2 Chronicles 27 explained: Jotham, a Steady King

Learning from his father (vv. 1-2)

Jotham followed the good example of his father Uzziah but avoided his great mistake, when Uzziah went into the temple to burn incense, a task kept for priests, and was struck with a skin disease (chapter 26). Even so, ordinary people kept up wrong worship, which the parallel account in 2 Kings describes as sacrifices at local hilltop shrines.

Building and fortifying (vv. 3-4)

Jotham rebuilt one of the temple's gates and strengthened the wall on Ophel, the ridge just south of the temple that formed part of Jerusalem's defenses. In the hills and wooded areas, where full cities were hard to place, he built forts and watchtowers to guard the countryside.

Victory over Ammon (v. 5)

The Ammonites, a neighboring people east of the Jordan River, were defeated and paid Jotham a yearly tribute of silver, roughly three tons by common estimates, plus large amounts of wheat and barley. The text says they paid for three years but does not say why it stopped, and some think rising pressure from Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel played a part.

Strength and a closing summary (vv. 6-9)

Verse 6 gives the writer's own explanation: Jotham grew strong because he lived steadily before God, a theme this book returns to again and again. The closing notes point to another record of his reign, which scholars debate is either the book of Kings or a source now lost, and then name his son Ahaz, whom the next chapter judges very harshly.

Key verse: 2 Chronicles 27:6

Something to think about

When someone you admire has made a serious mistake, how do you decide what to carry forward from them and what to leave behind?