2 Chronicles 26 19

2 Chronicles 26:19 kjv

Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

2 Chronicles 26:19 nkjv

Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar.

2 Chronicles 26:19 niv

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 broke out on his forehead.

2 Chronicles 26:19 esv

Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the LORD, by the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:19 nlt

Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the LORD's Temple, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead.

2 Chronicles 26 verses

2 Chronicles 26 19 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate and severe divine judgment that fell upon King Uzziah. As he stood enraged, defiantly attempting to offer incense in the Lord's Temple despite being confronted by the priests, leprosy suddenly appeared on his forehead. This instant affliction publicly marked him as unclean and validated the authority of the priests whom he had scorned, highlighting God's direct punishment for his sacrilegious pride and disobedience.

2 Chronicles 26 19 Context

2 Chronicles 26 begins with a summary of Uzziah's initial reign, marked by great prosperity and success, which is attributed to his seeking the Lord and being guided by Zechariah (vv. 1-5). God helped him against his enemies, strengthened his military, and advanced his kingdom through various innovations (vv. 6-15). However, verse 16 marks a turning point: "But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction." This verse sets the stage for his major transgression. Driven by his elevated status and strength, Uzziah overstepped his royal boundaries by attempting to perform the priestly act of burning incense in the Temple (vv. 16-18), a role reserved exclusively for the Aaronic priests according to the Mosaic Law (e.g., Exod 30:7-8). This verse (v. 19) is the immediate climax, depicting his defiant reaction to the priests' righteous confrontation and the swift, divine judgment that followed, leading directly to his lifelong leprosy and subsequent removal from full royal duties. Historically and culturally, the distinction between kingly and priestly roles was sacrosanct in Israel, asserting God's divinely ordered structure and providing a direct polemic against any notion of kings having arbitrary religious authority, as was common in some surrounding pagan cultures where kings often served as high priests.

2 Chronicles 26 19 Word analysis

• Then Uzziah: Signifies an immediate chronological sequence to the preceding confrontation (2 Chron 26:18). It underscores the promptness of his reaction.
• was enraged: From the Hebrew וַיִּזְעַף (vai-yiz‘af), meaning "to rage, storm, be indignant, incensed." This word portrays a sudden, violent outburst of anger. Uzziah's rage indicates not merely irritation, but a deep resentment against legitimate spiritual correction, revealing the destructive power of unchecked pride.
• and he had a censer in his hand: וּבְיָדוֹ מִקְטֶרֶת (uv-yado miqṭereth). A "censer" was a special container used exclusively by priests to hold coals for burning incense. His physical possession of the censer highlights his active and immediate intent to perform the forbidden priestly rite.
• to burn incense: לְהַקְטִיר (lehakhṭir), meaning "to cause to ascend in smoke," specifically referring to the priestly offering of incense. This specifies the exact sacrilegious act Uzziah was attempting, a profound violation of God's appointed order for worship.
• And when he became enraged with the priests: וּבְהִזָּעֲפוֹ עַל־הַכֹּהֲנִים (uv-hizza‘afo ‘al-hakohenim). The repetition of "enraged" (related to וַיִּזְעַף) strongly emphasizes the depth and object of his fury—the very men who bravely confronted him according to God's law. This specific direction of his anger demonstrates his defiance was against God's appointed representatives and, by extension, God's divine will.
• leprosy broke out: וְהַצָּרַעַת זָרְחָה (v'hatzara'at zarḥah). "Leprosy" (צָרַעַת - tsara'at) refers to a severe, chronic skin disease in the biblical context, which often carried profound ceremonial and spiritual connotations of uncleanness and divine judgment. "Broke out" (זָרְחָה - zarḥah) literally means "shone forth" or "flashed," implying a sudden, visible manifestation. The immediate and visible onset of leprosy signified an undeniable act of divine retribution.
• on his forehead: בְּמִצְחוֹ (be-mitzḥo). The forehead is a highly visible part of the body. This specific location made the leprosy public, unmistakable, and deeply humiliating, serving as an indelible mark of his judgment before all who saw him. It was a clear, visible response to his arrogant and public act of defiance.
• before the priests: לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים (lifney hakohenim). The priests who challenged him were direct witnesses to his punishment. This served as an immediate vindication of their courage and the truth of their prophetic warning against his transgression, confirming God's approval of their stand for righteousness.
• in the house of the Lord: בֵּית־יְהוָה (beit YHWH). This refers to the Temple, God's sacred dwelling place. The judgment occurring in the very sanctuary underscored the severity of Uzziah's sacrilege in the holy space, a direct defilement of God's presence.
• beside the altar of incense: עַל יַד מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת (al yad mizbaḥ haq-qetoret). This was the very altar where incense was legitimately offered by priests. The judgment occurred at the precise spot of his attempted violation, creating a profound poetic justice—his presumptuous desire to draw near in an unauthorized way led to immediate, irreversible separation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then Uzziah was enraged; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And when he became enraged with the priests...": This extended phrase dramatically sets the scene. The double mention of Uzziah's "rage" emphatically highlights his defiant will. This wasn't a mistake but an act born of wrath against divine order, manifesting in his active, unlawful grasp of the priestly instrument, demonstrating his immediate commitment to usurp sacred authority.
• "...leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense.": This comprehensive description of the judgment reveals its striking aspects. The "leprosy," a severe mark of uncleanness and judgment, appeared "on his forehead" (public shame) at the exact moment and "before the priests" (vindication) in the sacred space of "the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense" (location of transgression and holy violation). This precise, public, and location-specific divine act demonstrated God's instantaneous, holy justice in defending His established order and the sanctity of His worship.

