When we turn to 2 Chronicles 27 we step into the life of Jotham, son of Uzziah, a king who inherited a kingdom marked both by his father’s accomplishments and by his father’s downfall. Jotham was twenty‐five years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem, and he governed wisely for sixteen years. In many ways his story feels like a breath of fresh air after the tragedy that struck Uzziah—his leprosy and the abrupt end to his rule. Jotham’s heart, by contrast, remained steadfast in the ways of the Lord, and that consistency shaped both his reign and our reflections on leadership grounded in faith.
One of Jotham’s first acts as king was to strengthen Jerusalem’s defenses. He built the upper gate of the Lord’s house, laying foundations that would ensure the temple complex could withstand both the passage of time and any threat that might come its way. We might imagine him overseeing the laying of each stone, his gaze lingering on the entrance that welcomed worshipers to offer their prayers. He also built extensively on the wall of Ophel, reinforcing a slope of the city that overlooked the Kidron Valley—a location vulnerable to invaders until it was secured by his workmanship.
But Jotham did not confine his energy to the capital’s walls. He extended his building projects beyond Jerusalem, constructing cities in the hill country of Judah and in the forests. He turned wild places into communities, establishing towns that bore the promise of safety and prosperity. In those forests, he laid out roads and cut back underbrush so that travelers could pass through more easily, and traders could connect remote highlands to the markets of the city. In every project we sense a king who cared deeply about the everyday lives of his people and who understood that a nation’s health depends on well‐tended infrastructure as much as on spiritual devotion.
Alongside these construction feats, Jotham invested in economic vigor. He engaged merchants and traders, encouraging the exchange of goods across the land. Wine and olive oil flowed from Judah’s fields into Judah’s cities, and agricultural hinterlands found new life as people took advantage of the roads and the newly safe towns. Jotham’s own barns in the valley of Judæa would have been full sight lines to this prosperity, as farmers brought in the harvest and sabbath‐day markets hummed with activity. In these scenes we feel a kingdom whose pulse beats to the rhythm of both work and worship.
In the political sphere, Jotham stood firm against the kings of the Ammonites. Rather than rush to war, he sent envoys to propose terms: gold and silver paid annually would secure peace between the nations. When the Ammonite king refused, Jotham mobilized his army and marched to victory, subduing the invaders and claiming the spoil of their fields. Yet he did not gloat on the spoils; he established tribute in place of open conflict, tempering strength with wisdom so that his people might live without the constant threat of raids. His approach to diplomacy and defense balanced the edge of the sword with the warmth of shrewd negotiation, an example of leadership that treasures peace without forsaking preparedness.
Throughout these years of building and battles, Jotham’s faith remained the foundation. He continued the reforms begun by his grandfather Jehoshaphat, supporting the worship of the Lord and the work of the priests in the temple courts. He avoided the idolatry that had ensnared so many of his predecessors. Instead, he encouraged the people to seek the Lord and to maintain the covenant that bound them to their God. In every city he built, once the stones were set and the roofs framed, we can imagine him inviting Levites and priests to teach the law and lead in prayer, so that the spiritual life of Judah grew in parallel with its physical expansion.
At the end of his reign, illness took Jotham’s life in the city of Jerusalem. Though his death came in sickness, the legacy he left felt more life-giving than any illness could suppress. The people buried him in the tombs of the kings, for his faithfulness had restored the honor of David’s line. His son Ahaz succeeded him, stepping into the structures and peace that Jotham had worked so hard to establish.
Reading 2 Chronicles 27 today, we learn that the true measure of leadership is not how swiftly one seizes power but how steadfastly one uses that power for the common good. Jotham’s life teaches us that walls and roads, while humble compared to vineyards and estates, are vital expressions of a ruler’s care. His use of diplomacy to avoid needless bloodshed shows us that strength is most valuable when tempered by restraint. And above all, his refusal to waver in his devotion to the Lord reminds us that every political, economic, and social achievement rests on a foundation of faithful obedience. In our own circles—whether in families, organizations, or communities—we might ask ourselves how well we build both the visible structures of our lives and the quieter spiritual habits that give them meaning. Jotham’s reign calls us to greater consistency of heart, encouraging us to seek steadfast devotion to the values that endure beyond the span of any one lifetime.