HE WALKED STEADFASTLY BEFORE GOD

Passage: 2 Chronicles 27:1-9

Key verse: 6

NIV

Jotham King of Judah(A)

27 Jotham(B) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices. 3 Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.(C) 4 He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

5 Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites(D) and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents[a] of silver, ten thousand cors[b] of wheat and ten thousand cors[c] of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.

6 Jotham grew powerful(E) because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

7 The other events in Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. 9 Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Chronicles 27:5 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  2. 2 Chronicles 27:5 That is, probably about 1,800 tons or about 1,600 metric tons of wheat
  3. 2 Chronicles 27:5 That is, probably about 1,500 tons or about 1,350 metric tons of barley
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jotham Reigns in Judah

27 (A)Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah had done, (B)except he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people still followed corrupt practices. 3 He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord and did much building on the wall of (C)Ophel. 4 Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills. 5 He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. And the Ammonites gave him that year 100 talents[a] of silver, and 10,000 cors[b] of wheat and 10,000 of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and the third years. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God. 7 (D)Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was (E)twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he 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 place.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Chronicles 27:5 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  2. 2 Chronicles 27:5 A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. He did right, even better than dad (1-4)

Jotham became king at age 25 and died at age 41. He did right in the LORD's eyes. He even did better than his father by not sinning at the temple. But the people continued corrupt practices. He rebuilt a temple gate and did extensive wall work. Will we do better than those before us?

2. A steadfast walk before God (5-9)

Jotham conquered the Ammonites and they brought him a large tribute. Why did he grow so powerful? It was because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God. It is not easy to do that when the people before you and around you are not walking steadfastly before God. He walked the narrow path to life (Mt 7:14). How are you walking for those that will follow?

Prayer: Lord, may we overcome corrupt practices all around us and walk steadfastly before you. May all who come behind us find us faithful.

One Word: Walk steadfastly before God.