Wednesday Bible Study: Hit the snooze button

Thank the Lord, we're almost through Chronicles. Just a few more chapters to go. Jotham is mentioned very briefly in the Book of Kings, so that is not the source referred to at the end here. What is odd, however, is that the Chronicler usually refers to what appear to be two separate books, the book of the Kings of Judah and the book of the Kings of Israel. Here he refers to a single book, but it can't be the canonical Book of Kings because that does not include any additional detail about Jotham.

Of course we get the usual absurd amounts of tribute.

27 Jotham 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. 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 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 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.

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