역대하 26:20의 미드라쉬

Scripture states in reference to Uzziah: He loved husbandry (II Chron. 26:10). He was a king who devoted himself to husbandry while ignoring the Torah. One day he visited the House of Study and inquired of those present: “What are you engaged in doing?” They responded with the verse: The common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death (Num. 1:51). Thereupon, he replied: “The Holy One, blessed be He, is King, and I am king, and it is fitting indeed for a terrestrial king to serve a Celestial King by burning incense before Him.” He went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord (II Chron. 26:16–17). The young priests who entered with him said to him: It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated it pertaineth to burn incense; go out of the sanctuary, for thou has trespassed (ibid., v. 18). Therefore God was angry with him. Immediately, Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy broke out in his forehead (ibid., v. 19). At that moment the Temple was rent asunder, and its pieces were hurled a distance of twelve by twelve miles.²²The word mil indicates a distance of 2,000 cubits And they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself made haste also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him (ibid., v. 20). Why did this all happen to him? Because he neglected the Torah and devoted himself to husbandry.

The ministering angels said: Behold, we serve before Him by day and by night, and we are unable to see His glory, and this one born of woman desires to see His glory. And they arose in wrath and excitement to slay him, and his soul came nigh unto death. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He revealed Himself unto him in a cloud, as it is said, "And the Lord descended in the cloud" (Ex. 34:5). This was the seventh descent.