Uzziah King of Judah

1Then 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.

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 broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities around Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

7And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunites.

8And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance 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 dug many wells: for he had many cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: farmers also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved the soil.

11Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by divisions, according to the number on their roll by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

12The whole number of the heads of the fathers' houses of the mighty men of valor 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 body armor, and bows, and slings to cast stones.

15And he made in Jerusalem devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously 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 belongs not unto you, 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 you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from the LORD God.

19Then Uzziah was angry, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was angry with the priests, leprosy even broke out 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 there; yea, he himself hastened also to go out, because the LORD had struck him.

21And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate 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.