Azariah

16But when Uzziah was strong, he became proud, and that pride ruined him. He was not faithful to the LORD his God. He went into the LORD's temple to burn incense on the incense altar.

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

NoteThe temple was God's special house in Jerusalem. Incense is dried tree sap and sweet spices. When you burn it, it makes a sweet smell. Burning it was one way people worshiped God. Only certain men were allowed to burn it inside the temple.

17Azariah the priest went into the temple after him. Eighty brave priests of the LORD went with him.

And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:

NoteA priest was a man chosen to serve God in the temple. Priests brought the people's gifts to God.

18They stood in front of King Uzziah and spoke up. They said, "Uzziah, you are not allowed to burn incense to the LORD. Only the priests, who come from Aaron's family, may do that. They were set apart for this work. Leave this holy place. You have done wrong. The LORD God will not honor you for this."

And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.

NoteAaron was Moses' brother, long before this. God chose Aaron's family to be the priests. "Set apart" means picked out for God's work and nothing else. The King James calls the temple the "sanctuary," a holy place.

19Uzziah was holding a pan for burning incense. He became very angry at the priests. While he was raging at them, a skin disease broke out on his forehead. The priests saw it happen right there beside the incense altar, inside the LORD's house.

Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

NoteThe pan was called a censer. It was a metal dish with a handle, holding hot coals.

20Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him. They saw the disease on his forehead. They rushed him out of the temple. He hurried out too, because the LORD had struck him.

And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

21King Uzziah had this skin disease until the day he died. He lived by himself in a separate house. He was not allowed to go to the LORD's temple. His son Jotham ran the king's house and led the people of the land.

And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

NoteIn those days a person with this skin disease had to live away from others. People were afraid it would spread. That is why the king lived alone and could not go to the temple.