2) When was the earthquake of Uzziah's day?

We are told about the earthquake by Amos. We have to put two things together. Firstly Amos introduces his prophecy as being 2 years before the earthquake. This means the whole book of Amos was written in less than a year, or the book was finished 2 years before the earthquake.

Secondly we are told the prophecy is in the days of Uzziah and Jeroboam, and that Jeroboam was to die. Amos says

And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos says, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And Yahweh took me as I followed the flock, and Yahweh said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of Yahweh: Thou say, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith Yahweh; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shall die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land. (Amos 7:9-17)

At this point in time (2 years before the earthquake) Jeroboam was alive, but was soon to die.

In the early years of Jeroboam, while Amaziah (father of Uzziah) was a captive servant king of Judah and was still alive, Jeroboam was helped by Yahweh.

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of Yahweh God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher. (2Kings 14:23-25)

And Yahweh said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. (2Kings 14:27)

By the end of Jeroboam's reign Uzziah, his servant king of Judah, was getting close to 30 years old.

And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead. (2Kings 14:29)

We assume Jeroboam was killed just as Amos had said, but the book of Kings doesn't say how he died, and Chronicles doesn't even once mention Jeroboam! In any case Amos' prophecy is just before Jeroboam dies, and it is 2 years before the earthquake. As Uzziah's history will show something happened, such as a resounding defeat, or a huge event which reversed the situation and propelled Judah to dominance. Because whereas Jeroboam dies in the 14th year of Uzziah's reign, Zachariah (Jeroboam's son) didn't begin to reign until the 38th year of Uzziah's reign. There is a gap of 24 years in the royal line of Israel, where there was no king. Why? A huge event. Nowhere is it said directly, but the history indicates there was a huge event.

The life of Uzziah

Assembling all the dates we have the time line below.

We can see the the loss of rule by Judah to Israel in the reigns of Joash and Jeroboam. At some point Jeroboam's power must have waned in Judah for they make Azariah (Uzziah) king.

We realise that Uzziah must not have known his father well as he died when he was 4 years old. Someone else brought him up. Who?

And he sought God in the days of Zechariah.. (2Ch 26:5)

It is possible that this man was related to the faithful family of Zechariah the son of Jehoiada whose mother may have been royal. Zechariah the son of Jehoida (Berechiah? cp Matt 23:35) was famously killed by Uzziah's grandfather Joash in the court of the house of Yahweh (2Ch 24:20). By this time the royal family was intermarried into the priestly family. The sister of Ahaziah, had married Jehoiada the priest and brought up Joash, who was king Uzziah's grandfather.

Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not. (2Chronicles 22:11)

In addition it is possible that Uzziah's wife was of the priests, as Jotham's mother is of Zadok.

(Jotham son of Uzziah) was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.(2Kings 15:33)

This priest link is important as Azariah (Uzziah) is made a leper due to presuming a priestly role. But he is not condemned for doing evil or killed, even living until he was 68. It seems even though he is a leper he is still considered king with his son Jotham as his administrative co-regent. The book of kings is quite brief regarding Azariah/Uzziah's history,

Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done; Save that the high places were not removed... And Yahweh 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. (2Kings 15:2-5)

The account given in Chronicles is far, far more detailed. In that he is called Uzziah.

2Ch 26:6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, ..Jabneh,..Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

2Ch 26:7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.

Though no detail is given of how God helped Uzziah, it must have been some amazing event as suddenly even the Ammonites and Egyptians are impressed by Uzziah. But after being able to break down the walls of all those cities of his enemies he is building his own cities in their land.

2Ch 26:8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

We will note here that Uzziah's name means 'strength of Yah'. First he is Azariah which means 'Yah has helped', then, he becomes Uzziah the 'strength of Yah'.

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.

This re-building is consistent with the damage done by Joash against Uzziah's father.

2Ch 26:10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.

2Ch 26:11-13 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands....And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

But when God helped Azariah (before he was called Uzziah) he did not have a great army, when he was strengthened he called himself Uzziah, and then he had a great army. And weapons...

2Ch 26:14-15 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. 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.

Until he became Uzziah the 'strength of Yah'. From Kings we know this was in the 39th year of his reign when his name is changed officially.

2Ch 26:16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against Yahweh his God, and went into the temple of Yahweh to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

2Ch 26:17-18 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of Yahweh, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertains 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 Yahweh God.

