Interpretive Commentary
2 Chronicles 26-29
By
Fausto Smith Castillo
A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course
OBST 515
Liberty University
December 11th , 2022
2
Annotated Bibliography
Boda, Mark J. 1-2 Chronicles in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary Vol. 5a. Philip W.
Comfort (ed). Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 2010. 1-7
Boda provides a necessary background to understanding 1 and 2 Chronicles.
He situates the two Chronicles within the "sacred history" of Israel (and Judah).
Consequently, his article elevates the relevance of the two Chronicles to the first
audience and modern readers.
Dillard, Raymond B. 2 Chronicles in Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 15. David A.
Hubbard & Glenn W. Barker (eds). Waco: Word Books, 1987.
Dillard points out that the Chronicler was not an eyewitness to the events he
reported. Unmistakable evidence shows the usage of already existing materials. Many
of these materials are seen in the books of Samuel and Kings. Connecting our texts
under review to their primary source for good commentary and exegesis is essential.
Howard, David M., Jr. An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books.
Chicago: Moody Press, 1993.
This book explores the overarching themes in Old Testament historical
literature. Their general themes are treated at the beginning of the book. However,
Howard goes in-depth and treats each historical book on its own. This includes every
chapter in 2 Chronicles.
Klein, William W., Craig L. Bloomberg & Robert L. Hubbard Jr. Introduction to
Biblical Interpretation. Dallas: Word Publishing, 1993.
Herein the authors give rules for bible interpretation. The book gives a picture
of the do and don'ts of interpreting biblical texts. This is important to the text under
scrutiny as it helps correctly handle the texts. The rules that apply will be known and
strictly adhered to.
Kitchen, K. A. The Bible In Its World. Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1977.
3
Kitchen is an excellent Old Testament scholar. He is known for his ability to
unmask complex Old Testament text correctly. This work is helpful in unmasking and
adequately explaining the literary blocks of 2 Chronicles 26-29.
Thompson, J. A. 1, 2 Chronicles. New American Commentary Vol. 9: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 1994.
Keil, C. F. The Books of the Chronicles. Translated by Andrew Harper. Biblical
Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
n.d.
Introduction to 2 Chronicles 26 – 29
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Scholars divide the Old Testament into Law/Pentateuch, Historical Books, Prophetic
Books, and Wisdom Literature. The Hebrew theological tradition is divided into the
Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. These are translated as the Law, prophets, and writings.
The 1st and 2nd Chronicles are found under the Historical Books in the former
categorization. In the latter, both are found under the Nevi'im.
In the Greek Septuagint, the 1st and 2nd Chronicles are known as
Paralipomenon and translated as omissions. This connotes the narration of events of
Israel’s history that were looked over by the narrations of 1st and 2nd Samuel and 1st
and 2nd Kings.1. Sadly, this has often been the approach towards the 1st and 2nd
Chronicles in Christian circles. This is probably because the book is easier to
understand with an understanding of the larger picture of the history of Israel (and
Judah).
Second Chronicles 1-9 to picks up from the closing narratives of second
Samuel, second Kings, and first Chronicles to continue the story of the Davidic
dynasty. It traces it from Solomon's building and completing the Temple his father
David was prohibited from the building. Solomon’s reign and deeds became the focus
of attention in those nine chapters. Solomon died, his son Rehoboam began to reign,
and the Kingdom was divided into the North (Israel) and South (Judah). Jeroboam
went away with most tribes to form the Northern Kingdom away from Judah, and the
Temple Solomon had built in Jerusalem. The rest of the Chronicler's story begins to
narrate the descent of both the North and South after the death of Solomon and the sad
division of the nation of Israel. Different kings in the line of David (especially in
Judah) arose. Some were godly "like their father David," while others followed the
ways of the pagans building high places and "Asherah poles."
1 Boda, Mark J. 1-2 Chronicles in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary Vol. 5a. Philip W.
Comfort (ed). Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 2010. 1-2
5
The passage under consideration, second Chronicles 26-29, brings to fore four
different kings in the history of the southern Kingdom of Judah. The chapters give the
reader a view into their reigns. The Chronicler in these chapters records their deeds,
disposition towards Yahweh, and deaths.
