מלכים ב, פרק ט״ו, פסוק כ״ז

Ancient royal chronologies often align the reigns of neighboring kingdoms to establish a clear timeline of leadership. The rise of Pekah son of Remaliah to the throne of Israel is carefully synchronized with the ongoing rule of Azariah, king of Judah.

The specific timing of Pekah's rise to power is directly connected to the brief reign of his predecessor, Pekahiah. Pekahiah originally took the throne during the fiftieth year of Azariah's rule. However, his time in power lasted for only two partial years, coming to an end during Azariah's fifty-first year. Because of this rapid transition, Pekah assumed control the very next year, which aligned with the fifty-second year of Azariah's reign.

Just as the start of his rule is calculated using incomplete calendar years, the total length of Pekah's reign follows the exact same pattern. Although he is recorded as having ruled for twenty years, this period does not represent two full decades of continuous time. Instead, the calculation is made up of fragmented and partial years [מצודת דוד].