2 Chronicles 26:15

2Ch 26:15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

Ver. 15. And he made in Jerusalem engines.] These were anciently much in use, but laid by ever since great guns were invented.

Invented by cunning men.] Heb., Excogitata excogitatione excogitantis, invented by the invention of the inventor. This is an emphatical Hebraism.

For he was marvellously helped (by God) till he was strong.] And then he served him a slippery trick, as we say. Hypocrites have God in admiration only for advantage; when they have what they would have, they start aside like a broken bow. {Hos 7:16 2Ch 12:1}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch_26:15

For he was marvellously helped till he was strong.

Marvellously helped till strong

Two kinds of help, natural and supernatural.

1. A time when we cannot help ourselves. Infancy.

2. A time of growth, when we can help ourselves. Youth, manhood.

3. When thus strong the supernatural help ceases.

Not less provision made on that account. There is joy and co-operation with God. As an earthly father requires to be obeyed and served, beholds strength and disposition to co-operate, so the heavenly Father, etc. (G. Matheson.)

Prosperity

I. Uzziahs prosperity.

1. The particulars of his prosperity.

(1) He prospered in war. He had an army of 307,500 men, over whom were 2,600 mighty and valorous captains. All were fully equipped for service. With these soldiers Uzziah fought against the Philistines, the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, the Mehunims and the Amorites, and in each case he was victorious.

(2) He prospered in building. He repaired and fortified the walls of Jerusalem, reared towers a hundred and fifty cubits high (Josephus), built walled towns in the desert, and made channels for the conveyance of water.

(3) He prospered in agriculture. He planted it with all sorts of plants, and sowed it with all sorts of seeds.

(4) Uzziahs prosperity appears to have been general. He did not keep up a great military establishment at the expense of other departments. His name spread far abroad, and he was acknowledged to be an illustrious and a highly-favoured prince.

2. The author of his prosperity. This was God (Uzziah signifies strength from Jehovah.) He was marvellously helped. God helped him against his enemies, and in all he undertook. It might have been otherwise. Instead of victory he might have experienced defeat. His building and agricultural schemes might have proved unsuccessful. It is always well to set the Lord at our right hand. We may plough and plant, but He only can cause the seed to germinate, and grow, and fructify. We may contrive and work, but He only can bless our endeavours.

3. The secret of Uzziahs prosperity. It is distinctly set forth in the fifth verse of this (26) chapter, He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and so long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper. What is there that God cannot do for a man who takes Him into his counsels? He can help him marvellously. He can exalt valleys and level mountains, make crooked places straight and rough places plain. He can bring clients into the office and ready-money customers into the shop. He has the hearts of all men in His hands, and all the forces of the universe; and He can do whatsoever He will.

II. Uzziahs pride.

1. His prosperity made him proud. His heart was lifted up. A great change for the worse was wrought in him. Whether it was brought about suddenly or gradually we are not told. We assume that Uzziah did not become proud all at once. He who had formerly recognised God as the prime cause of his splendid achievements became wilfully blind, and we shall soon see what effect this had upon his conduct.

2. His pride led him into presumption. The tendency of pride is to make men giddy, and as the result their vision is beclouded, their judgment is perverted.

(1) The occasion of his presumption. Josephus tells us that it was a remarkable day, a general festival, and we are left to supply the rest.

(2) The nature of his presumption. He usurped the office of the priest. There are hereditary moral diseases as well as those which are physical and mental. Uzziahs folly was in some respects a reproduction of the folly of which Amaziah his father had been guilty.

III. Uzziahs punishment.

1. He was resisted in his attempt to do that which was unlawful; resisted by the proper guardians of the temple. Azariah, the high priest, seeing what he was about to do, went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, who were valiant men. No time was lost (verse. 18).

2. He was smitten with leprosy. The leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord. There was the bright scaly spot which told its own terrible tale--the mark of Gods disapprobation, and it was on his brow, where all could see it.

3. He was thrust out of the temple as unclean. It was not necessary, however, to use force; conscious that God had smitten him, he hurried out, self-condemned, probably shrieking out his woe, and cursing his folly.

4. He was separated from society (Lev_13:46).

5. He, being a leper, was buried alone. Josephus tells us that he was buried by himself in his own garden. In all likelihood his resting-place was a field or garden adjoining the usual burial-place of the kings.

