And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
Azariah the priest, the high priest, went in after King Uzziah into the sanctuary, into the temple, with eighty valiant, courageous priests of the Lord to confront him. Uzziah had entered to burn incense upon the altar, presumptuously taking up the priestly duty of burning incense. The plain command of Jehovah was that none but the descendants of Aaron should officiate as priests, so his act in presumption was in violation of that command and was a trespass. Azariah and his associates, his fellow priests, remonstrated with the king and pleaded with him to turn from his purpose, telling him he had trespassed and that it would not be for his honor.
The verse belongs to the account of a king struck with leprosy. Leprosy was regarded as judgment for sin. It was regarded as a symbol of sin. Even a monarch who contracted it had to give up the scepter and live apart from society.
Azariah the priest, the high priest, went in after King Uzziah into the sanctuary, into the temple, with eighty valiant, courageous priests of the Lord to confront him. Uzziah had entered to burn incense upon the altar, presumptuously taking up the priestly duty of burning incense. The plain command of Jehovah was that none but the descendants of Aaron should officiate as priests, so his act in presumption was in violation of that command and was a trespass. Azariah and his associates, his fellow priests, remonstrated with the king and pleaded with him to turn from his purpose, telling him he had trespassed and that it would not be for his honor.
The verse belongs to the account of a king struck with leprosy. Leprosy was regarded as judgment for sin. It was regarded as a symbol of sin. Even a monarch who contracted it had to give up the scepter and live apart from society.