In this conversation Azariah the priest, (the common name possibly indicating a family relationship) calls the king Uzziah. This supports the Kings record that at this time he was called Uzziah.

2Ch 26:19-20 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 Yahweh, from beside the incense altar. 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 Yahweh had smitten him.

Uzziah was humbled, excluded from any formal worship of Yahweh and made unwell for the rest of his life. It is quite possible at this time in his life Uzziah himself, realized he could not longer be the 'strength of Yah' and changed his name back to Azariah 'Yah has helped'. Surely from that point he would be reliant on the help of Yahweh Elohim day to day as leprosy was a nasty sickness.

2Ch 26:21-22 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 Yahweh: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

The very interesting thing to note is that Isaiah only mentions Uzziah's death as a fact in passing (in chapter 6), yet the writer of the Chronicles says Isaiah writes of the the “rest of the acts” of Uzziah! With this piece of information what Isaiah writes in his first 6 chapters is very revealing.

What Isaiah writes

Uzziah had created a situation from nothing to become one of great wealth. Isaiah speaks of the great prosperity of Israel.

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Yahweh. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands: (Isaiah 2:5-8)

Isaiah confirms that they had become “like the Philistines” (confirming that Uzziah had built Judah's cities in their territory). They have also significant trade and a position of influence in the nations.

Isaiah goes on to speak of a future earthquake, but clearly referencing something the people knew about

And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of Yahweh, and for the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of Yahweh, and for the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isaiah 2:19-22)

And this is the conundrum. There was a great earthquake about the beginning of Uzziah's growth to great power yet it only made Judah the superpower. What kind of great earthquake makes a people great? One that destroys only their enemies. What Isaiah writes makes senses if that generation Isaiah was speaking to in the latter half of Uzziah's rule remembered when Yahweh shook the earth and destroyed their idolatrous enemies, the Philistines. Isaiah uses Uzziah as an example.

Because the daughters of Zion are proud.. Therefore Yahweh will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion (Isaiah 3:16-17)

Scabs are part of leprosy which came upon proud Uzziah when he was humbled to became again Azariah. Then in the following chapter 4 Isaiah speaks about vineyards, for Uzziah had loved to build vineyards and towers (2Ch 26:10). Despite an earthquake Uzziah seems very happy to build lots of buildings. This indicates Uzziah did not fear the earthquake as he knew that his God had caused the massive quake in his days, and that it would not affect Judah's building work.

And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. (Isaiah 5:30)

Just before Uzziah's death Isaiah refers to an eclipse as if somehow an eclipse, like an earthquake, is associated with Uzziah.

The prophecy by Amos is in the early part of Uzziah's reign and the latter part of Jeroboam's reign and the earthquake 2 years after that. That the earthquake is not associated by Zechariah with Jeroboam indicates it is likely Jeroboam was dead by that time. This dating for the earthquake, then, approximates the best date for the eclipse that fixes Assyrian chronology 24 June 791BC. And Amos mentions an eclipse

The prophecy of Amos

Amos predicts Jereboam's death. Jeroboam died in the 14th year of Uzziah's reign, when Uzziah was was about 30 years old. From Chronicles we learn Uzziah defeats the Philistines. Amos at the end of Jeroboam's reign begins speaking of the coming judgement of the Philistines

Thus saith Yahweh; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holds the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith Yahweh GOD. (Amos 1:6-10)

Thus saith Yahweh; For three transgressions of Edom,.. But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. Thus saith Yahweh; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: (Amos 1:11-15)

Clearly whatever happened in Uzziah's day knocked down the palaces of the Philistines as Uzziah is able to build in all their territory (2Ch 26:6), but we note Uzziah only began to fulfil this. And in that day that Gaza was to be destroyed so also would Judah be destroyed in the same way.

Thus says Yahweh; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of Yahweh, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. (Amos 2:1-5)

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Yahweh. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. For, lo, he that forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares unto man what is his thought, that makes the morning darkness, and treads upon the high places of the earth, Yahweh, The God of hosts, is his name. (Amos 4:11-13)

But Uzziah, by his heart being with Yahweh, clearly gave his people prosperity. Therefore whatever destroyed the Philistines didn't affect Judah in Uzziah's day.

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