2 Kings 15:36

KJV

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?

KJV (with Strong's)

Now the rest {H3499} of the acts {H1697} of Jotham {H3147}, and all that he did {H6213}, are they not written {H3789} in the book {H5612} of the chronicles {H1697}{H3117} of the kings {H4428} of Judah {H3063}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Other activities of Yotam and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y'hudah.

Berean Standard Bible

As for the rest of the acts of Jotham, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

American Standard Version

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?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Kings 15:36 serves as a standard concluding formula for the reign of King Jotham of Judah, signaling the end of the biblical author's summary of his rule and directing the reader to external, more comprehensive historical records. This verse underscores the selective nature of the biblical narrative, which focuses on theological and spiritual insights rather than providing an exhaustive historical account, while simultaneously affirming the historical grounding of the events described.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse concludes the account of Jotham's sixteen-year reign over Judah, immediately following a brief summary of his character and actions. It is part of a recurring literary device found throughout the Books of Kings, marking the transition from one monarch's rule to the next. The preceding verses establish Jotham as a generally righteous king who "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done" [2 Kings 15:34](/2_kings/15-34 "2 Kings 15:34 - Jotham's Righteous Reign"), though he did not remove the high places. The subsequent verses introduce the reign of his son, Ahaz, highlighting the continuous succession of kings and the ongoing narrative of Judah's spiritual trajectory. This formulaic conclusion acts as a narrative signpost, indicating that the biblical account is drawing to a close for this particular king and that further details are available elsewhere.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The period of Jotham's reign (c. 750-735 BC) was a time of relative stability and prosperity for Judah, following the long and successful reign of his father, Uzziah. However, the broader geopolitical landscape was shifting, with the rising power of Assyria beginning to cast a long shadow over the Near East, a threat that would become more pronounced in the reign of Jotham's successor, Ahaz. In ancient Near Eastern monarchies, it was common practice to maintain meticulous court records, annals, or "chronicles" that documented the daily activities, military campaigns, building projects, and administrative decisions of the kings. These official state archives served as primary sources for later historians and scribes, including those who compiled the Books of Kings. The reference to "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah" [2 Kings 15:36](/2_kings/15-36 "2 Kings 15:36 - The Chronicles of Judah") reflects this ancient practice, indicating that the biblical authors had access to and utilized such records.
* **Key Themes:** The recurring formula in 2 Kings 15:36 contributes to several key themes within the broader narrative of Kings. Firstly, it emphasizes the **historical verifiability** of the biblical account. By pointing to external, accessible records, the text asserts its grounding in actual historical events and not merely legend. Secondly, it highlights the **selectivity of Scripture**. The Books of Kings do not aim to be exhaustive historical encyclopedias; rather, they are theological narratives that select and present information relevant to God's covenant relationship with Israel and Judah, focusing on the spiritual obedience or disobedience of the kings. The phrase "the rest of the acts" explicitly acknowledges that more information exists beyond what is presented, guiding the reader to understand the Bible's specific purpose. Finally, it subtly underscores **divine record-keeping and providence**. While human scribes compiled these annals, their preservation and the biblical author's reference to them suggest God's oversight in ensuring that a truthful and accurate historical record was maintained, ultimately contributing to the unfolding story of redemption. This theme is further developed in the canonical Book of Chronicles, which often provides additional details about the reigns summarized in Kings, as seen in the expanded account of Jotham's reign in [2 Chronicles 27](/2_chronicles/27 "2 Chronicles 27 - Jotham's Reign").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **"rest of the acts" (Hebrew, _yeter dibrei_):** This phrase literally means "the remainder of the words" or "the rest of the matters/affairs." It signifies that the biblical account provided for Jotham's reign is a summary, not an exhaustive record. It implies that there were many more events, decisions, and details of his rule that were not deemed necessary for the theological purposes of the Books of Kings but were nonetheless documented in other sources. This highlights the selective nature of the biblical narrative, which focuses on the spiritual and covenantal aspects of a king's reign.
* **"book of the chronicles" (Hebrew, _sepher divrei hayyamim_):** This refers to the official state annals or "records of the days" kept by the royal scribes. These were continuous, day-by-day accounts of events, administrative decisions, military campaigns, and other significant occurrences during a king's reign. It is crucial to distinguish these ancient state records from the canonical biblical books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, though the biblical Chronicler likely drew from such state archives, among other sources. The term emphasizes the historical, factual basis of the information being referenced.
* **"kings of Judah" (Hebrew, _malkhei Yehudah_):** This specifies the particular collection of annals being referenced, distinguishing them from similar records kept for the kings of Israel (the northern kingdom). It underscores the focus of the Books of Kings on the divided monarchy and the distinct historical trajectories of the two kingdoms after the Solomonic era. The existence of separate chronicles for each kingdom further validates the historical depth and detail of the ancient Near Eastern record-keeping tradition.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Now the rest of the acts of Jotham,"**: This opening clause signals a transition and summarizes all the unmentioned details of Jotham's reign. It acknowledges that the biblical narrative has only provided a condensed account, focusing on the most pertinent spiritual and historical elements.
* **"and all that he did,"**: This phrase serves as an emphatic reiteration, encompassing every action, decision, and event of Jotham's rule that has not been explicitly detailed in the preceding verses. It reinforces the idea of a more comprehensive record existing elsewhere.
* **"[are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"**: This is a rhetorical question, functioning as an affirmative statement. It asserts that these additional details are indeed recorded in a specific, known, and accessible source: the official royal annals of the kingdom of Judah. This serves to validate the historical claims of the biblical text and directs the reader to a place where more information could be found, even if that source is no longer extant today.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in 2 Kings 15:36 is **Formulaic Language**. This verse is part of a standardized concluding formula used for nearly every king in the Books of Kings, signaling the end of their narrative summary and pointing to external historical records. This formula provides structural cohesion to the entire historical narrative, creating a consistent rhythm and expectation for the reader. It also functions as a form of **Intertextuality**, as it explicitly references other written documents ("the book of the chronicles"), thereby grounding the biblical narrative within a broader historical and literary context. The phrase "are they not written...?" is a **Rhetorical Question**, which functions not as an inquiry seeking an answer, but as an emphatic affirmation. It strongly asserts the existence and accessibility of these external records, lending authority and historical credibility to the biblical account by implying that its claims are verifiable.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The recurring phrase in 2 Kings 15:36, directing readers to "the book of the chronicles," highlights the Bible's unique blend of divine inspiration and historical grounding. It assures us that the biblical narrative is not a collection of myths or fables, but a divinely guided account rooted in verifiable historical events and records. This commitment to historical truth underscores God's involvement in human history, demonstrating His sovereignty over nations and kings, and His meticulous care in preserving the record of His covenant people. While the Bible is selective in its historical presentation, focusing on what is spiritually and theologically significant, it never divorces faith from fact. It implicitly teaches that God's work unfolds within real time and space, and that His purposes are meticulously documented, either directly in Scripture or in the historical sources it references.

