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 Jekulaya of Jerusalem, and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,

according to all that his father Emma Zaya 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 Gerbaal and against the Mewites. 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 sheffala 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 Ja'Ial,

the secretary, and Maasea, the officer,

under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king's commanders.

The whole number of the heads of fathers' houses of mighty men of valor was 2,600.

Under their command was an army of 307,500 who could make war with mighty power to help the king

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