Divrey Hayamim Bais 27

1 7 Yotam was twenty and five shanah when he began to reign, and he was king sixteen shanah in Yerushalayim. The shem immo also was Yerushah bat Tzadok.

2 And he did that which was yashar (right) in the eyes of Hashem, according to all that his av Uziyah did; howbeit he entered not into the Heikhal Hashem. And the people did corruptly still.

3 He built the upper sha’ar Beis Hashem, and on the chomat Ophel he built much.

4 Moreover he built towns in the har Yehudah, and in the forests he built fortresses and migdalim.

5 He fought also with Melech Bnei Ammon, and prevailed against them. And the Bnei Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of kesef, and ten thousand measures of chittim (wheat), and ten thousand of se’orim (barley). The Bnei Ammon did pay this amount unto him, both the second year, and the third.

6 So Yotam became mighty, because he made the darkhei Yotam steadfast before Hashem Elohav.

7 Now the rest of the divrei Yotam, and all his milchamot, and his ways, lo, they are written in the sefer of the melachim of Yisroel and Yehudah.

8 He was five and twenty shanah when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen shanah in Yerushalayim.

9 And Yotam slept with his avot, and they buried him in Ir Dovid; and Achaz bno reigned in his place.

Divrey Hayamim Bais 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.

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.