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Uzziah

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Biblical king of Judah whose early piety and success gave way to pride, resulting in divine punishment and lifelong leprosy.

Detailed Definition
Uzziah fortified Judah and innovated worship but usurped priestly duties, contracting leprosy. In poetry, Uzziah symbolizes the peril of success, the boundary between royal and sacred roles, and the sudden fall of the mighty through arrogance.
Example
Example in poetry:
In 2 Chronicles 26, Uzziah’s pride after leprosy inspires moral poetry about the danger of success; Isaiah 6:1 references “the year King Uzziah died,” a line echoed in T.S. Eliot’s “Ash-Wednesday” as threshold of divine vision; Contemporary verse explores Uzziah’s unauthorized temple incense as overreach of royal power; In poems about boundaries, Uzziah’s leprosy becomes consequence of violating priestly roles; Some liturgical laments contrast Uzziah’s early faithfulness with later arrogance; Educational poems cite Uzziah to teach about kingship, holiness, and humility.
Additional Notes
Uzziah (also Azariah), king of Judah, prospered until he arrogantly offered incense in the temple and was struck with leprosy (2 Chronicles 26); his story warns against overreaching priestly boundaries; Isaiah’s vision (Isaiah 6) occurs “in the year King Uzziah died,” linking his death to prophetic commission; poets may use Uzziah to explore the limits of power, divine holiness, and the transition from stability to revelation.
Also Known As
Uzziah king of Judah Azariah
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