1 THEN all the people of Judah took Uzziah, 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 Sixteen 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 did 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 in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims.
8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
11 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, 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 an 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 habergeons, and bows, and slings 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 spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men:
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.
19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy 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 leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.
21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several 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 the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
23 So Uzziah slept 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.

1Then all the people of Iudah tooke Uzziah, who was sixteene yeeres old, and made him King in the roome of his father Amaziah.

2He built Eloth, and restored it to Iudah: after that the King slept with his fathers.

3Sixteene yeeres old was Uzziah, when he began to reigne, and he reigned fiftie and two yeeres in Ierusalem: his mothers name also was Iecoliah of Ierusalem.

4And hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

5And hee sought God in the dayes of Zechariah, who had vnderstanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.

6And hee went foorth and warred against the Philistines, & brake downe the wall of Gath, and the wall of Iabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

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

8And the Ammonites gaue gifts to Uzziah, and his name spread abroad euen to the entring in of Egypt: for hee strengthened himselfe exceedingly.

9Moreouer Uzziah built towers in Ierusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

10Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many welles, for hee had much cattell, both in the low countrey, and in the plaines: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountaines, and in Carmel: for hee loued husbandrie.

11Moreouer, Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to warre by bands, according to the number of their account, by the hand of Ieiel the Scribe, and Maasiah the ruler, vnder the hand of Hananiah, one of the kings captaines.

12The whole number of the chiefe of the fathers of the mightie men of valour, were two thousand and sixe hundred.

13And vnder their hand was an armie, three hundred thousand, and seuen thousand, and fiue hundred, that made warre with mightie power, to helpe the king against the enemie.

14And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the hoste, shields, and speares, and helmets, and habergions, and bowes, and slings to cast stones.

15And hee made in Ierusalem engines inuented by cunning men, to bee on the towers, & vpon the bulwarks, to shoote arrowes and great stones withall: and his name spread farre abroad, for he was marueilously helped, till he was strong.

16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted vp to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord, to burne incense vpon the altar of incense.

17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourescore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men.

18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said vnto him, It perteineth not vnto thee, Uzziah, to burne incense vnto the Lord, but to the priestes the sonnes of Aaron, that are consecrated to burne incense. Goe out of the Sanctuarie; for thou hast trespassed, neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.

19Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand, to burne incense, and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosie euen rose vp in his forehead, before the priests, in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.

20And Azariah the chiefe priest, and all the priests looked vpon him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence, yea himselfe hasted also to goe out, because the Lord had smitten him.

21And Uzziah the king was a leper vnto the day of his death, and dwelt in a seuerall house being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Iotham his sonne was ouer the kings house, iudging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the actes of Uzziah first and last, did Isaiah the prophet the sonne of Amoz write.

23So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the buriall which belonged to the kings: for they saide, He is a leper: And Iotham his sonne reigned in his stead.

I == 2nd Kings 14:21-22 ; 15:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V == Gen 41:15 ; 2nd Chr 24:2 ; Dan 1:17 ; 2:19 ; 10:1

 

VI == Isa 14:29

 

 

 

VII == 2nd Chr 21:16

 

VIII == 2nd Sam 8:2 ; 2nd Chr 17:11

 

 

IX == 2nd Kings 14:13 ; Neh 3:13 , 19 , 32 ; Zech 14:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVI == Deut 8:14 ; 32:15 ; 2nd Kings 16:12-13 : 2nd Chr 25:19

 

 

 

XVII == 1st Chr 6:10

XVIII == Ex 30:7-8 ; Num 16:40 ; 18:7

 

 

 

 

 

XIX == Num 12:10 ; 2nd Kings 5:27

 

 

 

XX == Esth 6:12

 

 

 

 

XXI == Lev 13:46 ; Num 5:2 ; 2nd Kings 15:5

 

 

XXII == Isa 1:1

 

XXIII == 2nd Kings 15:7 ; Isa 6:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 All the people of Judah chose Uzziah, though he was but sixteen years of age, and proclaimed him king to succeed his father Amaziah.

