Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah

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

Uzziah Succeeds in War

Now he went out and (E)fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. (F)God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. The Ammonites gave (G)tribute to Uzziah, and his [f]fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at (H)the Corner Gate, the (I)Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and (J)carved out many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the [g]lowland 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 an army ready for battle, which [h]entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, [i]recorded by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers. 12 The total number of the heads of the [j]households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. 13 Under their direction was an army of (K)307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Moreover, Uzziah prepared [k]for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slingstones. 15 In Jerusalem he made machines of war invented by skillful workmen to be on the towers and the corners, for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. So his [l]fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Pride Is Uzziah’s Undoing

16 But (L)when he became strong, his heart was so [m]proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for (M)he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Then (N)Azariah the priest entered after him, and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. 18 (O)They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “(P)It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, (Q)but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been untrue and will have no honor from the Lord God.” 19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, (R)leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they quickly removed him from there, and he himself also hurried to get out because the Lord had stricken him. 21 (S)King Uzziah had leprosy to the day of his death; and he lived in (T)a separate house, afflicted as he was with leprosy, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And his son Jotham was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, the first to the last, the prophet (U)Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23 So Uzziah [n]lay down 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 had leprosy.” And his son Jotham became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:1 In 2 Kin 14:21, Azariah
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:2 I.e., died
  3. 2 Chronicles 26:3 In 2 Kin 15:2, Jecoliah
  4. 2 Chronicles 26:5 Many mss in the fear of God
  5. 2 Chronicles 26:5 Lit in the days of his seeking
  6. 2 Chronicles 26:8 Lit name went to the entering of Egypt
  7. 2 Chronicles 26:10 Heb shephelah
  8. 2 Chronicles 26:11 Lit was going out to
  9. 2 Chronicles 26:11 Lit by the hand of
  10. 2 Chronicles 26:12 Lit fathers
  11. 2 Chronicles 26:14 Lit for them, for all
  12. 2 Chronicles 26:15 Lit name
  13. 2 Chronicles 26:16 Lit high
  14. 2 Chronicles 26:23 I.e., died

Judah’s King Uzziah

26 All the people(A) of Judah took Uzziah,[a] who was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He rebuilt Eloth[b](B) and restored it to Judah after Amaziah the king rested with his fathers.

Uzziah was 16 years old(C) when he became king and reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the Lord’s sight as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God(D) throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear[c](E) of God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success.(F)

Uzziah’s Exploits

Uzziah went out to wage war against the Philistines,(G) and he tore down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod. Then he built cities in the vicinity of Ashdod and among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines, the Arabs that live in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. The Ammonites[d] gave Uzziah tribute money,(H) and his fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for God made him very powerful. Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate,(I) the Valley Gate,(J) and the corner buttress, and he fortified them. 10 Since he had many cattle both in the Judean foothills[e] and the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many wells.(K) And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands.[f]

11 Uzziah had an army equipped for combat that went out to war by division according to their assignments, as recorded by Jeiel the court secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders. 12 The total number of heads of families was 2,600 brave warriors. 13 Under their authority was an army of 307,500 equipped for combat, a powerful force to help the king against the enemy.(L) 14 Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows and slingstones. 15 He made skillfully designed devices in Jerusalem to shoot arrows and catapult large stones for use on the towers and on the corners. So his fame spread even to distant places, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.

Uzziah’s Disease

16 But when he became strong, he grew arrogant(M) and it led to his own destruction. He acted unfaithfully against the Lord his God by going into the Lord’s sanctuary to burn incense on the incense altar.(N) 17 Azariah(O) the priest, along with 80 brave priests of the Lord, went in after him. 18 They took their stand(P) against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the Lord(Q)—only the consecrated priests, the descendants of Aaron, have the right to offer incense.(R) Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully! You will not receive honor from the Lord God.”

19 Uzziah, with a firepan in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But when he became enraged with the priests, in the presence of the priests in the Lord’s temple beside the altar of incense, a skin disease(S) broke out on his forehead. 20 Then Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw that he was diseased on his forehead. They rushed him out of there. He himself also hurried to get out because the Lord had afflicted him. 21 So King Uzziah was diseased to the time of his death.(T) He lived in quarantine[g](U) with a serious skin disease and was excluded from access to the Lord’s temple, while his son Jotham was over the king’s household governing the people of the land.

22 Now the prophet Isaiah(V) son of Amoz wrote about the rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end. 23 Uzziah rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the burial ground of the kings’ cemetery,(W) for they said, “He has a skin disease.” His son Jotham became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:1 = Azariah in 2Kg 14:21
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:2 LXX, Syr, Vg read Elath
  3. 2 Chronicles 26:5 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Arabic; other Hb mss, Vg read visions
  4. 2 Chronicles 26:8 LXX reads Meunites
  5. 2 Chronicles 26:10 Or the Shephelah
  6. 2 Chronicles 26:10 Or in Carmel
  7. 2 Chronicles 26:21 Lit a house of freedom

Domnia lui Uzia peste Iuda

26 Poporul lui Iuda l-a luat pe Uzia[a], care era în vârstă de şaisprezece ani şi l-a făcut rege în locul tatălui său, Amaţia. Uzia a rezidit Elatul şi l-a readus sub stăpânirea lui Iuda, după ce regele Amaţia s-a culcat alături de părinţii săi. Uzia era în vârstă de şaisprezece ani când a devenit rege şi a domnit la Ierusalim timp de cincizeci şi doi de ani. Mama lui se numea Iecolia şi era din Ierusalim. El a făcut ce este drept înaintea Domnului, tot aşa cum făcuse tatăl său, Amaţia. El L-a căutat pe Dumnezeu în timpul vieţii lui Zaharia, cel care îl instruia în frica de Dumnezeu. Cât timp l-a căutat pe Domnul, Dumnezeu i-a dat izbândă.

