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King Jotham of Judah

(2 Kings 15.32-38)

27 Jotham was 25 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 16 years. Jerushah his mother was the daughter of Zadok.

Jotham obeyed the Lord and did right. He followed the example of his father Uzziah, except he never burned incense in the temple as his father had done. But the people of Judah kept sinning against the Lord.

Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple and did a lot of work to repair the wall near Mount Ophel. He built towns in the mountains of Judah and built fortresses and defense towers in the forests.

During his rule he attacked and defeated the Ammonites. Then every year for the next three years, he forced them to pay 3.4 tons of silver, 1,000 tons of wheat, and 1,000 tons of barley.

Jotham remained faithful to the Lord his God and became a very powerful king.

Everything else Jotham did while he was king, including the wars he fought, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah. After he had ruled Judah 16 years, he died at the age of 41. He was buried in Jerusalem, and his son Ahaz became king.

Jotham King of Judah(A)

27 Jotham(B) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.(C) He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites(D) and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents[a] of silver, ten thousand cors[b] of wheat and ten thousand cors[c] of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.

Jotham grew powerful(E) because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

The other events in Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 27:5 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  2. 2 Chronicles 27:5 That is, probably about 1,800 tons or about 1,600 metric tons of wheat
  3. 2 Chronicles 27:5 That is, probably about 1,500 tons or about 1,350 metric tons of barley