In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 8. Thirtieth. Usher would place an interregnum of eleven years and a half, after the death of Jeroboam, to make the first year of Zacharias correspond with the 38th of Azarias, during which, he supposes, the troubles mentioned Amos 7 and 8 happened. But this interregnum has no foundation, verse 5. Calmet.—Capellus says it would have lasted above 22 years. He and Houbigant would read, 28th: the latter adds ten years to the reign of Zacharias. The transcriber might easily omit the years, as they end in the same manner as months. Arab. has “six years;” whence we may infer, that the copies formerly varied. The exploits of Zacharias require a longer space than six months. Chron. sac. p. 107. 110.