Interpretive Commentary

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Interpretive Commentary: 2 Chronicles: 26-29 OBST 515: Old Testament Orientation I October 27, 2023

Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Historical Setting and Date ........................................................................................................... 1 Authorship and Audience ............................................................................................................. 2 Major Theological Themes ........................................................................................................... 2 26:1-23, Uzziah’s Reign ................................................................................................................. 3 27:1-9, Jotham’s Reign .................................................................................................................. 4 28:1-27, Ahaz’s Reign .................................................................................................................... 6 29:1-36, Hezekiah’s Reign and the Temple of the Lord ............................................................. 9 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 13 ii

1 Introduction The book of 2 Chronicles is a fascinating book within the Old Testament that continues many of the unique narratives found in 1 Chronicles. Originally, 2 Chronicles was written as one book, but it was later split into two separate books. While the first section of 2 Chronicles focuses on Solomon and his reign over Israel, the later parts of the book focus on the numerous kings that come after him that reign over Judah. Many of these kings such as Uzziah and Jotham would go on to e good kings who did good things in the eyes of the Lord while other kings such as Ahaz would go on to do wicked things in the eyes of the Lord. Chapters 26-29 gives the readers a look into four different kings and how they served the Lord as kings of Judah. Historical Setting and Date The narrative of 2 Chronicles takes place directly after the death of King David at the end of 1 Chronicles. As Mabie notes “the setting of the book(s) of Chronicles is the postexilic community of Judea.” 1 It is also noted that there was a forty-year overlap between the reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel in which there was a time of peace and prosperity that was happening in both kingdoms simultaneously. 2 The Borders of both kingdoms also extended greatly during this time in Judah and Israel as well. 3 From this, the reader can tell that Israel and Judah were very successful at this time as these specific kings would go on to rule their respective regions. 1 Frederick Mabie and Simon Sherwin,1 & 2 Chronicles. (Zondervan Academic, 2016), 296-297, 40. 2 Ibid., 296. 3 Ibid.

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2 Authorship and Audience Different time frames regarding when the events of Chronicles took place have been suggested by different scholars. Some scholars have suggested the events of Chronicles took place during the Persian time frame (400s B.C), the Greek/Hellenistic period (300s-200s BC) as well as the Maccabean/Hasmonean period (100s B.C). Mabie notes that “the authorship of Chronicles (along with much of the Old Testament) lacks any notation of authorship. Thus, it is anonymously authored, and, from the vantage point of inspiration, such anonymity was clearly the intent of God.” 4 Some scholars have also suggested Ezra as an author for Chronicles. The evidence that supports this view is that there is a degree of similarity in vocabulary as well as Hebrew Syntax, a certain degree of overlapping ideological/theological concerns, and Ezra- Nehemiah picking up directly where 2 Chronicles ends. 5 Major Theological Themes Chapters 26-29 of 2 Chronicles are littered with many unique theological themes. One major theme is God’s compassion and faithfulness to those that serve and obey Him. This is shown with Uzziah and his reign. “And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the [ c ] visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper (2 Chronicles 26:4-5, NKJV). It is shown that Uzziah is successful in everything that he does because of his faithfulness to the Lord. Another theme shown in 2 Chronicles is that of God’s wrath and indignation towards Judah. This is shown primarily in chapter 28 of the text during the reign of Ahaz. The Bible says of Ahaz “Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord, as 4 Frederick Mabie and Simon Sherwin,1 & 2 Chronicles. (Zondervan Academic, 2016), 40. 5 Ibid., 41.

3 his father David had done. For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made molded images for the Baals (2 Chron 28:1-2).” This shows the reader that Ahaz had enabled Judah to return to worshipping the gods of the Canaanites which stoked the anger of the Lord. Because of this, God gave Judah into the hands of their enemies. One more major theme is that of restoration which is shown when Hezekiah restores the temple of the Lord in chapter twenty-nine of the text. 26:1-23, Uzziah’s Reign A. 26:1-5, A Good King Verses 1-5 tell us that Uzziah was very young (16) when he became king of Judah. The scripture tells us that he did was right in the eyes of the Lord and because of this, God blessed him with a long reign as king which was fifty-two years. Verse five tells the reader that Uzziah sought after God in the days of Zechariah and that God made him prosperous as long as he followed and worshipped the Lord. If Uzziah was unfaithful to God like some who came before him, it is possible to surmise that God would not have blessed him with a long and prosperous reign as king. B. 26:6-10, Towers in Jerusalem These verses dive into the military campaigns that Uzziah waged as king. During this time, Uzziah waged war against the Philistines and was successful in breaking down several of the Philistine walls. Verse seven tells the reader that God assisted Uzziah’s armies in battle against the philistines as well as the Arabians and the Meunites. Because of these numerous victories, verse eight tells the reader that Uzziah’s fame spread as far as Egypt. Because of Uzziah’s faithfulness to the Lord, Uzziah’s enemies were delivered into his hands and his name became well known throughout the land.

