A Young Man Who Said Send Me

Uzziah, Joash's grandson, was sixteen years old when he began to rule

over Judah and he ruled fifty-two years in Jerusalem.



He fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and

of Jabneh and of Ashdod and built cities near Ashdod and among the

Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines. The Ammonites

also paid tribute to Uzziah, for he became very strong.



And U ziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the

Valley Gate and at the corner of the wall, and fortified them. He also

built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he had many

herds in the lowland and farmers in the plain and vine-dressers in the

mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved to cultivate the

ground. But he was a leper to the day of his death. He lived in his own

house, while Jotham, his son, was at the head of the royal household,

ruling the people of the land. And Uzziah died; and they buried him with

his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham, his son, became ruler in

his place.



Isaiah said it was in the year that Uzziah, the ruler of Judah, died

that I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne; and the train of

his robe filled the temple. Guardian angels stood above him. Each had

six wings, one pair to cover the face, another pair to cover the feet,

and another pair with which to fly. And they cried to one another:



"Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts,

The whole earth is full of his glory."



The foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of those who

called, and the temple was filled with smoke. Then I said: "Woe is me! I

am ruined; for I am a man with unclean lips, and I live among a people

with unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts!"

But one of the guardian angels flew to me with a hot coal in his hand

that he had taken from off the altar, and with it he touched my mouth

and said: "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and

your sin forgiven."



Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:



"Whom shall I send,

And who will go for us?"



and I said, "Here am I, send me."