Jotham Reigns in Judah

Jotham begins his reign at twenty-five and is judged upright like Uzziah, though he does not enter the LORD’s temple. Even so, the people continue in corruption.

J¹otham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. ²And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people still behaved corruptly.

Jotham strengthens Judah through temple and city building, fortresses, and towers, then defeats the Ammonites and receives tribute for three years. His growing power is traced to the way he orders his life before the LORD.

³Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD, and he worked extensively on the wall at the hill of Ophel. ⁴He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests. ⁵Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them, and that year they gave him a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat, and ten thousand cors of barley. They paid him the same in the second and third years. ⁶So Jotham grew powerful because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God.

The chapter closes by pointing to the fuller record of Jotham’s acts, repeating the length of his reign, and noting his burial in the City of David. Ahaz then rises to the throne after him.

⁷As for the rest of the acts of Jotham, along with all his wars and his ways, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. ⁹And Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Ahaz reigned in his place.