Ozias

"Yahweh is my strength", name of six Israelites mentioned in the Bible.

(1) Ozias, King of Juda (809-759 B. C.), son and successor of Amazias. 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 the Saviour (Matt., i, 8, 9).

(2) Ozias, son of Uriel, and father of Saul of the branch of Caath (I Par., vi, 24).

(3) Ozias, whose son Jonathan was custodian of the treasures possessed by King David outside of Jerusalem (I Par., xxvii, 25).

(4) Ozias, son of Harim, one of the priests who having taken "strange wives", were forced to give them up during the reform of Esdras (I Esdr., x, 21).

(5) Ozias, son of Misha, of the tribe of Simeon, a ruler of Bethulia (Judith, vii, 12).

(6) Ozias, one of the ancestors of Judith, of the tribe of Ruben (Judith, viii, 1).

LESÉTRE in VIGOUROUX, Dict. de la Bible, s. v.

JAMES F. DRISCOLL