2 Chronicles 27 commentary

The people did corruptly. Perhaps Jotham was wanting towards the reformation of the land. Men may be very good, and yet not have courage and zeal to do what they might. It certainly casts blame upon the people. Jotham prospered, and became mighty. The more stedfast we are in religion, the more mighty we are, both to resist evil, and to do good. The Lord often removes wise and pious rulers, and sends others, whose follies and vices punish a people that valued not their mercies.

CHAPTER 27

2Ch 27:1-4. Jotham, Reigning Well, Prospers.

1. Jotham was twenty and five years old--(See on 2Ki 15:32-35).

His mother's name ... Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok--or descendant of the famous priest of that name [2Sa 8:17].

2. he did that which was right--The general rectitude of his government is described by representing it as conducted on the excellent principles which had guided the early part of his father's reign.

the people did yet corruptly--(See 2Ki 15:35); but the description here is more emphatic, that though Jotham did much to promote the good of his kingdom and aimed at a thorough reformation in religion, the widespread and inveterate wickedness of the people frustrated all his laudable efforts.

3. He built the high gate of the house of the Lord--situated on the north--that portion of the temple hill which was high compared with the southern part--hence "the higher," or upper gate (see on 2Ki 15:35). He built, that is, repaired or embellished.

and on the wall of Ophel--Hebrew, "the Ophel," that is, the mound, or eminence on the southeastern slope of the temple mount, a ridge lying between the valleys Kedron and Tyropoeon, called "the lower city" [Josephus]. He

built much--having the same desire as his father to secure the defense of Jerusalem in every direction.

4. in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers--that is, in the elevated and wooded spots where fortified cities could not be placed, he erected castles and towers.

2Ch 27:5-9. He Subdues the Ammonites.

5. He fought also with the king of the Ammonites--This invasion he not only repelled, but, pursuing the Ammonites into their own territory, he imposed on them a yearly tribute, which, for two years, they paid. But when Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, combined to attack the kingdom of Judah, they took the opportunity of revolting, and Jotham was too distracted by other matters to attempt the reconquest (see on 2Ki 15:37).

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, 2 Chronicles 26 (note).

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.

Castles and towers - These he built for the protection of the country people against marauders.

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.

The rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways - It was in his days, according to 2Kgs 15:37, that Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, began to cut Judah short. See the notes on 2Kgs 15:36, 2Kgs 15:37.

Written in the book of the kings, etc. - 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.

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.

Built - Repaired it: for it was built before, chap.11:5.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entred not into the temple of the LORD . And the people did yet corruptly.

To wit, to offer Incense. But seeing this was commendable, how is this mentioned as an exception from the foregoing Character, that he did as his Father did in that which was right? &c. Answ. It is an exception onely from the last clause, where also one word may be supplied out of the foregoing words, as is most usual in Scripture, thus, He did according to all that his father Uzziah did; then it fitly follows, howbeit, &c. i. e. except in his miscarriages.

3 He built the high-gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

i. e. Repaired it: for it was built before, ch. 11. 5.

[illegible: 1 word] wise called the New gate, Jer. 36. 10.

A Tower upon [illegible: 1 word] the wall of Jerusalem, which probably he fortified, as his Father [illegible: 1 word] done other Towers, ch. 2. 6. 9.

Marginal references: Or, the [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]r.

5 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.

Who, it seems, endeavoured to shake off the yoke which from Davids time had been put upon them.

Marginal references: Heb. this▪

6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.

Or, directed his ways, i. e. his counsels and actions by the rule of Gods Law.

Marginal references: Or, established.

2Ch 27:1-2

Jotham having ascended the throne at the age of twenty-five, reigned altogether in the spirit and power of his father, with the single limitation that he did not go into the sanctuary of Jahve (cf. 2Ch 26:16.). This remark is not found in 2 Kings 15, because there Uzziah’s intrusion into the temple is also omitted. The people still did corruptly (cf. 2Ch 26:16). This refers, indeed, to the continuation of the worship in the high places, but hints also at the deep moral corruption which the prophets of that time censure (cf. especially Isa 2:5., 2Ch 5:7.; Mic 1:5; Mic 2:1.).

2Ch 27:3-4

He built the upper gate of the house of Jahve, i.e., the northern gate of the inner or upper court (see on 2Ki 15:35); the only work of his reign which is mentioned in the book of Kings. But besides this, he continued the fortifying of Jerusalem, which his father had commenced; building much at the wall of the Ophel. העפל was the name of the southern slope of the temple mountain (see on 2Ch 33:14); the wall of Ophel is consequently the wall connecting Zion with the temple mountain, at which Uzziah had already built (see on 2Ch 26:9). He likewise carried on his father’s buildings for the protection of the herds (2Ch 26:10), building the cities in the mountains of Judah, and castles (בּירניּות,   2Ch 17:12) and towers in the forests of the mountains of Judah (חרשׁים from חרשׁ, a thicket).

