King Jotham of Judah

(2 Kings 15.32-38)

1Jotham became king at the age of twenty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. 2He did what was pleasing to the Lord, just as his father had done; but unlike his father he did not sin by burning incense+ in the Temple. The people, however, went on sinning.

3It was Jotham who built the North Gate of the Temple and did extensive work on the city wall in the area of Jerusalem called Ophel. 4In the mountains of Judah he built cities, and in the forests he built forts and towers. 5He fought against the king of Ammon and his army and defeated them. Then he forced the Ammonites to pay him the following tribute each year for three years: four tons of silver, fifty thousand bushels of wheat, and fifty thousand bushels of barley. 6Jotham grew powerful because he faithfully obeyed the Lord his God. 7The other events of Jotham's reign, his wars, and his policies, are all recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. 9He died and was buried in David's City and his son Ahaz succeeded him as king.