II Chronicles 27, Jotham

The kings of Judah, after Solomon, have been 

• Rehoboam, 
• Abijah, 
• Asa, 
• Jehoshaphat, 
• Jehoram, 
• Ahaziah, 

(Athaliah)

• Joash, 
• Amaziah, 
• Uzziah, and now
• Jotham.

The date is about 740 BC. We are now hurrying through the history of Judah, headed for the last good king, Hezekiah. Jotham had a coregency with his father, Uzziah, after Uzziah had a skin disease and so there was considerable overlap between his sixteen-year reign and the 52-year reign of his father.

2 Chronicles 27:1-2, Jotham, a good king

Jotham 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 is noted as doing "what was right", while the ordinary people continue their own Canaanite idolatries.

2 Chronicles 27:3-4, Renovations

Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel. He built towns in the Judean hills and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

Jotham, like his father (or under the guidance of his father) also renovates and improves the Jerusalem defenses. The Upper Gate was on the north side of Jerusalem; the hill of Ophel on the south (says Payne, p. 524.)

2 Chronicles 27:5-6

Jotham made war on the king of the Ammonites and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand cors of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years. Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.

Of note in Jotham's reign if his victory over Ammon (to the east, across the Jordan.) The Chronicler, as he has written many times previously, points out that Jotham's victory was a blessing provided by YHWH because of Jotham's commitment as king.

2 Chronicles 27:7-9

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 fathers and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

The chapter ends as it began, with a brief summary of Jotham's reign.  A parallel passage, also quite brief, occurs in 2 Kings 15:32-38.