2 Kings 15:5 kjv
And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.
2 Kings 15:5 nkjv
Then the LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death; so he dwelt in an isolated house. And Jotham the king's son was over the royal house, judging the people of the land.
2 Kings 15:5 niv
The LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. Jotham the king's son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
2 Kings 15:5 esv
And the LORD touched the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and he lived in a separate house. And Jotham the king's son was over the household, governing the people of the land.
2 Kings 15:5 nlt
The LORD struck the king with leprosy, which lasted until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house. The king's son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
2 Kings 15 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 26:16-23 | But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense... and became a leper until the day he died. He lived in a separate house, a leper, because he was excluded from the temple of the Lord. | Uzziah's pride and sin causing leprosy and exclusion. |
| Lev 13:45-46 | Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. | Laws on ceremonial uncleanness of leprosy and isolation. |
| Num 12:9-10 | The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them... Miriam was afflicted with leprosy; her skin was like snow. | Divine affliction of leprosy as punishment (Miriam). |
| Deut 28:27 | The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. | Leprosy (sores) as a curse for disobedience. |
| Deut 24:8-9 | In cases of defiling skin diseases, be careful to follow all the instructions of the Levitical priests. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on your way out of Egypt. | Reminder to adhere to leprosy laws, referencing Miriam. |
| Isa 6:1 | In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord... | Prophetic context related to Uzziah's death. |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. | Principle of divine honor and disdain (Eli's sons). |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. | The general principle behind Uzziah's downfall. |
| Psa 89:30-32 | If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments... then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. | Divine discipline within the Davidic covenant. |
| 1 Chr 3:12 | Uzziah his son, Jotham his son... | Geneaological reference for Azariah/Uzziah's lineage. |
| Lev 14:1-32 | Laws concerning the purification of a person cured of defiling skin disease. | Details of ceremonial purification from leprosy. |
| 2 Kgs 8:16-24 | (Jehoram of Judah) he died... He had a sickness of his bowels... but was given no such funeral as his ancestors had received. | Sickness of a king leading to consequences for burial. |
| Phil 2:8-9 | And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place... | Contrast: Humility leading to exaltation (Christ). |
| Matt 8:2-4 | A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man... and immediately he was cured. | Jesus' power to heal leprosy and restore. |
| Mk 1:40-45 | A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out and touched the man... "Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing..." | Jesus heals leprosy, emphasizing Levitical command. |
| Lk 5:12-16 | While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him... | Another account of Jesus healing a leper. |
| Acts 12:21-23 | On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people... Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. | Another king (Herod) struck down by God for pride. |
| Num 5:2-4 | "Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease... send away male and female alike; they are to live outside the camp..." | Mandate for separating ceremonially unclean persons. |
| Heb 12:5-11 | The Lord disciplines those he loves... endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. | Divine discipline for sin, as from a father to a son. |
| Rom 2:6-11 | For he will repay each person according to what they have done. | Principle of divine justice and recompense for actions. |
2 Kings 15 verses
2 Kings 15 5 Meaning
King Azariah (also known as Uzziah) of Judah was divinely afflicted with a severe skin disease, diagnosed as leprosy, which rendered him ritually unclean and unable to perform his royal duties or interact with society. This condition lasted until his death. As a consequence, he lived in social and ceremonial isolation, and his son, Jotham, assumed the responsibilities of governing the palace and administrating justice to the people.
2 Kings 15 5 Context
This verse occurs within a chapter that primarily chronicles the various reigns of the kings of both Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom) following the significant and influential reign of Jeroboam II in Israel and leading up to the Assyrian crisis. While much of 2 Kings 15 focuses on the political instability and succession of weak and often wicked kings in Israel, verse 5 briefly shifts its attention to Judah and King Azariah, also known as Uzziah. Azariah had one of the longest reigns in Judah's history (52 years, 2 Kgs 15:2), which was largely prosperous and stable, especially earlier on. This verse describes the unfortunate and permanent affliction that struck the king, directly interrupting his reign. Its significance is expanded upon in 2 Chronicles 26, where the explicit reason for the leprosy is stated: Uzziah's prideful attempt to usurp the priestly function of burning incense in the Temple, which was reserved solely for the Aaronic priests. Thus, the verse signifies a direct divine judgment upon a king who overstepped the boundaries of his God-given authority, resulting in ceremonial uncleanness and physical incapacitation that necessitated his isolation and a transfer of daily governmental power to his son.
