Read & explore together
Jotham's Reign
Jotham’s reign is recorded briefly and carefully. These verses give his age, family and character, then mention unfinished problems in Judah, works he built, one conflict, and the close of his reign.
Understanding the passage
Understanding this record
This passage combines the reign notices in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Both say Jotham began to reign at twenty-five and ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem. Together they describe what was right in his rule, what remained wrong among the people, some building works, conflict in his days, and where fuller records were written.
2 Kings 15:32–38; 2 Chronicles 27:1–9Main takeaway
Jotham is praised for doing right before Yahweh, yet the passage also shows that right rule did not remove every wrong practice in Judah.
Explore the record
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Jotham begins to reignJotham began to reign in the second year of Pekah king of Israel. Both books say he was twenty-five years old and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
Explanation
Jotham began to reign in the second year of Pekah king of Israel. Both books say he was twenty-five years old and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother is named Jerusha or Jerushah, daughter of Zadok. These details place and identify his reign clearly.
02A right king, but not a changed peopleBoth accounts say Jotham did what was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to his father Uzziah.
Explanation
Both accounts say Jotham did what was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to his father Uzziah. Chronicles adds that he did not enter Yahweh’s temple. Yet the people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places, and Chronicles says the people still acted corruptly.
03Building and strengthJotham built the upper gate of Yahweh’s house. Chronicles adds that he built on the wall of Ophel, built cities in Judah’s hill country, and made fortresses and towers in the forests.
Explanation
Jotham built the upper gate of Yahweh’s house. Chronicles adds that he built on the wall of Ophel, built cities in Judah’s hill country, and made fortresses and towers in the forests. It also says he prevailed against the children of Ammon, who paid silver, wheat, and barley for three years.
04Why the text says he became mightyChronicles does not leave Jotham’s strength unexplained. It says he became mighty because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God.
Explanation
Chronicles does not leave Jotham’s strength unexplained. It says he became mighty because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God. Both books then point to other written records for the rest of his acts, wars, and ways, showing this passage is a summary, not a full history.
05Yahweh began to send enemies, then Jotham diedKings says that in those days Yahweh began to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.
Explanation
Kings says that in those days Yahweh began to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah. After this summary notice, Jotham died and was buried in David’s city. His son Ahaz then reigned in his place.
Read the accounts alongside one another
Keep each reading’s setting and wording in view.
Scroll across to compare the readings.
| Book | Included readings | Explore in this guide |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kings | 2 Kings 15:32–38 | Jotham begins to reign A right king, but not a changed people Building and strength Why the text says he became mighty Yahweh began to send enemies, then Jotham died |
| 2 Chronicles | 2 Chronicles 27:1–9 | Jotham begins to reign A right king, but not a changed people Building and strength Why the text says he became mighty Yahweh began to send enemies, then Jotham died |
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What praise and what limits appear together in Jotham’s reign notice?
Read the statements that he did right in Yahweh’s eyes, then notice what still remained among the people and at the high places.
02Which works of building are named in this passage?
List the places and structures the text says Jotham built, rather than adding projects from elsewhere.
03How does Chronicles explain Jotham’s strength?
Look for the sentence that gives the reason he became mighty.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
2 Kings 15:32–38
32In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign.
33He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.
34He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes. He did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
35However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. He built the upper gate of Yahweh’s house.
36Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
37In those days, Yahweh began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.
38Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 27:1–9
1Jotham 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.
2He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. However he didn’t enter into Yahweh’s temple. The people still acted corruptly.
3He built the upper gate of Yahweh’s house, and he built much on the wall of Ophel.
4Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers.
5He also fought with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat, and ten thousand cors of barley. The children of Ammon also gave that much to him in the second year, and in the third.
6So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God.
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.
8He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
9Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.