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Abijah
A king of Judah, son of Rehoboam, who warred with the northern kingdom.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 2
Life, role & deeds
BibleSon of Rehoboam, who warred with Jeroboam of Israel and, the Chronicler says, prevailed by trusting the LORD.
2 Chronicles 13:1–18
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Ancient writersJosephus narrates the reign of King Abijah of Judah and his war with Jeroboam of Israel, but his account is a retelling of the Kings and Chronicles material rather than an independent record.
Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 8.11.1-3 (§§8.264-286), reign of Abias (Abijah) and the war with Jeroboam; Loeb Classical Library ed., trans. R. Marcus (Harvard University Press). A retelling of 1 Kings 15 / 2 Chronicles 13, not an independent record.
Name & titles
ScholarlyAbijah (אֲבִיָּה) is a theophoric name meaning "Yah(weh) is my father," formed from ab plus the shortened divine name Yah.
Standard Hebrew onomastic analysis of the -yah / -yahu theophoric suffix; cf. BDB and HALOT.
ScholarlyThe king of Judah called Abijah in Chronicles appears as Abijam (אֲבִיָּם) in Kings; scholars debate whether the Kings form preserves a variant (possibly "my father is Yam/sea") later normalized to the Yahwistic Abijah, a recognized textual/onomastic crux.
Comparative Masoretic-text observation on the Kings/Chronicles spelling; discussed in critical commentaries on 1 Kings 15 (e.g. Cogan, Anchor Bible).
Where in scripture
1 KingsFamily
Places in their life
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