4 C. 26:11-15, Uzziah’s Army These verses give the reader insight into the full structure of Uzziah’s army. The text tells the reader that Uzziah’s army went to war by companies (v.11) and that the total number of chief officers was two-thousand six hundred men (v.12). Uzziah’s army was well equipped for battle with spears, helmets, shields, body armor and slings for stones as well. For all these achievements, Uzziah’s fame had spread even farther than it did before, which shows that God certainly rewards those who seek Him diligently. D. 26:16-23, Uzziah’s pride and downfall Unfortunately for Uzziah, his deeds and accomplishments turned him into a very prideful man, which ultimately led him to his downfall. Uzziah’s pride led him to burn incense on the altar of incense in the temple. Because of this, Azariah the priest confronts Uzziah, and leprosy breaks out on Uzziah’s face. The scripture tells us that he was a leper until the day of his death. One of the major themes from this chapter is that pride can and will lead a person to their downfall if they are not careful to avoid it. Uzziah started off as a good king who sought after the Lord and because of this, the Lord blessed him in everything that he did. Uzziah’s accomplishments and military victories had caused him to become prideful and arrogant, which in turn led the Lord to strike him with leprosy due to his defiling the temple of the Lord. He died a leper cut off from the people he had ruled over for fifty-two years. Pride will always make a mockery of anyone, no matter what their accomplishments are. 27:1-9, Jotham’s Reign A. 27:1-2, A good king but corrupt people

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5 Jotham’s reign as king is covered very briefly in the scripture; only being nine verses in total and one of those verses (v. 8) being a repetition. 6 Verse two tells the reader that Jotham was a good king who did good things in the sight of the Lord. The reader is also told in verse two that Jotham did not enter the temple of the Lord. Johnstone notes that this may have been because of Jotham’s standing and not his personal preference. He notes that Jotham “never did progress beyond the status of regent to be king in his own right. Had Jotham been crowned king, it is difficult to see how he could have avoided presenting himself in the temple at his coronation.” 7 From this, it can be speculated that Jotham never became a true king like his father Uzziah was. It can also be speculated that Jotham had seen firsthand what had happened to his father and simply wanted to avoid that fate by choosing not to enter the temple of the Lord at all even though he was king. B. 27:3-9, Jotham’s good works These verses describe some of the important military campaigns that Jotham undertook as king like his father Uzziah. Like previous presentations of former kings, it would be expected that the reign of Jotham would be covered in two different parts which would be the positive achievements and then the negative aspects/features of his reign. 8 However, this is certainly not the case. While the reader gets a brief overview into Jotham’s reign as king, it is severely lacking in detail compared to other kings we see within the Old Testament. It is shown in verse five that Jotham’s army had conquered the Ammonites and that after this conquest, the Ammonites paid Jotham a hundred talents of silver, and a large amount of wheat and barley. The scripture also tells the reader that they repeated 6 William Johnstone. 1 and 2 Chronicles. Volume 2, 2 Chronicles 10-36: Guilt and Atonement. (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997), 170. 7 Ibid., 171. 8 Ibid.

6 this in the second and third years as well. This might have been because of Jotham’s standing within the region. Verse six goes on to say that Jotham grew even more powerful because he sought after the Lord. Unlike this father Uzziah, the scripture makes no mention of Jotham becoming prideful and arrogant and in turn leading to his downfall as king. It would appear Jotham made sure to himself that he would not follow in the footsteps of his father who became stricken with leprosy until the day of his death. 28:1-27, Ahaz’s Reign A. 28:1-4, A wicked king Ahaz succeeds his father Jotham as king of Judah, and it can be noted that Ahaz gets a very long and detailed exposition about his reign as king compared to his father who only gets about nine verses total. Immediately, the scripture makes it crystal clear that Ahaz was a wicked ruler saying, “unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chron. 28:1 NKJV).” This is a clear distinction from his father Jotham who was faithful to the Lord and sought after Him. Like many of the previous kings of Israel, Ahaz made idols and worshipped the gods of the Canaanites, the Baals. Unlike previous kings such as Uzziah who had positive and negative aspects of their rule chronicled, Ahaz’s reign is presented in an exclusively negative manner. 9 B. 28:5-8, Judah’s defeat by Syria and Israel Because of Ahaz’s wickedness in the eyes of the Lord, Ahaz and his army were defeated by the king of Aram. The scripture tells the reader that many people within Ahaz’s kingdom were taken into captivity. The king of Israel also killed many within 9 Mark J. Boda. 1-2 Chronicles . Edited by Philip Wesley Comfort. (Carol Stream, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2010), 376.

