2 Chronicles 26:1-15

The Reign of Uzziah

26¹ 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-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. ⁴ He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 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 to prosper. ⁶ He went forth and warred 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 country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim. ⁸ The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceeding strong. 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 He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and he had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved farming. 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. ¹² The whole number of the heads of fathers’ houses, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred. ¹³ Under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. ¹⁴ Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. ¹⁵ He made in Jerusalem engines, 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; for he was marvelously helped, until he was strong.