WEBVTT

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Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're

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taking this journey together to read the Bible

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in a year. Today's reading is from 2 Chronicles,

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chapter 26. Now all the people of Judah took

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Uzziah, who was 16 years old, and made him king

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instead of his father Amaziah. He built Eilat

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and restored it to Judah after the king rested

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with his fathers. Uzziah was 16 years old when

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he became king, and he reigned 52 years in Jerusalem.

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His mother's name was Jecholia of Jerusalem.

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And he did what was right in the sight of the

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Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah

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had done. He sought God in the days of Zechariah,

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who had understanding in the visions of God.

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And as long as he sought the Lord, God made him

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prosper. Now he went out and made war against

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the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath,

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the wall of Jabni, and the wall of Ashdod. And

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he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines.

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God helped him against the Philistines, against

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the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against

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the Maonites. Also the Ammonites brought tribute

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to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance

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of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong. And

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Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner

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gate, at the valley gate, and at the corner buttress

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of the wall. Then he fortified them. Also he

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built towers in the desert. He dug many wells,

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for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands

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and in the plains. He also had farmers and vine

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dressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for

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he loved the soil. Moreover, Uzziah had an army

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of fighting men who went out to war by companies,

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according to the number, on their role as prepared

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by Jael the scribe and Masiah the officer, under

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the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

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The total number of chief officers of the mighty

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men of valor was 2 ,600. and under their authority

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was an army of three hundred and seven thousand

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five hundred that made war with mighty power

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to help the king against the enemy then Uzziah

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prepared for them for the entire army shields

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spears helmets body armor bows and slings to

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cast stones and he made devices in Jerusalem

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invented by skillful men to be on the towers

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and the corners to shoot arrows and large stones

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So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously

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helped till he became strong. But when he was

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strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction,

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for he transgressed against the Lord his God

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by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense

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on the altar of incense. So Azariah the priest

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went in after him, and with him were eighty priests

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of the Lord, valiant men. And they withstood

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king Uzziah and said to him, It is not for you,

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Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for

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the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated

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to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for

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you have trespassed. You shall have no honor

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from the Lord God. Then Uzziah became furious,

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and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense.

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And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy

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broke out on his forehead before the priests

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in the house of the Lord beside the incense altar.

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And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests

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looked at him, and there on his forehead he was

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leprous. So they thrust him out of that place.

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Indeed, he also hurried to get out, because the

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Lord had struck him. King Uzziah was a leper

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until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated

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house, because he was a leper, for he was cut

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off from the house of the Lord. Then Jotham his

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son was over the king's house, judging the people

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of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah,

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from first to last. The prophet Isaiah, the son

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of Amoz, wrote, So Uzziah rested with his fathers,

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and he buried him with his fathers in the field

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of burial, which belonged to the kings. For they

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said, He is a leper. Then Jotham his son reigned

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in his place. I hope you enjoyed today's reading

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as much as I did, and I look forward to seeing

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you again tomorrow to continue on our journey.

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God bless you and have a great day.