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1Jotham was twenty-five when he became king, and he reigned in for Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerushah, daughter of Zadok.
2He did what was right in the Lord's sight as his father Uzziah had done, and he did not enter the Lord's Temple as his father had.a But the people still acted corruptly.
3Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the Lord's Temple, and did extensive building work on the wall at Ophel.
4He built towns in the hill country of Judah, and fortresses and towers in the mountains and forests.
5Jotham fought with the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. The Ammonites gave him every year for three years one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand of barley.
6Jotham grew powerful because he made sure what he did followed the ways of the Lord his God.
7The rest of what Jotham did, his wars and other events, were written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
8He was twenty-five when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years.
9Jotham died and was buried in the City of David. His son Ahaz took over as king.
Footnotes:
2 a“As his father had”: implied.
Jotham Became Mighty, Because He
By F.B. Meyer0OrderlinessFaithfulness in Small Things2CH 27:6PSA 37:23PRO 12:24PRO 16:3MAT 14:19LUK 16:10JHN 11:441CO 14:40COL 3:231PE 5:7F.B. Meyer emphasizes that Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways, illustrating that success in life is closely tied to orderliness and method. He argues that a truly holy person embodies order in their life, reflecting God's nature and the example of Jesus, who valued organization in both ministry and personal conduct. Meyer encourages practical habits such as neatness, carefulness, and mental order in daily activities, suggesting that these contribute to a peaceful and successful life. By being faithful in small matters, one can achieve greater responsibilities and strength in their spiritual journey.
The Lord Stirred Up the Spirit of Cyrus.
By F.B. Meyer0Obedience to GodDivine Calling2CH 36:22PRO 21:1ISA 45:1ISA 55:11JER 29:10DAN 9:2PHP 2:131TH 5:24JAS 5:16F.B. Meyer emphasizes that the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to fulfill the prophecy of the return of the Jewish captives from Babylon, as foretold by Jeremiah and Isaiah. He highlights the importance of prayer, as exemplified by Daniel, in influencing leaders and initiating divine movements. Meyer notes that while God can stir hearts, obedience is essential, and sadly, only a few of the Jewish captives responded to the call to return. He encourages believers to rise up and act whenever they feel a divine stirring in their lives. Ultimately, the sermon calls for faith and responsiveness to God's leading.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Introduction
Jotham succeeds his father Uzziah, and reigns well, Ch2 27:1, Ch2 27:2. His buildings, Ch2 27:3, Ch2 27:4. His successful wars, Ch2 27:5, Ch2 27:6. General account of his acts, reign, and death, Ch2 27:7-9.
Verse 2
He entered not into the temple - He copied his father's conduct as far as it was constitutional; and avoided his transgression. See the preceding chapter, 2 Chronicles 26 (note).
Verse 3
On the wall of Ophel - The wall, says the Targum, of the interior palace. Ophel was some part of the wall of Jerusalem, that was most pregnable, and therefore Jotham fortified it in a particular manner.
Verse 4
Castles and towers - These he built for the protection of the country people against marauders.
Verse 5
He fought also with - the Ammonites - We find here that he brought them under a heavy tribute for three years; but whether this was the effect of his prevailing against them, is not so evident. Some think that they paid this tribute for three years, and then revolted; that, in consequence, he attacked them, and their utter subjection was the result.
Verse 7
The rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways - It was in his days, according to Kg2 15:37, that Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, began to cut Judah short. See the notes on Kg2 15:36, Kg2 15:37. Written in the book of the kings, etc. - There is not so much found in the books of Kings which we have now, as in this place of the Chronicles. In both places we have abridged accounts only: the larger histories have long been lost. The reign of Jotham was properly the last politically prosperous reign among the Jews. Hezekiah and Josiah did much to preserve the Divine worship; but Judah continued to be cut short, till at last it was wholly ruined.
Introduction
JOTHAM, REIGNING WELL, PROSPERS. (Ch2 27:1-4) Jotham was twenty and five years old--(See on Kg2 15:32-35). His mother's name . . . Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok--or descendant of the famous priest of that name [Sa2 8:17].
Verse 2
he did that which was right--The general rectitude of his government is described by representing it as conducted on the excellent principles which had guided the early part of his father's reign. the people did yet corruptly--(See Kg2 15:35); but the description here is more emphatic, that though Jotham did much to promote the good of his kingdom and aimed at a thorough reformation in religion, the widespread and inveterate wickedness of the people frustrated all his laudable efforts.
