II Kings 15:1-7 · Bible study
2 Kings 15:1-7 Commentary: Azariah's Reign
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Azariah (Uzziah) reigned 52 years, did right but left high places, and was struck with leprosy. A chronological puzzle with theological depth.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Azariah’s long reign began well but ended in disgrace because of incomplete obedience and pride that led to divine discipline.
- Key words: High places (bamot H1116), strike (naga H5060), leper (tsara H6879), separate house (chophshut H2669), only (rak H7535).
- Main debate: Whether the accession date in verse 1 (twenty‑seventh year of Jeroboam) is a scribal error or reflects a coregency/interregnum after Amaziah.
- Theological theme: The danger of pride and the necessity of whole‑hearted obedience; God holds leaders to a high standard.
- Best use: A cautionary narrative for anyone in leadership, spiritual, civic, or personal, about the consequences of overstepping God’s boundaries.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah became king of Judah.
2He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.
3And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.
4Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.
5And the LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, so that he lived in a separate house while his son Jotham had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
6As for the rest of the acts of Azariah, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
7And Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in the City of David. And his son Jotham reigned in his place.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign.
2He 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.
3He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
4However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
5Yahweh struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham, the king’s son, was over the household, judging the people of the land.
6Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Jotham his son reigned in his place.
KJV King James Version 1769
1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
2Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
3And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
4Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
5And 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.
6And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
2Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
3And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
4Howbeit the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
5And Jehovah smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the household, judging the people of the land.
6Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7And Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned hath Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah,
2a son of sixteen years was he in his reigning, and fifty and two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jecholiah of Jerusalem,
3and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Amaziah his father did,
4only, the high places have not turned aside--yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.
5And Jehovah smiteth the king, and he is a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelleth in a separate house, and Jotham son of the king is over the house, judging the people of the land.
6And the rest of the matters of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7And Azariah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Jotham his son in his stead.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign.
2He was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
3And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
4Only, the high places were not removed: the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
5And Jehovah smote the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.
6And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David; and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1In the seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, reigned Azarias, son of Amasias, king of Juda.
2He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Jechelia, of Jerusalem.
3And he did that which was pleasing before the Lord, according to all that his father, Amasias, had done.
4But the high places he did not destroy, for the people sacrificed, and burnt incense in the high places.
5And the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelt in a free house apart: but Joatham, the king's son, governed the palace, and judged the people of the land.
6And the rest of the acts of Azarias, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?
7And Azarias slept with his fathers: and they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David, and Joatham, his son, reigned in his stead.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 15:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this brief account of Azariah (also called Uzziah) condenses a reign of great promise and tragic failure. He did what was right in Yahweh’s eyes (v. 3), supporting legitimate worship, but the high places (bamot) remained untouched, the people still sacrificed there (v. 4). The Hebrew particle rak (“only”) introduces that critical exception. His leprosy, recorded in fuller detail in 2 Chronicles 26, was divine punishment for usurping the priestly office by burning incense in the temple. Keil and Delitzsch note that the dating in verse 1 (the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam) conflicts with 2 Kings 14:2, 17, 23 and likely arose from a scribal confusion of the Hebrew numerals 15 and 27. The passage thus portrays a king whose outward compliance masked a deeper flaw, pride that led to isolation and a burial apart from the royal tombs (2 Chronicles 26:23).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Scribal error: Keil and Delitzsch argue the Hebrew numerals 15 (טו) were confused with 27 (כז); this resolves the conflict with 2 Kings 14:2, 17, 23.
- Coregency or interregnum: Gill notes various proposals that Azariah’s formal rule began later due to a regency or vacancy after Amaziah’s murder, preserving the accuracy of the twenty‑seventh year.
