2 Kings 15:5
in 2 Kings 15And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And 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.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in 2 Kings 15
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper - The circumstances under which this terrible affliction befel one of the greatest of the Jewish kings, are given at some length by the author of Chronicles (marginal reference), who supplies us with a tolerably full account of this important reign, which the writer of Kings dismisses in half-a-dozen verses. A several house - “A house of liberation,” or, freedom.
This site's exposition
right in the sight of the Lord
on 2 Kings 15:3-7
Azariah's reign is graded right, matched to his father Amaziah's, but the high places survive every reforming king before Hezekiah, and the people go on sacrificing where they are used to sacrificing. The Lord smites the king with leprosy; this chapter gives no reason, and 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 supplies one, that pride carried him past the priests into the sanctuary to burn incense, but Kings does not repeat that story here and the two books' separate telling is kept honest. He dwells in a several house, set apart as a leper, while Jotham his son governs from the house, and the closing formula and burial in the city of David end a reign longer than any other king of Judah's.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
In the book of Chronicles [it is written]: Uzziah "did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father David, and God made him prosper." "He built" fortresses "and palaces and high towers which were reinforced with iron bolts." "But when …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the Lord smote the king,....
(5.) That his son was his viceroy in the affairs both of his court (for he was over the house ) and of his kingdom (for he was judging the people of the land ); and it was both a comfort to him and a blessing to his kingdom that he had such a son to fill up his room.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Being a child only four years old when his father was murdered, a regency was appointed during Azariah's minority. began Azariah . . . to reign--The character of his reign is described by the brief formula employed by the inspired historian, in recording the religious policy of the later kings.
The Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper - The reason of this plague is well told in the above quoted chapter, 2Ch 26:16. That his heart being elated, he went into the temple to burn incense upon the altar, assuming to himself the functions of the high priest; that Azariah the priest, with fourscore others, went in after him, to prevent him; and that while they were remonstrating against his conduct, the Lord struck him with the leprosy, which immediately appeared on his forehead; that they thrust him out as an unclean person; and that he himself hurried to get out, feeling that the Lord had smitten him; that he was obliged to dwell in a house by himself, being leprous, to the day of his death; and that during this time the affairs of the kingdom were administered by his son Jotham. […]
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְנַגַּ֨ע | vaynaga' | and he struck | H5060 → | |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וַיְהִ֤י | vayhi | and he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מְצֹרָע֙ | metzora' | having a skin disease | H6879 → | 20 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| י֣וֹם | yom | [the] day of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| מֹת֔וֹ | moto | death his | H4194 → | 156 times |
| וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב | vaiyeshev | and he dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּבֵ֣ית | beveit | in [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הַחָפְשִׁ֑ית | hachafeshit | <the> separateness | H2669 → | |
| וְיוֹתָ֤ם | veyotam | and Jotham | H3147 → | 24 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַבַּ֔יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| שֹׁפֵ֖ט | shofet | judging | H8199 → | 202 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַ֥ם | ʾam | [the] people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
וַיְנַגַּ֨עand he struck
vaynaga'H5060 →
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וַיְהִ֤יand he was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
מְצֹרָע֙having a skin disease
metzora'H6879 →20 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
י֣וֹם[the] day of
yomH3117 →2304 times
מֹת֔וֹdeath his
motoH4194 →156 times
וַיֵּ֖שֶׁבand he dwelt
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
בְּבֵ֣יתin [the] house of
beveitH1004 →2046 times
הַחָפְשִׁ֑ית<the> separateness
hachafeshitH2669 →
וְיוֹתָ֤םand Jotham
veyotamH3147 →24 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
עַל־[was] over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַבַּ֔יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
שֹׁפֵ֖טjudging
shofetH8199 →202 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַ֥ם[the] people of
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃the land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Kings 3:9Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
it leads to
- James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Proverbs 16:16
How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
- Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.
- John 5:30
I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
- Proverbs 2:3–9
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
- James 1:5
Through
Numbers 12:10As the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam became leprous, white as snow. Aaron turned toward her, saw that she was leprous,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 24:9
Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on the journey after you came out of Egypt.
- 2 Kings 5:27
Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!” And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.
- Deuteronomy 24:9
Through
1 Kings 3:28When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 3:9–12
Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
- 1 Kings 3:9–12
About 2 Kings

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ishodad of Merv, BOOKS OF SESSIONS 2 KINGS 15:3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