Historical Setting and Date
The exact date of the Chronicle's writing may not be determined in certainty, yet the
period is known. It is a consensus that these narratives were written during the return
of exiles from Babylonian captivity (the Babylonian Kingdom now defeated by the
Persians around 539 BC2). This is the same period when Ezra returned to Judah to
teach the returning exiles the ways of Yahweh. Also, the period coincides with
Nehemiah's moves to leave Susa for Jerusalem to build the fallen walls. Internal
evidence (2nd Chronicles 36:22-23) suggests that the historical setting and possible
period of writing as elucidated above is true
Author and Audience
Among Jewish circles and Rabbis, Ezra is held to be the author of the
Chronicles. The evidence for his authorship is hardly contested within and outside
Jewish circles. Ezra, a Levite returning with other exiles to Judah, wrote the
Chronicles to explain their current situation to other exiles. Using materials from the
two Samuels and the two Kings, he narrated how the nation of Israel degenerated into
apostasy and was sent to captivity. He also gave why Yahweh chose to restore them at
the time of their return (2nd Chronicles 36:22).
Theological Themes
One can infer myriads of theological themes from the second Chronicles, but
few will be mentioned here. First, the theme of Temple is replete throughout the text.
Temple plays an essential role in the religious life of Israel and Judah. It is a place of
2 Boda, 2010: 7
6
worship, offering sacrifices, public judicial matters, and learning. Jerusalem without
the Temple is a defeated Jerusalem. Its end has come. The importance of the Temple
is, however, seen when the people obey Yahweh. The Temple becomes impotent and
useless when the people disobey.
Kingship is another theological theme to explore. Yahweh blessed Judah and
made it prosper so long as their kings obeyed him. Disobedient kings brought
calamity upon the people. The disposition of the King had theological significance for
the whole of Judah and its religion. In the account of Solomon's reign, the nation was
incredibly blessed when he followed the ways of Yahweh. However, at the closing
stages of his reign, he greatly displeased Yahweh through his numerous marriages and
patronized "high places" that probably belonged to his foreign wives.3
Commentary
A. Chapter 26 – Uzziah’s kingship and the Prosperity of Judah
After 24 years as a coregent with his father Amaziah (see 2 Kings 15:1),
Uzziah ascended the throne of Judah when his half-hearted Yahweh-serving father
died. Uzziah became the 10th King of the southern Kingdom of Judah in
approximately 767 BC. Uzziah was probably his kingship name. Biblical and non-
biblical sources give him the name Azariah4. The prophet Zechariah was Uzziah's
adviser during his reign, but internal evidence shows Zechariah left the picture
probably due to death or has fallen out of favor at the palace. The reign of Uzziah
came to an end at the beginning of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah.5
1-2 Uzziah Becomes King
3 Dillard, Raymond B. 2 Chronicles in Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 15. David A.
Hubbard & Glenn W. Barker (eds). Waco: Word Books, 1987, 18.
4 Dillard, 1987: 235 and 1st Chronicles 3:12; 2nd Kings 16:1.
5 Isaiah 1:8.
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After the death of Amaziah, Judah took his son, Uzziah, who was sixteen at
the time, and made him King over the people. The Chronicler’s first mention of the
works of Uzziah is rebuilding Elath and restoring it to Judah. . “Elat was the strategic
port at the head of the gulf and was critical to control of the seaborne commerce with
Arabia, Africa, and India.”6 Solomon captured it for the people of Israel ( 2nd
Chronicles 8:17-18) but was lost to Edom during the time of Jehoram (2nd Chronicles
21:8-10). The Chronicler began on this note to show the prosperous course on which
Uzziah's reign set Judah.
