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Jotham Rules Judah

¹ Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. ² Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He did all that his father Uzziah had done, only he did not go into the house of the Lord. But the people still sinned much. ³ Jotham built the upper gate of the Lord's house, and did much building on the wall of Ophel. ⁴ He built cities in the hill country of Judah, and strong places and towers on the tree-covered hills. ⁵ He fought with the king of the Ammonites and won the war against them so that the Ammonites paid taxes to him. During that year they paid him silver weighing as much as 100 men, 100,000 baskets of wheat, and 100,000 baskets of barley. The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second and in the third year. ⁶ So Jotham became powerful, because he let the Lord his God lead him in all his ways. ⁷ Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, all his wars and his acts, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹ Jotham died and they buried him in the city of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.