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One-sentence summary: Most of the kings of Israel do evil in the Lord's sight, and their lives are cut short.
In the 27th year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah king of Judah becomes king (at 16 years old) and reigns 52 years in Jerusalem. He does what is right in God's sight like his father, except he does not remove the high places, and the people still sacrifice and burn incense. The Lord later strikes him so that he is a leper until the day of his death, and he lives in an isolated house. And Jotham, his son, is over his house, judging the people. Then, Amaziah dies, and Jotham reigns in his place. In the 38th year of Azariah of Judah, Zecharia the son of Jeroboam reigns over Israel in Samaria six months and does evil like his father. Then, Shallum conspires against him and strikes and kills him in front of the people and reigns in his place. It says the word of the Lord speaks to Jehu, that his sons will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation. Shallum reigns a month in Samaria, when he is killed by a man named Menahem who reigns in his place. Then, he attacks Tiphsah because they did not surrender, and he rips open the women with child. He reigns ten years in Samaria and does evil in the sight of the Lord. The king of Assyria comes against the land, and he gives him silver to help him strengthen the kingdom, and he extracts the money from the wealthy men of Israel to give to him, so he turns back. Then, he dies, and Pekahiah his son reigns in his place in the 50th year of Azariah of Judah. He reigns two years and does evil in God's sight. Pekah, an officer of his, conspires against him and kills him in Samaria and reigns in his place. He also does evil in God's sight. The king of Assyria takes many cities, all the land of Naphtali, including Gilead and Galileah, and he carries them captive to Assyria. Hoshea leads a conspiracy against Pika and kills him and reigns in his place in the 20th year of Jotham. Jotham does right in God's sight but does not remove the high places. He builds the upper gate of the house of the Lord.
In those days, the Lord begins to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah against Judah. Jotham dies and is buried in Jerusalem, and Ahaz his son reigns in his place.
Uzziah is made king at 16 by the people instead of his father Amaziah. He builds Elaph and restores it to Judah. He reigns 52 years. He does what is right in the sight of the Lord. He seeks God in the days of Zechariah who has understanding in the visions of God. As long as he seeks the Lord, God makes him prosper. He makes war against the Philistines and breaks down their walls and builds cities around them. God helps him against them and the Arabians. His fame spreads to Egypt, and he becomes strong. He builds towers in Jerusalem and fortifies them and also in the desert. He builds wells in the deserts also and has much livestock. He has farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and Carmel. He has an army of fighting men and makes armor and weapons for his army. He has devices invented in Israel to shoot arrows and large stones. His fame spreads far and wide because he is marvelously helped (by God) until he becomes strong. However...
Once he is strong, "his heart [is] lifted up to his destruction," because he sins against God by entering His temple to burn incense. Azariah the priest goes in after him with 80 other priests- valiant men- and they confront him, saying it is only for the priests to burn incense for the Lord, and they tell him to leave. They say he will get no honor from the Lord. He becomes furious, and then leprosy breaks out suddenly on his forehead. The priests see it and turn him out, and he runs away. He is a leper until the day of his death and dwells in an isolated house and is cut off from the house of the Lord. And his son Jotham is put over his house, judging the people. It says the rest of the acts of Uzziah are written by the prophet Isaiah. He dies and is buried in the field of burial for the king, because he is a leper, and Jotham his son reigns in his place.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
Pride was the downfall of all the kings, and it is ours as well. We must guard against it like the plague! The Amplified Bible defines pride as that quality that overestimates oneself and underestimates others. We can only stay humble with God's help and by continually humbling ourselves before Him and others and staying open to correction.