In the thirty eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did
Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six
months.
] Since Azariah began to reign in the twenty seventh of Jeroboam, ( 2 Kings 15:1 ) , and Jeroboam reigned forty one years, ( 2 Kings 14:23 ) , his last year must be the fifteenth or sixteenth of Azariah, in which year Zachariah must have begun to reign, had he immediately succeeded his father in the throne; there must be therefore an interregnum of twenty two years at least, which might be owing to the dissensions among the princes and people about the succession, and a dislike to Zachariah on some account; however, after all, he must reign, though but six months, to fulfil the word of the Lord, see ( 2 Kings 15:12 ) .