Jotham יוֹתָם
Youngest son of Gideon who escaped Abimelech's massacre
Biography
Jotham was the youngest of Gideon's seventy sons (Jdg.9.5). After Gideon's death, Abimelech, another of Gideon's sons, conspired to become king and killed his seventy brothers on one stone (Jdg.9.5). However, Jotham escaped by hiding (Jdg.9.5).
Jotham went to Mount Gerizim and delivered a parable to the men of Shechem, warning them of the consequences of their actions in supporting Abimelech (Jdg.9.7-21). In the parable, the trees sought to anoint a king over them, but the worthy trees (olive, fig, and vine) refused, while the bramble accepted and threatened to devour the cedars of Lebanon (Jdg.9.8-15). Jotham then fled to Beer and remained there, fearing Abimelech (Jdg.9.21).
Later, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, causing them to turn against each other (Jdg.9.22-25). This ultimately led to Abimelech's downfall and death, which was seen as a fulfillment of Jotham's curse (Jdg.9.57).
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical bookJudges 4 verses
- Judges 9:5
"He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself."
- Judges 9:7
"When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice, cried out, and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you."
- Judges 9:21
"Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother."
- Judges 9:57
"and God repaid all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads; and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | יוֹתָם | H3147G |