And the Lord smote the king. — The chronicler relates the reason — viz., because of his usurpation of priestly functions in the sanctuary. This happened towards the end of the reign. Jotham, the regent, was only twenty-five when Azariah died (2 Kings 15:33).
Smote. — Or, struck. So we speak of a paralytic stroke, and the word plague literally means stroke.
In a several house. — Rather, in the sickhouse (or, hospital) — i.e., a royal residence outside of Jerusalem (Leviticus 13:46; 2 Kings 7:3) set apart for such cases. (Strictly, in the house of freedom; because lepers were emancipated from all social relations and duties. Gesenius explains the word from an Arabic root said to mean prostration, weakness; but Lane gives for that term the special meaning smallness (or, narrowness) of the eye; weakness of sight. See his Arabic Lexicon, Bk. I., Pt. II., p. 772.
Over the house. — Not apparently as prefect of the palace (comp. 1 Kings 4:6; 1 Kings 18:3), but as dwelling in the palace instead of his father.
Judging the people of the land. — As his father’s representative. (Comp. 1 Samuel 8:6; 1 Samuel 8:20; 1 Kings 3:9.)
This passage is strong evidence against the assumption of joint sovereignties of princes with their fathers, so often made by way of escaping chronological difficulties in Hebrew history. Jotham is not co-regent but viceroy of Azariah until the latter dies.