What is clear: Azariah reigned fifty‑two years, did what was right in general but failed to remove the high places, and was struck with leprosy as divine punishment—these elements are not in dispute.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The date of Azariah’s accession | The text in verse 1 gives the twenty‑seventh year of Jeroboam as the start of Azariah’s reign. | Most commentators (Keil, Cambridge) see a scribal error confusing numerals; others (Gill) propose a coregency or interregnum after Amaziah’s death. |
| The high places | All agree the high places were local shrines used for sacrifice, and that they were not removed during Azariah’s reign. | Some traditions view the high places as inherently illegitimate because they bypassed the central sanctuary; others see them as tolerated local worship sites that later reforms condemned. |
| The cause of the leprosy | The leprosy was a direct act of divine judgment. | Kings provides no reason; the Chronicler specifies it was punishment for pride in usurping priestly incense‑offering. Some readers emphasize the suddenness, others the underlying sin. |
| The evaluation of Azariah’s reign | He is described as doing right in Yahweh’s eyes, following the pattern of his father Amaziah. | Some interpret “right” as sincere but incomplete obedience; others see it as a relative judgment compared to the wicked kings of Israel. The partial approval leaves room for both praise and critique. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Azariah, also named Uzziah in Chronicles, came to power at sixteen after his father Amaziah was murdered (2 Kings 14:21). His fifty‑two‑year reign was one of Judah’s longest and most prosperous. The Chronicler describes successful wars against Philistines and Arabians, extensive fortifications in Jerusalem, watchtowers in the desert, cisterns for livestock, and a large, well‑equipped army (2 Chronicles 26:6, 15). Success bred pride. Ignoring the law that reserved incense‑offering for Aaron’s descendants, Azariah entered the temple to burn incense himself. Confronted by Azariah the priest and eighty others, he became enraged, and immediately leprosy broke out on his forehead (2 Chronicles 26:16, 21).
The high places (bamot) were local shrines, often on hilltops, where sacrifice continued despite the central sanctuary in Jerusalem. Even kings commended as doing right tolerated them. The chronological puzzle in verse 1 has exercised interpreters for centuries. Keil and Delitzsch propose a scribal error confusing the numerals טו (15) and כז (27). Gill mentions a possible coregency or interregnum after Amaziah’s death. Whatever the precise history, the theological message is clear: partial obedience and unchecked pride invite divine discipline. Azariah spent his final years in a “separate house” (bet hachophshut, literally “house of freedom” or isolation), while his son Jotham governed as regent.
Textual Notes
The primary textual issue in this passage is the chronological datum in verse 1: Azariah is said to have begun his reign in the twenty‑seventh year of Jeroboam II. This conflicts with 2 Kings 14:2, 14:17, and 14:23, which together imply he became king in Jeroboam’s fifteenth year. Keil and Delitzsch argue for a scribal corruption of the Hebrew numerals טו (15) into כז (27). No significant variants are noted for the other verses in the consulted sources. The name Azariah appears as Uzziah in the Chronicler’s parallel account and in later cross‑references (e.g., 2 Kings 15:13, 15:30).
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as a sobering warning against pride and the limits of human achievement. The Chronicler’s fuller account (2 Chronicles 26) supplies details that preachers have used to contrast the public success of Azariah’s early reign with the private fall caused by arrogance. Jewish tradition remembered Uzziah’s leprosy as a divine punishment that disqualified him from rule and left his son Jotham as regent. Christian commentators from the Reformation era (e.g., Matthew Henry, John Wesley) emphasized the partial obedience of a king who did what was right but failed to finish the work. The brief mention of the high places recurs throughout Kings, building a cumulative picture of Judah’s incomplete faithfulness. Modern readers continue to grapple with the chronological puzzle while drawing pastoral lessons about the cost of overstepping God’s appointed boundaries.
Preaching This Verse
Three‑point outline
- A Promising Start: Azariah did right in God’s eyes, following his father’s example (v. 3).
- A Persistent Flaw: The high places remained, partial obedience is not enough (v. 4).
- A Painful End: Pride leads to leprosy, isolation, and a burial that marks disgrace (v. 5; 2 Chronicles 26:23).
Five‑point outline
- The Long Reign: Fifty‑two years of stability and prosperity under a king who began well.
- The Right Path: Doing what is right in Yahweh’s eyes, supporting the temple worship.
- The Unfinished Reform: High places not removed; the people continued a compromised worship.
- The Fatal Pride: Encroaching on priestly duties brings immediate leprosy and separation.
