犹大王乌西雅

26 全体犹大人立十六岁的乌西雅为王,继承他父亲亚玛谢的王位。 亚玛谢与祖先同眠后,乌西雅为犹大收复了以禄城,并重新修建。 乌西雅十六岁登基,在耶路撒冷执政五十二年。他母亲叫耶可利雅,是耶路撒冷人。 他效法他父亲亚玛谢,做耶和华视为正的事。 撒迦利亚在世之日,乌西雅寻求上帝,撒迦利亚教导他敬畏上帝。当他寻求上帝时,上帝就使他亨通。

他出兵攻打非利士人,把迦特、雅比尼和亚实突的城墙夷平后,在亚实突境内及非利士人的其他地区兴建城邑。 上帝帮助他攻打非利士人和住在姑珥·巴力的阿拉伯人及米乌尼人。 亚扪人向他进贡,乌西雅的名声传到埃及,因他极其强大。

乌西雅在耶路撒冷的角门、谷门和城墙拐角的地方建造城楼,并加固城楼, 10 又在旷野建造瞭望塔,挖了许多水井,因为他在高原和平原有很多牲畜。他雇人在山区和沃野为他耕种和照料葡萄园,因为他喜爱农耕。

11 乌西雅有支可以随时列队出战的军兵,归书记耶利和官长玛西雅召集,由王的将军哈拿尼雅统领。 12 率领战士的族长有两千六百名, 13 他们手下有三十万七千五百精兵,随时帮助王攻打敌人。 14 乌西雅为全军备有盾牌、矛枪、头盔、铠甲、弓箭和投石器用的石头, 15 又让巧匠在耶路撒冷设计和制造兵器,安放在城楼和角楼上,用来发射弓箭和石头。乌西雅威名远扬,因为他得到非常的帮助,极其强盛。

16 乌西雅强盛后,便心高气傲,以致走向灭亡。他干犯他的上帝耶和华,擅自进入耶和华的殿在香坛上烧香。 17 祭司亚撒利雅率领八十位耶和华勇敢的祭司跟着进殿, 18 阻止乌西雅王,说:“乌西雅啊,给耶和华烧香不是你可以做的事,乃是承受圣职做祭司的亚伦子孙的事。离开圣所吧!你已干犯耶和华上帝,必不能从祂那里得荣耀。” 19 手拿香炉要烧香的乌西雅大怒,正当他在耶和华殿里的香坛旁向众祭司发怒的时候,他额头上突然患了麻风病。 20 亚撒利雅大祭司和众祭司见状,就催促他出殿,他急忙出去了,因为耶和华降灾给他。 21 乌西雅王到死一直有麻风病。他被隔离在别的宫中,不得进耶和华的殿。他儿子约坦管理王室,治理国家。

22 乌西雅其他的事迹,自始至终都是亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚先知记载的。 23 乌西雅与祖先同眠后,葬在他祖坟附近、王室的坟场,因为他有麻风病。他儿子约坦继位。

烏西雅作猶大王(A)

26 全猶大的人民立烏西雅(“烏西雅”又名“亞撒利雅”;參王下14:21)接續他的父親亞瑪謝作王,那時他才十六歲。 亞瑪謝王和列祖同睡以後,烏西雅重建以祿,並且收歸猶大所有。 烏西雅登基的時候,是十六歲;他在耶路撒冷作王共五十二年。他的母親名叫耶可利雅,是耶路撒冷人。 烏西雅行耶和華看為正的事,像他的父親亞瑪謝一切所行的。 撒迦利亞在世的日子,教導烏西雅敬畏 神,所以烏西雅常常尋求 神;烏西雅尋求 神的時候, 神就使他亨通。

國勢日強

他出去攻打非利士人,拆毀了迦特的城牆、雅比尼的城牆和亞實突的城牆;又在亞實突境內非利士人中,建造了幾座城。  神幫助他攻打非利士人和住在姑珥.巴力的阿拉伯人,以及米烏尼人。 亞捫人給烏西雅進貢,他的名聲傳到埃及的邊境,因為他極其強盛。 烏西雅在耶路撒冷的角門、谷門和城牆轉角的地方,建築了城樓,這些城樓非常堅固。 10 他又在曠野建造了一些瞭望樓,挖了許多貯水池,因為他在高原和平原上有很多牲畜;又因為他喜愛種植,所以在山地上和果園裡,雇有農夫和修剪葡萄樹的工人。 11 烏西雅又有善於作戰的軍隊,照著書記耶利和官長瑪西雅數點的數目,由王的一個將軍哈拿尼雅指揮,編隊上陣。 12 這些英勇戰士中的各家族首領,總數共二千六百人。 13 在他們指揮下的軍隊,共有三十萬七千五百人,都是大有能力,善於作戰的,能幫助王攻打仇敵。 14 烏西雅給全隊軍兵配備了盾牌、矛槍、頭盔、鎧甲、弓箭和用機弦甩的石頭。 15 他又在耶路撒冷製造巧匠發明的器械,安放在城樓和城角上,用來發射利箭和大石。烏西雅的名聲傳到遠方,因為他得了非常的幫助,使他十分強盛。