* [1 Kings 11:41](/1_kings/11-41 "1 Kings 11:41 - Solomon's Chronicles")
* [2 Kings 16:19](/2_kings/16-19 "2 Kings 16:19 - Ahaz's Chronicles")
* [2 Chronicles 9:29](/2_chronicles/9-29 "2 Chronicles 9:29 - Solomon's Other Records")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The seemingly simple concluding formula of 2 Kings 15:36 offers profound insights for contemporary believers. It reminds us that our faith is not based on abstract philosophy but on concrete historical events, meticulously recorded and preserved. This should bolster our confidence in the trustworthiness of Scripture, knowing that its authors were drawing upon and referencing verifiable historical documents. Furthermore, it teaches us about the Bible's purpose: it is not an exhaustive encyclopedia of all knowledge, but a divinely curated narrative designed to reveal God's character, His plan of salvation, and His will for humanity. This encourages us to seek not just historical facts, but spiritual truth and wisdom within its pages. Finally, the existence of "the rest of the acts" reminds us that God's work in the world is far vaster and more detailed than what we can fully comprehend or what is explicitly recorded. It invites us to trust in His comprehensive sovereignty, knowing that even the unrecorded details of history are under His watchful eye, contributing to His ultimate redemptive purposes.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the Bible's reference to external historical records strengthen your confidence in its truthfulness and reliability?**
* **In what ways does understanding the Bible's "selectivity" (that it doesn't tell us everything) help you appreciate its specific purpose and message?**
* **What does this verse teach us about God's value for history and record-keeping, and how might that impact our own approach to preserving truth?**

### FAQ
**What are "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah"?**

Answer: "The book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah" refers to the official state annals or court records maintained by the royal scribes in ancient Judah. These were comprehensive, day-by-day accounts of the kings' reigns, including administrative details, building projects, military campaigns, and other significant events. They were distinct from the canonical biblical books of 1 & 2 Chronicles, though the biblical authors of Kings and Chronicles likely drew upon these very state records, among other sources, to compile their inspired narratives. The phrase indicates that the biblical account is a summary, and more extensive historical details were available to the original audience in these external archives.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 2 Kings 15:36 appears to be a mere administrative note, its underlying principle of meticulous record-keeping and the unfolding of God's sovereign plan through history finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. The "chronicles" of the kings of Judah, though incomplete in themselves, were part of the grand historical tapestry leading to the promised Messiah. Every king, whether righteous like Jotham or wicked like Ahaz, played a role in the lineage and historical context that would eventually produce the King of Kings. The "rest of the acts" of these earthly kings fade into obscurity, but the "acts" of the true King, Jesus Christ, are eternally recorded and exhaustively revealed in the Gospels and throughout the New Testament. His birth, life, death, and resurrection are not merely historical events, but the pivotal moments in God's redemptive history, meticulously documented by eyewitnesses and inspired writers. Just as the old chronicles pointed to a broader historical reality, the entire Old Testament points forward to Christ, the one in whom all history finds its meaning and purpose. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant, the King whose reign has no end, and whose "acts" are not merely written in human records but are eternally inscribed in the very fabric of salvation history, culminating in His glorious return as described in [Revelation 19:11-16](/revelation/19-11 "Revelation 19:11-16 - The Rider on the White Horse").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Kings 15:6

And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

2 Kings 15:7

So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 27:4

Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

2 Chronicles 27:9

And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.