← Contents 2 Chronicles 27:1–9

2 Chronicles 27:1–9

27 Jotham 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 27:2And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah had done, except he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people still followed corrupt practices. 3 27:3He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord and did much building on the wall of Ophel. 4 27:4Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills. 5 27:5He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. And the Ammonites gave him that year 100 talents 1 of silver, and 10,000 cors 2 of wheat and 10,000 of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and the third years. 6 27:6So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God. 7 27:7Now 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 27:8He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 27:9And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

1 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

2 A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters

Section Outline
  1. III.F. From Jotham to Idolatrous Ahaz (27:1–28:27)
    1. 1. Jotham (27:1–9)
Response

Unlike his predecessors, Jotham “ordered his ways” to remain faithful all his life. The Hebrew word (form of kun) is common, conveying a picture of stability and durability, standing firm with a solid foundation (cf. English “establish”). The psalmist’s prayer continues to be relevant: “Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!” (Ps. 119:5). We can take heart as Paul encourages perseverance because of the enabling Spirit and the hope that is before us: “The one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:8–9).