烏西雅越職受罰

16 烏西雅強盛起來,就心高氣傲,以致自尋毀滅,竟冒犯耶和華他的 神;他進了耶和華的殿,要在香壇上燒香。 17 跟隨烏西雅進去的,有亞撒利雅祭司,還有耶和華的祭司八十個,都是英勇的人。 18 他們阻止烏西雅王,對他說:“烏西雅啊,給耶和華燒香不是你應作的事,而是亞倫的子孫作祭司的事,他們是分別為聖作燒香的事;請離開聖所吧,因為你作了不應該作的事了,你必不能從耶和華 神那裡得著尊榮。”

烏西雅逝世

19 於是烏西雅十分忿怒,手裡拿著香爐正要燒香,他向眾祭司發怒的時候,就在耶和華的殿裡香壇旁邊眾祭司的面前,他的額上忽然長出了大痲風。 20 大祭司亞撒利雅和眾祭司看著他,忽然見他的額上長了大痲風,就急忙催他出殿;他自己也急忙出去,因為耶和華擊打了他。 21 烏西雅王長大痲風直到死的時候;他既然長了大痲風,就住在一間隔離的房子裡,不能進耶和華的殿。他的兒子約坦執掌朝政,治理國民。 22 烏西雅其餘的事蹟,一生的始末,亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞先知都記下來了。 23 烏西雅和他的列祖同睡;由於有人說:“他是個長大痲風的人”,所以把他埋葬在王陵的田間,和他的列祖一起。他的兒子約坦接續他作王。

Uzziah Rules in Judah

26 All the people of Judah had crowned Amaziah’s sixteen-year-old son, Uzziah, as king in place of his father. After his father’s death, Uzziah rebuilt the town of Elath[a] and restored it to Judah.

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God.[b] And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.

Uzziah declared war on the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. Then he built new towns in the Ashdod area and in other parts of Philistia. God helped him in his wars against the Philistines, his battles with the Arabs of Gur,[c] and his wars with the Meunites. The Meunites[d] paid annual tribute to him, and his fame spread even to Egypt, for he had become very powerful.

Uzziah built fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the angle in the wall. 10 He also constructed forts in the wilderness and dug many water cisterns, because he kept great herds of livestock in the foothills of Judah[e] and on the plains. He was also a man who loved the soil. He had many workers who cared for his farms and vineyards, both on the hillsides and in the fertile valleys.

11 Uzziah had an army of well-trained warriors, ready to march into battle, unit by unit. This army had been mustered and organized by Jeiel, the secretary of the army, and his assistant, Maaseiah. They were under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials. 12 These regiments of mighty warriors were commanded by 2,600 clan leaders. 13 The army consisted of 307,500 men, all elite troops. They were prepared to assist the king against any enemy.

14 Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and sling stones. 15 And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones[f] from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.

Uzziah’s Sin and Punishment

16 But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. 17 Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!”

19 Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the Lord’s Temple, leprosy[g] suddenly broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the high priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him. 21 So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.

22 The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 When Uzziah died, he was buried with his ancestors; his grave was in a nearby burial field belonging to the kings, for the people said, “He had leprosy.” And his son Jotham became the next king.

Footnotes

  1. 26:2 As in Greek version (see also 2 Kgs 14:22; 16:6); Hebrew reads Eloth, a variant spelling of Elath.
  2. 26:5 As in Syriac and Greek versions; Hebrew reads who instructed him in divine visions.
  3. 26:7 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Gur-baal.
  4. 26:8 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Ammonites. Compare 26:7.
  5. 26:10 Hebrew the Shephelah.
  6. 26:15 Or to shoot arrows and hurl large stones.
  7. 26:19 Or a contagious skin disease. The Hebrew word used here and throughout this passage can describe various skin diseases.

Uzziah Reigns in Judah(A)

26 Now all the people of Judah took [a]Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. He built [b]Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did what was (B)right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. (C)He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who (D)had understanding in the [c]visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him (E)prosper.

Now he went out and (F)made war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines. God helped him against (G)the Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites. Also the Ammonites (H)brought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.

And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the (I)Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them. 10 Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in [d]Carmel, for he loved the soil.

11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. 12 The total number of [e]chief officers of the mighty men of valor was two thousand six hundred. 13 And under their authority was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones. 15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by (J)skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.

The Penalty for Uzziah’s Pride(K)

16 But (L)when he was strong his heart was (M)lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God (N)by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So (O)Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord—valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It (P)is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the (Q)priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God.”

19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, (R)leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also (S)hurried to get out, because the Lord had struck him.

21 (T)King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an (U)isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet (V)Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote. 23 (W)So Uzziah [f]rested 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.” Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:1 Azariah, 2 Kin. 14:21ff.
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:2 Heb. Eloth
  3. 2 Chronicles 26:5 Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Tg., Arab. fear
  4. 2 Chronicles 26:10 Or the fertile fields
  5. 2 Chronicles 26:12 Lit. chief fathers
  6. 2 Chronicles 26:23 Died and joined his ancestors