2 Chronicles 26 3

2 Chronicles 26:3 kjv

Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26:3 nkjv

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26:3 niv

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26:3 esv

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26:3 nlt

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26 verses

2 Chronicles 26 3 Meaning

2 Chronicles 26:3 introduces King Uzziah (also known as Azariah in other Biblical texts), providing the foundational regnal data crucial for understanding his reign. It specifies he was sixteen years old when he ascended to the throne of Judah, reigning for a remarkable fifty-two years in Jerusalem, the capital. The verse also identifies his mother, Jecoliah, and notes her origin as Jerusalem, a standard practice for Judean kings, emphasizing legitimate succession and connection to the holy city. This concise introduction sets the stage for a period of significant growth and later, a tragic fall, in Judah's history.

2 Chronicles 26 3 Context

This verse serves as the immediate introduction to King Uzziah’s reign within the book of 2 Chronicles. Chapters 20-25 detail the tumultuous period of several preceding Judean kings, often characterized by moral decline, instability, and a weakening of the Davidic dynasty (e.g., Ahaziah, Athaliah, Joash, Amaziah). Uzziah's entry as a young but apparently strong and pious king, following his father Amaziah's mixed record, suggests a potential turning point. Historically, Uzziah's long reign (early to mid-8th century BC) places him just before the height of the Assyrian threat to the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and Judah. This period allowed Judah to enjoy relative stability and economic prosperity, as later verses in this chapter detail Uzziah's extensive military, agricultural, and architectural achievements. The Chronicler, focusing on the legitimacy of the Davidic line and the central role of Jerusalem and the Temple, presents this introductory data as typical for a Davidic king, emphasizing continuity and a connection to the capital through his mother. This setup implicitly prepares the reader for Uzziah's eventual, tragic hubris, which provides a moral lesson consistent with Chronicles' theological framework—that blessings flow from obedience, and sin (especially pride related to the Temple) brings judgment.

2 Chronicles 26 3 Word analysis

• Uzziah: (Hebrew: עוּזִיָּה - Uzziyyah). Meaning "My strength is Yahweh" or "Yahweh is my strength." This name holds significant theological weight, reflecting reliance on God as the ultimate source of power and authority. He is also known as Azariah in 2 Kings, which means "Yahweh has helped," carrying a similar theological implication of divine assistance. The Chronicler uses "Uzziah" consistently.

• was sixteen years old: This indicates a remarkably young age for a monarch. Such youth often implies that guidance or a regency, possibly involving his mother or wise advisors like Zechariah (mentioned in v. 5), was initially necessary. It highlights that his subsequent successes were not solely due to personal mature wisdom, but potentially divine enablement or good counsel.

• when he became king: (Hebrew: בְּמָלְכוֹ - b'malkō). A standard introductory formula used in royal annals across the ancient Near East and frequently in the Bible to mark the commencement of a king's reign. It formally establishes his enthronement.

• reigned fifty-two years: This signifies an exceptionally long reign, one of the longest in the history of Judah (only surpassed by Manasseh's 55 years). A lengthy reign usually indicates political stability, peace, and potential for significant national development and prosperity, which is indeed described later in the chapter. It implies a substantial period under his influence, for both good and ill.

• in Jerusalem: This specifies the capital city and center of the Judean kingdom. For the Chronicler, Jerusalem is the spiritual and political heart of Judah, home to the Temple, reinforcing the legitimacy and sacred nature of his rule within the Davidic covenant.

• His mother's name was Jecoliah: (Hebrew: יְכָלְיָה - Yecholyah). Meaning "Yahweh is able" or "Yahweh will enable." The mention of the queen mother's name is a standard practice for the kings of Judah (distinct from the kings of Israel) and signifies legitimacy of the succession. The name itself continues the theme of divine capability seen in Uzziah's own name, subtly foreshadowing the period of divine enablement.

• she was from Jerusalem: This detail emphasizes her indigenous Judean origin, further establishing the purity of the royal line and its rootedness within the covenant city, in contrast to foreign queen mothers who sometimes brought idolatry into the kingdom. It reinforces dynastic stability and cultural continuity.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem": This phrase concisely outlines Uzziah's long and stable rule from the very seat of Judean power. The mention of his young age at accession coupled with the immense duration of his reign highlights a significant and transformative period for Judah. It foregrounds Uzziah as a central figure, signaling a reign that merits a detailed account, setting up both his remarkable achievements and his eventual moral failure.
  • "His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem": This seemingly genealogical detail serves to validate Uzziah's claim to the throne and strengthen his connection to the covenant land and its capital. The maternal link to Jerusalem underscores the secure, indigenous succession of the Davidic line, assuring the Chronicler's audience of the continuity and legitimacy of their spiritual heritage through this particular king. The Hebrew meanings of both Uzziah and Jecoliah's names ('Yahweh is strength,' 'Yahweh is able') together subtly imbue the opening of the account with a strong theological note of divine backing and capability.

2 Chronicles 26 3 Bonus section

Uzziah's reign is noted in other biblical books as a significant marker in history. The prophet Isaiah received his prophetic call in "the year that King Uzziah died" (Isa 6:1), signifying a major turning point or a divinely orchestrated sign. Furthermore, Uzziah was a contemporary of several other key prophets, including Amos and Hosea, placing his time within a period of vibrant prophetic activity addressing both Judah and Israel. While this verse provides the foundational data, later in 2 Chronicles 26, Uzziah is depicted as a keen innovator, particularly in military engineering, fortifying Jerusalem, and developing sophisticated siege weapons, and also a keen agriculturalist, reflecting a period of extensive economic and strategic development under his long and initially successful leadership.

2 Chronicles 26 3 Commentary

2 Chronicles 26:3 is the crucial introductory verse that encapsulates the defining parameters of King Uzziah’s long and impactful reign. It provides the customary regnal formula—age at accession, duration of reign, and the capital city—typical of Davidic kings. The specific detail of "sixteen years old" paints a picture of a youthful ruler, implying the potential need for initial guidance, perhaps from his mother Jecoliah, whose Jerusalemite origin reinforced his legitimate claim and local ties. His extensive "fifty-two years" on the throne signals a remarkable period of stability, prosperity, and indeed, expansion for Judah, laying the groundwork for the detailed account of his achievements in subsequent verses. However, as with all the Chronicler’s presentations of kings, this factual introduction subtly foreshadows the theological trajectory: the divine enablement (as suggested by his name, "Yahweh is my strength," and his mother's, "Yahweh is able") that led to such an extended reign of strength and success, followed ultimately by the human failing of pride that led to his downfall. This verse thus stands as the concise, yet deeply significant, opening act for one of Judah's most complex monarchs.