Scripture quotations on this page are from the World English Bible (public domain), shown in quotation marks; all commentary is written by Scripture Trove. Source: 2 Chronicles 27 · Commentary
The previous chapter (26) records Uzziah's glorious reign and the tragedy of his arrogant presumption. He contracted leprosy on his forehead for burning incense in the temple and lived in isolation for the rest of his life. This chapter records his son Jotham, a faithful king who ruled quietly in his father's shadow. Although Jotham's account is short (only 9 verses), it is a rare positive record among the kings of Judah, "without obvious deviation from beginning to end." The next chapter (28) will record his son Ahaz, one of the most wicked kings in Judah's history, marking the beginning of a new dark period.
This chapter is the last chapter of the "Continuation of the Kings of Judah" unit (2 Chronicles 19-27). Jotham connects the past (Uzziah) and the future (Ahaz). After the "good at first, bad at last" pattern of Joash → Amaziah → Uzziah, Jotham's short 9-verse account is like a clear stream, but the Ahaz who immediately follows will lead Judah into an unprecedented low point.
This chapter has only 9 verses, with a concise and clear structure:
The core message of the entire chapter is: faithfulness does not require grand gestures; quietly "walking uprightly before God" is itself a great achievement.
27:6 "So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God."
2 Chronicles 27:6（World English Bible）
Jotham's story is only 9 verses long, almost a fleeting mention in Chronicles. There are no thrilling war narratives, no fierce confrontations with prophets, no dramatic ups and downs. But it is precisely this "ordinariness" that may be one of the most precious testimonies of life in the Bible.
In today's church culture, we often focus more on "dramatic testimonies": salvation from the abyss, miraculous healing from illness, miraculous reversals in careers. These are certainly reasons for gratitude. But Jotham reminds us: what pleases God most may not be one or two spiritual peaks, but walking uprightly before Him day after day.
No one will write a poem or make a movie about Jotham. But God's assessment of him is "walked uprightly, became mighty": these six words carry more weight than any heroic legend. What God values is not the most glorious day of your faith life, but your faithfulness every day.
You may not become a faith hero like Jehoshaphat, nor do you need to experience a dramatic life like Uzziah. If you can, in the ordinary life of every day—work, family, church service—quietly and steadfastly "walk uprightly before God," you have already lived Jotham's life. And God's promised "became mighty" will surely come upon you.
Jotham's faithfulness was "quiet": no earth-shattering deeds, only continuous uprightness. Do you sometimes feel your faith life is "too ordinary"? How does Jotham's story change your view of "ordinary faithfulness"?
Jotham personally did good, but "the people still acted corruptly." Within your sphere of influence—family, workplace, church—are you content with just doing what is right yourself, without actively influencing those around you?
Jotham learned lessons from his father's failure (not entering the temple). What have you learned from the spiritual fall of your predecessors or those around you? How do these lessons help you avoid the same traps?
27:1 "Jotham 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."
2 Chronicles 27:1（World English Bible）
Jotham officially ascended the throne at twenty-five, but his actual time in power began earlier. When his father Uzziah was isolated due to leprosy (26:21), Jotham had already been regent, managing state affairs. This means he bore immense responsibility at a young age: maintaining the operation of a powerful nation while dealing with the awkward situation of his father's illness and isolation.
His mother, Jerushah, was "the daughter of Zadok." Zadok is the name of a priestly family (tracing back to Zadok, the high priest in David's time), meaning royal and priestly blood flowed in Jotham's veins. In the context of his father Uzziah being punished for usurping priestly functions, this maternal lineage is particularly significant. Jotham had a blood relationship with the priestly family, but he never overstepped his bounds.
His reign of "sixteen years" was relatively short (approximately 750-735 BC), but these sixteen years were a crucial period for Judah to maintain stability under the shadow of the expanding Assyrian Empire.
27:2 "He 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."
