1 Jotham became king at the age of 25, and he ruled in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
2 He did what was pleasing to the Lord, just as his father had done; but unlike his father he did not sin by burning incense in the Temple. The people, however, went on sinning.
3 It was Jotham who built the North Gate of the Temple and did extensive work on the city wall in the area of Jerusalem called Ophel.
4 In the mountains of Judah he built cities, and in the forests he built forts and towers.
5 He fought against the king of Ammon and his army and defeated them. Then he forced the Ammonites to pay him the following tribute each year for three years: 3.4 tonnes of silver, 1,000 tonnes of wheat, and 1,000 tonnes of barley.
6 Jotham grew powerful because he faithfully obeyed the Lord his God.