Exposition of the Old and New Testament, by John Gill, [1746-63], at sacred-texts.com
This chapter treats of the reign of Jotham, which was a good one, Ch2 27:1, of his buildings and wars, Ch2 27:3, and of his death and burial, Ch2 27:7. INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 28
This chapter contains the reign of Ahaz, and gives an account of the idolatry he was guilty of, Ch2 28:1 what calamities came upon him and his people, being delivered up into the hands of the kings of Syria and Israel, who slew many, and carried others captives, Ch2 28:5, though they that were taken captive by Israel, at the admonition of a prophet, were sent back again, Ch2 28:9, how also he was distressed by the Edomites and Philistines, and not helped by the king of Assyria, he sent for and made presents to, Ch2 28:16 and yet went into more and greater idolatries, Ch2 28:22, and the chapter is concluded with his death and burial, Ch2 28:28.
Jotham was twenty five years old,.... See Gill on Kg2 15:33. And he did that which was right,.... See Gill on Kg2 15:34,
howbeit, he entered not into the temple of the Lord; to burn incense, as his father did; he did according to his good ways, but not his evil ones:
and the people did yet corruptly; in sacrificing and burning incense in the high places, Kg2 15:35 which some think Joash himself did, and is meant in the preceding clause; but the sense given is best.
He built the high gate in the house of the Lord,.... See the note on Kg2 15:35.
and on the wall of Ophel he built much; which Kimchi interprets an high place; it was the eastern part of Mount Zion. Josephus (f) calls it Ophlas, and says it joined to the eastern porch of the temple; and some have thought the porch of the temple is meant; the Targum renders it a palace; it is a tradition of the Jews that it was the holy of holies (g).
(f) De Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2. (g) Vid. Hieron Trad. Heb. in lib. Paralipom. fol. 86. A. F. G.
Moreover, he built cities in the mountains of Judah,.... In the mountainous part of it, the hill country of Judea, Luk 1:65,
and in the forests he built castles and towers; for the safety of travellers, and of shepherds and their flocks, see Ch2 26:10.
He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them,.... These were brought into subjection by David; but in later times endeavoured to cast off the yoke, and even invaded the land of Judah, as in the days of Jehoshaphat, and now in the reign of Jotham, but succeeded not, see Amo 1:13.
and the children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver; he obliged them to pay this tribute annually, and which they began to pay in the present year, and amounted to 35,330 pounds:
and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley; the measure here is the "cor", the same with the "homer"; which, according to Godwin (h), held forty five gallons, or five bushels and five gallons, so that there must be upwards of 50,000 bushels of each of these paid to Jotham; according to Bishop Cumberland (i), a "cor", or "homer", held seventy five wine gallons, and upwards of five pints:
so much did the children of Ammon pay both the second year and the third; the two following years as well as the present one; why this tribute was not continued to be paid cannot be said with certainty, whether the Ammonites refused and revolted, and could not be obliged, or whether the agreement was only for three years.
(h) Moses & Aaron, l. 6. c. 9. (i) Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 3. p. 86.
So Jotham became mighty,.... Having built towers and castles, and fortified cities, and conquered his enemies:
because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God; ordered, directed, and guided them according to the word and will of God, and walked as in the sight of God, having the fear of him continually before him.
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars,.... Not only with the Ammonites, but with the Syrians, and ten tribes, see Kg2 15:37.
and his ways, lo, they are written in the books of the kings of Israel and Judah; not in the canonical books of Kings, but in the Chronicles of the kings of both nations, see Kg2 15:36.
He was twenty five years old,.... The same is repeated here as in Ch2 27:1. 1-4.
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign,.... These verses are much the same with Kg2 16:2, only in Ch2 28:2 it is said:
he made also molten images for Baalim; the several Baals or idols of the nations round about, as well as served Jeroboam's calves; see Jdg 2:11, and he is said in Ch2 28:3,
to burn incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom; to Molech, the god of the Ammonites, who was worshipped there. See Gill on Kg2 16:2, Kg2 16:3, Kg2 16:4.