A reading from the book of Second Chronicles.

And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was 16 years old and made him king instead

of his father, Amaziah.

He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers.

Uzziah was 16 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jekhalaya of Jerusalem, and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

He went out and made war against the Philistines and broke through the wall of Gath,

and the wall of Jabna, and the wall of Ashdod, and he built cities in the territory of Ashdod

and elsewhere among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines and against the

Arabians, who lived in Gerbeil, and against the Arabians who lived in Gerbao

and against the Mayunites.

The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread even to the border of Egypt,

for he became very strong.

Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate and at the valley gate

and at the angle and fortified them. And he built towers in the wilderness

and cut out many cisterns, for he had large herds, both in the Shafila and in the plain,

and he had farmers and vine dressers in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.

Moreover, Uzziah had an army of soldiers fit for war, In divisions, according to the numbers in the muster made

by Gial, the secretary, and maya seea, the officer, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king's

commanders. The whole number of the heads of father's houses of mighty men of valor was

two thousand six hundred. Under their command was an army of 307,500, who could make war with mighty power to help

the king against the enemy.

And Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bowls and

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