Chapter 27

Jotham. ¹ Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. ² He did what was right in the sight of the Lord just as his father had done, although he did not enter the temple of the Lord. However, the people continued their corrupt practices.

³ Jotham built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and he supervised the extensive construction on the wall of Ophel.^{[a] 4} He also built towns in the hill country of Judah as well as forts and towers in the wooded areas.

⁵ Later Jotham went to war against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. As a result, the Ammonites had to give him one hundred talents of silver, together with ten thousand kors of wheat and ten thousand kors of barley. The Ammonites also paid him the same amount in the second and third year afterward. ⁶ Jotham became very powerful because he followed an unswerving course in the presence of the Lord, his God.

⁷ The rest of the acts of Jotham, all his wars and other projects, are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was twenty-five years old when he ascended the throne, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹ Jotham slept with his ancestors, and he was buried in the City of David. His son Ahaz succeeded him.