Ozias

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Ozias, King of Judah (809-759 B. C.) son and successor of Amazias. The name means strength from the Lord. On the latter's death he was chosen king though he was only sixteen years of age (IV Kings, xiv, 21, where, as in ch. xv also, the name Azarias appears instead of Ozias, probably through a copyist's error; cf. II Par., xxvi, 1). His long reign of fifty-two years is described as pleasing to God, though he incurs the reproach of having tolerated the "high places". This stricture is omitted by the chronicler, who, however, relates that Ozias was stricken with leprosy for having presumed to usurp the priestly function of burning incense in the Temple. Ozias is mentioned among the lineal ancestors of Jesus. This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.