Uzziah Reigns in Judah
1 Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, whowassixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
2 He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.
3 Uzziahwassixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
4 And he didwhatwasright in the sight of theLord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, whohad understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought theLord, God made himprosper.
6 Now he went out andmade war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built citiesaroundAshdod and among the Philistines.
7 God helped him againstthe Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites.
8 Also the Ammonitesbrought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.
9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at theCorner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains;healsohadfarmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved the soil.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah,oneof the king’s captains.
12 The total number of chief officers of the mighty men of valorwastwo thousand six hundred.
13 And under their authoritywasan army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slingstocaststones.
15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented byskillful 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.
The Penalty for Uzziah’s Pride
16 Butwhen he was strong his heart waslifted up, tohisdestruction, for he transgressed against theLordhis Godby entering the temple of theLordto burn incense on the altar of incense.
17 SoAzariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of theLord—valiant men.
18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “Itis not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to theLord, but for thepriests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! Youshallhaveno honor from theLordGod.”
19 Then Uzziah became furious; and hehada censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests,leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of theLord, beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, hewasleprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he alsohurried to get out, because theLordhad struck him.
21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in anisolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of theLord. Then Jotham his sonwasover the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last,the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote.
23 So Uzziah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial whichbelongedto the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.