2 He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah; this was after King Amaziah had gone to rest with his ancestors.

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother, named Jecoliah, was from Jerusalem.

4 He pleased the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.

5 He was prepared to seek God as long as Zechariah lived, who taught him to fear God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.

6 He went out and fought the Philistines and razed the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod (and built cities in the district of Ashdod and in Philistia).

7 God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabs who dwelt in Gurbaal, and against the Meunites.

8 The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah and his fame spread as far as Egypt, for he grew stronger and stronger.

9 Moreover, 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 desert and dug numerous cisterns, for he had many cattle. He had plowmen in the foothills and the plains, and vinedressers in the highlands and the garden land. He was a lover of the soil.

11 Uzziah also had a standing army of fit soldiers divided into bands according to the number in which they were mustered by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the recorder, under the command of Hananiah, one of the king's officials.

12 The entire number of family heads over these valiant warriors was two thousand six hundred,

13 and at their disposal was a mighty army of three hundred seven thousand five hundred fighting men of great valor to help the king against his enemies.

14 Uzziah provided for them - for the entire army - bucklers, lances, helmets, breastplates, bows and slingstones.

15 He also built machines in Jerusalem, devices contrived to stand on the towers and at the angles of the walls to shoot arrows and cast large stones. His fame spread far and wide, and his power was ascribed to the marvelous help he had received.

16 But after he had become strong, he became proud to his own destruction and broke faith with the LORD, his God. He entered the temple of the LORD to make an offering on the altar of incense.

17 But Azariah the priest, and with him eighty other priests of the LORD, courageous men, followed him.

18 They opposed King Uzziah, saying to him: "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who have been consecrated for this purpose. Leave the sanctuary, for you have broken faith and no longer have a part in the glory that comes from the LORD God."

19 Uzziah, who was holding a censer for burning the incense, became angry, but at the moment he showed his anger to the priests, while they were looking at him in the house of the LORD beside the altar of incense, leprosy broke out on his forehead.

20 Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests examined him, and when they saw that his forehead was leprous, they expelled him from the temple. He himself fled willingly, for the LORD had afflicted him.

21 King Uzziah remained a leper to the day of his death. As a leper he dwelt in a segregated house, for he was excluded from the house of the LORD. Therefore his son Jotham was regent of the palace and ruled the people of the land.

22 The prophet Isaiah, son of Amos, wrote the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last.

23 Uzziah rested with his ancestors; he was buried with them in the field adjoining the royal cemetery, for they said, "He was a leper." His son Jotham succeeded him as king.

