2 Chronicles 26:1-16 ▼

1 Then all the people of the land took Ozias, and he was sixteen years old, and they made him king in the room of his father Amasias.

2 He built Aelath, he recovered it to Juda, after the king slept with his fathers.

3 Ozias began to reign at the age of sixteen years, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jechelia of Jerusalem.

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

5 And he sought the Lord in the days of Zacharias, who understood the fear of the Lord; and in his days he sought the Lord, and the Lord prospered him.

6 And he went out and fought against the Philistines, and pulled down the walls of Geth, and the walls of Jabner, and the walls of Azotus, and he built cities near Azotus, and among the Philistines.

7 And the Lord strengthened him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt on the rock, and against the Minaeans.

8 And the Minaeans gave gifts to Ozias; and his fame spread as far as the entering in of Egypt, for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

9 And Ozias built towers in Jerusalem, both at the gate of the corners, and at the valley gate, and at the corners and he fortified them.

10 And he built towers in the wilderness, and dug many wells, for he had many cattle in the low country and in the plain; and vinedressers in the mountain country and in Carmel: for he was a husbandman.

11 And Ozias had a host of warriors, and that went out orderly to war, and returned orderly in number; and their number was made by the hand of Jeiel the scribe, and Maasias the judge, by the hand of Ananias the king's deputy.

12 The whole number of the chiefs of families of the mighty men of war was two thousand six hundred;

13 and with them was a warrior force, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred: these waged war mightily to help the king against his enemies.

14 And Ozias prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and breastplates, and bows, and slings for stones.

15 And he made in Jerusalem machines invented by a wise contriver, to be upon the towers and upon the corners, to cast darts and great stones: and the fame of their preparation was heard at a distance; for he was wonderfully helped, till he was strong.

16 And when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; and he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to turn incense on the altar of incense.