3) The eclipse and the earthquake

Even 2 years before the earthquake Amos speaks of an earthquake and it is associated with an eclipse.

Yahweh has sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwells therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day, says Yahweh, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: (Amos 8:7-9)

The Lord Yahweh of hosts is he that touches the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. (Amos 9:5)

In an earthquake the ground can turn to mud and it may result in water rising up in a tsunami. This event is consistent, as something with an epicentre in Gaza would affect Egypt. But on that day of the flood of Egypt the sun was eclipsed in a clear day (not that Egypt even in the past had many cloudy days).

So we have Amos 2 years before “the earthquake” (Hebrew has the definite article “the”) speaking of an eclipse and all the effects of a great earthquake in Gaza and Egypt. He calls the king of Judah “Uzziah” (strength of Yah) and writes of the falling of the palaces of the Philistines.

We have Isaiah, in the latter part of Uzziah's life (and again he is called “Uzziah”) speaking of an earthquake specifically caused by Yahweh

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)

Isaiah also speaks of an eclipse.

and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. (Isaiah 5:30)

Zechariah also speaks of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah as being the judgement on the nations who come against Israel in battle

Then shall Yahweh go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zec 14:3)

After 250 years Zechariah again refers to the most recent great battle Yahweh visibly fought for the nation of Israel (as Judah ruled Israel at that time), as a reference to tell his audience what it will be like in the future.

And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and Yahweh my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5)

And in the very next breath Zechariah speaks of an eclipse,

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to Yahweh, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. (Zechariah 14:6-7)

We can note also that this eclipse is corroborated by Assyrian history. It is a famous fact that Assyrian history is dated by an eclipse, which is now thought to have occurred on 24 June 791BC which co-incides with Beecher's dating for the year after the death of Jeroboam: the year when Uzziah becomes ruler over all Israel. Ussher's dates place the eclipse 4 years later than Beecher (but still very close to Uzziah's take-over of rulership of Israel and his resounding defeat of the Philistines).

Why doesn't Chronicles mention the great earthquake of Uzziah's day?

The Book of Kings record only mentions that Azariah was made a king and then later made a leper. This is the history of Azariah. Kings however alerts us to the fact that Azariah was called Uzziah. The parallel Chronicles record speaks of the great things Uzziah did and how he became Azariah again. But why don't they mention the earthquake? It's because they do.

And he (Uzziah) sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper. And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. (2Ch 26:5-8)

We note that Uzziah's name means 'strength of Yah'. How did the young king of Judah become strong suddenly? How did God help Uzziah? How did he break down the wall of Gath? Why did the Ammonites give gifts? Why was he so famous down to the river area of Egypt?

Let's put together all we might know including the Chronicles record. We will see how all the seemingly irrelevant detail from many witnesses fits together to make a very consistent picture. None tried to tell us directly, every fact we glean is circumstantial, undesigned and co-incidental.

Jerobaom is a great king in Israel who was helped by Yahweh. Amaziah (Uzziah's father) is useless and dies. Jerobaom's heart is not with Yahweh. Uzziah (or as he is known then Azariah) learns from Zechariah a prophet (likely a priest), and at 16 is made king of Judah (a vassal of Israel). While under the domination of Jeroboam, Azariah (Uzziah) learns how to be a king with Zechariah helping learn how to serve Yahweh. Meanwhile Amos the prophet is sent by Yahweh to Jeroboam now in his early 60's, who rejects his message. Amos tells Jeroboam that he will die by the sword.

At this time Azariah (Uzziah) in Judah begins to be about 30 and shows he is keen to “do right” in the sight of Yahweh. In the background the Philistines learn Jeroboam is losing his grip. From Amos we know Jeroboam dies in battle with people of the North which the Philistines would have known too. Hosea says it would happen in Jezreel,

And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. (Hosea 1:5)

Azariah in Judah seems not to be a threat to the Philistines, and it seems they decide to mount a collective takeover beginning at Judah, at the usual time kings go to war (during a season when they were not actively farming or harvesting such as after the spring harvest in late summer, or in late June).

Due to our understanding of the path of the sun and moon, we can predict eclipses (and even reasonably accurately backdate them). We can be sure then that Yahweh Elohim could know this. So we have a conjunction, an eclipse coming and an invading army of Philistines. We have also a faithful 30 year old king in Judah with no army to speak of, with a prophet, faithful priests, and even Amos, Hosea, or a young Isaiah (who according to Rabbinical tradition was related to the royal family). So we have any amount of sources for God to directly help Azraiah (Uzziah) in going into battle with the Philistines.

Going into battle was not a secret thing. For a start, the Philistine army would have included many mercenaries from the Ammonites and Edomites and possibly even from Egypt, as it would be worth a major offensive on their part to win back the whole area.

The fllowing is speculation based on the prophets and past history. Under Uzziah's leadership Judah went out boldly to fight their enemies. A kind of pre-emptive strike. Gath is 43.4 kilometres (26.9 miles) downhill from Jerusalem, perhaps a 6-7 hr march. When they came to Gath -

God helped Uzziah against the Philistines

he brake down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod...

Jerusalem is 70km (43 miles) inland from Ashdod. They would have come to Gath first.

When Jonathan son of Saul was just one man and his armourbearer taking on the whole Philistine army, Yahweh helped him and sent an earthquake then when they engaged in battle,

And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. (1Samuel 14:15)

But it is possible the quake in Uzziah's day was bigger than that in Jonathan's day, according to Zechariah the prophet the Israelites from Judah had to flee away from it. Based on what is written in Chronicles, Uzziah must have gone out to take on the Philistines. We may gather that the quake may have struck as a strong tremor and the superstitious Philistine army fled. Then the Israelites pursue them, as in the day of Jonathan, back to the city and the quake strikes and flattens the three major Philistine cities Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod (2 Chron 26:6) causing the Israelites of Judah to flee away and decimating those who had run to hide in the city and those who lived there. Then to top it all off there is an eclipse about mid afternoon, so they can't even dig the survivors out of the ruins except with a lamp (which might be hard to see to light).

News of such an event would get out to all the nations, especially if Egypt also shook a bit and received the wash from a tsunami. Uzziah and the Israelites, in a superstitious world, would be seen to have the power over all gods with them. In Chronicles it says God helped Uzziah, Zechariah says

Then shall Yahweh go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:3)

Zechariah says that Israel shall run before it, as they did in the days of Uzziah. The quake Zechariah predicts (which has not yet occurred) is centred at Jerusalem, whereas in the days of Uzziah Chronicles indicates the quake was centred in Gaza. Yet in both instances the army (specifically of Judah) is to flee away from the quake. In other words Zechariah is saying in a future time when Judah is fighting its enemies (this time at Jerusalem), there will suddenly be a massive and destructive quake from which they safely flee away. The quake is for their deliverance and only the enemies of Israel are harmed. Thus the earthquake of Uzziah caused those of Judah to run away from it but it seems to have demolished only their enemy's buildings. Uzziah has no fear he is dwelling in an earthquake prone land and he happily builds Israelite cities there. The earthquake of Uzziah's day from all the accounts together was obviously and visibly, and evident even to an impartial observer, as being a miracle from his God, so obvious the writer of the Chronicles just wrote “God helped him”. When that book was written everyone knew what it meant. The detail we gain from Amos, Isaiah and Zechariah, 3 other witnesses.

We also understand how the earthquake became associated with “Uzziah” not Azariah, for it is the beginning of the king's 'strength of Yah' and the reason for his over-confidence in the temple in the 39th year of his reign at age 55.

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