2 Kings 15:32-38

14. Jotham’s good reign in Judah 15:32-38

Jotham’s 16-year reign over Judah (750-735 B.C.) began while Pekah was in power in Gilead. He shared the last four of these years with his coregent son Ahaz.

Jotham added the upper gate of the temple (2 Kings 15:35), an opening between the outer and inner courts on the north side of the temple near the altar of burnt offerings. Other names for it were the upper Benjamin gate (Jeremiah 20:2), the new gate (Jeremiah 26:10; Jeremiah 36:10), the north gate (Ezekiel 8:3), and the altar gate (Ezekiel 8:5). This shows his concern for Yahweh’s reputation in Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 27:3-6).

The Syro-Ephraimitic alliance, to which the writer referred briefly in 2 Kings 15:37, features significantly in 2 Kings 16:5-8 and Isaiah 7:1-17. Judah’s neighbors to the north and east were eager to secure Judah’s help in combating the growing Assyrian threat. They turned against Judah because Judah did not join them (2 Kings 15:37). The reasons for this will follow in the discussion of Ahaz, Judah’s king (ch. 16). [Note: See B. Oded, "The Historical Background of the Syro-Ephraimitic War Reconsidered," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 34:2 (April 1972):153-65.]

15. Ahaz’s evil reign in Judah ch. 16

Ahaz reigned for 16 years (732-715 B.C.). Before that he was his father Jotham’s coregent for four years (735-732 B.C.). [Note: For explanation of the complexities of dating Ahaz’s vice-regency under Jotham (744-735 B.C.) and his coregency with Jotham (735-732 B.C.), see Merrill, Kingdom of . . ., pp. 402-5. See also Hubbard, p. 201.]