JOTHAM

(Joʹtham) [may Jehovah complete].

1. A descendant of Judah designated as a ‘son’ of Jahdai.—1 Chron. 2:47.

2. Youngest son of Judge Gideon (Jerubbaal) residing at Ophrah. (Judg. 8:35; 9:5) After Gideon’s death, Abimelech, his son by a slave girl, murdered all his half brothers, that is, all but Jotham, who had concealed himself. Thereafter, when the landowners of Shechem made Abimelech their king, Jotham stationed himself atop Mount Gerizim and, by means of an illustration involving trees, pronounced a prophetic malediction upon the landowners of Shechem and Abimelech. Subsequently Jotham fled and took up residence at Beer.—Judg. 9:6-21, 57.

3. Son of Judean King Uzziah (Azariah) by Jerusha(h) the daughter of Zadok. (2 Ki. 15:32, 33; 1 Chron. 3:12; 2 Chron. 27:1; Matt. 1:9) After Uzziah was struck with leprosy when he became angry at the priests because of being reproved by them for unlawfully invading the temple and attempting to offer up incense, Jotham began caring for the kingly duties in his father’s stead. But apparently not until Uzziah’s death did twenty-five-year-old Jotham begin his sixteen-year rule (777-c. 762 B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 15:5, 7, 32; 2 Chron. 26:18-21, 23; 27:8.

In the time of Jotham certain Gadites were enrolled genealogically, and Isaiah, Hosea and Micah served as prophets. (1 Chron. 5:11, 17; Isa. 1:1; Hos. 1:1; Mic. 1:1) Although his subjects engaged in improper worship at high places, Jotham personally did what was right in Jehovah’s eyes.—2 Ki. 15:35; 2 Chron. 27:2, 6.

Much construction work was done during Jotham’s reign. He erected the upper gate of the temple, did considerable building on the wall of Ophel, also built cities in the mountainous region of Judah, and fortified places and towers in the woodlands.—2 Chron. 27:3-7.

But Jotham did not enjoy a peaceful reign. He warred with the Ammonites and finally triumphed over them. As a result, for three years they paid a yearly tribute of a hundred silver talents (c. $142,359 in modern values) and ten thousand cor measures (c. 62,000 bushels or 2,200,000 liters) both of wheat and of barley. (2 Chron. 27:5) During Jotham’s reign the land of Judah also began to experience military pressures from Syrian King Rezin and Israelite King Pekah.—2 Ki. 15:37.

At his death Jotham was buried in the city of David, and his son Ahaz, who had been about four years old when Jotham became king, ascended the throne of Judah.—2 Chron. 27:7–28:1.

Since Jotham ruled only sixteen years, the reference at 2 Kings 15:30 to the “twentieth year of Jotham” evidently is to be understood to mean the twentieth year after his becoming king, that is, the fourth year of Ahaz. The writer of the Kings account may have chosen not to introduce Jotham’s successor Ahaz at this point because of yet having to supply details about Jotham’s reign.

[Picture on page 969]

Seal inscription reading “[Belonging] to Jotham”