1 Jotham was twenty-five years old {ben: Hebrew age idiom} when he took the throne, and he reigned {malakh: rule duration} for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}, in keeping with all that his father Uzziah had done; only he did not enter into the temple {heikhal: Holy Sanctuary} of the LORD, and still the people were acting corruptly.
3 He built the Upper Gate {sha'ar: elevated entrance} of the house of the LORD {YHWH, House-Claiming King}, and on the wall of the Ophel he built extensively.
4 He built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses {biraniyot: Fortified Strongholds} and towers {migdalim: Elevated Defense Posts}.
5 He fought the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them. In that year the Ammonites gave him one hundred talents {kikkar: large silver weight} of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat {chitim: staple grain}, and ten thousand kors of barley. They paid that tribute again in the second and third years.
6 Jotham gained strength by setting his course before the LORD {YHWH, Strength Giver} his God {Elohim, Faithful Guardian}.
7 The rest of the acts of Jotham {Yotam: the LORD is perfect}—all his wars {milchamah: military campaigns} and his ways—are indeed written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
8 He was twenty-five years old at his accession {bemalko: start of rule}, and he reigned in Jerusalem {Y’rushalayim: ancient capital} for sixteen years.
9 And Jotham lay down {yishkav: euphemism for death} with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place {tachtav: royal succession}.