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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 sling. 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.

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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

Uzziah (Azariah) King of Judah

26 All the people of Judah took Uzziah,[a] who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

He was the one who built Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah rested with his fathers.

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah[b] from Jerusalem.

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, like everything that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God throughout the days of Zechariah, who trained him in the fear[c] of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

He went out and waged war against the Philistines. He broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Javneh, and the wall of Ashdod. He built cities in the territory of Ashdod and among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites.

The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah. His reputation spread as far as the border of Egypt because he had become very strong. Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the Angle, and he fortified them.

10 He built towers in the wilderness. He dug many cisterns because he had large herds both in the Shephelah and on the plains. He also had farmers and vineyard workers in the highlands and in the fertile lands,[d] because he loved the soil.

11 Uzziah had an army, well trained and ready for war, organized in divisions based on the numbers from the census taken by Jeiel the secretary and Ma’aseiah the officer, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials.

12 The total number of the leading fathers[e] who led the powerful warriors was 2,600. 13 Under their command there was a strong army of 307,500 men, able to wage war as a very powerful force, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Uzziah supplied the whole army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slingshots. 15 In Jerusalem he made war machines produced by clever inventors to be mounted on the towers and at the corners, to shoot arrows and hurl large stones. His reputation spread far and wide because he received marvelous help until he was strong.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:1 He is called Azariah in 2 Kings.
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:3 Also called Jekiliah. Such spelling variants are common in biblical personal names.
  3. 2 Chronicles 26:5 A Hebrew variant is visions.
  4. 2 Chronicles 26:10 Hebrew carmel, which may be translated as a proper name Carmel
  5. 2 Chronicles 26:12 Fathers is a common name for the heads of societal units in Israel since they were organized along family lines.