26
1 All
the people of
Judah took Uzziah,
who was sixteen
years old, and
made him king
in the place
of his
father Amaziah.
2 He
built Eloth and
restored it to
Judah. After that
the king slept
with his fathers.
3 Uzziah
was sixteen years
old when he began
to reign; and
he reigned
fifty-two years in
Jerusalem. His mother’s
name was Jechiliah,
of Jerusalem.
4 He
did that which
was right in
the LORD’s eyes,
according to all
that his father Amaziah
had done.
5 He set
himself to seek
God in the
days of Zechariah,
who had understanding
in the vision
of God; and
as long as
he sought the
LORD, God made
him prosper.
6 He
went out and
fought against the
Philistines, and
broke down the
wall of Gath,
the wall of
Jabneh, and the
wall of Ashdod;
and he built
cities in
the country of Ashdod,
and among the
Philistines.
7 God helped
him against the
Philistines, and
against the
Arabians who lived
in Gur Baal, and
the Meunim.
8 The
Ammonites gave
tribute to Uzziah.
His name spread
abroad even to
the entrance of
Egypt, for he grew
exceedingly strong.
9 Moreover
Uzziah built
towers in
Jerusalem at the
corner gate, at
the valley gate,
and at the
turning of
the wall, and
fortified them.
10 He
built towers in
the wilderness,
and dug out
many cisterns, for
he had much
livestock, both in
the lowlands and
in the plains.
He had farmers
and vineyard keepers in
the mountains and
in the fruitful fields,
for he loved farming.
11 Moreover
Uzziah had an
army of fighting
men who went
out to war
by bands,
according to the
number of their
reckoning made by
Jeiel the scribe
and Maaseiah the
officer, under the
hand of Hananiah,
one of the
king’s captains.
12 The
whole number of
the heads
of fathers’ households, even the
mighty men of
valor, was
two thousand six
hundred.
13 Under
their hand was
an army, three
hundred seven thousand
five hundred, who
made war with
mighty power, to
help the king
against the enemy.
14 Uzziah
prepared for them,
even for all the
army, shields,
spears, helmets, coats
of mail, bows,
and stones for slinging.
15 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.
16 But
when he was
strong, his heart
was lifted up,
so that he
did corruptly and
he trespassed
against the LORD
his God, for
he went into
the LORD’s temple
to burn incense
on the altar
of incense.
17 Azariah
the priest went
in after him, and
with him eighty
priests of the
LORD, who were
valiant men.
18 They resisted Uzziah
the king, and
said to him, “It
isn’t for you,
Uzziah, to burn
incense to the
LORD, but for
the priests the
sons of Aaron, who
are consecrated to
burn incense. Go
out of the
sanctuary, for you
have trespassed.
It will not
be for your
honor from the
LORD God.”
19 Then
Uzziah was angry.
He had a
censer in his
hand to burn
incense, and while
he was angry with
the priests, the
leprosy broke out
on his forehead
before the priests
in the LORD’s
house, beside the
altar of incense.
20 Azariah
the chief priest
and all the
priests looked at
him, and behold,
he was leprous
in his forehead;
and they thrust
him out quickly
from there. Indeed,
he himself also
hurried to go
out, because the
LORD had struck
him.
21 Uzziah
the king was
a leper to
the day of
his death, and
lived in a
separate house,
being a leper;
for he was
cut off from
the LORD’s house.
Jotham his son
was over the
king’s house,
judging the people
of the land.
22 Now the
rest of the
acts of Uzziah,
first and last,
Isaiah the prophet,
the son of Amoz,
wrote.
23 So
Uzziah slept with
his fathers; and
they buried him
with his fathers
in the field
of burial
which belonged to
the kings, for
they said, “He is
a leper.” Jotham
his son reigned
in his place.