2 Chronicles

26 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, when he was sixteen years old,—and made him king, instead 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 fifty-two years reigned he in Jerusalem,—and the name of his mother was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.

4 And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh,—according to all that Amaziah his father had done.

5 And it came to pass that he set himself to seek God, in the days of Zechariah who gave understanding in the seeing of God,—and throughout the days of his seeking Yahweh God prospered him.

6 So he went forth and made war against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod,—and built cities in Ashdod and among the Philistines.

7 And God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians who dwelt in Gur-baal and the Meunim.

8 And the Ammonites gave a present to Uzziah,—and his name went forth as far as the entering in of Egypt, for he shewed exceeding great strength.

9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem, over the corner-gate and over the valley-gate and over the angle,—and he made them strong.

10 And he built towers in the desert and digged many wells, for much cattle had he both in the lowland and in the plain,—husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful field, for a lover of the soil was he.

11 And it came to pass that Uzziah had a force ready to make war to go forth as a host in company by the number of their reckoning, under the direction of Jeiel the scribe, and Maaseiah the officer,—under the direction of Hananiah, from among the captains of the king.

12 The whole number of the ancestral chiefs pertaining to the heroes of valour was two thousand and six hundred;

13 and under their direction was the force of a host three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, ready to make war with the strength of a force,—for helping the king against an enemy.

14 And Uzziah prepared for them for all the host bucklers and spears and helmets, and coats of mail and bows,—and yea even sling-stones.

15 And he made in Jerusalem inventions invented of the inventor to be upon the towers and upon the turrets, for throwing with arrows, and with great stones,—so that his name went forth afar, for he was marvellously helped until that he was strong.

16 But when he became strong uplifted was his heart unto ruin, for he acted unfaithfully against Yahweh his God,—and entered into the temple of Yahweh, to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

17 Then entered after him Azariah the priest,—and with him eighty priests of Yahweh sons of valour;

18 and they took their stand against Uzziah the king and said unto him—It is not for thee O Uzziah, to burn incense unto Yahweh, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are hallowed to burn incense. Go forth out of the sanctuary for thou hast acted unfaithfully, and not to thee for an honour [shall it be] from Yahweh Elohim.

19 Then was Uzziah wroth, and in his hand was a censer to burn incense,—and when he was wroth with the priests a leprosy shot forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, from off the altar of incense.

20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned towards him lo! he was leprous in his forehead, so they hastened him from thence,—yea even he himself hurried to go out, because Yahweh had smitten him.

21 And it came to pass that Uzziah the king was a leper until the day of his death and dwelt in a house apart—a leper, for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh,—and Jotham his son was over the house of the king, judging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the story of Uzziah, first and last hath Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet written.

23 And Uzziah slept with his fathers and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial that pertained unto the kings, for they said, A leper he is. And Jotham his son reigned in his stead.