The Problem Stated
My fellow Steemian 
One of the challenges biblical scholars have faced over the years is the difficulty in reconciling the chronologies of the kings of Judah and Israel, specifically as they’re handed down through Kings and Chronicles.
The consequences of failing to meet this challenge are not just academic:
Many Bible students have worked diligently in an attempt to figure out the timeline of the kings of Israel and Judah ... Almost invariably, in spite of their valiant effort, they find some areas where the text appears to be inconsistent ... Then, concluding that they perceive some inconsistencies within the Word of God, they begin to ask for explanations. Sometimes, when they are unable to reconcile these apparent discrepancies, they begin to ask the question that starts to tear at their faith, “If the chronology of the kings holds errors, then shouldn’t we question the accuracy of other biblical passages?”
Another Joe has erected his chronology on the bedrock of Holy Scripture. The infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture he takes as a matter of personal faith:
In such an investigation as this we must begin with the strong conviction and confidence that Scripture is exactly what it claims to be, the very breath of God, wholly sufficient for all things pertaining to faith (that which we believe) and practice (that which we do), and is completely inerrant (in the original autographs) in every detail that it portrays, including matters of science, geography and history (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:20).
I am not bound by any such axiom, but a model that is in complete harmony with the Biblical chronology is surely preferable to one that is not.
Circles to Be Squared
There are many apparent inconsistencies in the Scriptural accounts of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The first one that comes to mind is the obvious discrepancy in the duration of the Divided Monarchy as reckoned by adding up the reigns of the Kings of Israel and as reckoned by adding up the reigns of the Kings of Judah:
The nineteen Kings of Israel (from the accession of Jeroboam to the fall of the Kingdom of Israel in the ninth year of Hoshea) rule for a total of 241 years.
The corresponding period for the Kingdom of Judah (from the accession of Rehoboam to the sixth year of Hezekiah) is 260 years.
Closely related to this is the discrepancy between the period from the beginning of the Divided Monarchy to the deaths of Jehoram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah. These two kings died in quick succession—2 Kings 9—but if we add up the reigns of the two royal lines, we arrive at two different figures:
The nine Kings of Israel from the accession of Jeroboam to the death of Jehoram of Israel reign for a total of 98 years and seven days.
The six Kings of Judah from the accession of Rehoboam to the death of Ahaziah of Judah reign for 95 years.
A problem of a different type arises when we scrutinize the apparent ages of some of the kings when they fathered their successors. Take, for example, the following passages from the First Book of Kings:
In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem ... Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. (2 Kings 16:1-2 ... 18:1-2)
If Ahaz was thirty-six years old when he died, and his son Hezekiah was twenty-five when he succeeded him, then Ahaz must have been eleven years old when Hezekiah was born. Is that possible?
Another type of problem involves apparent discrepancies between the two accounts of the Divided Monarchy in Kings and Chronicles. The following passages may serve as instances of this:
Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. (2 Kings 8:26)
Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. (2 Chronicles 22:2)
Or again:
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead ... In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years. (2 Kings 16:6 ... 2 Kings 16:8)
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 16:1)
And finally, there are even some apparent discrepancies between passages of the same book. In the Second Book of Kings there are two kings called Jehoram (or Joram), one in Judah and one in Israel. But which came to the throne first?
So [Ahaziah of Israel] died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son ... And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. (2 Kings 1:17 ... 2 Kings 8:16)
Or again, did Omri rule over Israel for 12 years or for 7 years?
In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years ... So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel. (1 Kings 16:23 ... 1 Kings 16:28-29)
Solutions
Clearly, a literal interpretation of the Scriptures will not do, while naïvely adding up the lengths of the various kingsʼ reigns leads to contradictions. Is there any way of making sense of these mysterious numbers without postulating errors in the text—whether copyists’ errors of transmission or simple misreporting of facts? In the following article I will take a brief glance at the various ways in which Biblical scholars have approached these problems and at some of the solutions they offered.
References
- The Holy Bible, 1611 King James Version, Cambridge Edition
Image Credits
Map of the Bible Lands during the Divided Monarchy: © 2017 Society of Biblical Literature, Creative Commons License
Rodin’s The Thinker at the Gates of Hell: Wikimedia Commons, Rodin (sculptor), Musée Rodin, © Jean-Pierre Dalbéra (photographer), Creative Commons License
Bulla Impressed with the Seal of Hezekiah: © Eilat Mazar, Ouria Tadmor (photographer), Fair Use
Tel Dan Stele: Wikimedia Commons, © Oren Rozen, Creative Commons License
Mesha Stele: Wikimedia Commons, Louvre Museum, Creative Commons License
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives: Wikimedia Commons, © Juancri, Creative Commons License
