II Kings 15:32-35
“In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.” (II Kings 15:32-33)
Pekah became king of Israel early in Uzziah’s fifty second year as king of Judah. Just over a year later, Uzziah died and his son Jotham became king. Twenty five years old, he would reign for sixteen years.
Like almost all the kings of Judah, we are given Jotham’s mother’s name. Interestingly, we do not know the names of the mothers of many of the kings of Israel. In God’s plan, the husband and father is intended to be the head of the family, establishing and modeling the family’s moral and religious standards, but the mother and wife is the one who has the responsibility for how those standards are implemented in daily life.
Many of Judah’s kings were men who served the Lord, and their mothers carried a major influence in how fully they did so. None of Israels kings served God after the country split, and only rarely is a mother able to completely overcome a wicked father’s standards, so the mothers of the kings of Israel were not the determining factor in their disobedience.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.” (II Kings 15:34)
“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.” (II Chronicles 27:2)
“Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.” (II Kings 15:35)
Uzziah had served the Lord devotedly until he gave in to his pride and tried to take over the priesthood. Jotham did like his father in serving God with the difference that he didn’t try to take over the priesthood. Despite his best efforts, the people continued to worship the gods of nature and superstition. That was their decision, not Jotham’s and God would bless Judah because Jotham served God.
“He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.” (II Chronicles 27:3-4)
Jotham did a lot to improve Judah, establishing cities in uninhabited areas and setting up defensive positions in forested areas where enemy forces could easily hide. He also made improvements to the Temple.
“He 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. So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.” (II Chronicles 27:5-6)
Because of God’s blessings, Jotham was able to defeat the Ammonites, demanding tribute from them. They paid thousands of bushels of wheat and barley raised in the area around Amman Jordan, as well as hundreds of pounds of silver to be left alone.
“Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.” (II Kings 15:36-38)
Though Jotham served God and was blessed for it, the people did not stop their sin, and the Syrians and joined forces with Pekah to attack them as a result of their sin. They would take advantage of the confusion surrounding Jotham’s death to attack Judah before Ahaz could establish control. Just about a year later, Pekah was murdered by Elah.
“In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.” (II Kings 15:32-33)
Pekah became king of Israel early in Uzziah’s fifty second year as king of Judah. Just over a year later, Uzziah died and his son Jotham became king. Twenty five years old, he would reign for sixteen years.
Like almost all the kings of Judah, we are given Jotham’s mother’s name. Interestingly, we do not know the names of the mothers of many of the kings of Israel. In God’s plan, the husband and father is intended to be the head of the family, establishing and modeling the family’s moral and religious standards, but the mother and wife is the one who has the responsibility for how those standards are implemented in daily life.
Many of Judah’s kings were men who served the Lord, and their mothers carried a major influence in how fully they did so. None of Israels kings served God after the country split, and only rarely is a mother able to completely overcome a wicked father’s standards, so the mothers of the kings of Israel were not the determining factor in their disobedience.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.” (II Kings 15:34)
“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.” (II Chronicles 27:2)
“Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.” (II Kings 15:35)
Uzziah had served the Lord devotedly until he gave in to his pride and tried to take over the priesthood. Jotham did like his father in serving God with the difference that he didn’t try to take over the priesthood. Despite his best efforts, the people continued to worship the gods of nature and superstition. That was their decision, not Jotham’s and God would bless Judah because Jotham served God.
“He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.” (II Chronicles 27:3-4)
Jotham did a lot to improve Judah, establishing cities in uninhabited areas and setting up defensive positions in forested areas where enemy forces could easily hide. He also made improvements to the Temple.
“He 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. So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.” (II Chronicles 27:5-6)
Because of God’s blessings, Jotham was able to defeat the Ammonites, demanding tribute from them. They paid thousands of bushels of wheat and barley raised in the area around Amman Jordan, as well as hundreds of pounds of silver to be left alone.
“Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.” (II Kings 15:36-38)
Though Jotham served God and was blessed for it, the people did not stop their sin, and the Syrians and joined forces with Pekah to attack them as a result of their sin. They would take advantage of the confusion surrounding Jotham’s death to attack Judah before Ahaz could establish control. Just about a year later, Pekah was murdered by Elah.
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