Jotham: Isaiah 6
First mention 2 Kings 15:5. Last mention Micah 1:1.
Jotham succeeded Uzziah at age 25 and reigned 16 years.
Significant References: Hosea 1:1, Micah 1:1
Jotham did right, reigned 16 years, became mighty and died. “So passeth away the glory of this world.” The prophet Micah began to prophecy in his reign (Micah 1:1).
— The Christadelphian, Volume 33, 1896, Page 80
He was succeeded by Jotham, who reigned 16 years. He did right, but the people still did wickedly. He defeated the Ammonites and brought them under tribute.
— The Christadelphian, Volume 40, 1903, Page 528
His vision of chapter 6 is dated “in the year that King Uzziah died.” After that, Jotham reigned 16 years, and Ahaz followed with another 16 years’ reign.
— Roberts, R & Walker, C. C., The Minister of the Prophets Isaiah, 1923, page 378
The career of Jotham was relatively short but enormously successful. He came to the throne as a co-regent with his father Uzziah who was forced out of public life through the leprosy contracted in the temple as a result of his presumption. It appears that Jotham’s sole reign lasted only about 6 years but throughout his short reign he followed the example of his father’s early years and sought Yahweh who in turn blessed him.
The history of Jotham’s reign is very short but sufficient is recorded to clearly indicate that Jotham was one of Judah’s faithful rulers.
Like his father he was successful at home and abroad; his military campaigns and internal projects to fortify Judah were all divinely blessed until he “became mighty”. A deficiency of his reign was that his dedication to Yahweh was not shared by the majority of the people of Judah.
The most important feature of Jotham’s life was that his success was directly related to his godliness. The account is explicit; “So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before Yahweh his God”. The grounds upon which present and ultimate success are predicated have not changed; “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word”. (Isaiah 66:2.)
Hear Now These Words 