2 Chronicles 26:9

HIS BUILDINGS. (Ch2 26:9-10)

Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem, &c.--whence resistance could be made, or missiles discharged against assailants. The sites of the principal of these towers were: at the corner gate (Ch2 25:23), the northwest corner of the city; at the valley gate on the west, where the Joppa gate now is; at the "turning"--a curve in the city wall on the eastern side of Zion. The town, at this point, commanded the horse gate which defended Zion and the temple hill on the southeast [BERTHEAU].

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

2Ch 26:9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning [of the wall], and fortified them.

Ver. 9. Moreover Uzziah built towers.] He repaired those great breaches made by Joash. {2Ch 25:23}

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.

26:9-10 Uzziah repaired damage done to Jerusalem’s walls by Jehoash in his campaign against Amaziah; Uzziah might also have repaired damage from the famous earthquake during his time (Amos 1:1; Zech 14:5). Towers and cisterns from excavations in Qumran, Gibeah, Beersheba, and other sites date to this period. • Uzziah was a patron of agriculture, a vital industry for an independent society.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Whereas the wall or tower turneth.

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

(9) Built towers.—To defend the approaches.

At the corner gate.—Over, that is, commanding the gate (2Ch_25:23). Probably the north-west corner of the city wall.

The valley gate.—Syriac, “the west gate.” In the western wall, the modern Jaffa gate. These two towers protected the most exposed points of the capital.

At the turning of the wall.—Over the angle (ha-miqçôa ̒), i.e., on the eastern side of Zion, at a bend in the wall. This tower defended both Zion and Moriah against attacks from the south-east. (Neh_3:19-20; Neh_3:24-25.)

And fortified them.—Literally, made them (the gates) strong. Or rather, perhaps, he made the towers strong, i.e., put them in a posture of defence. (Comp. 2Ch_11:11.) The margin is wrong. Syriac, “girded (or bound) them at their corners with clamps (glîdê, i.e., κλεῖδες) of iron.”

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

9. the corner gate] Cp. 2Ch_25:23 (note).

the valley gate] Neh_2:13; Neh_3:13. On the west of the city (Bädeker, p. 24).

the turning of the wall] Mentioned Neh_3:19; Neh_3:24.

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.

Also he built towers in the desert,.... In the desert of Arabia, to protect travellers from thieves and robbers, and particularly shepherds and their flocks, as appears by what follows; which a certain writer (p) thinks are the same which the Indians call pagodas; not such as served for temples, but were buildings encompassed with good walls, where flocks were gathered together in case of any alarm:

and digged many wells; for the watering of the flocks, which in those hot and desert places were of great use:

for he had much cattle, both in the low country and in the plains; both flocks and herds:

husbandmen also, and vinedressers in the mountains; husbandmen to take care of the corn, and manure the land for that, and gather it when ripe; and vinedressers to prune the vines, and look after them; which were very often planted on mountains, and on which also corn grew, Psa 72:16.

and in Carmel; a place in the tribe of Judah, where Nabal dwelt, Sa1 25:2 or it may be put for any fruitful field:

for he loved husbandry; not only the profit, but the exercise of it at times; and it was usual with great personages in the eastern countries to employ themselves in some such way; Saul after he was king attended the herd, Sa1 11:5, Mesha king of Moab was a sheep master, Kg2 3:4, among the Romans, Quinctius Cincinnatus and Cato Major (q) were great lovers of husbandry; and we read of one of the Chinese emperors that gave himself to husbandry, held the plough himself, broke the clods, and cast in the seed, to set an example to the whole empire (r). Another of their emperors gave himself wholly to husbandry (s); an other chose an husbandman for his successor, and who also encouraged husbandry (t).

(p) Agreement of Customs between the East Indians and Jews, art. 13. p. 61. (q) In Cicero de Senectute. (r) Martin. Sinic. Hist. l. 8. p. 326. (s) Ib. l. 4. p. 92. (t) Ib. l. 1. p. 29, 32.

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

Corner. Repairing what Joas had demolished, 4 K. xiv. 13. T.

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).

9. Built towers… at the corner gate — Thus repairing and fortifying the city at the places where it had been broken down by Joash. 2Ch_25:23; 2Ki_14:13, note.

The valley gate — The gate opening westward into the valley of Hinnom, probably at the place of the modern Jaffa gate.

The turning of the wall — Perhaps a bend or angle in the wall near the northeast corner of Zion. See note on Neh_3:19.

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

Built towers in Jerusalem. The excellent map, above alluded, (2Ch_25:23) in Conder"s "Handbook to the Bible" (2nd edit.), facing p. 334, furnishes a very clear idea alike of these towers and of the walls of Jerusalem, as we can make them out, for Uzziah"s times. For the corner gate, see our note, 2Ch_25:23. Valley gate. This is called by some the Gehenna gate. As many as three sites, reducible perhaps to two, are proposed for this gate:

(1) the west gate, called somewhile the "Jaffa" gate; or

(2) a gate over the valley of" Hinnom;" or, if it be not the same,

(3) that at the valley of Tyropoeon.

And at the turning; Hebrew, wOxqmih. This word occurs eleven times, viz. twice in Exodus, four times in Nehemiah, four times in Ezekiel, and in this place, and is always rendered "corner" or" turning;" the word wanted is angle. The site of this gate cannot very certainly be pronounced upon. Perhaps the angle that marks the gate is that at the south-east corner of the temple plateau. The language of Neh_3:19 is our best clue: "Next to him Ezer repaired a piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning. "

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

Uzziah built towers

Here "Uzziah" represents the workers he had commanded to build the towers. AT: "Uzziah had his workers build towers" or "Uzziah's workers built towers" (See: Metonymy)

He built watchtowers ... and dug many cisterns

Uzziah commanded his workers, and they did these things. AT: "He had his workers build watchtowers ... and dig many cisterns" or "They built watchtowers ... and dug many cisterns" (See: Metonymy)

he had much cattle ... He had farmers ... he loved farming

The word "he" refers to Uzziah.

translationWords

watchtower

gate

desert

cistern

cow

vine

fruit

love

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And Uzziah built towers, etc. He had to strengthen the parts of the wall they breached in his father’s days.

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.