מלכים ב, פרק ט״ו, פסוק א׳

The transfer of power in the kingdom of Judah presents a complex historical picture, where the timelines and political standings of its kings are deeply intertwined. Azariah, who is known elsewhere in the Bible as Uzziah [מצודת ציון], took the throne during the rule of Jeroboam the Second, king of Israel [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The timeline of his rise to power presents a significant historical puzzle. Azariah officially began his reign in the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam's rule. However, Azariah's father, Amaziah, died in the fourteenth year of Jeroboam's reign. Logically, Azariah should have assumed the throne immediately upon his father's death, rather than waiting thirteen years.

To resolve this gap, one perspective suggests that this twenty-seventh year does not mark the actual beginning of Azariah's rule. Instead, it highlights a tragic turning point much later in his life: the year he was struck with leprosy, which severely tainted his kingship [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. According to this view, Azariah actually began ruling much earlier while his father was still alive. Therefore, the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam's reign directly parallels the twenty-seventh year of Azariah's own time on the throne [מצודת דוד].

This interpretation, however, faces challenges. Critics point out that if the intention was to record the year of Azariah's illness, the timeline should have been based on his own years of rule rather than tying the event to the king of Israel. Furthermore, a simple reading of the history does not support the idea that Azariah shared the throne during his father's lifetime [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Because of these issues, an alternative way to read the timeline is proposed. The twenty-seven-year mark does not count the years that had passed since Jeroboam took power, but rather the years remaining until the end of his rule. In other words, when Azariah took the throne right after his father died, Jeroboam had exactly twenty-seven years left out of his total forty-one years in power [רלב״ג, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

A completely different perspective blends history and politics to explain the delay. Following a previous military defeat, the kingdom of Judah spent the early years of Azariah's reign completely subjugated to the kingdom of Israel. The twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam marked a dramatic turning point. In that year, Azariah finally gathered enough strength to break free from this oppression and establish a truly independent and powerful kingdom. Unfortunately, this newfound independence and rise to greatness eventually led to extreme arrogance, which caused him to wrongfully offer incense in the Temple and suffer the punishment of leprosy [מלבי״ם].