Uzziah
maleDivided MonarchyMeaning: “The LORD is my strength”
A long-reigning, successful king of Judah whose pride led him to usurp the priest’s role, for which he was struck with leprosy until his death.
Biography
Uzziah (also called Azariah) became king of Judah at sixteen and reigned fifty-two years — one of the longest and most prosperous reigns in the kingdom's history. "As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper" (2 Chronicles 26:5). He strengthened the army, built towers and engines of war, and his fame spread far.
Pride and leprosy
But "when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction." Uzziah presumptuously entered the temple to burn incense — a role reserved for the priests. When eighty priests resisted him, leprosy broke out on his forehead, and he remained a leper, cut off from the temple, until his death (2 Chronicles 26:16–21).
The year of Isaiah's vision
It was "in the year that king Uzziah died" that the prophet Isaiah saw the LORD high and lifted up in the temple (Isaiah 6:1) — a marker of the close of his long reign. He is named "Ozias" in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:8–9).
Life Timeline
Becomes king at sixteen; reigns fifty-two years
Struck with leprosy for usurping the priest’s role
On the Bible timeline
Uzziah belongs to the The Divided Monarchy era (c. 930 – 586 BC).
- c. 930 BCThe Kingdom Divides
- 722 BCThe Fall of Samaria
- 586 BCThe Fall of Jerusalem
Themes & lessons from Uzziah
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Uzziah appears.
People they appear with
Places in their story
Things in their story
Scripture Appearances
29 verses in 10 books2 Kings4 verses
2 Kings 15:13
Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. Uzziah: Gr. Ozias a full: Heb. a month of days
2 Kings 15:30
And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
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.
2 Kings 15:34
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
1 Chronicles3 verses
1 Chronicles 3:12
Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Azariah: or, Uzziah.king.15.30.
1 Chronicles 6:24
Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.
1 Chronicles 27:25
And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:
2 Chronicles12 verses
2 Chronicles 26:1
Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. Uzziah: or, Azariah
2 Chronicles 26:3
Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:8
And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. spread: Heb. went
2 Chronicles 26:9
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. fortified: or, repaired
2 Chronicles 26:11
Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
2 Chronicles 26:14
And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. slings: Heb. stones of slings
2 Chronicles 26:18
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth 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.
2 Chronicles 26:19
Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
2 Chronicles 26:21
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 king's house, judging the people of the land. several: Heb. free
2 Chronicles 26:22
Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
2 Chronicles 26:23
So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
2 Chronicles 27:2
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.
Ezra1 verse
Ezra 10:21
And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
Nehemiah1 verse
Nehemiah 11:4
And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez; Perez: or, Pharez
Isaiah3 verses
Isaiah 1:1
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Isaiah 6:1
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. his: or, the skirts thereof
Isaiah 7:1
And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
Hosea1 verse
Hosea 1:1
The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
Amos1 verse
Amos 1:1
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Zechariah1 verse
Zechariah 14:5
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. the mountains: or, my mountains for the: or, when he shall touch the valley of the mountains to the place he separated
Matthew2 verses
Matthew 1:8
And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
Matthew 1:9
And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
Frequently asked about Uzziah
Who was Uzziah in the Bible?
A long-reigning, successful king of Judah whose pride led him to usurp the priest’s role, for which he was struck with leprosy until his death.
What does the name Uzziah mean?
The name Uzziah means “The LORD is my strength”.
What did Uzziah do in the Bible?
Uzziah served as king of judah, of the tribe of Judah.
Where does Uzziah appear in the Bible?
Uzziah is mentioned 29 times across 10 books: 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, Zechariah, Matthew.
What can we learn from Uzziah?
The story of Uzziah touches on themes of kings, uzziah, armies, incense — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Uzziah's life.
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