2 Kings 15:32

THE REIGN OF JOTHAM; SON OF AZARIAH; KING OF JUDAH

"In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years was he when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. Howbeit, the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah. Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? In those days Jehovah began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead."

One is aware of the chronological difficulties with some of the statements regarding all these kings; but, as LaSor said, "Jotham not only had twelve years of co-regency with Uzziah; but Ahaz also was co-regent with Jotham during Jotham's last four years."[18] The purpose of the sacred writer in these chapters was that of outlining the final destruction of the "sinful kingdom" (Amos 9:8) of God's apostate chosen people; and, quite frankly, the exact length of the reign of "King X" or "King Y" actually has little or no importance whatever.

Evidently, the purpose of Pekah's campaign against Judah was to put a king in Jerusalem in place of Ahaz who would join Pekah in his alliance with Syria. See Isaiah 7:1-8. Of course, Syria aided Pekah in that vain endeavor.

In this chapter the stage was set for the final destruction of Samaria and the deportation of Northern Israel to Assyria; but also, there would be grave danger to Jerusalem and Judah. Only the providence of God spared the Southern Israel awhile longer. However, they would not give up their idolatry; so, after an extended day of grace reaching down to the times of Zedekiah, God executed the same punishment upon Judah and Jerusalem that befell Samaria and Northern Israel.