2 Chronicles 26:15
New International Version
In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

New Living Translation
And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the LORD gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.

English Standard Version
In Jerusalem he made machines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

Berean Standard Bible
And in Jerusalem he made skillfully designed devices to shoot arrows and catapult large stones from the towers and corners. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was helped tremendously so that he became powerful.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.

New American Standard Bible
In Jerusalem he made machines of war invented by skillful workmen to be on the towers and the corners, for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. So his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

NASB 1995
In Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

NASB 1977
And in Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners, for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Legacy Standard Bible
In Jerusalem he also made devices of war devised by skillful designers to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Amplified Bible
In Jerusalem he made machines of war invented by skillful men to be put on the towers and on the [corner] battlements for the purpose of shooting arrows and large stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Christian Standard Bible
He made skillfully designed devices in Jerusalem to shoot arrows and catapult large stones for use on the towers and on the corners. So his fame spread even to distant places, for he was wondrously helped until he became strong.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He made skillfully designed devices in Jerusalem to shoot arrows and catapult large stones for use on the towers and on the corners. So his fame spread even to distant places, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.

American Standard Version
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And his name went out in all the cities until he was becoming very rich.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he made in Jerusalem machines invented by a wise contriver, to be upon the towers and upon the corners, to cast darts and great stones: and the fame of their preparation was heard at a distance; for he was wonderfully helped, till he was strong.

Contemporary English Version
Some of his skilled workers invented machines that could shoot arrows and sling large stones. Uzziah set these up in Jerusalem at his defense towers and at the corners of the city wall. God helped Uzziah become more and more powerful, and he was famous all over the world.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he made in Jerusalem engines of diverse kinds, which he placed in the towers, and in the corners of the walls, to shoot arrows, and great stones: and his name went forth far abroad, for the Lord helped him, and had strengthened him.

English Revised Version
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In Jerusalem he made machines designed by inventive people. The machines were placed on the towers and corners to shoot arrows and hurl large stones. Uzziah's fame spread far and wide because he had strong support until he became powerful.

Good News Translation
In Jerusalem his inventors made equipment for shooting arrows and for throwing large stones from the towers and corners of the city wall. His fame spread everywhere, and he became very powerful because of the help he received from God.

International Standard Version
He also had various siege engines built by skilled designers and placed them on the towers and on the corner ramparts that could fire arrows and very large stones. His reputation spread far and wide, and he was marvelously assisted until he grew very strong.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the corners, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

Literal Standard Version
And he makes inventions in Jerusalem—a device of an inventor—to be on the towers, and on the corners, to shoot with arrows and with great stones, and his name goes out to a distance, for he has been wonderfully helped until he has been strong.

Majority Standard Bible
And in Jerusalem he made skillfully designed devices to shoot arrows and catapult large stones from the towers and corners. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was helped tremendously so that he became powerful.

New American Bible
He also built machines in Jerusalem, devices designed to stand on the towers and at the angles of the walls to shoot arrows and cast large stones. His name spread far and wide; the help he received was wondrous, so strong did he become.

NET Bible
In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful.

New Revised Standard Version
In Jerusalem he set up machines, invented by skilled workers, on the towers and the corners for shooting arrows and large stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.

New Heart English Bible
He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, until he was strong.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was helped in a wonderful manner, till he was strong.

World English Bible
In Jerusalem, he made devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, because he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Young's Literal Translation
And he maketh in Jerusalem inventions -- a device of an inventor -- to be on the towers, and on the corners, to shoot with arrows and with great stones, and his name goeth out unto a distance, for he hath been wonderfully helped till that he hath been strong.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Uzziah Reigns in Judah
14Uzziah supplied the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingstones. 15And in Jerusalem he made skillfully designed devices to shoot arrows and catapult large stones from the towers and corners. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was helped tremendously so that he became powerful. 16But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 26:14
Uzziah supplied the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingstones.

2 Chronicles 26:16
But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Isaiah 29:14
Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden."

Habakkuk 1:5
"Look at the nations and observe--be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.


Treasury of Scripture

And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and on the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones with. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

cunning men

2 Chronicles 2:7,14
Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide…

Exodus 31:4
To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

2 Chronicles 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.

spread far.

Matthew 4:24
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Jump to Previous
Abroad Arrows Battlements Bulwarks Corners Cunning Engines Far Great Helped Invented Jerusalem Manner Marvellously Marvelously Shoot Skilful Skillful Spread Stones Strong Towers Wherewith Withal Wonderful
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Abroad Arrows Battlements Bulwarks Corners Cunning Engines Far Great Helped Invented Jerusalem Manner Marvellously Marvelously Shoot Skilful Skillful Spread Stones Strong Towers Wherewith Withal Wonderful
2 Chronicles 26
1. Uzziah succeeding, and reigning well in the days of Zechariah, prospers
16. Waxing proud, he invades the priest's office, and is smitten with leprosy
22. He dies, and Jotham succeeds him














(15) Engines, invented by cunning men.--The first mention of artillery. Literally, devices, a devising of a deviser. The word "engine" (i.e., ingenium, which is late Latin for ballista) fairly represents chishsh?bon. LXX., ???????, Vulg., machinas.

Bulwarks.--Pinnoth. Zephaniah 1:16, "towers."

To shoot arrows and great stones.--So that they were like the well-known catapults and ballisters of Roman warfare. An instrument like the ballista is represented on the Assyrian sculptures, and probably both kinds of artillery passed from Assyria to Palestine.

And his name spread.--Went forth (2Chronicles 26:8).

He was marvellously helped.--The Hebrew phrase only occurs here.

Till.--So that he became strong.

Verse 15. - Engines; Hebrew, חִשְּׁבֹנות; used only here and Ecclesiastes 7:29 (where it is rendered "inventions"), but the related word חֶשְׁבּון is found three times: Ecclesiastes 7:25 (the "reason"), 27 (the "account"); 9:10 ("device"); while the verb root חָשַׁב, to "devise," occurs about a hundred and thirty times, as in next sub-clause מַחֲשֶׁבֶת חושֵׁב. A strict rendering of the clause would make it read, "He made inventions, the inventing of an inventive man;" and the force of the words might be to appraise very highly the virtue of the invention or machine, while to himself may have been due the credit thereof. The balista which discharged stones is depicted on Assyrian sculptures; not so the machine for discharging darts and arrows, the catapult. Although, as just suggested, it were conceivable that to Uzziah himself was due in part the invention or the great improving of the machines in question, yet the verse may be regarded as simply saying that the introduction of them into Jerusalem was his work. He was marvellously helped (see ver. 7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And in Jerusalem
בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֨ם (bî·rū·šā·lim)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

he made
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ ׀ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

skillfully
חוֹשֵׁ֗ב (ḥō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2803: To think, account

designed
מַחֲשֶׁ֣בֶת (ma·ḥă·še·ḇeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4284: A contrivance, a texture, machine, intention, plan

devices
חִשְּׁבֹנ֜וֹת (ḥiš·šə·ḇō·nō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2810: A contrivance, actual, mental

to shoot
לִירוֹא֙ (lî·rō·w)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3384: To flow as water, to lay, throw, to point out, to teach

arrows
בַּֽחִצִּ֔ים (ba·ḥiṣ·ṣîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2678: An arrow

and catapult large
גְּדֹל֑וֹת (gə·ḏō·lō·wṯ)
Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

stones
וּבָאֲבָנִ֖ים (ū·ḇā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

[from]
לִהְי֤וֹת (lih·yō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

the towers
הַמִּגְדָּלִים֙ (ham·miḡ·dā·lîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4026: A tower, a rostrum, a, bed of flowers

and
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

corners.
הַפִּנּ֔וֹת (hap·pin·nō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6438: An angle, a pinnacle, a chieftain

So his fame
שְׁמוֹ֙ (šə·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name

spread
וַיֵּצֵ֤א (way·yê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

far [and wide],
לְמֵ֣רָח֔וֹק (lə·mê·rā·ḥō·wq)
Preposition-l, Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7350: Remote, of place, time, precious

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he was marvelously
הִפְלִ֥יא (hip̄·lî)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6381: To separate, distinguish, to be, great, difficult, wonderful

helped
לְהֵעָזֵ֖ר (lə·hê·‘ā·zêr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5826: To surround, protect, aid

until
עַ֥ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

he became powerful.
חָזָֽק׃ (ḥā·zāq)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 26:15 He made in Jerusalem engines invented (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 26:14
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