"When passages are obscure, as to their chronology, great care must be taken not to reconcile them by imputing faults to the inspired book. Wherefore, if sometimes it happens that we cannot account for the .number of the years, we must simply avow our ignorance, and consider that the Scriptures are expressed with so much conciseness, that it is not possible for us always to discover at what epoch we must commence such and such a computation. It very often happens that in the histories of the kings of Judah and Israel, the respective numbers of their years cannot be easily reconciled ; but these difficulties are explained and justified in many ways.
1. The same year, commenced by one of the two, and finished by the other, is attributed to both.
2. Often the sons reigned with their fathers for several years; which are imputed sometimes to one and sometimes to the other.
3. There were often interregnums which the Scriptures attribute sometimes to the predecessors, sometimes to the successors.
4. Finally, it sometimes happens that certain years in which oppressive and profane princes reigned, are regarded as not having existed, and are not counted."
Peter Martyr, Commentary on 2 Kings 13:17, and 1 Kings 15:1
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