2 Chronicles 26 19 Bonus section

• Divine Boundaries: The narrative underscores God's absolute demand for adherence to the boundaries He establishes, especially in worship. These boundaries are not arbitrary but reflect His holiness and specific purposes for His people.
• King vs. Priest: This incident is a powerful historical example of the separation of roles between the kingship (civil/governance) and priesthood (religious/spiritual) in ancient Israel, a distinction unique among many ancient Near Eastern nations where kings often held both roles. God had meticulously defined the Aaronic line as the exclusive inheritors of the priestly office.
• Pattern of Instant Judgment: Uzziah's instant leprosy follows a biblical pattern seen with Nadab and Abihu (fire, Lev 10), Korah's rebellion (earth swallows, Num 16), and Uzzah (touching the ark, 2 Sam 6), where direct violation of sacred protocol or office brings swift, visible, and sometimes fatal divine consequence.
• Consequences of Unchecked Pride: The story serves as a stark warning about how unchecked power and success can lead to spiritual pride, which blinds one to proper humility and submission to God's will, ultimately leading to destruction (as explicitly stated in 2 Chron 26:16).
• Significance of Leprosy: Beyond a physical ailment, biblical leprosy symbolized uncleanness and a profound break from the community and God's presence. Its public manifestation on Uzziah served as a permanent, humiliating testament to his spiritual uncleanness resulting from his direct sin against God.

2 Chronicles 26 19 Commentary

King Uzziah's reign initially exemplified faithfulness and prosperity, yet this success eventually fostered immense pride, leading him to directly defy God's ordained order. The core of his transgression, captured in this verse, was his attempt to perform the holy office of burning incense, a duty explicitly reserved for the Aaronic priesthood. When Azariah the high priest, along with eighty courageous priests, confronted him, Uzziah's response was a fierce, arrogant rage. This anger was not merely frustration but an open rebellion against God's established authority and those who upheld it.

In an immediate, terrifying display of divine justice, leprosy visibly erupted on his forehead. This instant affliction was God's decisive response, making Uzziah's defilement undeniable and public. The specific location—on his forehead—ensured universal recognition of his shame, transforming his defiant presence in the Temple into a horrifying spectacle of judgment. That this occurred "before the priests" underscored their vindication and God's confirmation of their righteous stand. The location "in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense" emphasized the extreme sacredness of the space he desecrated and the very act he presumptuously attempted. Uzziah, who sought to draw closer to God in an unauthorized way, was paradoxically rendered ceremonially unclean and utterly excluded from the sacred precincts and communal life until his death. This narrative powerfully communicates the sanctity of God's prescribed worship, the danger of pride, and the unwavering consequences of defying His divine boundaries.