7 Ahaz’s army. Verse six tells the reader that “In one day, Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors.” Judah’s suffering is immense because of their disobedience to God. This is a common theme within the Old Testament. When a king and his people begin to worship other gods and act perverse, it is shown that God gives them into the hands of their enemies. Because of Ahaz’s exceedingly great wickedness, the Lord allows Judah to be plundered mercilessly by the surrounding inhabitants of Judah. Essentially, the opposite of what was shown with Ahaz’s father Uzziah. Boda notes that “while in the book of Kings, Manasseh represents the lowest point in the history, in the book of Chronicles, Ahaz plays this role.” 10 Out of all the rulers mentioned in Chronicles, the state of Judah is at its lowest point under Ahaz, which is a testament to how terrible of a ruler he truly was. C. 28:9-15, Israel returns the captives At this point in time, Ahaz’s army had suffered total defeat and were held captive in Samaria. The prophet Oded would later meet the army and condemned them for bringing their fellow Israelites back as slaves. In verse ten he says “and now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves? But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God?” The prophet Oded was comparing the people of Judah to the people of Israel who also had sinned against God. He condemned them because they were also guilty of sin and could have very well been the captives of other nations themselves if God had allowed it. For this reason, the captives of Judah were set free and sent on their way to Jericho. 10 Mark J. Boda. 1-2 Chronicles . Edited by Philip Wesley Comfort. (Carol Stream, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2010), 376.

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8 D. 28:16-21, Assyria refuses to help Judah The state that Judah was in was not lost on Ahaz. Judah had also been attacked and pillaged by the Edomites during this time as well as the Philistines having raided towns in the foothills of Judah. All this calamity befell Judah because of Ahaz according to verse nineteen. For this reason, verse sixteen tells the reader that Ahaz attempted to enlist the aid of the kings of Assyria for assistance. However, these kings would not help Ahaz and in the case of Tiglath-Pileser, he gave Ahaz more trouble than assistance. It becomes clear that Ahaz’s deliverance will not come through the aid of kings from neighboring regions. E. 28:22-27, Apostasy, and the death of Ahaz Ahaz and his kingdom are in deep crisis right now. As Boda points out, this crisis “did not lead this Judean king (Ahaz) to depend on Yahweh, as well be the case with his son Hezekiah in chapters 29-32.” 11 The Chronicler notes in verse 22 that Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. Ahaz’s belief was that if he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who helped the kings of Syria, then they would help him as well. The Chronicler notes that this essentially had the opposite effect and was the ruin of Ahaz and Israel (2 Chron 28:23). Ahaz would go on to confiscate the items in the temple of the Lord as well as shutting down worship to God within the temple. The Chronicler also notes in verse twenty-four that he made altars “in every corner of Jerusalem” so he could burn incense and worship other gods. This only continued to provoke the anger of the Lord God according to the Chronicler in verse 25. Ahaz dies and is buried in the city in Jerusalem but not in the royal cemetery of the kings of Israel. Boda says “such a 11 Mark J. Boda. 1-2 Chronicles . Edited by Philip Wesley Comfort. (Carol Stream, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2010), 379.