Când a ieşit la luptă împotriva filistenilor, el a dărâmat zidurile cetăţii Gat, zidurile cetăţii Iabne, precum şi zidurile cetăţii Aşdod, după care a zidit cetăţi în apropiere de Aşdod şi pe întregul teritoriu al filistenilor. Dumnezeu l-a ajutat împotriva filistenilor, împotriva arabilor care locuiau la Gur-Baal şi împotriva meuniţilor. Amoniţii i-au plătit tribut lui Uzia. I s-a dus faima până la hotarul Egiptului, pentru că ajunsese foarte puternic. Uzia a zidit turnuri în Ierusalim, la Poarta Unghiului, la Poarta Văii şi la contrafortul din unghiul zidului şi le-a întărit. 10 A zidit turnuri în pustie şi a săpat multe fântâni, căci avea vite numeroase atât în zona deluroasă[b], cât şi în câmpie. El avea plugari şi vieri în regiunea muntoasă şi în văile fertile[c], căci îi plăcea să lucreze pământul.

11 Uzia avea o oştire care purta războiul şi care ieşea la luptă pe divizii, după numărătoarea făcută de scribul Ieiel şi de dregătorul Maaseia, sub îndrumarea lui Hanania, una dintre căpeteniile regelui. 12 Numărul total al căpeteniilor de familii, al războinicilor viteji, era de două mii şase sute. 13 Sub comanda lor, se afla oştirea alcătuită din trei sute şapte mii cinci sute de bărbaţi care purtau războiul prin puterea armelor, ajutându-l pe rege împotriva duşmanului. 14 Uzia a dotat toată oştirea cu scuturi, lănci, coifuri, platoşe, arcuri şi praştii. 15 A făcut la Ierusalim nişte maşinării inventate de un meşter, care aveau să fie aşezate pe turnuri şi pe colţuri pentru a arunca cu săgeţi şi cu pietre mari. Lui Uzia i s-a dus faima până departe, căci a fost ajutat în chip minunat, până a ajuns puternic.

16 Dar când a ajuns puternic, i s-a îngâmfat inima spre pierzarea lui. El I-a fost necredincios Domnului, Dumnezeul lui, şi a intrat în Templul[d] Domnului ca să ardă tămâie pe altarul tămâierii. 17 Preotul Azaria a intrat după el, însoţit fiind de optzeci de bărbaţi curajoşi, dintre preoţii Domnului. 18 Ei au stat împotriva regelui Uzia, zicându-i: „Uzia, nu-ţi este îngăduit să aduci tămâie Domnului! Doar preoţii, urmaşii lui Aaron, au fost sfinţiţi ca să aducă tămâie! Ieşi din Lăcaş! Pentru că ai fost necredincios, nu vei mai avea parte de cinste de la Domnul Dumnezeu!“ 19 Uzia, care avea deja în mână cădelniţa pentru tămâiere, s-a înfuriat. În momentul în care s-a înfuriat pe preoţi, i-a apărut lepră[e] pe frunte, chiar acolo, în prezenţa preoţilor, în Casa Domnului, lângă altarul tămâierii. 20 Când preotul conducător Azaria şi ceilalţi preoţi s-au întors spre el, au văzut că avea lepră pe frunte, astfel că l-au scos în grabă de acolo. De altfel, el însuşi s-a grăbit să iasă, căci îl lovise Domnul. 21 Regele Uzia a rămas lepros până în ziua morţii lui. Pentru că era lepros, el a fost îndepărtat de la Casa Domnului şi a locuit într-o casă izolată[f]. Cel care supraveghea palatul regelui şi judeca poporul ţării era fiul său Iotam.

22 Celelalte fapte ale lui Uzia, de la început până la sfârşit, au fost scrise de profetul Isaia, fiul lui Amoţ. 23 Uzia s-a culcat alături de părinţii săi şi a fost înmormântat alături de părinţii săi, în ogorul de înmormântare care aparţinea regilor, deoarece spuneau: „A fost lepros.“ Şi în locul lui a domnit fiul său Iotam.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Cronici 26:1 Numit şi Azaria
  2. 2 Cronici 26:10 Sau: din Şefela (vezi nota de la 1:15)
  3. 2 Cronici 26:10 Sau: în Carmel
  4. 2 Cronici 26:16 Vezi nota de la 3:17
  5. 2 Cronici 26:19 Termenul ebraic poate desemna diverse boli ale pielii, nu neapărat lepra; şi în vs. 20, 21, 23
  6. 2 Cronici 26:21 Sau: într-o locuinţă, eliberat de orice responsabilitate