History · Chapter 27 of 36

2 Chronicles 27

Jotham reigns rightly, following his father Uzziah's good example but not repeating his fatal trespass, for he does not enter the temple. He builds the upper gate, walls, cities, and towers, and defeats the Ammonites, receiving heavy tribute for three years. Jotham grows mighty because he orders his ways before the LORD, though the people continue in their corruption. He dies after a steady, faithful reign.

What happens in 2 Chronicles 27

Jotham becomes king at twenty-five and reigns sixteen years. He does what is right in God's sight, following all that his father Uzziah did, but with a crucial difference: he does not enter the temple to usurp the priestly role that ruined his father. The Chronicler notes, however, that the people still act corruptly. Jotham devotes himself to building: the high gate of the temple, extensive work on the wall of Ophel, cities in the hill country, and fortresses and towers in the forests.

He wages war against the Ammonites and prevails, exacting large tribute of silver, wheat, and barley for three successive years. The summary verdict is that Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. His reign is brief and largely uneventful in the record, a quiet stretch of faithfulness, and he is succeeded by his son Ahaz.

2 Chronicles 27 in context

Jotham is one of the few kings the Chronicler records with almost no criticism. His short chapter contrasts with his father Uzziah's dramatic fall; Jotham learned from it, refusing the presumption that struck his father. His reign overlaps the ministry of Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, a period of relative strength before the crisis under his son Ahaz.

The note that the people remained corrupt shows a faithful king could not by himself change the nation's heart.

Main themes of 2 Chronicles 27

2 Chronicles 27 (KJV)

1Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. 2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. 3He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third. 6So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. 7Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

Verses to carry from 2 Chronicles 27

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.”2 Chronicles 27:2

“So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.”2 Chronicles 27:6

Reflection

Jotham quietly prepared his ways before God through an unremarkable reign, and Scripture honors him. Are you waiting for a dramatic stage before you take faithfulness seriously? Consider the steady, hidden obedience of ordering your daily ways before the LORD, and learn, as Jotham did, from the failures of those before you.

A prayer from 2 Chronicles 27