2 Chronicles 26

1 And 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. And his mother's name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.

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

5 And 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 Jehovah, God made him to prosper.

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

8 And the Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. And 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, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

10 And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle, also in the lowland and in the plain. And he had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved husbandry.

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, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred.

13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

14 And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging.

15 And he made engines in Jerusalem, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad. For he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Jehovah his God. For he went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Jehovah, who were valiant men.

18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, It does not pertain to thee, Uzziah, to burn incense to Jehovah, but to the priests the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary. For thou have trespassed, neither shall it be for thine honor from Jehovah 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 Jehovah, beside the altar of incense.

20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead. And they thrust him out quickly from there. Yea, he himself also hastened to go out, because Jehovah had smitten him.

21 And Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper. For he was cut off from the house of Jehovah, 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, 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. And Jotham his son reigned in his stead.