3-5 The Obedience of Uzziah
In verse 3, the Chronicler repeats the age of Uzziah on his ascension, names
his mother her hometown, and informs his audience that the new King followed the
way of Yahweh. Just like his father and the King before him. The obedience of the
young King is tied to the fact that Zechariah instructed him in the ways of Yahweh.
This Zechariah was a witness for the prophet Isaiah.7. Verse 5 suggests that Zechariah
fell out of the picture at some point during the reign of Uzziah.
6-8 Uzziah’s Wars and Conquest
Like many kings of Israel and Judah and, by extension, the Ancient Near East,
war was a complete occupation of theirs. Conquering new realms and adding to the
riches of their people was a norm, accepted, and celebrated. So does the Chronicler in
verse 6. Uzziah went to war against an archenemy of Israel since David, the
Philistines.8 Uzziah broke down their strongholds of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod, which
were walled and impregnable cities. Uzziah took his war and conquest further
southwest with other nations. Until his fame resonated in Egypt.
6 Dillard, 1987:238.
7 Isaiah 8:2
8 1st Samuel 17; 2nd Samuel 1:20.
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9-15 Judah is made envy of other nations
The conquests and reforms of Uzziah became evident throughout Judah. Three
stood out for the Chronicler. The first is that the people of Judah built towns and
resettled overseas in the place their King conquered. The second is the vineyards and
farms of the King. It was plentiful, and the livestock and farm stock harvest was
abundant. The third was a well-decorated and highly technical army. In the
Chronicler's eyes, a great army is a reward of Yahweh for good behavior by the King.9
Uzziah’s army had inventions that could rival other sophisticated armies of their day.
16- 23 Uzziah’s Folly and Downfall
Pride is a destroyer of all men.10 Feelings of pride come because of different
reasons, yet one sure path is human achievement. People reach levels of achievements
unheard of before, and they quickly become conceited. Uzziah reached those heights
and got filled with pride.
"He had not been one of the weak kings of Judah who was easily swayed by
others (like Jehoshaphat) or too open and accommodating with the leaders in
the north. But as is often the case with strong leaders, this virtue gave way to a
headstrong, I-can-do-no-wrong attitude. It was precisely his strength that
blinded him to the effrontery of his action."11
To burn incense is the duty of a priest.12 Uzziah neglected such important cultic Laws
and burned incense himself. Yahweh inflicted him with an excellent skin malady. This
malady required him to be quarantined to avoid spreading to others. It was required of
the Law that those with infectious maladies, especially on the skin, cannot appear
9 1 Chronicles 12:23–40; 21; 27; 2 Chronicles 12:3;
10 Proverbs 16:18.
11 Thompson, 1994:331
12 Exodus 30:1–10; Numbers 16:40; 18:1–7),
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before Yahweh or his assembly.13 Jotham, Uzziah's son, assumed coregent since his
father could not discharge public duties as King. Uzziah died with his skin disease and
was buried in a place separate, though near, where kings were interred. Jotham
became the complete and only King at the death of Uzziah.
B. Chapter 27 – Jotham Leads Judah
Jotham succeeds Uzziah, his father, as the 11th king of Judah around 750 BC.14 Jotham
was also a coregent following Uzziah's skin malady. This explains the overlapping of
about eleven years with his father's reign. For the Chronicler, the reign of kings is
counted alongside their coregent years.
1-4 Jotham ascends Judah’s kingship with new projects
King Jotham is introduced as the twenty-five years old King, with Zadok as
his maternal grandfather. The Chronicler has developed the habit of mentioning the
lineage of the King's mother. For the wife of Uzziah that bore him, Jotham is a
daughter of Zadok. Interpreters are still determining if this is Zadok, the priest.15 This
is most likely the case; however, no further commentary is made on avoiding
guesswork.
Jotham, according to the Chronicler, “did was right in the eyes of the LORD,
Just as his father Uzziah had done.” (NIV). He did not attempt priestly duties like his
father, but the people continued in the ways of the pagans. The writer may suggest
that Jotham was a godly man who did not see that his people followed suit. His faith
seemed personal and probably for official purposes. The public should not be
burdened by it, or so he thought. This disposition is evident in 2nd Kings 15:35 when
the narrator comments that Jotham did not remove "the high places."
