Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 27:1
Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jotham assumes the throne of Judah in Jerusalem after his father Uzziah’s reign, with the chronicler recording his age at accession and the duration of his rule. The text introduces him as the son of Uzziah and Jerushah, daughter of Zadok, establishing his royal lineage and administrative beginning.
The words — The Hebrew construction בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה (ben-‘esrim wəḥāmēš šānâ) literally renders "a son of twenty and five years," denoting age at accession. The phrase בְּמַלְכּוֹ (bə-malkô) marks the precise moment of his coronation before noting the six-and-ten years of his reign.
The thread — This accession record aligns with the genealogical line in 1 Chronicles 3:12 and the synchronism with Israel’s king Pekah in 2 Kings 15:32. The reign is also bracketed by Isaiah 1:1, which lists Jotham among the monarchs during the prophet’s ministry.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition of royal succession mechanics and the chronicler’s emphasis on precise regnal data. It requires the reader to track how dynastic records anchor Judah’s history to specific timelines and priestly lineages.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 3:12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,
- 2 Kings 15:32 In the second year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah over Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah.
- Isaiah 1:1 This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
- Hosea 1:1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel.
- Micah 1:1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem:
- Matthew 1:9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.