2 Kings 15:32-38

II. JUDAH SUBMITS TO ASSYRIA 15:32-16:20

Under military pressure to join an anti-Assyrian coalition, Judah appealed to Tiglath-pileser for assistance. This brought the Southern Kingdom under the domination of Assyria. The events leading to this submission began during the reign of Jotham (2 Kings 15:32-38), and culminated in the reign of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:1-20).

A. THE REIGN OF JOTHAM 15:32-38

TRANSLATION

(32) In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign. (33) He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and twenty-six years he ruled in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. (34) And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD according to all which Uzziah his father had done. (35) Only the high places he did not remove; yet the people were sacrificing and offering incense in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD. (36) Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all which he did; are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (37) In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah. (38) And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Ahaz his son ruled in his place.

Tenth King of Judah
JOTHAM BEN AZARIAH
739-732 B.C.*
(Yahweb-perfect)

2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chronicles 27:1-4

Synchronism
Jotham 1 = Pekah 2
Contemporary Prophets
Isaiah; Micah

Mother: Jerusha

Appraisal: Good

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

Proverbs 20:28

*coregent from 750 B.C.
emeritus king from 735 B.C.

COMMENTS

The chronology of Jotham's reign is problematic. He is said to have commenced to reign in the second year of Pekah of Israel. This probably refers to the absolute or sole reign of both kings. Pekah began his sole reign over Israel in 740 and Jotham in 739 B.C. (2 Kings 15:32). Jotham is said to have reigned sixteen years (2 Kings 15:33), which are probably counted from the time Jotham was appointed regent in 750 B.C. Jotham actually lived four more years and in some sense continued to reign as is indicated in 2 Kings 15:30.

Jotham is evaluated as a good king. He is said to have done according to all that his father did (2 Kings 15:34) except that he did not repeat the tragic mistake of attempting to enter the Temple (2 Chronicles 27:2). Yet Jotham made no effort to destroy the high places which were so offensive to the Lord. He did, however, build the high gate of the Temple which probably was on the north side of that structure. This gate was probably intended to serve as further fortification against possible attack from the north. The Chronicler relates that Jotham also restored other fortifications (2 Chronicles 27:3) and built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

The author of Kings passes over in silence the principal event of Jotham's reign, his war with Ammon. The Chronicler relates: 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 (2 Chronicles 27:5).

The account of Jotham here ends with the note that the pressure of the Pekah-Rezin coalition began to exert itself during those days (2 Kings 15:37). When Rezin and Pekah launched their invasion of Judah in 733 B.C., Jotham was still alive, but Ahaz seems to have been handling the affairs of state. The conspiracy against Pekah is said to have taken place in the twentieth year of Jotham of Judah. However 2 Kings 15:33 declares that Jotham reigned but sixteen years. Both the twenty and the sixteen years are to be counted from the time when Jotham assumed the reins of government from his leprous father. This would appear to be in the year 750 B.C. However during the last four years of Jotham's reign he seems to have virtually relinquished control of the government to his son Ahaz. Thus the total length of Jotham's reign was twenty-one years; but the effective period of his ruling power was but sixteen.