8
The Ammonites paid taxes to Uzziah, and his fame spread to the border of Egypt because he became very powerful.
9
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at Corner Wall, Valley Gate, and the Angle, and he reinforced them.
10
He built towers in the desert. He dug many cisterns because he had a lot of herds in the foothills and the plains. He had farmers and vineyard workers in the mountains and the fertile fields because he loved the soil.
11
Uzziah had an army of professional soldiers. They were ready to go to war in their companies based on the number organized by the scribe Jeiel and the officer Maaseiah. They were commanded by Hananiah, one of the king's officials.
12
The total number of family heads among these warriors was 2,600.
13
Under them was an army of 307,500 soldiers. They were a powerful force that could support the king against the enemy.
14
For the entire army Uzziah prepared shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and stones for slings.
15
In Jerusalem he made machines designed by inventive people. The machines were placed on the towers and corners to shoot arrows and hurl large stones. Uzziah's fame spread far and wide because he had strong support until he became powerful.
16
But when he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God. He went into the LORD's temple to burn incense on the incense altar.
17
The priest Azariah went in after him with 80 of the LORD's courageous priests.
18
They opposed King Uzziah. They said to him, "Uzziah, you have no right to burn incense as an offering to the LORD. That right belongs to the priests, Aaron's descendants, who have been given the holy task of burning incense. Get out of the holy place because you have been unfaithful. The LORD God will not honor you for this."