2 Chronicles 26

Uzziah's Faithfulness 2 Chronicles 26:3–5

³Verse 3. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. ⁴Verse 4. He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. ⁵Verse 5. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God; and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him prosper.

Military Conquests 2 Chronicles 26:6–8

⁶Verse 6. He went out and 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 country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines. ⁷Verse 7. God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim. ⁸Verse 8. The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceedingly strong.

Fortifications and Agriculture 2 Chronicles 26:9–10

⁹Verse 9. Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. ¹⁰Verse 10. He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain. He had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved farming.

Military Organization and Technology 2 Chronicles 26:11–15

¹¹Verse 11. Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. ¹²Verse 12. The whole number of the heads of fathers’ households, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand six hundred. ¹³Verse 13. Under their hand was an army, three hundred seven thousand five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. ¹⁴Verse 14. Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.

¹⁵Verse 15. In Jerusalem, he made devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, because he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

Downfall Due to Pride 2 Chronicles 26:16–20

¹⁶Verse 16. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into Yahweh’s temple to burn incense on the altar of incense. ¹⁷Verse 17. Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men. ¹⁸Verse 18. They resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed. It will not be for your honor from Yahweh God.”

¹⁹Verse 19. Then Uzziah was angry. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense. ²⁰Verse 20. Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.

Consequences of Disobedience 2 Chronicles 26:21–23

²¹Verse 21. Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from Yahweh’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. ²²Verse 22. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote. ²³Verse 23. So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Jotham his son reigned in his place.