2 Chronicles 27

Jotham Reigns in Judah

1 ¹Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.

2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD according to all that his father Uzziah had done, ²except he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people still followed corrupt practices.

3 He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD and did much building on the wall of ³Ophel.

4 Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills.

5 He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. And the Ammonites gave him that year 100 talents^[a] of silver, and 10,000 cors^[b] of wheat and 10,000 of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and the third years.

6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God.

7 ⁴Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

8 He was ⁵twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

Jotham's reign in Judah.

- The people did corruptly. Perhaps Jotham was wanting towards the reformation of the land. Men may be very good, and yet not have courage and zeal to do what they might. It certainly casts blame upon the people. Jotham prospered, and became mighty. The more stedfast we are in religion, the more mighty we are, both to resist evil, and to do good. The Lord often removes wise and pious rulers, and sends others, whose follies and vices punish a people that valued not their mercies.

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 1-3, see 2 Kings 15:33-35
• 2. [2 Chronicles 26:16]
• 3. 2 Chronicles 33:14; Nehemiah 3:26, 27; Nehemiah 11:21
• 4. [2 Kings 15:36]
• 5. ver. 1

Footnotes

• [a]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
• [b]. A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 27

This chapter treats of the reign of Jotham, which was a good one, 2Ch 27:1,2, of his buildings and wars, 2Ch 27:3-6, and of his death and burial, 2Ch 27:7-9.