2 Chronicles 27:2（World English Bible）
This verse contains the most insightful assessment of Jotham.
First, the positive: "He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, according to all that his father Uzziah had done." He inherited his father's excellent traditions of governance (military, construction, agriculture) but did not inherit his father's pride.
Then, the crucial qualifier: "however he didn’t enter into Yahweh’s temple." This phrase has two possible interpretations:
Regardless of the interpretation, Jotham demonstrated a humble piety: he did not overreach like his father but faithfully acted within the scope of his own office.
However, the last sentence casts a shadow: "And the people still dealt corruptly." Jotham personally did good, but he failed to reverse the spiritual condition of the entire nation. This tells us that a good king does not equate to a good spiritual leader. Jotham was effective in managing state affairs, but he lacked the vigor in guiding the people back to God. This also laid the groundwork for the widespread idolatry among the populace in the next chapter, during Ahaz's era.
27:3 "He built the upper gate of Yahweh’s house, and he built much on the wall of Ophel."
2 Chronicles 27:3（World English Bible）
"The upper gate of Yahweh’s house" was an important gatehouse at the northern entrance of the temple. This is a significant detail: although Jotham "didn't enter" the temple, he built the temple gate. He did not usurp the priestly office by entering the temple, but he fulfilled his royal duty by adding to the temple's structure. This is a perfect example of "respecting boundaries": I do what I should (build), and I don't do what I shouldn't (burn incense).
Ophel (עֹפֶל, Ophel) is the ridge platform at the southern end of the Temple Mount, connecting the City of David with the temple area. "On the wall of Ophel he built much" indicates that Jotham fortified Jerusalem's most crucial defensive zone, the link between the temple and the royal palace.
27:4 "Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers."
2 Chronicles 27:4（World English Bible）
This verse is brief but informative: building cities in the hill country of Judah, and building castles and watchtowers in the forests (hilly areas covered by primeval forests). The mountain cities provided defensive depth, and the castles and watchtowers in the forests were forward reconnaissance systems. Jotham continued his father Uzziah's building tradition (see the wilderness watchtowers in 26:10), further perfecting Judah's defense system.
27:5 "He 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."
2 Chronicles 27:5（World English Bible）
Jotham's only recorded military action was defeating the Ammonites (a powerful nation east of the Jordan River). The scale of the tribute was considerable:
These tributes were collected for three years consecutively, indicating that Judah's control over Ammon was not a one-time plunder but sustained suzerainty. The Ammonites had already paid tribute during Uzziah's time (26:8), and Jotham continued this advantage, showing that the nation's strength had not declined due to Uzziah's illness and isolation.
The tribute of ten thousand measures of grain was economically very important, enough to support a considerable standing army. Jotham's military and economic strength provided the foundation for Judah's survival in the era of Assyrian expansion.
27:6 "So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God."
2 Chronicles 27:6（World English Bible）
This verse is the soul of the entire chapter and the core evaluation of Jotham by the Chronicler. Note the precision of the wording:
"before Yahweh his God": Not before men, not before the people, but before God. Jotham's faithfulness was not a political performance for others to see, but a genuine life lived before God.
"ordered his ways" (כוֹנֵן דְּרָכָיו, konen derachav, literally "made his ways firm"): This expression is more powerful than simply "doing good." The root כּוּן (kun, to be firm, to establish) is often used in Chronicles to describe "the establishment of the kingdom": Jotham did not just occasionally do the right thing, but steadfastly walked on the right path. His path was not wavering or opportunistic, but continuous and stable.
"became mighty": This is another verification of the "seeking God → prosperity" formula. But unlike Uzziah's situation, Jotham's might did not lead to pride, at least not in the record. In the nine verses, there is no turning point, no fall, no judgment, which is quite rare among the kings of Judah.
Jotham is not the most famous king in the Bible, nor the most dramatic. But he may be the most stable, with no earth-shattering spiritual peaks or regrettable low points of fall. His story tells us: the essence of faithfulness is not spectacular, but steadfastness.
