2 Chronicles · Chapter 27
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
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.
He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
John Wesley
V. 3. Built-Repaired it: for it was built before, 2 Chronicles 11:5.
Adam Clarke
Verse 3. On the wall of Ophel] The wall, says the Targum, of the interior palace. Ophel was some part of the wall of Jerusalem, that was most pregnable, and therefore Jotham fortified it in a particular manner.
Joseph Benson
Verse 3. He built the high gate, &c. — Otherwise called the new gate. He repaired it, for it was built before, 2 Chronicles 11:5. On the wall of Ophel he built much — Ophel was a tower upon or near the wall of Jerusalem, which probably he fortified, as his father had other towers.
Joseph Sutcliffe
Verse 3. On the wall of Ophel he built much. Villapandus, in his plan of Jerusalem, places Ophel on the east of the city, and near the temple. Its tower was said to touch the clouds. The Nethinims, the Gibeonites had houses under this wall.
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
Adam Clarke
Verse 4. Castles and towers.] These he built for the protection of the country people against marauders.
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.
Adam Clarke
Verse 5. He fought also with-the Ammonites] We find here that he brought them under a heavy tribute for three years; but whether this was the effect of his prevailing against them, is not so evident. Some think that they paid this tribute for three years, and then revolted; that, in consequence, he attacked them, and their utter subjection was the result.
Joseph Benson
Verses 5, 6. He fought also with the Ammonites — Who, it seems, endeavoured to shake off the yoke, which from David’s time had been put upon them. So Jotham became mighty — In wealth, and power, and influence upon the neighbouring nations, who courted his friendship, and feared his displeasure; because he prepared his ways, &c. — Or, directed his ways, his counsels, and actions, by the rule of God’s law. The more steadfast we are in religion, the more mighty we are both for the resistance of that which is evil, and for the performance of that which is good.
So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
Joseph Benson
Verses 5, 6. He fought also with the Ammonites — Who, it seems, endeavoured to shake off the yoke, which from David’s time had been put upon them. So Jotham became mighty — In wealth, and power, and influence upon the neighbouring nations, who courted his friendship, and feared his displeasure; because he prepared his ways, &c. — Or, directed his ways, his counsels, and actions, by the rule of God’s law. The more steadfast we are in religion, the more mighty we are both for the resistance of that which is evil, and for the performance of that which is good.
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Adam Clarke
Verse 7. The rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways] It was in his days, according to 2 Kings 15:37, that Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, began to cut Judah short. See the notes on 2 Kings 15:36, 37.
Written in the book of the kings, &c.] There is not so much found in the books of Kings which we have now, as in this place of the Chronicles. In both places we have abridged accounts only: the larger histories have long been lost. The reign of Jotham was properly the last politically prosperous reign among the Jews. Hezekiah and Josiah did much to preserve the Divine worship; but Judah continued to be cut short, till at last it was wholly ruined.
II CHRONICLES
He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
Joseph Benson
Verse 9. And Jotham slept with his fathers — He died in the midst of his days, being only forty-one years of age, finishing his course too soon, as we may be ready to say, considering his great usefulness, but finishing it with honour, and having the happiness of not outliving his reputation, as his last three mentioned predecessors outlived theirs. And Ahaz his son reigned in his stead — Whose character, in all respects, was the reverse of his. “When that wealth and powers,” says Henry, “which wise men have done good with, devolves upon fools, that will do hurt with it, it is lamentable, and shall be for a lamentation.”
John Wesley
V. 2. He did-He did according to all that his father Uzziah did; except in his miscarriages. We must not imitate those we have the greatest esteem for, any farther than we do well; but their failings must be warnings to us, to walk more circumspectly.
Adam Clarke
Verse 2. He entered not into the temple] He copied his father’s conduct as far as it was constitutional; and avoided his transgression. See the preceding chapter.
Joseph Benson
Verse 2. He did that which was right, &c. — He did according to all his father Uzziah did, except in his miscarriages. We must not imitate those we have the greatest esteem for, any further than they do well; and their failings must be warnings to us, to walk more circumspectly.