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JothamInsight on the Scriptures, Volume 2
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1Ch 3:12; 2Ch 27:1; Mt 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 25-year-old Jotham begin his 16-year rule (777-762 B.C.E.).—2Ki 15:5, 7, 32; 2Ch 26:18-21, 23; 27:8.
Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah served as prophets in the time of Jotham. (Isa 1:1; Ho 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.—2Ki 15:35; 2Ch 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 as well as fortified places and towers in the woodlands.—2Ch 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 100 silver talents ($660,600) and 10,000 cor measures (2,200 kl; 62,500 bu) both of wheat and of barley. (2Ch 27:5) During Jotham’s reign the land of Judah also began to experience military pressures from Syrian King Rezin and Israelite King Pekah.—2Ki 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.—2Ch 27:7–28:1.
Since Jotham ruled only 16 years, the reference at 2 Kings 15:30 to the “twentieth year of Jotham” evidently is to be understood to mean the 20th 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.
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JourneyInsight on the Scriptures, Volume 2
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JOURNEY
The word “journey” is often used in the Bible to designate a general distance covered. (Ge 31:23; Ex 3:18; Nu 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 32 km (20 mi) or more. But a “sabbath day’s journey” was far less. (Mt 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 (925 m; 3,034 ft) and another time as six furlongs (1,110 m; 3,640 ft). Rabbinic sources, on the basis of Joshua 3:4, indicate a “sabbath day’s journey” to be 2,000 cubits (890 m; 2,920 ft).
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JoyInsight on the Scriptures, Volume 2
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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. The verbs involved express the inner feeling and the outward manifestation of joy and variously mean “be joyful; exult; shout for joy; leap for joy.”
Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. Jehovah is called “the happy God.” (1Ti 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 and to enjoy their own work. (Ec 5:19) Since he is the Source of all good things (Jas 1:17), all intelligent creatures, both mankind and angels, can find their chief enjoyment 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 Jehovah and his dealing with them, writing to them: “Always rejoice in the Lord [“Jehovah,” in several versions]. Once more I will say, Rejoice!”—Php 4:4.
Jesus Christ, who was the intimate one of Jehovah, knows him best (Mt 11:27), and he is able to explain Him to his followers. (Joh 1:18) Jesus is therefore joyful, being called “the happy and only Potentate.” (1Ti 6:14, 15) Out of love for his Father, he is eager to do always the things that please
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