Jotham of Judah
1Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. 2He did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, following everything his father Uzziah had done — except that he did not enter the temple of Yahweh. But the people went on in their corruption. 3He built the Upper Gate of the house of Yahweh, and he did a great deal of building on the wall of the Ophel. 4He built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the wooded parts he built strongholds and towers. 5He fought the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them. That year the Ammonites gave him a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand of barley; and this the Ammonites paid him again in the second year and in the third. 6Jotham grew strong, because he had set his ways firmly before Yahweh his God. 7The rest of Jotham’s acts, all his wars and his ways, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9Jotham lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in the City of David. And Ahaz his son became king in his place.
