2 Chronicles 26

1 And all the people of Judah took 'Uzziyahu, who was then sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amazyahu.

2 He it was that built Eloth, and brought it back to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers.

3 Sixteen years old was 'Uzziyahu when he became king, and fifty and two years did he reign in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Yecholyah of Jerusalem.

4 And he did what is right in the eyes of the Lord, in accordance with all that his father Amazyahu had done.

5 And he was [inclined] to seek God in the days of Zecharyahu, who had understanding in the visions of God; and during the time that he sought the Lord, God caused him to prosper.

6 And he went forth and made war against the Philistines, and he 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 that dwelt in Gur-ba'al, and the Me'unim.

8 And the 'Ammonites gave presents to 'Uzziyahu: and his name extended even to the entrance of Egypt; for he became exceedingly strong.

9 And 'Uzziyahu built towers in Jerusalem, above the corner-gate, and above the valley-gate, and at the angle, and made them strong.

10 He built also towers in the desert, and hewed out many wells; for he had much cattle, both in the lowlands and in the plain; [also] husbandmen, and vintners in the mountains, and in Carmel; for he loved husbandry.

11 Moreover 'Uzziyah had an army of fighting men, that went out to the host by bands, according to the number of those mustered of them through the hand of Je'iel the scribe and Ma'asseyahu the overseer, under the supervision of Chananyahu, one of the king's captains.

12 The whole number of the chiefs of the family divisions of the mighty men of valor was two thousand and six hundred.

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

14 And 'Uzziyahu prepared for them, for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging.

15 And he made in Jerusalem artificial contrivances, contrived by a skilful man, to be [stationed] on the towers and upon the ramparts, to shoot off arrows and great stones. And his name extended ever so far abroad; for he was marvelously assisted, till he became strong.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; and he became unfaithful against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

17 And there went in after him 'Azaryahu the priest, and with him were priests of the Lord, valiant men, [to the number of] eighty;

18 And they stood forward against king 'Uzziyahu, and they said unto him, It is not for thee, O 'Uzziyahu, to burn incense unto the Lord, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; and it will not be for thy honor from the Lord God.

19 But 'Uzziyahu became wroth, and in his hand was a censer to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, above the altar of the incense.

20 And when 'Azaryahu the chief priest, with all the priests, turned about toward him, behold, he was leprous on his forehead, and they hurried him away from there: yea, he also made haste to go out, because the Lord had afflicted him.

21 And king 'Uzziyahu was a leper until the day of his death, and dwelt in the leper-house, as a leper; for he was excluded from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, [and] judged the people of the land.

22 And the rest of the acts of 'Uzziyahu, the first and the last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos write.

23 And 'Uzziyahu slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the burial-field which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son became king in his stead.