Judah’s King Jotham

¹Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok.[#27:1–3 2Kg 15:33–35; #27:1 2Ch 27:8]

²He did what was right in the Lord ’s sight just as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter the Lord ’s sanctuary, but the people still behaved corruptly.[#27:2 2Ch 26:16–18]

³Jotham built the Upper Gate of the Lord ’s temple, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel.[#27:3 2Ch 33:14; Neh 3:26–27]

⁴He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.[#27:4 2Ch 11:5]

⁵He waged war against the king of the Ammonites. He overpowered the Ammonites, and that year they gave him 3.5 tonnes of silver, two million two hundred thousand litres of wheat, and two million two hundred thousand of barley. They paid him the same in the second and third years.[#27:5 Lit 100 talents; #27:5 Lit 10,000 cors]

⁶So Jotham strengthened his position because he did not waver in obeying the Lord his God.[#27:6 Lit he established his ways before; #27:6 2Ch 26:5]

⁷As for the rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, along with all his wars and his ways, note that they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.[#27:7–9 2Kg 15:36–38]

⁸He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem.

⁹Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.