Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Chronicles 26

1Uzziah succeedeth Amaziah, and reigning well in the days of Zechariah the seer prospereth. 9His buildings: 11his host, and engines of war. 16Growing proud he invadeth the priests' office, is opposed by Azariah, and smitten with leprosy by God. 22He dieth; Jotham succeedeth him.

1 THEN all the people of Judah took 1Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the *room of his father Amaziah.

2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

    3 aSixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

    4 And he bdid that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

    5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding 2in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

    • 2: Heb. in the seeing of God.

    6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of cGath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of dAshdod, and built cities 3about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

    7 And eGod helped him against the Philistines, and against the fArabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims.

    8 And the gAmmonites gave hgifts to Uzziah: and his name 4spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

    9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem iat the corner gate, and at jthe valley gate, and at kthe turning of the wall, and 5fortified them.

    10 Also he built towers in the ldesert, and 6digged many wells: for he mhad much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in 7Carmel: for he loved 8husbandry.

    11 Moreover nUzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by obands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

    12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred.

      13 And under their hand was 9an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

      14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and phabergeons, and bows, and 10slings to cast stones.

      15 And he made in Jerusalem *engines, invented by *cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the *bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones *withal. And his name 11spread far abroad; qfor he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

      • *: engines-machines. , cunning-skilful. , bulwarks-defensive walls, earthworks. , withal-with them.
      • 11: Heb. went forth.
      • q: De. 32:10 - 15 , Ps. 30:6

      16 ¶But rwhen he was strong, shis heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and twent into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

      17 And uAzariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:

      18 And they vwithstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, wIt appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the xpriests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be yfor thine honour from the LORD God.

      19 Then Uzziah zwas *wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the aleprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

      20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was bleprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself chasted also to go out, because dthe LORD had smitten him.

      21 And eUzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a 12several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

      22 ¶Now fthe rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

      23 So Uzziah gslept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his *stead.