2 Chronicles chapter .xxvi.
¶ Then all the people of Iuda took Oziah which was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
And he built Eloth and brought it again to Iuda after the king was laid to rest with his fathers.
Sixteen years old was Oziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty two years in Ierusalem. His mother's name was Iecaliah of Ierusalem.
And he did that pleased the LORD, in all points as did his father Amaziah.
And he sought God while Zachariah the teacher to see God lived: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
And he went to battle against the Philistines and brake down the walls of Geth, and the walls of Iabneh and the walls of Asdod, and built cities about Asdod and among the Philistines.
And God holp him against the Philistines and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and against the Meunites.
And the Ammonites gave tribute to Oziah, and his name spread abroad even to Egypt: for he played the man and exceeded.
Moreover Oziah built towers in Ierusalem over the corner gate, and over the valley gate, and over other corners, and made them strong.
And he built towers in the wilderness and digged many wells. For he had much cattle, both in the valley and also in the plain: and plowmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved husbandry.
And Oziah had an host of fighting men that went out to war in the army and were told and numbered by Ieiel the scribe and Maasiah an officer, under the hand of Hananiah one of the king's lords.
And the whole number of the ancient heads of the men of might were two thousand and six hundredth
and under the hands of them was the army of the host, three hundredth and seven thousand, and five hundredth that made war with might and strength, to help the king against his enemies.
And Oziah provided them thorowout all the host, shields, spears, helmets, habergeons, bows and slings for stones.
And he made engines in Ierusalem by the craft of artificers to be on the towers and corners, to shoot arrows and great stones with all. And his name spread far abroad, for he was wonderfully holp, until he was become mighty.
¶ And in his greatness his heart arose, that he was marred: and transgressed against the LORD his God. For he went into the temple of the LORD to burn cense upon the altar of incense.
But Asariah the priest went in after him with four score priests of the LORD that were bold men.
And they stepped to Oziah the king and said to him: it pertaineth not to thee Oziah to burn cense unto the LORD, but to the priests the children of Aaron that are consecrate for to burn incense. Come out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed, and it shall be no worship to thee before the LORD God.
And Oziah was wroth and had cense in his hand to offer, and in his indignation against the priest, the leprosy sprang in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, even beside the incense altar.
And Asariah the chief priest with all the other priests looked upon him: and behold he was a leper in his forehead, and they vexed him thence. And thereto he was fain to go out, because the LORD had plagued him.
And Oziah the king continued a leper unto the day of his death and dwelt in an house at liberty: how be it, he was cast out of the house of the LORD. And Ioatham his son had the governance of the king's house and judged the people of the land.
The rest of the acts of Oziah both first and last, did Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos write.
And when Oziah was laid to rest with his fathers, they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial of the kings. For they said: he is a leper. And Ioatham his son reigned in his stead.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.