2Ch 27:5

He made war upon the king of the Ammonites, and overcame them. The Ammonites had before paid tribute to Uzziah. After his death they would seem to have refused to pay this tribute; and Jotham made them again tributary by force of arms. They were compelled to pay him after their defeat, in that same year, 100 talents of silver, 10,000 cor of wheat, and a similar quantity of barley, as tribute. לו השׁיבוּ זאת: this they brought to him again, i.e., they paid him the same amount as tribute in the second and third years of their subjection also. After three years, consequently, they would seem to have again become independent, or refused the tribute, probably in the last years of Jotham, in which, according to 2Ki 15:37, the Syrian king Rezin and Pekah of Israel began to make attacks upon Judah.

2Ch 27:6-7

By all these undertakings Jotham strengthened himself, sc. in the kingdom, i.e., he attained to greater power, because he made his ways firm before Jahve, i.e., walked stedfastly before Jahve; did not incur guilt by falling away into idolatry, or by faithless infringement of the rights of the Lord (as Uzziah did by his interference with the rights of the priesthood). From the כּל־מלחמתיו in the concluding remark (2Ch 27:7) we learn that he had waged still other successful wars. The older commentators reckon among these wars, the war against Rezin and Pekah, which kings the Lord began in his days to send against Judah (see 2Ki 15:37), but hardly with justice. The position of this note, which is altogether omitted in the Chronicle, at the end of the account of Jotham in 2Ki 15:37, appears to hint that this war broke out only towards the end of Jotham’s reign, so that he could not undertake anything important against this foe.

2Ch 27:8-9

The repetition of the chronological statement already given in 2Ch 27:1 is probably to be explained by supposing that two authorities, each of which contained this remark, were used.

The Reign of Jotham. (b. c. 758.)

1 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. 2 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. 3 He built the high gate of the house of the Lord , and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5 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. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. 7 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. 8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

There is not much more related here concerning Jotham than we had before, 2 Kings xv. 32, &c.

I. He reigned well. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; the course of his reign was good, and pleasing to God, whose favour he made his end, and his word his rule, and (which shows that he acted from a good principle) he prepared his ways before the Lord his God (v. 6), that is, he walked circumspectly and with much caution, contrived how to shun that which was evil and compass that which was good. He looked before him, and cast his affairs into such a posture and method as made the regular management of them the more easy. Or he established or fixed his ways before the Lord, that is, he walked steadily and constantly in the way of his duty, was uniform and resolute in it: not like some of those that went before him, who, though they had some good in them, lost their credit by their inconstancy and inconsistency with themselves. They had run well, but something hindered them. It was not so with Jotham. Two things are observed here in his character:—1. What was amiss in his father he amended in himself (v. 2): He did according to all that his father did well and wisely; howbeit he would not imitate him in which he did amiss; for he entered not into the temple of the Lord to burn incense as his father did, but took warning by his fate not to dare so presumptuous a thing. Note, We must not imitate the best men, and those we have the greatest veneration for, any further than they did well; but, on the contrary, their falls, and the injurious consequences of them, must be warnings to us to walk the more circumspectly, that we stumble not at the same stone that they stumbled at. 2. What was amiss in his people he could not prevail to amend: The people did yet corruptly. Perhaps it reflects some blame upon him, that he was wanting in his part towards the reformation of the land. Men may be very good themselves, and yet not have courage and zeal to do what they might do towards the reforming of others. However it certainly reflects a great deal of blame upon the people, that they did not do what they might have done to improve the advantages of so good a reign: they had good instructions given them and a good example set before them, but they would not be reformed; so that even in the reign of their good kings, as well as in that of the bad ones, they were treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; for they still did corruptly, and the founder melted in vain.

II. He prospered, and became truly reputable. 1. He built. He began with the gate of the house of the Lord, which he repaired, beautified, and raised. He then fortified the wall of Ophel, and built cities in the mountains of Judah (v. 3, 4), took all possible care for the fortifying of his country and the replenishing of it. 2. He conquered. He prevailed against the Ammonites, who had invaded Judah in Jehoshaphat's time, ch. xx. 1. He triumphed over them, and exacted great contributions from them, v. 5. He became mighty (v. 6) in wealth and power, and influence upon the neighbouring nations, who courted his friendship and feared his displeasure; and this he got by preparing his ways before the Lord his God. The more stedfast 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.

III. He finished his course too soon, but finished it with honour. He had the unhappiness to die in the midst of his days; but, to balance that, the happiness not to out-live his reputation, as the last three of his predecessors did. He died when he was but forty-one years of age (v. 8); but his wars and his ways, his wars abroad and his ways at home, were so glorious that they were recorded in the book of the kings of Israel, as well as of the kings of Judah, v. 7. The last words of the chapter are the most melancholy, as they inform us that Ahaz his son, whose character, in all respects, was the reverse of his, reigned in his stead. When the wealth and power with which wise men have done good devolve upon fools, that will do hurt with them, it is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.