Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 96
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IMMERSE
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CHRONICLES
2C
| 25:28–26:16
assassins after him, and they killed him there. They brought his body back
on a horse, and he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.
All the people of Judah had crowned Amaziah’s sixteen-year-old son, Uz
ziah, as king in place of his father. After his father’s death, Uzziah rebuilt
the town of Elath and restored it to Judah.
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in
Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. He
did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had
done. Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him
to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God
gave him success.
Uzziah declared war on the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath,
Jabneh, and Ashdod. Then he built new towns in the Ashdod area and in
other parts of Philistia. God helped him in his wars against the Philistines,
his battles with the Arabs of Gur, and his wars with the Meun ites. The Me
unites paid annual tribute to him, and his fame spread even to Egypt, for
he had become very powerful.
Uzziah built fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the
Valley Gate, and at the angle in the wall. He also constructed forts in the
wilderness and dug many water cisterns, because he kept great herds of
livestock in the foothills of Judah and on the plains. He was also a man
who loved the soil. He had many workers who cared for his farms and
vineyards, both on the hillsides and in the fertile valleys.
Uzziah had an army of w
ell-trained warriors, ready to march into battle,
unit by unit. This army had been mustered and organized by Jeiel, the
secretary of the army, and his assistant, Maaseiah. They were under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials. These regiments of mighty
warriors were commanded by 2,600 clan leaders. The army consisted of
307,500 men, all elite troops. They were prepared to assist the king against
any enemy.
Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of
mail, bows, and sling stones. And he built structures on the walls of Jerusa
lem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large
stones from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and
wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.
But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his
downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary
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