10. He built towers in the wilderness and dug numerous cisterns, for he had many cattle. He had plowmen in the Shephelah and the plains, farmers and vinedressers in the highlands and the garden land. He was a lover of the soil.
11. Uzziah also had a standing army of fit soldiers divided into bands according to the number in which they were mustered by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the recorder, under the command of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials.
12. The entire number of family heads over these valiant warriors was two thousand six hundred,
13. and at their disposal was a mighty army of three hundred seven thousand five hundred fighting men of great valor to help the king against his enemies.
14. Uzziah provided for them—for the entire army—bucklers, lances, helmets, breastplates, bows, and slingstones.
15. He also built machines in Jerusalem, devices designed to stand on the towers and at the angles of the walls to shoot arrows and cast large stones. His name spread far and wide; the help he received was wondrous, so strong did he become.
16. But after he had become strong, he became arrogant to his own destruction and acted treacherously with the Lord, his God. He entered the temple of the Lord to make an offering on the altar of incense.
17. But Azariah the priest, and with him eighty other priests of the Lord, courageous men, followed him.
18. They stood up to King Uzziah, saying to him: “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who have been consecrated for this purpose. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted treacherously and no longer have a part in the glory that comes from the Lord God.”