Uzziah Reigns over Judah

1And all the people of Judah took [†]Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 2He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. 3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was [†]Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 4And he did what was right in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5And he continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding [†]through the vision of God; and [†]as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him succeed.

Uzziah’s Fame Spreads Afar

6Then he went out and fought 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 area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. 8The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah, and his [†]fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. 9Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and strengthened them. 10He also built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the [†]Shephelah and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. 11Moreover, Uzziah had a military force which could wage war, which went out for military duty by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials. 12The total number of the heads of the [†]households, of mighty men of valor, was 2,600. 13And under their hand was a [†]mighty army of 307,500, who could wage war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14Moreover, Uzziah prepared [†]for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and stones for sling. 15In Jerusalem he also made devices of war devised by skillful designers to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his [†]fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Uzziah’s Pride

16But when he became strong, his heart was so [†]proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to Yahweh his God. And he entered the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, men of valor. 18And they stood against Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are set apart as holy to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from Yahweh God.” 19But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. 20And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because Yahweh had smitten him. 21So King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he 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.

22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son became king in his place.