2 Kings 15 5 Word analysis
- The LORD (יהוה - YHWH): This is the Tetragrammaton, God's personal covenant name. Its use here emphasizes that the affliction was not accidental or from natural causes but a direct, deliberate act of God. It highlights divine sovereignty and involvement in the affairs of human kings, even those of the chosen line of David.
- afflicted (נגע - nāgaʿ): Meaning "to touch, strike, reach, bring a plague upon." In this context, it unequivocally signifies a punitive, supernatural blow or touch from God. It suggests God Himself caused the illness, rather than simply allowing it.
- the king: Refers to Azariah, also known as Uzziah (cf. 2 Kgs 15:1 and 2 Chr 26). This highlights that even the reigning monarch, seen as God's anointed in Judah, is not immune to divine judgment, challenging any notion of royal infallibility or inherent invincibility that some ancient Near Eastern cultures might have attributed to their rulers.
- so that he had leprosy (צרעת - ṣāraʿat): This term describes a range of severe skin conditions in ancient Israel, not necessarily limited to modern Hansen's disease. Its most crucial aspect was its religious and social implications: anyone with ṣāraʿat was ceremonially unclean (Lev 13-14) and required isolation from the community and Temple. It often carried connotations of divine punishment, making it a visible and constant sign of God's hand against the individual. For a king, such an affliction was devastating, symbolizing moral defilement and preventing him from performing his duties, especially those connected with public worship or the palace, which was seen as a clean space.
- until the day he died: This phrase emphasizes the incurable and permanent nature of the divine affliction. There was no recovery or cleansing for Uzziah, marking the end of his effective reign and physical freedom for the duration of his life.
- He lived in a separate house (בֵּית הַחָפְשִׁית - bêṯ haḥāfšît): Literally "house of freedom/release," or more accurately, "house of seclusion/quarantine." This was a special dwelling for those with ṣāraʿat as mandated by Mosaic Law (Num 5:2-4), signifying complete isolation from communal and religious life due to ceremonial uncleanness. For a king, this meant banishment from his palace, court, and all public engagement, effectively ending his active rule and embodying his defilement.
- while Jotham the king’s son: Jotham was Uzziah's son and heir apparent. His immediate rise to power ensures a smooth and legitimate continuation of the Davidic lineage's governance, despite the personal tragedy of the king.
- governed the palace: This means Jotham took over the practical administration of the royal court, managing the day-to-day affairs, policies, and personnel of the kingdom. It implies full regent authority.
- and judged the people of the land: This refers to one of the king's primary roles: dispensing justice. It means Jotham took on the judicial functions, hearing disputes and rendering verdicts, thus ensuring legal and social order continued in Judah.
2 Kings 15 5 Bonus section
The affliction of Uzziah with ṣāraʿat also highlights the crucial distinction between kingly (civil/administrative) and priestly (religious/sacred) authority in ancient Israel. While kings like David offered sacrifices, their role was primarily political and military. Uzziah's error lay in attempting to perform a liturgical act—burning incense—that was explicitly reserved for the Aaronic priests, directly violating divine law and crossing a sacred boundary established by God. This polemic against any blurring of the lines between sacred and secular power, particularly when it encroaches on the sacred, is a key takeaway. His "separate house" was not a place of comfort, but a mandated exclusion, making his leprosy a visible sign of his broken covenant and spiritual impurity before God and the nation. This situation also underscores the meticulous attention to ritual purity required within Israelite society, which applied even to the monarch.
2 Kings 15 5 Commentary
2 Kings 15:5 encapsulates a profound demonstration of God's sovereignty, holiness, and righteous judgment, even upon those in the highest positions of authority. The divine affliction of King Azariah/Uzziah with leprosy underscores the principle that no one, not even an anointed king, is above the law and judgment of God. This punishment, which led to permanent ritual impurity and social isolation, served as a stark public display of the severe consequences of disobedience and pride, especially the usurpation of sacred roles reserved for others, as detailed in 2 Chronicles 26.
Despite the king's personal tragedy and defilement, the kingdom of Judah maintained stability through an orderly transfer of administrative power to Jotham. This shows God's continued faithfulness to His covenant with David, ensuring a legitimate heir would maintain the throne's functions. The event stands as a timeless reminder that while God uses human instruments and institutions, He remains supreme, expecting obedience and reverence, and will uphold His standards of holiness, even through punitive means, for the purification and instruction of His people.