2 Chronicles 27 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

2 Chronicles 27 Short Summary:

The short chapter of 2 Chronicles 27 records the reign of King Jotham in Judah. He was a righteous king who loved the Lord, and the Lord blessed him for his faithfulness. Jotham subjected the Ammonites and required them to pay a substantial yearly tribute. Jotham reigned 16 years in Judah.

2 Chronicles 27 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• Jotham reigned in Judah 16 years. His reign likely fits within the years 760-740 B.C.

KEY CHARACTERS:

• Jotham – Uzziah’s son. He became king of Judah after his father died.

• Ammonites – They fought with Jotham’s army and ultimately became his subjects.

WHERE:

• Jerusalem – The capital of the Kingdom of Judah and the location of God’s Temple.

• The Hill Country of Judah – This is a strip of elevated land running parallel to the coast of the Dead Sea. Generally speaking, the hills of Judah run south out of Jerusalem to below Hebron.  

OUTLINE:

• JOTHAM REIGNS IN JUDAH (27:1-9):

  • Jotham was 25 years old when he started reigning over Judah. He reigned 16 years total.

  • His father was Uzziah, the king God cursed with leprosy for entering the Temple.

  • Jotham “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah had done, except he did not enter the Temple of the Lord” (27:2).

  • He undertook many building projects in Jerusalem, including the construction of the upper gate of the Temple.

  • He built cities in the hill country of Judah.

  • He fought with the Ammonites and subjected them. They paid him 100 talents of silver, 10,000 cors of wheat, and 10,000 cors of barley each year.

  • Jotham became very strong and “ordered his ways before the Lord his God” (27:6). After 16 years, he died and was

  • buried in Jerusalem.

  • His son, Ahaz, became king after him.
    

APPLICATION:

• Did you notice how the Bible writer describes king Uzziah as a man who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,” even though the last half of chapter 26 is dedicated to talking about his sin, his pride, and God’s punishment on him?

• Imagine if all of your mistakes were written down in a book for people to read about. Would there be a few sections you wouldn’t be proud of?

• I find stories like Uzziah’s to be encouraging, not because we should excuse his sin, but because it shows us God’s grace.

• He made some big mistakes, he let his pride get the better of him, yet God chose to summarize his life, not by his sins, but by his efforts to do good.