude.
• "lifted up to his destruction/to act corruptly": This highlights the direct causal link. Pride wasn't just a negative trait; it directly led to actions that corrupted Uzziah's character and ultimately resulted in divine judgment and physical ruin (leprosy, vv. 19-21). It implies a self-destructive path initiated by arrogance.
• "for he transgressed against the Lord his God": This clarifies the nature of his prideful act: it was not merely an error but a conscious act of disloyalty and disrespect for God's established order. The "for" clause gives the reason and nature of the "destruction"—it was due to this specific transgression.
• "and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense": This details the precise nature of the "transgression" (ma'al). It was an usurpation of the sacred, priestly office. It demonstrated a disregard for the holy distinctions established by God between kingly and priestly roles, demonstrating a presumption that assumed divine authority or equality.

2 Chronicles 26 16 Bonus section

The Chronicler's emphasis on Uzziah's sin serves to highlight the dangers of violating divinely ordained order, especially regarding sacred institutions. Unlike many Near Eastern cultures where kings often performed priestly functions, in Israel, there was a strict separation of these roles, established to prevent the concentration of absolute power and to emphasize God's unique authority as the true sovereign. Uzziah's punishment, leprosy, further signifies a defilement and isolation that aligns with the very nature of his sin—he intruded into the holy realm, which rendered him unholy and unfit. The episode reinforces the chronicler's theological message that success and blessing come through faithful obedience to God's covenant, while sin, particularly pride and disobedience, inevitably leads to curses and destruction. It reminds us that divine enablement for ministry or leadership does not confer the right to deviate from God's established protocols or overstep one's given authority.

2 Chronicles 26 16 Commentary

Verse 2 Chronicles 26:16 serves as a profound warning that divine blessing and personal success, if not accompanied by humility and a continued reverence for God's boundaries, can lead to catastrophic pride and downfall. Uzziah's reign started commendably, with his seeking the Lord (v. 5), but his great strength and prosperity tragically paved the way for self-exaltation. His "heart was lifted up" is a classic biblical motif for arrogance, which God invariably opposes. The specific transgression, burning incense, was a highly symbolic act. It represented direct communion with God, an intercessory function that was exclusively given to the priests descended from Aaron. By invading this sacred space and usurping this holy duty, Uzziah committed an act of sacrilege and showed profound contempt for God's ordained order. This wasn't merely a procedural error but an expression of his pride, challenging divine authority. God's immediate judgment with leprosy underscores the seriousness of crossing such sacred boundaries and demonstrates that divine judgment for pride and disobedience is certain. This event starkly illustrates the principle that no amount of past success or divine favor exempts one from obedience to God's revealed will and respect for His established roles.