13 Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 5:1–4; 12:15; 2 Kings 7:3)
14 Dillard, 1987: 242
15 1 Chr 5:38
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During his reign, Jotham embarked on building projects. He built the Upper
Gate of the Temple and the hill of Ophel. Temple projects are noble tasks that pious
kings are eager to undertake. David is a case in point.16 Jotham also builds an
important edifice in the city. This is also markedly a sign of divine favor for the
Chronicler. 17
5- 9 Jotham fought wars, faithfully served Yahweh, and rested
King Jotham also had wars to fight. He fought the Ammonites and created a
source of wealth for Judah. They paid him tributes for the three years following their
defeat. Jotham reigned for sixteen years. He faithfully served Yahweh and died. He
was buried in the City of David. Unlike his father, Jotham was given proper interment
among other great kings of Judah.
C. Chapter 28 – The sins of Ahaz and defeats of Judah
In the seventeenth year of Pekah, King of Isreal, Ahaz assumed the kingship of
Judah.18 Twenty-year-old Ahaz, son of Jotham, became the 12th king of Judah in 735
BC and reigned for sixteen years.19 Ahaz, as the text will show, is the godless son of a
godly father. According to the Chronicler, Ahaz was supposed to be a type of David
but became a king of Israel (the northern Kingdom).
1-4 Ahaz is King, and Idol worship rejuvenated in Judah
When Ahaz ascended Judah's throne, idolatry became a common sight. Like
Jeroboam, who led the northern Kingdom at the time of the division, Ahaz made
molten images and worshipped Damascus's gods.20 Ahaz also dabbled into child
sacrifice. The practice is also known to take place in the Ben Hinnom valley, as cited
16 1st Samuel 7 & 2nd Chronicles 22.
17 2nd Chronicles 11:5-12; 14:6-7;
18 2nd Kings 16:1.
19 Dillard, 1987: 246; 2nd Chronicles 28:1 cf: 2nd Kings 16:1.
20 1st Kings 12:25-33
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by the Chronicler. The use of this practice is still uncertain at the time of Ahaz, yet
primary biblical sources show it was meant for divination.21
5- 8 The wars of Ahaz and Judah’s defeat.
Because of these abominable practices, Ahaz found himself and the whole of
Judah in the middle of wars with their neighbors. First, Yahweh delivered him unto
the Arameans. In the accounts of the prophet Isaiah and the writer of the book of
second kings, the Arameans formed a coalition with Israel to attack Judah.22 Herein,
the Chronicler separates the campaign. He began with that of the Arameans, followed
by Israel. The Arameans took captives from Judah. However, when Israel attacked and
took about 200,000 men, women, and children into captivity, a word came from the
LORD. Judah's selective captivity foreshadowed what would happen later in the
Kingdom's fall. It was a warning sign that the people and their kings chose to ignore.
9- 26 A word from the LORD, and other activities of Ahaz and death
Pekah led a campaign against Judah, and in one day, a hundred and twenty
thousand fighting men of Judah were killed. During this same campaign, Israel
captured two hundred thousand persons and took them to Samaria as enslaved people.
A prophet named Oded came into the picture with a word from the LORD. Israel was
an instrument to deliver Yahweh's wrath, but they are going out of their bounds.
Furthermore, the Law forbids an Israelite to take his kin as an enslaved person.23 Israel
returned those they captured in Judah and ended their war with Judah.
Edom also attacked Judah as punishment for the sins of Ahaz. The King
further removed his heart from the ways of his God. He shut the Temple and was
more unfaithful to Yahweh amidst war and trouble. He sought foreign alliance in
21 Deuteronomy 18:10
22 Isaiah 7:1–6, 2 Kings 16:5–7
23 Leviticus 25:39–55
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Assyria. This became one of Ahaz's significant sins in the Chronicler's eyes. “The
Chronicler is unfailingly hostile to foreign alliances since they demonstrate a failure
to trust the Lord (16:2-9; 19:1-2; 22:3-6; 25:6-10)”24 Ahaz died and was not interred
in the burial sites of the kings of Judah. Hezekiah became King in his stead.
