BIBLE PEOPLE | JOTHAM, KING OF JUDAH

1. Bible People

a) The Bible is an historic record of real people and places. 

b) Here is a brief biography of such a person during Bible times.

2. Jotham, or Joatham, King of Judah

a) King Jotham assumed the throne of Judah when he was 25 years old. He reigned for 16 years, although some of these years might overlap with the reign of his father, Uzziah, while Uzziah was isolated with leprosy.

b) Jotham's mother was Jerusha, who was the daughter of Zadok. Jotham followed the generally good example of his father. He built the upper gate of the Temple and did extensive rebuilding of the walls on the hill where the Temple was located. He also built cities in the hill country of Judah.

c) He had a successful war against the Ammonites and received annual tribute from them for three years. King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to follow the path of the Lord (2 Chronicles 27:6). When he died, he was buried in Jerusalem, and his son, Ahaz, became the new king.

d) The story of Jotham is found in 2 Kings 15:32-38, and 2 Chronicles, chapter 27.

e) The name Jotham means "may Yah (a name for God) complete."