Bible Commentaries

Jotham having ascended the throne at the age of twenty-five, reignedaltogether in the spirit and power of his father, with the single limitationthat he did not go into the sanctuary of Jahve (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:16.). Thisremark is not found in 2 Kings 15, because there Uzziah's intrusion intothe temple is also omitted. The people still did corruptly (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:16). This refers, indeed, to the continuation of the worship in the highplaces, but hints also at the deep moral corruption which the prophets ofthat time censure (cf. especially Isaiah 2:5., 2 Chronicles 5:7.; Micah 1:5; Micah 2:1.).

He built the upper gate of the house of Jahve, i.e., the northern gate of theinner or upper court (see on 2 Kings 15:35); the only work of his reignwhich is mentioned in the book of Kings. But besides this, he continuedthe fortifying of Jerusalem, which his father had commenced; buildingmuch at the wall of the Ophel. העפל was the name of thesouthern slope of the temple mountain (see on 2 Chronicles 33:14); the wall ofOphel is consequently the wall connecting Zion with the temple mountain,at which Uzziah had already built (see on 2 Chronicles 26:9). He likewise carried on hisfather's buildings for the protection of the herds (2 Chronicles 26:10), building the citiesin the mountains of Judah, and castles (בּירניּות, 2 Chronicles 17:12) andtowers in the forests of the mountains of Judah (חרשׁים fromחרשׁ, a thicket).

He made war upon the king of the Ammonites, and overcame them. TheAmmonites had before paid tribute to Uzziah. After his death they wouldseem to have refused to pay this tribute; and Jotham made them againtributary by force of arms. They were compelled to pay him after theirdefeat, in that same year, 100 talents of silver, 10,000 cor of wheat, and asimilar quantity of barley, as tribute. לו השׁיבוּ זאת: this they brought to him again, i.e., they paid him the same amountas tribute in the second and third years of their subjection also. After threeyears, consequently, they would seem to have again become independent,or refused the tribute, probably in the last years of Jotham, in which,according to 2 Kings 15:37, the Syrian king Rezin and Pekah of Israelbegan to make attacks upon Judah.

2 Chronicles 27:6-7

By all these undertakings Jotham strengthened himself, sc. inthe kingdom, i.e., he attained to greater power, because he made his waysfirm before Jahve, i.e., walked stedfastly before Jahve; did not incur guiltby falling away into idolatry, or by faithless infringement of the rights ofthe Lord (as Uzziah did by his interference with the rights of thepriesthood). From the כּל־מלחמתיו in the concluding remark (2 Chronicles 27:7)we learn that he had waged still other successful wars. The oldercommentators reckon among these wars, the war against Rezin and Pekah,which kings the Lord began in his days to send against Judah (see 2 Kings 15:37), but hardly with justice. The position of this note, which isaltogether omitted in the Chronicle, at the end of the account of Jotham in2 Kings 15:37, appears to hint that this war broke out only towards theend of Jotham's reign, so that he could not undertake anything importantagainst this foe.

2 Chronicles 27:8-9

The repetition of the chronological statement already given in 2 Chronicles 27:1 is probably to be explained by supposing that two authorities, each of which contained this remark, were used.