As in 14:21,22, Azariah, who was Uzziah, began to reign at sixteen when his father was taken captive, and after his death, he had sole reign. With 2 Chr. 26:1-5 we see that Jechiliah was his mother’s name, and he was a good king like his father, but neither was he able to remove the high places. As long as he followed the counsel of Zechariah, the Lord caused him to prosper. He reigned 52 years, which was longer than any of the kings of Israel and Judah to this date (Manasseh 55). Later in this chapter we will see that Israel had seven kings during the time of his reign. Building Elath on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba was significant because Edom had taken it in rebellion against his great, great grandfather, Jehoram, 2 Chr. 21:8-10 .
2 Chr. 26:6-15 Tells of his other achievements. Verses 6-8 tell of capturing some Philistine cities and rebuilding others. He had victories over Arabians, Ammonites gave him tribute, and his fame went as far as Egypt. Within the country he built fortified towers including some in Jerusalem, probably in connection with rebuilding the wall torn down by Jehoash of Israel, 25:23. He had agricultural exploits, having wells dug for his many cattle, and vineyards which were his special hobby. Militarily, he had a large army with 2600 officers and 307,500 men. In addition to the usual and latest fighting equipment, he had slings to cast stones. In Jerusalem he had skillful men invent new devices to have on the walls and bulwarks to shoot arrows and great stones. This was modern warfare for that day and he increased in fame and power.
Engines were devices or inventions. Stones thrown were 50-300 pounds. Arrows were from small beams to large, and had a range of over a quarter of a mile. Battering rams had a metal head on a beam long enough to require 100-200 men to impel it. Heavier ones were on a movable tower and would really break down a wall.
The Lord smote Uzziah with leprosy for intruding into the priest’s office, and he had to dwell in a separate house from others, as required of a leper, till he died. Probably this was just outside the city wall. His son, Jotham, acted as his father’s executor over all the affairs of the land, then became king at Uzziah’s death.
2 Chr. 26:16-21 adds. With power, described in v 6-15, came pride, and he entered the temple to burn incense. Azariah the priest and 80 other priests rushed after him into the temple, told him only the sons of Aaron were to do that, and ordered him to leave. They warned that this would displease the Lord. He might have been spared if he had repented and quickly left, but he remained with the censer in his hand and became angry at them. While he stood in anger before them, leprosy broke out on his forehead. This made him ceremonially unclean, and though they would have thrust him out, he hastened out on his own. God no doubt forgave him, but his was a grave offense and he was cut off from the house of the Lord, which in many cases meant death. Ostracism as a leper continued after his death, and he was buried in the field near the kings, but not with them. Reference is made to Uzziah in Isaiah 1:1 and 6:1.
Zechariah only reigned over Israel 6 months before being murdered in public by Shallum, thus ending Jehu’s four descendant dynasty.
Shallum reigned one month and was murdered by Menahem.
Menahem was evil, knifed open pregnant women and reigned 10 years.
He extracted money from wealthy men to pay off Assyria with 37 tons of silver.
After he died, Pekahiah his son reigned for two years, doing evil.
Pekah apparently opposed Menahem’s conciliatory action with the king of Assyria, and while serving as a captain east of the Jordan, actually set up his own government there, overlapping the reign of Pekahiah. When the time was right he conspired with 50 men from Gilead and killed Pekahiah and two others, possibly princes, in the most secure part of the palace, and continued his reign another 18 years, for a total of 20. He was another wicked king,
It seems that in Pekah’s get tough policy he made a treaty with Rezin, king of Damascus against Assyria. So Tiglath-Pileazar 3rd led a campaign against Israel. He took all of Gilead east of the Jordan and all of Galilee in northern Israel. He also deported many of the people to Assyria. This first deportation for the wickedness of Israel was about 733 B C, and the second was eleven years later, 722 B C. As a result of Pekah’s defeat, Hoshea conspired and murdered him and became king. On an Assyrian inscription, Tiglath-Pileazar 3rd claims to have helped Hoshea get the throne, so we assume he cooperated with Assyria like Menahem and Pekahiah had.
Jotham was sole ruler of Judah for 16 years after his father, Uzziah, died. (The 16 years Jotham ruled did not include 11 years he reigned with his father or 4 years he reigned with his son.) He was good like Uzziah was before he entered the temple, but did not remove the high places. The only one of his accomplishments mentioned here is building the north gate of the temple. This was probably to make it convenient and encourage people to worship the Lord.
2 Chronicles 27 adds:  He did not make the mistake of entering the temple as his father had, but the people were corrupt. In addition to the north gate, he fortified the Ophel, or hilly, part of the old wall of Jerusalem. He also continued his father’s projects of rural fortifications. He overcame the Ammonites and they made him large payments of silver, wheat and barley for each of three years. His greatness was because he followed the Lord.
. In the latter years of his reign, Jotham and his co regent, Ahaz, were harassed by Pekah of Israel and Rezin, king of Syria. This was at the time of Pekah’s alliance with Rezin mentioned in comments on v 29-31, and they were trying to get him to make an alliance with them against Assyria. To their credit, their faith in the Lord held firm and they did not make an alliance with the wicked. Ahaz replaced Jotham, and for his failures due to sin, see 2 Ki. 16.