27:7-9 "Now 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. He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place."
2 Chronicles 27:7-9（World English Bible）
Jotham's conclusion is concise and complete, with no abnormal death, no rebellion, and no refusal of burial in the royal tombs. He died peacefully, "buried in the city of David," which was a rare good end among the recent kings of Judah (Joash was refused burial in the royal tombs, Amaziah was pursued and killed in Lachish, Uzziah was buried in the field of the royal tombs).
"Ahaz his son reigned in his place": This name foreshadows the coming storm. Jotham left behind a mighty Judah, but his son would destroy everything. A good father does not necessarily have a good son; spiritual inheritance requires each generation to make their own choices.
| Theme | Content | Scripture Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet Faithfulness | Not dramatic or spectacular, but consistently steadfast: this is one of the highest forms of faithfulness. | 27:6 "He walked in the right way and grew strong day by day." |
| Learning from Parental Mistakes | Jotham "did not enter Yahweh's temple": he learned from his father's presumption. | 27:2 (cf. 26:16) |
| Discrepancy Between Personal Piety and Public Influence | A good king does not mean good people: "the people still did corruptly." | 27:2 |
| Faithfulness Within Boundaries | Not doing the work of a priest (burning incense), but doing the work of a king (building): each keeping to their proper place. | 27:3 (built the temple gate, but did not enter the temple) |
| Chronicles' Cause-and-Effect Formula | Walking in the right way → growing strong day by day: another verification. | 27:6 |
| Character | Identity | Core Action | Chronicles' Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jotham | King of Judah, son of Uzziah | Built the gate of the temple and city defenses, defeated the Ammonites. | "He walked in the right way before God": a rare entirely positive assessment. |
| King of Ammon | King east of the Jordan River | Defeated by Jotham, paid tribute for three consecutive years. | Proof of Judah's military superiority. |
| Original | Transliteration | WEB Translation | Meaning and Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| כּוּן (kun) | kun | walked in the right way (lit. "established") | To make firm, to establish. 27:6 "Jotham established his ways": the same root is used to describe "the throne established" (1 Chr 17:14), Jotham's ways were as firm as a throne. |
| עֹפֶל (Ophel) | Ophel | Ophel | The ridge platform at the southern end of the Temple Mount, connecting the City of David with the temple area. 27:3 Jotham "built much" there: strengthening Jerusalem's most crucial defensive link. |
| כֹּר (kor) | kor | kor | A dry measure, about 220 liters. 27:5 The Ammonites paid tribute of ten thousand kors of wheat + ten thousand kors of barley, totaling about 4,400 tons of grain: enough to feed a large army. |
| דֶּרֶךְ (derekh) | derekh | way | 27:6 "walked in the right way": derekh in wisdom literature and Chronicles is a metaphor for life's direction; choosing which "way" determines destiny. |
This chapter, due to its extreme brevity, presents a rare "linear ascent" structure: no turns, no falls:
Grew strong day by day (27:6)
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Defeated the Ammonites, collected tribute for three years (27:5)
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Construction achievements: temple gate, city walls, cities (27:3-4)
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Overall assessment: "walked in the right way" (27:2)
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Ascended the throne (27:1)
After the continuous "inverted V" arcs (rise → fall) of Joash → Amaziah → Uzziah for three generations, Jotham's "linear ascent" appears remarkably refreshing. However, the Chronicler embeds a subtle hint: "the people still did corruptly" (27:2), preparing for the complete collapse in Ahaz's era.
During Jotham's reign (approximately 750-735 BC), the Assyrian Empire was rapidly expanding under Tiglath-Pileser III (reigned approximately 745-727 BC). Assyrian power advanced westward from Mesopotamia, with Syria and Israel (the northern kingdom) bearing the brunt.
