2 Chronicles 26 23

2 Chronicles 26:23 kjv

So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 26:23 nkjv

So Uzziah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 26:23 niv

Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in a cemetery that belonged to the kings, for people said, "He had leprosy." And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.

2 Chronicles 26:23 esv

And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the burial field that belonged to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." And Jotham his son reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 26:23 nlt

When Uzziah died, he was buried with his ancestors; his grave was in a nearby burial field belonging to the kings, for the people said, "He had leprosy." And his son Jotham became the next king.

2 Chronicles 26 verses

2 Chronicles 26 23 Meaning

2 Chronicles 26:23 records the death and burial of King Uzziah of Judah. It states that Uzziah died and was interred with his ancestral lineage. However, it specifically notes that he was buried not in the main sepulchre of the kings, but "in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings," clearly stating the reason: "for they said, 'He is a leper.'" This detail underscores the lasting consequence of his ritual impurity due to leprosy, which impacted his final resting place, separating him from the most honored tombs of previous kings.

2 Chronicles 26 23 Context

Chapter 26 of 2 Chronicles details the lengthy reign of King Uzziah, also known as Azariah. It begins by portraying him as a king who "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done." Under divine blessing, Uzziah achieved significant military successes, strengthened Jerusalem's defenses, engaged in agriculture, and built a formidable army equipped with innovative war machines. His reign brought great prosperity and fame. However, the chapter culminates in his tragic downfall, initiated by his pride and presumption. When he became strong, he sought to usurp the priestly function of burning incense in the Temple, which was forbidden to kings. Despite the confrontation by the high priest Azariah and eighty courageous priests, Uzziah stubbornly pressed on. Consequently, the LORD struck him with leprosy, which remained with him until his death (2 Chron 26:16-21). This verse (26:23) describes his death and burial, emphasizing how even in death, the mark of his sin and ritual uncleanness dictated a burial distinct from the most honorable royal tombs, serving as a powerful and final reminder of the consequence of his presumptuous act against God's appointed order.

2 Chronicles 26 23 Word analysis

• So Uzziah (וַיִּשְׁכַּב עֻזִּיָּהוּ - vayyishkav 'Uzzayyahu): "Uzziah" (עֻזִּיָּהוּ) means "My strength is Yahweh" or "Yahweh is my strength," highlighting the initial divine empowerment that led to his successful reign, contrasting sharply with his eventual human pride.
• slept with his fathers: A common biblical euphemism for death, particularly for kings and patriarchs (e.g., David, Solomon). It signifies that Uzziah joined his ancestors in the realm of the dead, reinforcing his royal lineage even in demise. This phrase does not imply an ideal or 'righteous' resting place but rather a general passing.
• and they buried him: Standard funerary practice in ancient Israel, emphasizing the community's role in acknowledging the king's passing and providing his final rites.
• with his fathers: Reconfirms his dynastic connection to the Judahite monarchy and its preceding rulers. However, the subsequent phrasing introduces a significant caveat regarding the specific location of this burial.
• in the field of the burial (בִּשְׂדֵה הַקְּבוּרָה - bisde haqq'vurah): This phrase is key. Instead of the specific, highly revered "tombs of the kings" (such as those in the City of David where most rightful kings were laid), Uzziah was buried in a "field of burial." This suggests a designated area, perhaps adjacent to the royal tombs, but distinctly separate from the most esteemed resting places within the sepulchral complex. This specific phrasing denotes a burial that was still royal in association but marked by his distinct disqualification.
• which belonged to the kings (אֲשֶׁר לַמְּלָכִים - 'asher lammelekhim): This clarifies that it was not a common, dishonorable burial but still within the royal precincts, reinforcing his status as king but one who was ritually unclean. It was a royal area, but specifically the field used for the burial of such kings or individuals, not the core burial ground of esteemed monarchs.
• for they said: Indicates that this burial decision was based on public understanding and the authoritative recognition of his condition. It was a communal and probably officially decreed exclusion, based on divine law.
• He is a leper (מְצֹרָע הוּא - metzora' hu'): (Metzora' means a person afflicted with tsara'at (צָרַע), a skin condition often translated as leprosy. In ancient Israel, tsara'at rendered a person ritually unclean and was frequently understood as a divine judgment (e.g., Num 12:9-10). A leper was ritually segregated from the community, prohibited from touching sacred things, and unable to enter the Temple (Lev 13:45-46; Num 5:2-3). This uncleanness persisted throughout life, and its implications even extended to death and burial, marking him as perpetually defiled until the end of his days.

• "slept with his fathers... buried him with his fathers": This reiteration confirms his death and his belonging to the royal lineage, even while the specific location implies separation. The common euphemism is then immediately qualified, showing the unique nature of his end.
• "in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, 'He is a leper.'": This complete clause presents the tragic paradox of Uzziah's final status. He was a king, thus buried within royal grounds ("belonged to the kings"), yet his ritual uncleanness as a leper meant he could not be interred in the most honored spot with the other kings ("in the field of the burial"). This signifies that divine judgment impacts one's status not just in life but also symbolically in death. It highlights the stringent nature of Israelite purity laws and the gravity of Uzziah's transgression against the priesthood and divine order.

2 Chronicles 26 23 Bonus section

The Chronicler, writing from a priestly perspective, places significant emphasis on Uzziah's transgression against the Temple and its proper rituals, and the resulting leprosy. This specific burial note underscores the profound defilement that leprosy (tsara'at) represented in the Israelite mindset, extending beyond physical health to encompass ritual and spiritual purity. The historical parallel with other wicked kings like Jehoram (2 Chron 21:20) and Joash (2 Chron 24:25) who were also denied full royal burial rites demonstrates a consistent pattern in Chronicles: unfaithfulness and unrighteousness, especially regarding the Temple and the Mosaic covenant, incurred significant negative consequences, even in death. The distinct phrasing "field of the burial" vs. "tombs of the kings" would have been immediately understood by the original audience as a significant demotion in status for a king, symbolizing the continued disgrace associated with his sacrilege.

2 Chronicles 26 23 Commentary

2 Chronicles 26:23 serves as a somber concluding note to Uzziah's impressive but ultimately tragic reign. Despite achieving great military and architectural successes under God's initial favor, his life trajectory took a severe turn due to unchecked pride. His presumptuous act of invading the priestly role was a direct challenge to the divinely ordained order, for which God meted out immediate and lifelong punishment through leprosy. This verse reveals the enduring consequence of his sin, as even in death, the ritual uncleanness associated with leprosy prevented him from receiving the full honor of a typical royal burial. He was still acknowledged as a king, buried in a "royal field," but excluded from the most prestigious "tombs of the kings" where revered monarchs like David were laid. This lesser burial place, a public declaration "for they said, 'He is a leper,'" solidified the lesson of his defiance for generations, reminding Judah that even powerful kings are subject to God's law and that pride precipitates a fall. It underscores God's holiness and His commitment to upholding the sacred boundaries He established.