Jotham’s Reign

27:1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem.1 His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 27:2 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.2 (He did not, however, have the audacity to enter the temple.)3 Yet the people were still sinning.

27:3 He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple and did a lot of work on the wall in the area known as Ophel.4 27:4 He built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.

27:5 He launched a military campaign5 against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. That year the Ammonites paid him 100 talents6 of silver, 10,000 kors7 of wheat, and 10,000 kors8 of barley. The Ammonites also paid this same amount of annual tribute the next two years.9

27:6 Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God.10 27:7 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including all his military campaigns and his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah.11 27:8 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 27:9 Jotham passed away12 and was buried in the City of David.13 His son Ahaz replaced him as king.