Judah's relative peace under Jotham may have been partly because Assyrian pressure was temporarily concentrated in more northern regions. However, this period of calm was about to end. Shortly after Jotham's death, Israel and Aram (Syria) would unite to pressure Judah into joining an anti-Assyrian alliance, triggering the "Syro-Ephraimite War" recorded in Isaiah 7, which would fully erupt in Ahaz's era.
The annual tribute of one hundred talents of silver plus twenty thousand cors of grain was a considerable fortune in the Near Eastern economy of the 8th century BC. Assyrian inscriptions record tributes of similar scale, such as King Menahem of Israel paying one thousand talents of silver to Assyria (2 Kings 15:19-20). While Jotham's tribute from Ammon was smaller in scale, the practical military value of the grain tribute (feeding the army) might have been even higher.
Jotham's 9 verses are the shortest royal narrative in Chronicles (second only to the overview of the last kings of Judah at the end of chapter 36). But this brevity is not due to unimportance; rather, it reflects the Chronicler's narrative principle: he elaborates on deviation and punishment, and condenses faithfulness and prosperity. The absence of dramatic accounts is itself the highest praise, for there is nothing bad to write about.
Let's view Jotham in the mirror of three generations:
| Dimension of Contrast | Uzziah (Father) | Jotham (Himself) | Ahaz (Son) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Assessment | Prospered when he sought God → Pride | Did what was right, grew strong | Walked in the ways of the kings, exceedingly wicked |
| Relationship with the Temple | Invaded the Temple to burn incense | Built the Temple gate, but did not enter the Temple | Closed the doors of the Temple (2 Chr 28:24) |
| Outcome | Leprosy, isolation | Died well, buried in the City of David | Not buried in the tombs of the kings |
Jotham stands between his father's pride and his son's wickedness, like a brief breakwater. He learned from his father's mistakes but could not prevent his son from repeating them, or even going further.
This seemingly insignificant parenthetical remark is actually the most important narrative seed in the entire chapter. Jotham's personal faithfulness did not translate into a nationwide spiritual revival. Idolatry among the people spread underground, just waiting for a king who would permit or even promote it. Ahaz was that king. When the Chronicler records Ahaz setting up high places everywhere and destroying the articles of the Temple (28:24-25), readers will recall the hidden thread in 27:2: the problem did not appear suddenly, but had been latent during Jotham's time.
Jotham's "firmly established his ways" (konen derachav) has profound echoes in the Old Testament:
"Way" (derekh) is a central metaphor for life choices in wisdom literature. Before humanity are two ways, one leading to life, the other to death (Deuteronomy 30:19). Jotham's choice was: in the ordinary governance of every day, to steadfastly walk in God's way. No dramatic turns were needed, nor astonishing acts of faith, but simply choosing the right way every day and persevering in it.
The generational gap between Jotham and Ahaz is one of the most heartbreaking examples in Chronicles. The son of a good king can become the worst king, and vice versa (later Ahaz → Hezekiah). This reveals a fundamental theological principle: faith cannot be inherited. Every generation, every individual, must make their own decision to seek God. Jotham's faithfulness protected Judah for sixteen years, but he could not believe in God for his son.
| Old Testament Verse | New Testament Echo | Related Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 27:6 "did what was right, grew strong" | Luke 16:10 "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much" | Faithfulness starts small, continues daily: Jotham's model |
| 27:2 "did not enter Yahweh's Temple" | Romans 12:3 "not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" | Jotham's self-restraint: knowing his boundaries |
| 27:2 "the people still acted corruptly" | Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth... if the salt has lost its flavor" | If personal piety doesn't translate into public influence, it's like salt that has lost its flavor |
| 27:6 "did what was right before Yahweh" | Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord" | Acting before God (not before people): purity of motive |
| Jotham overall: a quiet, faithful life | 1 Thessalonians 4:11 "to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business" | Christian life is not always dramatic: quiet faithfulness itself is a testimony |