1 Ngakho bonke abantu bakoJuda bathatha u-Uziya, owayeleminyaka elitshumi lesithupha ubudala, bambeka waba yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise u-Amaziya. 2 Nguye owakha kutsha umuzi we-Elathi wawubuyisela koJuda ngemva kokufa kwenkosi u-Amaziya owangcwatshwa kubokhokho bakhe.

3 U-Uziya wayeleminyaka elitshumi lesithupha ubudala ekubeni kwakhe yinkosi njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amahlanu lambili. Ibizo likanina linguJekholiya; evela eJerusalema. 4 Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo, njengalokhu okwakwenziwe nguyise u-Amaziya. 5 Wazimisela ukumdinga uNkulunkulu ngezinsuku zikaZakhariya, owamfundisa ukumesaba uNkulunkulu. Esamlandela uThixo, uNkulunkulu wamphumelelisa.

6 Waphuma impi wayakulwa lamaFilistiya wadiliza imiduli yaseGathi, laseJabhine lase-Ashidodi. Wasesakha kutsha imizi eseduzane le-Ashidodi leminye kwezinye iziqinti phakathi kwamaFilistiya. 7 UNkulunkulu wayelaye ekuhlaseleni kwakhe amaFilistiya kanye lama-Arabhu ayehlala eGuri Bhali kanye lekuhlaseleni amaMewuni. 8 Ama-Amoni aletha umthelo wawo ku-Uziya, udumo lwakhe lwanda lasemingceleni kusiyafika eGibhithe, ngoba wayeselamandla amakhulu.

9 U-Uziya wakha imiphotshongo eJerusalema ngaseSangweni leNgosi langaseSangweni leSigodi langasengosini yomduli, wayivikela ngezinqaba. 10 Wakha njalo imiphotshongo enkangala, wemba imithombo eminengi, ngoba wayefuyile elemihlambi yezifuyo emawatheni amaqaqa lasemagcekeni. Wayelabantu bokulima lababesezivinini emaqaqeni lasemhlabeni ovundileyo, ngoba wayethanda ukulima.

11 U-Uziya wayelamabutho ayekwazi ukulwa ebuthwe ngamaviyo ayeqoqwe nguJeyiyeli umabhalane loMaseya isikhulu esasiqondiswa nguHananiya, omunye wezikhulu zomndlunkulu. 12 Inani labakhokheli lonke ngezimuli emadodeni okulwa lalizinkulungwane ezimbili lamakhulu ayisithupha (2,600). 13 Babelawula ibutho elilamadoda abazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu lesikhombisa lamakhulu amahlanu (307,500) ayefundele ukulwa, amaviyo alamandla okuhlomulela inkosi ezitheni zayo. 14 U-Uziya wahlomisa amabutho akhe wonke ngezihlangu, imikhonto, ingowane zensimbi lamabhatshi ensimbi, lemitshoko lamatshe ezavutha. 15 EJerusalema wakhandisa imitshina yokufutha imitshoko leyokujikijela amatshe amakhulu ayikhandisa emadodeni ayezingcitshi eyayisetshenziswa emiphotshongweni esemajikweni. Udumo lwakhe lwanda lwayafika kude, ngoba wancediswa kakhulu waze waba lamandla amakhulu kakhulu.

16 Kodwa kwathi u-Uziya eselamandla amakhulu, ukuziqhenya kwakhe kwamlethela incithakalo. Kazange athembeke kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe, waze wangena ethempelini likaThixo, ukuba ayetshisa impepha e-alithareni lempepha. 17 U-Azariya umphristi labanye abaphristi bakaThixo abangamatshumi ayisificaminwembili abalezibindi bamlandela phakathi ethempelini. 18 Bajamelana laye bathi kuye, “Akulunganga ukuthi wena, Uziya, utshisele uThixo impepha. Lokho ngokwabaphristi, abenzalo ka-Aroni, abehlukaniselwa ukutshisa impepha. Phuma kulindawo engcwele, ngoba awuzange wethembeke, njalo awuyikuphakanyiswa nguThixo uNkulunkulu.”

19 U-Uziya owayephethe udengezi lokutshisela impepha esandleni sakhe, wathukuthela. Uthe elokhu esakhwazela abaphristi ngoba kwabo phambi kwe-alithari lempepha ethempelini likaThixo, kwaqalisa ubulephero ebunzini lobuso bakhe. 20 Kwathi u-Azariya umphristi omkhulu labanye abaphristi bemkhangela, babona eselobulephero ebunzini lakhe, ngakho baphanga bamkhuphela phandle. Lakanye yena ngokwakhe wayevele esefisa ukuphuma, ngoba uThixo wayesemtshayile.

21 U-Uziya inkosi waba lobulephero kwaze kwaba lilanga lakhe lokufa. Wayesehlala endlini yakhe eyayimi yodwa ngoba elobulephero njalo engasavunyelwa ethempelini likaThixo. UJothamu indodana yakhe yaphatha isigodlo njalo yaphatha abantu bonke belizwe.

22 Ezinye izehlakalo zombuso ka-Uziya, kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekucineni, zilotshwe ngumphrofethi u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi. 23 U-Uziya waphumula labokhokho bakhe wangcwatshwa eduze kwabo ensimini yokungcwaba eyayingeyamakhosi ngoba abantu bathi, “Wayelobulephero.” Ngakho uJothamu indodana yakhe wathatha isikhundla sakhe waba yinkosi.