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Uzziah Reigns over Judah

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

Uzziah’s Fame Spreads Afar

Then he went out and (E)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. (F)And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. The Ammonites also gave (G)tribute to Uzziah, and his [e]fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at (H)the Corner Gate and at the (I)Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and strengthened them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and (J)hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the [f]Shephelah and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. 11 Moreover, 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. 12 The total number of the heads of the [g]households, of mighty men of valor, was 2,600. 13 And under their hand was a [h]mighty army of (K)307,500, who could wage war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Moreover, Uzziah prepared [i]for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and stones for slings. 15 In 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 [j]fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Uzziah’s Pride

16 But (L)when he became strong, his heart was so [k]proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to Yahweh his God. And (M)he entered the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Then (N)Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, men of valor. 18 (O)And they stood against Uzziah the king and said to him, “(P)It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, (Q)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.” 19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, (R)the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. 20 And 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. 21 (S)So King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in (T)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.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet (U)Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers (V)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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:1 In 2 Kin 14:21, Azariah
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:3 In 2 Kin 15:2, Jecoliah
  3. 2 Chronicles 26:5 Many mss in the fear of God
  4. 2 Chronicles 26:5 Lit in the days of his seeking
  5. 2 Chronicles 26:8 Lit name went to the entering of Egypt
  6. 2 Chronicles 26:10 Or lowland
  7. 2 Chronicles 26:12 Lit fathers
  8. 2 Chronicles 26:13 Lit powerful
  9. 2 Chronicles 26:14 Lit for them, for all
  10. 2 Chronicles 26:15 Lit name
  11. 2 Chronicles 26:16 Lit lifted up

26 Then kol HaAm Yehudah took Uziyahu, who was sixteen years old, and made him Melech in the place of Aviv Amatzyahu.

He built up Eilat, and restored it to Yehudah, after that HaMelech [Amatzyahu] slept with Avotav.

Sixteen years old was Uziyahu when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two shanah in Yerushalayim. Shem immo also was Yecholyahu of Yerushalayim.

And he did that which was yashar in the eyes of Hashem, according to all that Aviv Amatzyahu did.

And he sought Elohim in the days of Zecharyahu, who had understanding in the visions of HaElohim; and as long as he sought Hashem, HaElohim made him to have success.

And he went forth and warred against the Pelishtim (Philistines), and broke down the chomat Gat, and the chomat Yavneh, and the chomat Ashdod, and built towns near Ashdod, and among the Pelishtim (Philistines).

And HaElohim helped him against the Pelishtim (Philistines), and against the Arabs that dwelt in Gur Ba’al, and the Me’unim.

And the Amonim gave minchah to Uziyahu, and shmo spread abroad even to the approach to Mitzrayim; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

Moreover Uziyahu built migdalim (towers) in Yerushalayim at the Sha’ar HaPinnah, and at the Sha’ar of the Gey, and at the Miktzo’a, and he fortified them.

10 Also he built migdalim in the midbar, and dug borot rabbim (many wells), for he had much livestock, both in the Shefelah (Lowlands), and in the Mishor (Plains, Level Country); ikkarim (field workers, farmers) also, and koremim (vineyard workers, vine-keepers) in the hills, and in the Carmel, for he loved adamah (the soil).

11 Moreover Uziyahu had an army of fighting men that went out to tzava (battle) in troops, according to the number of their mustering by the yad Ye’i’el the Sofer and Ma’aseiyahu the Shoter (Officer), under the yad Chananyahu, one of the officials of HaMelech.

12 The whole mispar (number) of the Rashei HaAvot over the mighty warriors were two thousand and six hundred.

13 And under their yad was a battle group, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made milchamah with mighty ko’ach, to help HaMelech against the enemy.

14 And Uziyahu prepared for them throughout all the army moginim (shields), and spears, and helmets, and armor, and bows, and slingstones.

15 And he made in Yerushalayim machines designed by inventive engineers, for use on the migdalim and upon the corners of the city wall, to shoot khitzim (arrows) and avanim gedolot. And shmo spread far abroad, for he was marvellously helped, until when chazak (he became powerful).

16 But when he became powerful, his lev was lifted up to his downfall, for he was unfaithful against Hashem Elohav, and he entered into the Heikhal Hashem to burn ketoret upon the Mizbe’ach HaKetoret.

17 And Azaryahu HaKohen went in after him, and with him shemonim Kohanim of Hashem, that were men of courage.

18 And they stood up against Uziyahu HaMelech, and said unto him, It is not for you, Uziyahu, to burn ketoret unto Hashem, but to the Kohanim the Bnei Aharon, that are hamekudashim (consecrated and ritually pure) to burn ketoret. Go out from the Mikdash, for thou hast been treacherous; neither shall it be for thine kavod (honor) from Hashem Elohim.

19 Then Uziyahu became angry, and had a mikteret (censer) in his yad to burn ketoret, and while he was raging with the Kohanim, the tzara’at even broke out on his metzach (forehead) before the Kohanim in the Beis Hashem, near the Mizbe’ach HaKetoret.

20 And Azaryahu the Kohen HaRosh, and all the Kohanim, looked upon him, and, hinei, he was leprous on his metzach, and they thrust him out from there; yea, he himself hasted also to go out, because Hashem nun-gimmel-ayin-vav [had smitten him, afflicted him, see Isaiah 53:8, 10 where Hashem has the "nega" fall on not on this Ben Dovid Uziyahu, but on Moshiach Ben Dovid].

21 And Uziyahu HaMelech was metzorah (a leper) unto his yom mot, and dwelt in a leper asylum house, because of his leprosy; for he was nigzar [see Isaiah 53:8 which uses same word nigzar, "excluded," of Moshiach who was nigzar from the land of the living, meaning Moshiach died] from the Beis Hashem; and Yotam bno was over the Bais HaMelech, governing the Am HaAretz.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uziyah, harishonim and ha’acharonim, did Yeshayahu ben Amoz, HaNavi, record.

23 So Uziyahu slept with Avotav, and they buried him with Avotav in the sadeh hakevurah which belonged to the Melachim; for they said, He is a metzorah. And Yotam bno reigned in his place.