2. Youngest son of Judge Gideon (Jerubbaal) residing at Ophrah. (Judg. 8:35; 9:5) After Gideon’s death, Abimelech, his son by a slave girl, murdered all his half brothers, that is, all but Jotham, who had concealed himself. Thereafter, when the landowners of Shechem made Abimelech their king, Jotham stationed himself atop Mount Gerizim and, by means of an illustration involving trees, pronounced a prophetic malediction upon the landowners of Shechem and Abimelech. Subsequently Jotham fled and took up residence at Beer.—Judg. 9:6-21, 57.

3. Son of Judean King Uzziah (Azariah) by Jerusha(h) the daughter of Zadok. (2 Ki. 15:32, 33; 1 Chron. 3:12; 2 Chron. 27:1; Matt. 1:9) After Uzziah was struck with leprosy when he became angry at the priests because of being reproved by them for unlawfully invading the temple and attempting to offer up incense, Jotham began caring for the kingly duties in his father’s stead. But apparently not until Uzziah’s death did twenty-five-year-old Jotham begin his sixteen-year rule (777-c. 762 B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 15:5, 7, 32; 2 Chron. 26:18-21, 23; 27:8.

In the time of Jotham certain Gadites were enrolled genealogically, and Isaiah, Hosea and Micah served as prophets. (1 Chron. 5:11, 17; Isa. 1:1; Hos. 1:1; Mic. 1:1) Although his subjects engaged in improper worship at high places, Jotham personally did what was right in Jehovah’s eyes.—2 Ki. 15:35; 2 Chron. 27:2, 6.

Much construction work was done during Jotham’s reign. He erected the upper gate of the temple, did considerable building on the wall of Ophel, also built cities in the mountainous region of Judah, and fortified places and towers in the woodlands.—2 Chron. 27:3-7.

But Jotham did not enjoy a peaceful reign. He warred with the Ammonites and finally triumphed over them. As a result, for three years they paid a yearly tribute of a hundred silver talents (c. $142,359 in modern values) and ten thousand cor measures (c. 62,000 bushels or 2,200,000 liters) both of wheat and of barley. (2 Chron. 27:5) During Jotham’s reign the land of Judah also began to experience military pressures from Syrian King Rezin and Israelite King Pekah.—2 Ki. 15:37.

At his death Jotham was buried in the city of David, and his son Ahaz, who had been about four years old when Jotham became king, ascended the throne of Judah.—2 Chron. 27:7–28:1.

Since Jotham ruled only sixteen years, the reference at 2 Kings 15:30 to the “twentieth year of Jotham” evidently is to be understood to mean the twentieth year after his becoming king, that is, the fourth year of Ahaz. The writer of the Kings account may have chosen not to introduce Jotham’s successor Ahaz at this point because of yet having to supply details about Jotham’s reign.

JOURNEY

The word “journey” is often used in the Bible to designate a general distance covered. (Gen. 31:23; Ex. 3:18; Num. 10:33; 33:8) The distance covered in a day depended on the means of transport used and the conditions and terrain encountered by the traveler. An average day’s journey on land was perhaps twenty miles (32 kilometers) or more. But a “sabbath day’s journey” was far less. (Matt. 24:20) Acts 1:12 indicates that a “sabbath day’s journey” separated Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Probably because of reckoning from two different starting points, Josephus gives this distance once as five furlongs (3,037 feet; 925 meters) and another time as six furlongs (3,645 feet; 1,110 meters). Rabbinical sources, on the basis of Joshua 3:4, indicate a “sabbath day’s journey” to be 2,000 cubits (2,917 feet; 890 meters).

JOY

The emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; state of happiness; exultation. The Hebrew and Greek words used in the Bible for joy, exultation, rejoicing and being glad express various shades of meaning, different stages or degrees of joy. They variously denote gladness, basis or occasion for joy, dancing as with joy, spinning around with pleasurable emotion, exulting or leaping with exuberant joy, and glorying or vaunting oneself (in something).

JEHOVAH GOD AND JESUS CHRIST

Jehovah is called “the happy God.” (1 Tim. 1:11) He creates and works with joy for himself and his creatures. What he brings about makes him joyful. (Ps. 104:31) He wants his creatures likewise to enjoy his works toward them, and to enjoy their own work. (Eccl. 5:19) Since he is the Source of all good things (,Jas. 1:17), the chief enjoyment for all intelligent creatures, both mankind and angels, is in coming to know him. (Jer. 9:23, 24) King David said: “Let my musing about him be pleasurable. I, for my part, shall rejoice in Jehovah.” (Ps. 104:34) He also sang: “The righteous one will rejoice in Jehovah and will indeed take refuge in him; and all the upright in heart will boast.” (Ps. 64:10) The apostle Paul urged Christians to take joy at all times in their knowledge of him and his dealing with them, writing to them: “Always rejoice in the Lord [‘Jehovah,’ in some Hebrew versions]. Once more I will say, Rejoice!”—Phil. 4:4.

Jesus Christ, who was the intimate One of Jehovah, knows him best (Matt. 11:27) and he is able to explain Him to his followers. (John 1:18) Jesus is therefore joyful, being called “the happy and only Potentate.” (1 Tim. 6:14, 15) Out of love for his Father he is eager to do always the things that please Him. (John 8:29) Therefore, when the task of coming to earth, suffering and dying was set before him, in order that he might vindicate Jehovah’s name, “for the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame.” (Heb. 12:2) He also had great love for and joy in mankind. The Scriptures, personifying him in his prehuman existence as wisdom, represent him as saying: “Then I came to be beside [Jehovah] as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.”—Prov. 8:30, 31.

Jesus desired his followers to have the same joy, telling them: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.” The angels had joy at the creation of the earth. (John 15:11; 17:13; Job 38:4-7) They also view the course of God’s people, taking joy in their faithful course and especially exulting when an individual turns from his sinful ways to the pure worship and service of God.—Luke 15:7, 10.

What makes God joyful

Jehovah’s heart can be made glad by his servants because of their faithfulness and loyalty to him. Satan the Devil has constantly challenged the rightfulness of God’s sovereignty and the integrity of all those serving God. (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5; Rev. 12:10) To them apply the words: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply