1 All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old,
and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth, and
restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned
fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, of
Jerusalem. 4 He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, 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 Yahweh, God made him to prosper. 6 He went forth and
warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and 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: and his name spread abroad even to
the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceeding strong. 9 Moreover Uzziah
built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at
the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10 He built towers in
the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle; in the
lowland also, and in the plain: and 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’ houses,
even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred. 13 Under
their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five
hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears,
and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. 15 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.
16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did
corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into the
temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the
priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were
valiant men: 18 and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, It
pertains not to you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but to the priests
the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the
sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from
Yahweh God. 19 Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to
burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke
forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the
altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked
on him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out
quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh 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 house
of Yahweh: and 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, did
Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. 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: and Jotham his son
reigned in his place.
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