Verse 3
He built the high gate of the house of the Lord--situated on the north--that portion of the temple hill which was high compared with the southern part--hence "the higher," or upper gate (see on Kg2 15:35). He built, that is, repaired or embellished. and on the wall of Ophel--Hebrew, "the Ophel," that is, the mound, or eminence on the southeastern slope of the temple mount, a ridge lying between the valleys Kedron and Tyropœon, called "the lower city" [JOSEPHUS]. He built much--having the same desire as his father to secure the defense of Jerusalem in every direction.
Verse 4
in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers--that is, in the elevated and wooded spots where fortified cities could not be placed, he erected castles and towers.
Verse 5
HE SUBDUES THE AMMONITES. (Ch2 27:5-9) He fought also with the king of the Ammonites--This invasion he not only repelled, but, pursuing the Ammonites into their own territory, he imposed on them a yearly tribute, which, for two years, they paid. But when Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, combined to attack the kingdom of Judah, they took the opportunity of revolting, and Jotham was too distracted by other matters to attempt the reconquest (see on Kg2 15:37). Next: 2 Chronicles Chapter 28
Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 27 This chapter treats of the reign of Jotham, which was a good one, Ch2 27:1, of his buildings and wars, Ch2 27:3, and of his death and burial, Ch2 27:7. INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 28 This chapter contains the reign of Ahaz, and gives an account of the idolatry he was guilty of, Ch2 28:1 what calamities came upon him and his people, being delivered up into the hands of the kings of Syria and Israel, who slew many, and carried others captives, Ch2 28:5, though they that were taken captive by Israel, at the admonition of a prophet, were sent back again, Ch2 28:9, how also he was distressed by the Edomites and Philistines, and not helped by the king of Assyria, he sent for and made presents to, Ch2 28:16 and yet went into more and greater idolatries, Ch2 28:22, and the chapter is concluded with his death and burial, Ch2 28:28.
Verse 1
Jotham was twenty five years old,.... See Gill on Kg2 15:33. . 2 Chronicles 27:2 ch2 27:2 ch2 27:2 ch2 27:2And he did that which was right,.... See Gill on Kg2 15:34, howbeit, he entered not into the temple of the Lord; to burn incense, as his father did; he did according to his good ways, but not his evil ones: and the people did yet corruptly; in sacrificing and burning incense in the high places, Kg2 15:35 which some think Joash himself did, and is meant in the preceding clause; but the sense given is best.
Verse 2
He built the high gate in the house of the Lord,.... See the note on Kg2 15:35. and on the wall of Ophel he built much; which Kimchi interprets an high place; it was the eastern part of Mount Zion. Josephus (f) calls it Ophlas, and says it joined to the eastern porch of the temple; and some have thought the porch of the temple is meant; the Targum renders it a palace; it is a tradition of the Jews that it was the holy of holies (g). (f) De Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2. (g) Vid. Hieron Trad. Heb. in lib. Paralipom. fol. 86. A. F. G.
Verse 3
Moreover, he built cities in the mountains of Judah,.... In the mountainous part of it, the hill country of Judea, Luk 1:65, and in the forests he built castles and towers; for the safety of travellers, and of shepherds and their flocks, see Ch2 26:10.
Verse 4
He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them,.... These were brought into subjection by David; but in later times endeavoured to cast off the yoke, and even invaded the land of Judah, as in the days of Jehoshaphat, and now in the reign of Jotham, but succeeded not, see Amo 1:13. and the children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver; he obliged them to pay this tribute annually, and which they began to pay in the present year, and amounted to 35,330 pounds: and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley; the measure here is the "cor", the same with the "homer"; which, according to Godwin (h), held forty five gallons, or five bushels and five gallons, so that there must be upwards of 50,000 bushels of each of these paid to Jotham; according to Bishop Cumberland (i), a "cor", or "homer", held seventy five wine gallons, and upwards of five pints: so much did the children of Ammon pay both the second year and the third; the two following years as well as the present one; why this tribute was not continued to be paid cannot be said with certainty, whether the Ammonites refused and revolted, and could not be obliged, or whether the agreement was only for three years. (h) Moses & Aaron, l. 6. c. 9. (i) Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 3. p. 86.
Verse 5
So Jotham became mighty,.... Having built towers and castles, and fortified cities, and conquered his enemies: because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God; ordered, directed, and guided them according to the word and will of God, and walked as in the sight of God, having the fear of him continually before him.