D. Chapter 29 – Hezekiah becomes King and begins Reforms in Judah
Despite his father's evils and abandoning the ways of Yahweh, Hezekiah was
steadfast in Yahweh. Keil writes:
"It is clear that the Chronicler has quite a different outlook on Hezekiah than
that which he inherited from the deuteronomic historian [i.e., the writer of
Kings]. A number of the Chronicler's distinctive emphases intersect in his
portrayal. (1) Hezekiah reunifies Israel, reflecting the Chronicler's concern
with 'all Israel.' (2) Hezekiah is portrayed as a second David and Solomon. (3)
Hezekiah also exemplifies the operation of the Chronicler's retribution
theology."25
While the writer of the second king sees Hezekiah as a King that stands out and
cannot be compared to all other kings of Judah, the Chroniclers see him as a type of
David.
1-2 Hezekiah becomes King and follows after David
David, in the eyes of the Chronicler, is the example of a perfect king. Any godly king
is compared to the reign of David. Under David, there was political prosperity and
spiritual stability in Israel. David masterminded the rise of Israel to world power. He
24 Dillard, 1987: 248
25 Keil, and; 224.
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consolidated the kingship, brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, and
initiated the plans for the building of the Temple.
The reign of Hezekiah has similar elements. The predecessor of Hezekiah
brought shame unto the kingship of Judah. He was defeated in wars and became a
pushover for the smallest kings. Hezekiah did not let these kings bully him. Like
David, he was willing and able to match the strength of his foes. Dillard notes that it
might be during the time of Hezekiah that Israel first demonstrated its inviolability
stance, which is still seen today.26 Also, in chapter thirty-two of the second Chronicle,
Hezekiah musters an army to fight the "great king," Sennacherib. His threat unto
Judah was tremendous, and he had the army to carry out his threat to the latter.
Hezekiah will not let himself and others be bullied into submission. He will not let
violence happen to any in Judah without doing something, even if it seems
insignificant.
1-19 Revival and Cleansing of the Temple
Ahaz halted religious activities in Judah with his closure of the Temple. He
also sold off temple equipment. This crippling of temple activities set the priesthood
in disarray and brought further disaster upon Israel. The Temple is a source of national
strength in Judah. It is the institution that unites the people and dispenses justice to
everyone, great or small. It is the one institution that can bring divine presence and
favor to the people (1st Chronicles 7:11-22).
Hezekiah’s first move towards revival was to open and cleanse the Temple. He
opened the shut doors of the Temple. He also invited priests and Levites to begin
cleansing works. Their parents before them turned their faces away from the dwelling
place of Yahweh and were punished for it. Hezekiah does not want a repetition of this
sacrilege in his time.
26 Dillard, 1987. P:291.
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20- 36 The Reinstitution of the Levitical Priesthood and the system of
sacrifice.
Ahaz sought after pagan gods and sacrificed children in pagan temples. He did
not need the Temple or the priesthood. Unlike faithful kings who depended on the
priesthood to function, Ahaz obliterated their usefulness with his unfaithfulness.
Hezekiah restored the Temple alongside the priesthood. He restored an important
institution in Israel and those saddled with serving and protecting it.
Conclusion
The writer's aim of the chronicles may be many, yet we can glean unmistakable
lessons from the books. From the Chronicler's emphases, we know unfaithfulness will
always end in disaster. Israel and Judah took a course of unfaithfulness with occasion
detours of revival. Nevertheless, both kingdoms went into exile when their sins were
many, and the land could not tolerate them, away from the Temple and the city of
God. Restoration is also possible when repentance is seen. Yahweh was gracious, and
an edict was pronounced to set them free. The exiles may rebuild the Temple and
Jerusalem. They must, however, be wary of their history, so they do not repeat the
mistakes of their forebears.