Lessons:

1. God is the giver of prosperity.

2. Prosperous men are in danger of becoming proud.

3. Pride is often followed by presumption.

4. Presumption is sure of punishment. (J. Baker Norton.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hebrew, engines by the invention of an inventive man.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

he made . . . engines, invented by cunning men . . . to shoot arrows and great stones--This is the first notice that occurs in history of the use of machines for throwing projectiles. The invention is apparently ascribed to the reign of Uzziah, and PLINY expressly says they originated in Syria.

he was marvellously helped till he was strong--He conducted himself as became the viceroy of the Divine King, and prospered.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. Engines - to shoot arrows and great stones] The Targum says, "He made in Jerusalem ingenious instruments, and little hollow towers, to stand upon the towers and upon the bastions, for the shooting of arrows, and projecting of great stones."

This is the very first intimation on record of any warlike engines for the attack or defense of besieged places; and this account is long prior to any thing of the kind among either the Greeks or Romans. Previously to such inventions, the besieged could only be starved out, and hence sieges were very long and tedious. Shalmaneser consumed three years before such an inconsiderable place as Samaria, 2Kg 17:5-6; Sardanapalus maintained himself in Nineveh for seven years, because the besiegers had no engines proper for the attack and destruction of walls, c., and it is well known that Troy sustained a siege of ten years, the Greeks not possessing any machine of the kind here referred to. The Jews alone were the inventors of such engines and the invention took place in the reign of Uzziah, about eight hundred years before the Christian era. It is no wonder that, in consequence of this, his name spread far abroad, and struck terror into his enemies.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) Engines, invented by cunning men.—The first mention of artillery. Literally, devices, a devising of a deviser. The word “engine” (i.e., ingenium, which is late Latin for ballista) fairly represents chishshâbôn. LXX., μηχανὰς, Vulg., machinas.

Bulwarks.—Pinnôth. Zep_1:16, “towers.”

To shoot arrows and great stones.—So that they were like the well-known catapults and ballisters of Roman warfare. An instrument like the ballista is represented on the Assyrian sculptures, and probably both kinds of artillery passed from Assyria to Palestine.

And his name spread.—Went forth (2Ch_26:8).

He was marvellously helped.—The Hebrew phrase only occurs here.

Till.—So that he became strong.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. engines] Cp. 1Ma_6:51-52 and article Engine Hastings’ Bible Dictionary.

bulwarks] R.V. battlements (lit. “corners”).

helped] Cp. 2Ch_26:7.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Azariah the priest went in after him,.... To hinder him from doing it, and to persuade him to go out. This was the high priest, as appears from Ch2 26:20 and is thought to be the same that is spoken of in Ch1 6:10.

and with him eighty priests of the Lord, that were valiant men; not only able bodied men, but men of spirit and courage, and zealous for the honour of God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Uzziah’s engines seem to have corresponded respectively to the Roman balista and catapulta. The balista, which threw stones, was known to the Assyrians as early as the time of Sardanapalus I, the contemporary of Jehoshaphat. The catapult is not represented either on the Assyrian or the Egyptian sculptures. It would seem on the whole most probable that both kinds of engines were invented in Assyria and introduced from thence into Palestine.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Engines. They are here mentioned for the first time. C. --- For the. Heb. "for he was wonderfully helped till he was established." H. --- He invented may things for the defence of his kingdom. C.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

15. Engines… to shoot arrows and great stones — These must have been of somewhat similar construction to the Roman balista and catapults — enormous bows or springs, set in a wooden framework, and so contrived as to hurl with the greatest violence both darts and stones.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Engines; Hebrew, twOnboVji used only here and, Ecc_7:29 (where it is rendered "inventions") but the related word wOBvj, is found three times: (Ecc_7:25) (the "reason") 27 (the "account"); 9:10 ("device"); while the verb root bvj to "devise," occurs about a hundred and thirty times, as in next sub-clause bvewOj tbvj A strict rendering of the clause would make it read, "He made inventions, the inventing of an inventive man;" and the force of the words might be to appraise very highly the virtue of the invention or machine, while to himself may have been due the credit thereof. The balista which discharged stones is depicted on Assyrian sculptures; not so the machine for discharging darts and arrows, the catapult. Although, as just suggested, it were conceivable that to Uzziah himself was due in part the invention or the great improving of the machines in question, yet the verse may be regarded as simply saying that the introduction of them into Jerusalem was his work. He was marvellously helped (see ver. 7).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

engines, invented by skillful men - Heb. חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת מַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוֹשֵׁב, similar to (Exod. 28:6): “expert work (מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב.)” He made war engines with craftsmanship, such as siege mounds and battering rams, as it is written (Prov. 24:6): “For you shall wage war with strategies.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.