Jotham

“ His son Jotham (740-735 B.C.) continued his father's policy with nearly all his father's success. He built cities and castles, quelled a rebellion among his tributaries, and caused their riches to flow faster still into Jerusalem. But while Jotham bequeathed to his [21] country a sure defence and great wealth, and to his people a strong spirit and prestige among the nations, he left another bequest, which robbed these of their value—the son who succeeded him. In 735 Jotham died and Ahaz became king. He was very young, and stepped to the throne from the hareem. ”

“ But I am sorry for everything, and most of all for living."
"Would you not live to kill the fox Herod?" cried Jotham fiercely.
"Why should I let him out of the trap," answered the sad shepherd. "Is he not dying more slowly than I could kill him?"
"You must have faith in God," said Zadok earnestly and gravely.
"He is too far away."
"Then you must have love for your neighbour."
"He is too near. My confidence in man was like a pool by the wayside. ”

“ But his success was short-lived, and the subsequent discord between Abimelech and the Shechemites was regarded as a just reward for his atrocious massacre. Jotham, the only one who is said to have escaped, boldly appeared on Mount Gerizim and denounced the ingratitude of the townsmen towards the legitimate sons of the man who had saved them from Midian. “Jotham’s fable” of the trees who desired a king may be foreign to the context; it is a piece of popular lore, and cannot be pressed too far: the nobler trees have no wish to rule over others, only the bramble is self-confident. ”

“ When the sad shepherd spoke this name his listeners drew back from him as if it were a defilement to hear it. They spat upon the ground and cursed the Idumean who called himself their king.
"A slave!" Jotham cried, "a bloody tyrant and a slave from Edom! A fox, a vile beast who devours his own children! God burn him in Gehenna."
The old Zadok picked up a stone and threw it into the darkness, saying slowly, "I cast this stone on the grave of the Idumean, the blasphemer, the defiler of the Temple! God send us soon the Deliverer, the Promised One, the true King of Israel!" ”

“ The craving for a king is lashed and then the wonderful choice of a ruler. Jotham speaks as an anarchist, one might say, but with God understood as the centre of law and order. It is a vision of the Theocracy taking shape from a keen and original mind. He figures men as trees growing independently, dutifully. And do trees need a king? Are they not set in their natural freedom each to yield fruit as best it can after its kind? Men of Shechem, Hebrews all, if they will only attend to their proper duties and do quiet work as God wills, appear to Jotham to need a king no more than the trees. ”

“ Deacon Simms did the bulk of the talking, and he told Jotham pretty straight what he thought about a man’s whiffling round between two girls as he did, and then he told him if he couldn’t settle the business for himself the church would have to settle it for him. At that Jotham spoke out like a man distracted, and said he wished to goodness we would. I asked him if he’d abide by our decision, and he said he’d abide by anything the girls would. ”

“ Waiting for a pretty girl to—’
“Oh, Miss Dayton, don’t you think Jotham’s ’most as nice as a prince? I do,” said Prue, without waiting for an answer, although she looked up in Miss Dayton’s face expectantly.
Helen took Prue’s little dimpled hand in her own as she said: “All princes are not good, although many of them are very, very good indeed. Jotham has a good face, and I am sure when I really know him I shall like him very much. If he grows to be a good, brave, true man, that is worth much more than being a prince.” ”

“ Jotham's constant ill fortune was the more noticeable among his neighbors because his father, Jonathan, had been a careful, prosperous farmer who kept his place in excellent order, raised good crops and had the best cattle of any one thereabouts. Within a few years after the place had passed under Jotham's control it was mortgaged, the buildings and the fences were in bad repair, and the fields were weedy. Yet that man worked summer and winter as hard and as steadily as ever a man did or could. ”

“ And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. ”

