2 Chronicles, Chapter 26:
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Verses from 2 Chronicles, Chapter 26 of the book of the Bible.
Uzziah is king of Judah
- 1. Then all the people of Judah proclaimed Uzziah king when he was sixteen years old, replacing his father Amaziah.
- 2. He reconquered and rebuilt the city of Elath for Judah after the death of Amaziah.
- 3. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecoliah and she was from Jerusalem.
- 4. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, following the example of his father Amaziah.
- 5. Uzziah sought God during Zechariah's lifetime, who instructed him in the fear of God. And as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.
- 6. He went out to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabne and Ashdod. Then he rebuilt cities near Ashdod and elsewhere in Philistine territory.
- 7. God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabs of Gur-Baal and against the Meunites.
- 8. The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame extended to the borders of Egypt, for he became extremely powerful.
- 9. Uzziah built fortified towers in Jerusalem, at the Porta da Esquina, at the Porta do Vale and at the angle of the wall.
- 10. He also built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, for he had a large number of livestock in the plains and in the fertile lands. Uzziah was passionate about agriculture and had many workers in his fields and vineyards.
- 11. Uzziah had a well-trained army, organized into divisions according to the number of soldiers called up by the secretary Jeiel and the officer Maaseiah. Under the command of Hananiah, one of the king's officers, there were two thousand six hundred householders in command of the warriors.
- 12. The total of fighting men under their command was three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, all trained for war and loyal to the king.
- 13. Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, breastplates, bows and stone slings for the entire army.
- 14. In Jerusalem he built machines designed by experts to be used on the towers and walls. These machines threw arrows and large stones. Uzziah became extremely powerful, and his fame spread far and wide.
- 15. However, when Uzziah was already powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He became unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
- 16. Azariah the high priest and eighty valiant priests of the Lord followed him.
- 17. They confronted him and said, “It is not your responsibility, O Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That task is reserved for the priests, descendants of Aaron, who were consecrated for that purpose. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will not be honored by the Lord.”
- 18. Uzziah, who held the censer in his hand and was ready to burn incense, was furious with the priests. Immediately, in their presence, before the altar of incense in the temple of the Lord, leprosy broke out on his forehead.
- 19. When the high priest Azariah and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they immediately threw Uzziah out of the temple. He himself hurried away, for the Lord had smitten him.
- 20. Uzziah was a leper until the day he died. He lived in a separate house, excluded from the temple of the Lord. His son Jotham ruled the people and took care of the palace.
- 21. The rest of the events of Uzziah's reign, from its beginning to its end, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz.
- 22. Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the field of royal tombs. The people said, "He had leprosy." His son Jotham became king in his place.
