The text of this edition is taken from the Revised Version. The extracts from the Revised Version contained in this book are printed by permission of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but all editorial responsibility rests with the editor of the present volume. N.B.-The footnotes to the text give revised readings which are pretty generally accepted by scholars. Those marked (R) are taken from the margin of the Revised Version. Those marked (S) are derived from the Greek translation (Septuagint), which has often preserved the true text. Those which are not marked are due to the investigations of modern scholars, such as Driver, Kittel, Duhm, Skinner, and Burney. VOLUME III LESSON LXV THE END OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM The long and prosperous reign of Uzziah, king of Judah. The reign of Jotham. In the reign of Ahaz, Rezin and Pekah invade Judah and Ahaz purchases the aid of the king of Assyria, who captures Damascus. A few years later Shalmaneser deposes Hoshea, king of Israel, carries his people into captivity and plants colonists from Babylonia in their land. 2 CHRON. XXVI.; 2 KINGS XV. 32-XVII. 34 26 1 And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem; and 5 his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. And he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to 10 prosper. And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and 15 the Meunim. 8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he waxed exceeding strong. Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the 20 turning of the wall, and fortified them. And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much VOL. III.--A cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain; and he had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; 25 for he loved husbandry. Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. The whole number of the heads of fathers' houses, even the mighty 30 men of valour, was two thousand and six hundred. And under their hand was a trained army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and 35 coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 40 16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against the LORD his God; for he went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men : 45 and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then 50 Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy brake forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous 55 in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the 60 king's house, judging the people of the land. [2 Kings] 15 32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign: and his mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 65 And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: he did |