“ Philip told how blessing abounded also unto himself, and would have led him where the pilgrims ate their noontide meal in the shade; but Jotham replied,
“Not so, my brother! for I mingle not with men, save to tend the sick. Go thou, and when thou thinkest on me, let it be with peace. Unto thee Zion shall be glorious, for thou rejoicest with thy people. Unto thee the sacrifice shall be joyful, for the wife of thy bosom sacrificeth with thee. Unto thy soul the music of the Levites shall be sweet, for the echoes of the temple shall send back familiar voices upon thine ear. ”

“ The little assembly was much excited and there were repeated calls for one more whistling solo, and cries of “fine,” and “that beats all,” and “whistle just once more, Jotham.” So Helen resumed her seat at the piano, and this time Jotham whistled a medley in which were heard “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” “Yankee Doodle,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
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“There stood Randy as the Demure little Maid”
“Hooray for Jotham and Miss Dayton, I say!” shouted Reuben Jenks, and everybody cheered. ”

“ Afflicted with leprosy, Uzziah was unfit to reign as king, and Jotham administered the affairs of Judah for twenty-five years before the death of his father. (37) Jotham possessed so much piety that his virtues added to those of two other very pious men suffice to atone for all the sins of the whole of mankind committed from the hour of creation until the end of all time. ”

“ Randy and Helen were much amused, but although Aunt Marcia's eyes twinkled, she said,
"Poor boy! I wonder when and how he will outgrow his egotism? There surely is no chance for him to learn until he is made to realize how little he knows, and who would care to attempt the task of opening his eyes?"
"There are a plenty of persons in our town," said Jotham, "who have repeatedly tried to enlighten him, but they have been obliged to relinquish the effort. It is useless to tell him that talented people think it necessary to obtain a fine education. ”

“ Jotham had been obliged to relinquish the pleasure of calling for Randy and had written to say that, accompanied by his tutor, he would meet her at the depot, so it happened that Jotham and Randy, after saying good-bye to their two friends, rode out from the station and into the glad sunshine on their homeward way, and Helen, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, entered the carriage followed by Professor Marden who seated himself beside her.
"Come and lunch with Aunt Marcia and me" she had said, "then I shall feel that while one dear friend departs, another remains." ”

“ This was a usual way of securing an ill-gotten throne; the person who had no right destroying all those that had right, that he might have no competitors.
Yet Jotham - was left - That is, all the seventy were killed except Jotham, if there were not seventy besides Jotham. All the histories of all the nations of the earth are full of cruelties similar to those of Abimelech: cousins, uncles, brothers, husbands, and fathers have been murdered by their cousins, nephews, brothers, wives, and children, in order that they might have the undisturbed possession of an ill-gotten throne. ”

“ If there was anything concerning the regiment of cavalry to which Jotham belonged, she would cut it out and lay it between the leaves of her large family Bible."
Mrs. Dobbs paused as if reluctant to proceed, while Helen who had been stealthily wiping the tears from her eyes, exclaimed,—
"Oh, I'm afraid Jotham is dead!"
"Every week," continued the lady with a sigh, "the widow received a letter from her son. He was well, and enjoying himself exceedingly. He said that he had never for one moment regretted offering himself as a substitute ”

“ The fable of Jotham, in so far as it flings sarcasm at the persons who desire eminence for the sake of it and not for the good they will be able to do, is an example of that wisdom which is as unpopular now as ever it has been in human history, and the moral needs every day to be kept full in view. ”

“ Jotham Green, you are a good workman, I know. I recollect how deftly you once repaired that cabinet for us."
All the men knew Winifred, and her calm and decided manner made its impression. Jotham [154] slowly picked up the fragments of the panelling and began to fit them together. The rest consulted, and at last rather sheepishly, and with a muttered half apology about "wrong information," went away, taking with them the injured woodwork, which Jotham undertook to repair. Rafe's first words after they disappeared were,—
"Winifred, you must dismiss Deborah. It is she that has betrayed us." ”

