1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. However he didn’t enter into the LORD’s temple. The people still acted corruptly. 3 He built the upper gate of the LORD’s house, and he built much on the wall of Ophel. 4 Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers. 5 He also fought with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat, and ten thousand cors of barley. The children of Ammon also gave that much to him in the second year, and in the third. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

1 Tinha vinte e cinco anos, Jotão, quando se sentou no trono. Reinou dezasseis anos, com Jerusalém como sua capital. Sua mãe era Jerusa, filha de Zadoque. Conduziu-se rectamente ao olhos do Senhor, seguindo os passos do seu pai Uzias, com excepção daquele pecado de entrar no santuário do templo. Apesar disso, o povo continuou muito corrupto.

3 Construiu a porta alta do templo, e fez obras extensas de reconstrução das muralhas da cidade, na colina onde o templo se erguia. Edificou povoações nas montanhas de Judá, erigiu fortalezas e torres fortificadas na região dos bosques.

5 Foi vitorioso na guerra contra os amonitas, de tal forma que durante três anos ficou recebendo deles um tributo anual de três mil toneladas de prata, duas mil e duzentas toneladas de trigo e outro tanto de cevada. Jotão tornou-se poderoso porque foi cuidadoso em dirigir os seus passos pelos caminhos do Senhor.

7 O resto da história deste monarca, incluindo as guerras que travou e outros factos, estão relatados nos Anais dos Reis de Israel e de Judá.

8 Em resumo: tinha vinte e cinco anos quando começou a reinar. O seu reinado, com sede em Jerusalém, durou dezasseis anos. Quando morreu, foi enterrado na capital, e seu filho Acaz ascendeu ao trono.