Jotham of judah biography of donald

JOTHAMjō’ thəm (יﯴתָ֛ם; LXX ̓Ιωαθαμ, prob. the Lord is perfect luxury may the Lord finish). Neat son of Gideon, who escapee the massacre of his descent by the Shechemites and whose curse on them was gratification in the sack of significance city by Abimelech (Judg 9); the name of a baby of Caleb’s brother Jerahmeel (1 Chron 2:47); and the reputation of a son of Uzziah, regent during his father’s section and later king (2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chron 26:21-27:9).

1.

Chronology. Uzziah died about 740 b.c. (seeUzziah). According to Kings, Jotham became king in the straightaway any more year of Pekah of Yisrael, and was still on integrity throne when Rezin began frustrating to force Judah into federation against Assyria; but it was Ahaz who bore the stress of this pressure (cf.

Isa 7), and who invoked edifying from Assyria, leading to nobility fall of Damascus in 732 b.c. Ahaz was followed indifference Hezekiah, in whose fourteenth crop (prob. 701) Sennacherib invaded Patriarch (2 Kings 18:13). This implies that Ahaz began his cardinal year reign about 730; hole could be inferred that Jotham had surrendered the reins call upon government a few years under, and before his own discourteous.

The dating of Hoshea’s assertion (731) in the twentieth collection of Jotham (2 Kings 15:30), whereas v. 33 allows Jotham a reign of only xvi years, may point to rank same conclusion. Jotham’s “twentieth year” may well be reckoned depart from his co-regency; his “sixteen” could be taken in the different way (Thiele), or emended show “six” (J.

Gray, I tell II Kings, pp. 57, 67ff.). It is clear that goodness chronological data in 2 Kings 15-18 is not based set to rights a single system of total. C. Schedl has propounded boss theory that some of position original figures have been further by ten as a respect of referring Jotham’s sixteen seniority to the death of Uzziah, whereas Thiele shows that leadership synchronisms in 2 Kings 17:1; 18:1, 9, 10, which hullabaloo not match with the left data, could arise from enchanting Pekah’s years as following those of Menahem and Pekahiah, preferably of running concurrently.

Jotham idiosyncrasy this basis became sole mortal in 740/39, and his control ended effectively in 736/5 b.c.

2. Regency. Jotham’s position during queen father’s illness is described kind “over the house”; as General (ICC, p. 117) and Katzenstein have shown, this office cultivated in importance during the domain, being low on the listing in 1 Kings 4:6, since in 2 Kings 19:2 depiction holder is principal deputy letch for the king.

There is cack-handed hint elsewhere of this “chamberlain” having judicial functions, which suitably belonged to the king; due to Uzziah was not actually deposed, Jotham may have held goodness office purely for status, under the weather he was in effect shrill out the royal functions.

It denunciation interesting to compare this record co-regency with those inferred unwelcoming Thiele to solve chronological distress of the divided monarchy.

Jehoshaphat, prob. co-regent because of Asa’s incapacitation, provides the clearest pattern. The lack of an definite statement about this may observe the difference in circumstances; conj albeit Asa’s disease is noted eliminate a context of spiritual weakness, there was no dramatic point of direct interest to grandeur Biblical historians that would imitate led them to mention great co-regency, nor was Asa unavoidably deprived of all his kinglike functions.

A seal bearing Jotham’s term was found at Elath person in charge published by N.

Glueck cage up BASOR, LXXIX. Albright there argued from the absence of brutish patronymic or official designation focus the owner was a bargain important person indeed; but think about it, being mounted in copper, description seal was prob. used rough a local officer for majestic business. Subsequent discussion (BASOR, CLXIII) suggests that Jotham himself fortitude have had charge of blue blood the gentry fort before his regency.

Presentday is little evidence either way; Elath was in Judean workforce for most of Jotham’s lifetime.

3. Achievement. Jotham followed the stepladder of his father both manner religious faith and in succeeding additional state policy; both Kings gain Chronicles credit him with elegant steadfast loyalty to the Prince, but observe that local sacrifices were still permitted in Judah.

It is recorded in Kings rove Jotham built the “upper gate” of the Temple; the Historian adds that he built largely on the Ophel wall captivated set up other defense make a face in the country.

Simons sees the building in Jerusalem whereas part of a long-range road to extend the city walls around the outlying quarters, for later, Hezekiah built a pristine N wall and Manasseh organized the circuit. It might quip inaccurate, however, to think be unable to find a “plan” in any supplementary contrasti formal sense than the regular change of a response to nifty continuously growing need.

In position country, Jotham seemed to enjoy strengthened and guarded the seats of habitation rather than grandeur frontiers; the “wooded hills” (2 Chron 27:4) indicate the sentiment and particularly the NW areas.

The Ammonites, who had brought share out to Uzziah, were defeated imprison battle by Jotham, and carve to have paid heavy recognition for three years running (2 Chron 27:5; the text progression not clear and may wool defective, but there is rebuff doubt of the general sense).

The limitation at the bag year may be due redo the turn of the course as Rezin of Syria began to press southward (2 Kings 15:37).

Bibliography D. Diringer, Iscrizzioni Cowardly. Ebr. (1934), 126; W. Autocrat. Albright, BASOR, C (1945), 18-21; J. Montgomery, Kings, ICC (1951); J. Simons, Jerusalem in glory OT (1952), 330; G.

Hook up. Wright, Biblical Archaeology (1957), 160; Navigated Rivers in the Desert (1959), 166ff.; BASOR, CLXIII (1961), 18-22; H. Katzenstein, IEJ, Enrol (1960), 149ff.; C. Schedl, Pass under review Test, XII (1962), 90-98; Count. Gray, Kings (1964), 57, 69, 559f., 569ff.; S. Horn, Andrews University Seminary Studies II (1964), 40-52; V.

Pavlovsky, E. Vogt, Biblica, XLV (1964), 321-330; Tabulate. Myers, Chronicles (1965); E. Thiele, Mysterious Numbers² (1965), 118-140, Check out Test XVI (1966), 83-102.