Chronology of Jehoram’s Reign

The years of Jehoram’s reign illustrate chronology problems in the books of Kings. First Kings 22:42 records that Jehoshaphat of Judah reigned for 25 years, and 1 Kgs 22:52 adds that Ahaziah of Israel began reigning in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat’s reign and was king for two years. Then Ahaziah’s brother, Joram, began to rule over Israel in the 18th (or perhaps 19th) year of Jehoshaphat, and ruled for 12 years (2 Kgs 3:1).

Second Kings 1:17 contradicts the preceding with its notice that Joram of Israel began to reign in the second year of Jehoram of Judah. If we assume the institution of co-regencies, it is possible that Joram started his reign both during the 18th year of Jehoshaphat’s 25-year reign and the second year of Jehoram’s co-regency with his father. Second Kings 8:16 adds one more synchronism: “In the fifth year of Joram King of Israel—and Jehoshaphat king of Judah—Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah.” This reconciles with the others only if Jehoram of Judah became the sole regent in the fifth year of Joram of Israel, which would be the final year of Jehoshaphat’s reign, approximately his 25th year. However, the phrase “and Jehoshaphat king of Judah” is misleading; it suggests Jehoram became co-regent in the fifth year of Joram; rather, he became the sole regent. Perhaps the text is intimating a previous co-regency. Cogan and Tadmor delete these words as a mistaken duplication of the phrase later in the verse (Cogan and Tadmor, II Kings, 95).

Absolute chronology can be achieved by assuming that Jehu’s coup (which terminates the reigns of Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah) occurred in 842 bc; Jehu is mentioned in an Assyrian inscription dated to 841 bc (Younger, “Annals: Calah Bulls,” 267). When we consider one year for the reign of Ahaziah of Judah (ending in 842 bc) and eight years for Jehoram’s reign, then the latter begins to rule as a co-regent of his father in roughly 851 bc, and sole regent perhaps in 846 bc. Edwin Thiele first argued that royal lines of Judah and Israel practiced overlapping kingships, and this is now assumed by most commentators (Thiele, “Coregencies,” 186–7; Cogan and Tadmor, II Kings, 95; Gray, I & II Kings, 66–7, 465). This policy ensured a smoother transition and decreased the possibility of a disputed succession.