- The Humble Burial: Not in the royal tombs but in the king’s burial field, a lasting reminder of his fall.
Illustration hooks
- A business owner who builds a thriving company but cuts ethical corners on one key issue, the one flaw spoils the legacy.
- A student who earns high marks in every subject except one critical exam; the failure redefines the transcript.
- A leader who achieves great public success but is undone by a single act of arrogance toward subordinates or rules.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why would God strike a king described as doing right with a disease like leprosy?
- What does “doing right” mean if the high places were still there? Does partial obedience count?
- How can I guard against the pride that often follows success?
- What does Jotham’s role as regent say about leadership transition when a leader falls?
Leading a Discussion
This passage presents a king who began well, achieved much, but failed where it mattered most. It invites us to examine not just our public obedience but the areas we leave untouched. Use these questions to guide your group conversation.
Discussion questions
- What first impression do you get of Azariah from these seven verses? What details shape that impression?
- Why do you think the writer includes the phrase “only, the high places were not taken away”? What does that “only” (rak) tell us about the kingdom’s spiritual state?
- According to 2 Chronicles 26, Azariah’s leprosy was a direct result of pride. How does the brevity of the Kings account change, or deepen, the message?
- Jotham took over the household and judged the people while his father lived in isolation (v. 5). How might this transition have felt for the nation? For Jotham himself?
- This passage evaluates a king by his faithfulness to worship, not his military or economic achievements. What does that say about how God measures success?
- In what areas of your life are you tempted to leave “high places” standing, things you know should change but haven’t removed?
- What safeguards can help a person remain humble after significant accomplishment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Kings 14:16 | Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place. |
| II Kings 14:17 | Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years. |
| II Kings 14:21 | All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. |
| II Kings 15:8 | In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. |
| II Kings 15:13 | Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned for a month in Samaria. |
| II Kings 15:30 | Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, attacked him, killed him, and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. |
| II Kings 15:38 | Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place. |
| II Chronicles 26:1 | All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke makes a textual point about the king's name appearing in four corrupted forms, but his main concern is the spiritual lesson: Uzziah's leprosy came directly from pride when he presumed to take the priest's office and burn incense. He warns that anyone who enters ministry through self-appointment rather than God's lawful call bears the same mark of pride.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the Chronicler provides a full account of Uzziah's leprosy, while Kings dismisses this king's tragedy in just a few verses. He explains that "several house" means a house of liberation or freedom, since the law required lepers to live apart. Jotham then became regent, acting as judge in his father's place.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator rejects the co-regency explanation for the chronology discrepancy in Az
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that even though Azariah did what was right, he failed to remove the high places, and God struck him with leprosy for that neglect. A good king could still suffer divine judgment for tolerating worship that God had not commanded.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill resolves the chronological difficulty around Azariah's reign by proposing an eleven- to twelve-year interregnum after Amaziah's death. He argues that Azariah was only about four years old when his father died, so the kingdom was governed by princes until the people made him king at age sixteen.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB explains that Azariah's leprosy was punishment for presuming to take both royal and priestly roles like heathen kings. The disease was equivalent to death since it forced him into complete isolation, while his son Jotham ruled as viceroy. Azariah was buried in the royal field but not in the royal cemetery.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue the "twenty-seventh year" is a copyist's mistake, since the original Hebrew numerals for 15 and 27 look similar. They also note that Kings omits Uzziah's great achievements because his godless son Ahaz undid them all, leaving no lasting impact on Judah's history.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the author of Kings rushes through these reigns because Israel is dissolving; only each king's loyalty to the covenant matters. Uzziah's leprosy, though unexplained here, was a judgment for usurping priestly functions. The constant assassinations and the rising Assyrian threat show that the kingdom's ruin was already underway.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Azariah's reign was long and largely good, yet he lacked the zeal to remove the high places, a failing that tarnished his record. Like his father Amaziah, he started well but did not finish strong, and God struck him with leprosy as a result.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that "to reign" here means to exercise royal power completely and independently. His short note then points to 2 Chronicles 26:16 for the cause of the leprosy, implying that this full exercise of power became pride and led to judgment.