1.
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
2.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.
2 Chronicles 27:2. And the people did yet corruptly.— And the people yet worshipped corruptly, see 2 Kings 15:35.
3.
He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
2 Chronicles 27:3. And on the wall of Ophel he built much— And he repaired much in the walls of the ascent. See Nehemiah 3:26. Houbigant.
REFLECTIONS.—The reign of Jotham was pious and prosperous.
1. He copied the best of his father's ways, and avoided his wickedness. His heart was right with God, and he endeavoured diligently to walk with, and please him: but the people followed not his good example; either he wanted zeal to restrain them, or they were too headstrong to be withheld. Note; They are inexcusable, who slight the advantages that they enjoy, and refuse to be reformed.
2. His prosperity went hand in hand with his piety; he fortified his dominions, built new cities, subdued the Ammonites, and brought them under tribute for three years; and because he had chosen God's ways, he became mighty under his protection.
3. Too soon for his people he finished his happy reign, farther particulars of which were recorded in the annals of Judah, long since perished. The unworthy son who succeeded him made the loss of such a king more sensibly felt and lamented by every true Israelite.
4.
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
5.
He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.
6.
So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
7.
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
8.
He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and 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 stead.