9 despicable character as Ahaz would be dishonored in death like his wicked grandfather Uzziah.” 12 Ahaz’s reign teaches the reader that turning away from God never results in anything positive. As Ahaz and Judah kept falling further and further into depravity, instead of turning back to God, he further provoked the Lord’s anger by sacrificing to the gods of his enemies. 29:1-36, Hezekiah’s Reign and the Temple of the Lord A. 29:1-19, Hezekiah cleanses the Temple Hezekiah is noted as being twenty-five years old by the Chronicler when he becomes king. According to Young, the first regnal year of Hezekiah is 715-714 B.C.E. 13 During the first year of his reign. Hezekiah immediately begins repairing the temple of the Lord that his father Ahaz had defiled. Hezekiah then calls the priests and the Levites and tells them to sanctify themselves and to restore the temple of the Lord. Hezekiah shows a sense of urgency in these verses as he desperately wants the temple to be restored to the house of worship it once was. Hezekiah openly acknowledges the sins of the past that his forefathers committed and how they stopped worshipping and burning incense to the Lord God. Hezekiah decides to make a new covenant with the Lord so that His anger and wrath may turn away from them because of the sins of the past. Hezekiah’s wisdom and humility allows him to recognize what must be done to turn away from the sins that have caused Judah and Israel to fall away from the Lord. Under Hezekiah, the priests and the Levites are able to sanctify the temple and to cleanse the house of the Lord. Hezekiah 12 Mark J. Boda. 1-2 Chronicles . Edited by Philip Wesley Comfort. (Carol Stream, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2010), 379. 13 Robb Andrew Young, Hezekiah in History and Tradition . (Leiden ; Brill, 2012), 10.

10 was also able to recover and return all the items that his father Ahaz had removed from the temple and placed them back on the Altar of the Lord. B. 29:20-36, Hezekiah restores Temple Worship It is noted by Endres that “Hezekiah ranks as one of Judah’s three most important kings, after David and Solomon.” 14 Hezekiah’s restoration of the Lord’s temple is a great example as to why this is the case. Hezekiah understood that the temple of the Lord was one of the most important places with the kingdom of Judah. He offered sacrifices on the altar which included male goats, rams and lambs all of this was done to make atonement for all of the sin that Israel and Judah had committed in the past. The Chronicler tells the reader in verse thirty-two that the number of burnt offerings was seventy bulls, one hundred, rams and three thousand sheep. Hezekiah had successfully cleansed and restored the temple and had made atonement for all of Israel and Judah’s sins. 14 John C. Endres, First and Second Chronicles . (Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 2012), 44.

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11 Conclusion Even though these kings ruled thousands of years ago , there are several lessons that can still be applied to the New Testament. One of the most upfront themes in these chapters is God’s grace and faithfulness to those who serve him. We see this during the reign of Uzziah and during the reign of Jotham as well. The Chronicler tells the reader that the Lord was with Uzziah and Jotham during their respective reigns as king. This is evident as Uzziah and Jotham had several successful military campaigns against the armies of foreign kings. The Chronicler ensures that the reader understands that it’s because of Uzziah and Jotham’s faithfulness to the Lord, that He blesses them and enables them to expand their territories. This theme relates to Jesus in the New Testament. The New Testament shows Jesus healing several people with different sicknesses and illnesses. What enables Jesus to this is through faith. This is shown in Matthew when Jesus tells a woman that “your faith has made you well (Matt. 9:22).” Being faithful to the Lord will always yield rewards to those who seek him. Another theme is that of idol worship. This is most prominent with Ahaz, arguably the worst king that Judah had within the Old Testament. The Chronicler did not spare any expense at showing how Ahaz worshipped the gods of the Canaanites time and time again. This angered the Lord to no end, which is why Judah fell into captivity several times into Ahaz’s reign as king. The Lord wants His people to worship Him and Him alone. This theme ties into what Jesus told someone in the New Testament regarding money. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other (Matt 6:24). If someone professes faith in the Lord Jesus, they cannot serve the Lord and something else. They must be faithful to one God only. If they are not faithful to the Lord, then whatever they are faithful to is their god.

12 The last theme that is shown in 2 Chronicles is that of restoration. During the reign of Ahaz, the temple of the Lord was desecrated. Several objects were taken out of the temple and worshipped ceased in the temple under Ahaz. The wickedness of Ahaz was felt all through Judah. His son Hezekiah would go on to restore the temple by bringing back the objects that were taken out of the temple and offering up burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord which was meant to atone for all of Israel and Judah. This was successful and the temple of the Lord was restored to its former glory. This fits in with the New Testament as Jesus offered restoration to everyone that he encountered. This included physical and spiritual restoration as well from sin and bondage. The Lord is always willing to offer restoration to those who ask for it.

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14 Bibliography Boda, Mark J. 1-2 Chronicles . Edited by Philip Wesley Comfort. Carol Stream, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2010. Endres, John C. First and Second Chronicles . Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 2012. Johnstone, William. 1 and 2 Chronicles. Volume 2, 2 Chronicles 10-36: Guilt and Atonement. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997. Mabie, Frederick J. 1 and 2 Chronicles. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2017. Young, Robb Andrew. Hezekiah in History and Tradition . Leiden ; Brill, 2012.

Interpretive Commentary

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