“ When they behold our vessels empty, they sigh; when the food they bring is not consumed, they rejoice that we are dead.”
“Nay, my brother!” said Philip, “afflict not thus thyself and me. Well I know that we shall rejoice no more in the seeing of the eye, and the hearing of the ear; yet I have hope; for I verily believe that there is a paradise beyond the sepulchre where we shall be gathered under the tree of life with Abraham our father, and with our brethren of Israel.”
“Let thy faith sustain thee even now then, while the tempest beateth on our dwellings,” said Jotham. ”

“ Judah, he said, had no interest in the political policies and intrigues of Syria and Israel and would not join a coalition against Assyria.
Both Rezin and Pekah stormed against Jotham and his advisors, but to no avail. Judah was strong, independent and at peace, and Jotham would not involve his country in a quarrel with which he had nothing to do.
Conditions in Israel were different, however. The majority of the people chafed under the indignity of being tributary to Assyria. They hated King Menahem who, in his fear, sent the tribute to Tiglath-Pileser and became his voluntary subject. ”

“ Civic peace seems to have remained undisturbed; there is at least no account of any conflict between him and the high priest. The material condition of the country also remained the same as under Uzziah. There were the squadrons of cavalry, the war chariots, the ships249 of Tarshish which navigated the Red Sea, and wealth and splendour. Jotham also strengthened the fortifications of Jerusalem. He maintained friendly relations with the kingdom of the Ten Tribes, or rather with their king, Pekah, and there seems to have been a very intimate connection between the two sovereigns. ”

“ The lepers crowded around him, when they found it was his will to abide until sunrise. He told them of the Prophet and his mighty works, and expounded unto them his doctrine; but he declared not that power had been given unto himself. They all sought to know more of the Saviour of Israel; and Philip, whose heart was given unto the Scriptures, had faith, and desired to learn of this great Teacher. Jotham believed not; for unto him no tidings were glad, and hope had left his heart long before.
The night wore away while the disciple yet opened unto them the gospel, and none were weary. ”

“ Hoshea began to reign in Israel (2 Kings xv. 30) in the twentieth year of Jotham the king of Judah. So far writes our author, following the records of the Northern Kingdom. For his next paragraph he turns to his records of the Southern Kingdom, and naively tells us that Jotham never reached a twentieth year, but only reigned sixteen years (xv. 33) ; but even this is not the end of the difficulty; in chapter xvii. he goes back to the Northern Kingdom and tells us that Hoshea began to reign, not in Jotham's reign at all, but in the reign of Ahaz, Jotham's successor ”

“ Frost had been weeping silently all the time my husband spoke; now she cried aloud."
"Jotham tried to soothe her. 'Keep up good courage, mother,' he said. 'You'll live to see me a colonel yet. The war wont last forever, and I shall be a great man when I come home. Mr. Dobbs has promised to take care of you while I'm gone.'"
"And then my husband called us all to witness that he would provide for the widowed mother, as long as God gave him the ability. I gladly joined in the promise. I need not stop to tell you more of that scene. Mr. Dobbs gave Jotham the black mare, and all his outfit. ”

“ Renwood immediately caught hold of one end of the rope that drew the dummy along, while the boys stood aside to witness the fat lad’s tackle. Jotham charged furiously and flung himself at the dummy with outstretched arms, but Dolph gave a sharp pull on the rope, and the figure moved aside, so that Sprout clutched nothing but empty air, and crashed to the ground like a [144] fallen elephant, his breath being driven from his body in a great grunt of astonishment. ”

“ He is all for the ideal, but the time and the people are unripe for the ideal. We see the same contrast in our own day; both in politics and the church the incisive critic discrediting subordination altogether fails to secure his age. Men are not trees. They are made to obey and trust. A hero or one who seems a hero is ever welcome, and he who skilfully imitates the roar of the lion may easily have a following, while Jotham, intensely sincere, highly gifted, a true-sighted man, finds none to mind him.
Again the fable is directed against Abimelech. ”