Verse 6
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars,.... Not only with the Ammonites, but with the Syrians, and ten tribes, see Kg2 15:37. and his ways, lo, they are written in the books of the kings of Israel and Judah; not in the canonical books of Kings, but in the Chronicles of the kings of both nations, see Kg2 15:36.
Verse 7
He was twenty five years old,.... The same is repeated here as in Ch2 27:1. 2 Chronicles 27:9
Introduction
In the general statements as to the king's age, and the duration and the spirit of his reign, both accounts (Ch2 28:1-4; Kg2 16:1-4), agree entirely, with the exception of some unessential divergences; see the commentary on Kg2 16:1-4. From Ch2 28:5 onwards both historians go their own ways, so that they coincide only in mentioning the most important events of the reign of this quite untheocratic king. The author of the book of Kings, in accordance with his plan, records only very briefly the advance of the allied kings Rezin and Pekah against Jerusalem, the capture of the seaport Elath by the Syrians, the recourse which the hard-pressed Ahaz had to the help of Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria, whom he induced, by sending him the temple and palace treasures of gold and silver, to advance upon Damascus, to capture that city, to destroy the Syrian kingdom, to lead the inhabitants away captive to Kir, and to slay King Rezin (Ch2 28:5-9). Then he records how Ahaz, on a visit which he paid the Assyrian king in Damascus, saw an altar which so delighted him, that he sent a pattern of it to the priest Urijah, with the command to build a similar altar for the temple of the Lord, on which Ahaz on his return not only sacrificed himself, but also commanded that all the sacrifices of the congregation should be offered. And finally, he recounts how he laid violent hands on the brazen vessels of the court, and caused the outer covered sabbath way to be removed into the temple because of the king of Assyria (Ch2 28:10-18); and then the history of Ahaz is concluded by the standing formulae (Ch2 28:19, Ch2 28:20). The author of the Chronicle, on the contrary, depicts in holy indignation against the crimes of the godless Ahaz, how God punished him for his sins. 1. He tells us how God gave Ahaz into the hand of the king of Syria, who smote him and led away many prisoners to Damascus, and into the hand of King Pekah of Israel, who inflicted on him a dreadful defeat, slew 120,000 men, together with a royal prince and two of the highest officials of the court, and carried away 200,000 prisoners-women and children-with a great booty (Ch2 28:5-8); and how the Israelites yet, at the exhortation of the prophet Oded, and of some of the heads of the people who supported the prophet, again freed the prisoners, provided them with food and clothing, and conducted them back to Jericho (Ch2 28:9-15). 2. He records that Ahaz turned to the king of Assyria for help (Ch2 28:16), but that God still further humbled Israel by an invasion of the land by the Edomites, who carried prisoners away (Ch2 28:17); by an attack of the Philistines, who deprived Judah of a great number of cities (Ch2 28:18); and finally also by the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser, who, although Ahaz had sent him the gold and silver of the temple and of the palaces of the kings and princes, yet did not help him, but rather oppressed him (Ch2 28:20.). 3. Then he recounts how, notwithstanding all this, Ahaz sinned still more against Jahve by sacrificing to the idols of the Syrians, cutting up the vessels of the house of God, closing the doors of the temple, and erecting altars and high places in all corners of Jerusalem, and in all the cities of Judah, for the purpose of sacrificing to idols (Ch2 28:22-25). This whole description is planned and wrought out rhetorically; cf. C. P. Caspari, der syrisch-ephraimitische Krieg, S. 42ff. Out of the historical materials, those facts which show how Ahaz, notwithstanding the heavy blows which Jahve inflicted upon him, always sinned more deeply against the Lord his God, are chosen, and oratorically so presented as not only to bring before us the increasing obduracy of Ahaz, but also, by the representation of the conduct of the citizens and warriors of the kingdom of Israel towards the people of Judah who were prisoners, the deep fall of that kingdom.
Introduction
Here is a very short account of the reign of Jotham, a pious prosperous prince, of whom one would wish to have known more: but we may better dispense with the brevity of his story because that which lengthened the history of the last three kings was their degeneracy in their latter end, of which we have had a faithful account; but there was no occasion for such a melancholy conclusion of the history of this reign, which is only an account, I. Of the date and continuance of this reign (Ch2 27:1, Ch2 27:8). II. The general good character of it (Ch2 27:2, Ch2 27:6). III. The prosperity of it (Ch2 27:3-5). IV. The period of it (Ch2 27:7, Ch2 27:9).
