2 Chronicles 26
1Then
all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began
to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
4And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that
his father Amaziah did.
5And he sought God
in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to
prosper.
6And he went forth and warred against
the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod,
and among the Philistines.
7And God helped
him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
8And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the
entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
9Moreover
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified
them.
10Also 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.
11Moreover
Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of
Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
12The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were
two thousand and six hundred.
13And under
their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help
the king against the enemy.
14And Uzziah prepared
for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
15And 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.
16But when he was strong,
his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the
LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17And
Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto
thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go
out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
19Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while
he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from
beside the incense altar.
20And Azariah the
chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from
thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
21And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a
leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of
the land.
22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah,
first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
23So
Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings;
for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