Verse 1
There is not much more related here concerning Jotham than we had before, Kg2 15:32, etc. I. He reigned well. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; the course of his reign was good, and pleasing to God, whose favour he made his end, and his word his rule, and (which shows that he acted from a good principle) he prepared his ways before the Lord his God (Ch2 27:6), that is, he walked circumspectly and with much caution, contrived how to shun that which was evil and compass that which was good. He looked before him, and cast his affairs into such a posture and method as made the regular management of them the more easy. Or he established or fixed his ways before the Lord, that is, he walked steadily and constantly in the way of his duty, was uniform and resolute in it: not like some of those that went before him, who, though they had some good in them, lost their credit by their inconstancy and inconsistency with themselves. They had run well, but something hindered them. It was not so with Jotham. Two things are observed here in his character: - 1. What was amiss in his father he amended in himself (Ch2 27:2): He did according to all that his father did well and wisely; howbeit he would not imitate him in which he did amiss; for he entered not into the temple of the Lord to burn incense as his father did, but took warning by his fate not to dare so presumptuous a thing. Note, We must not imitate the best men, and those we have the greatest veneration for, any further than they did well; but, on the contrary, their falls, and the injurious consequences of them, must be warnings to us to walk the more circumspectly, that we stumble not at the same stone that they stumbled at. 2. What was amiss in his people he could not prevail to amend: The people did yet corruptly. Perhaps it reflects some blame upon him, that he was wanting in his part towards the reformation of the land. Men may be very good themselves, and yet not have courage and zeal to do what they might do towards the reforming of others. however it certainly reflects a great deal of blame upon the people, that they did not do what they might have done to improve the advantages of so good a reign: they had good instructions given them and a good example set before them, but they would not be reformed; so that even in the reign of their good kings, as well as in that of the bad ones, they were treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; for they still did corruptly, and the founder melted in vain. II. He prospered, and became truly reputable. 1. He built. He began with the gate of the house of the Lord, which he repaired, beautified, and raised. He then fortified the wall of Ophel, and built cities in the mountains of Judah (Ch2 27:3, Ch2 27:4), took all possible care for the fortifying of his country and the replenishing of it. 2. He conquered. He prevailed against the Ammonites, who had invaded Judah in Jehoshaphat's time, Ch2 20:1. He triumphed over them, and exacted great contributions from them, Ch2 27:5. He became mighty (Ch2 27:6) in wealth and power, and influence upon the neighbouring nations, who courted his friendship and feared his displeasure; and this he got by preparing his ways before the Lord his God. The more stedfast we are in religion the more mighty we are both for the resistance of that which is evil and for the performance of that which is good. III. He finished his course too soon, but finished it with honour. He had the unhappiness to die in the midst of his days; but, to balance that, the happiness not to out-live his reputation, as the last three of his predecessors did. He died when he was but forty-one years of age (Ch2 27:8); but his wars and his ways, his wars abroad and his ways at home, were so glorious that they were recorded in the book of the kings of Israel, as well as of the kings of Judah, Ch2 27:7. The last words of the chapter are the most melancholy, as they inform us that Ahaz his son, whose character, in all respects, was the reverse of his, reigned in his stead. When the wealth and power with which wise men have done good devolve upon fools, that will do hurt with them, it is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.
Verse 1
27:1 After a co-regency of eleven years with his father, Uzziah (750–740 BC), Jotham became king in his own right and reigned five more years (740–735 BC). This represents the sixteen years mentioned in the text. Jotham lived at least four more years, for we read that Hoshea came to power in the northern kingdom “in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah” (2 Kgs 15:30). But Jotham’s son, Ahaz, had already begun a co-regency with Jotham. After Jotham’s sixteen official years, Ahaz began to rule in his father’s stead (see study note on 2 Kgs 16:1-2). However, Ahaz presumably had his official accession ceremony following his father’s death in 732 BC, so the author of 2 Chronicles reckons Ahaz’s official regnal years starting in 731 BC (see 2 Chr 28:1).
Verse 3
27:3-4 Jotham’s rebuilding endeavors were like those of his father; he continued the work of restoration begun by Uzziah. He also constructed fortresses and towers in the forests, providing a network of lookouts and highway defenses within the kingdom and on the frontier.
Verse 5
27:5 Uzziah had received tribute from the Ammonites (26:8), and Jotham continued to dominate their territory east of the Jordan. The end of these payments after three years might have been because of Jotham’s preoccupation with fighting Israel and Aram (2 Kgs 15:37).