King Abijam (Abijah)

How He Became King: After the death of his father Rehoboam
When He Began Reigning: Uncertain
Reign Length: 3 years
Ruled Over: Judah
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Uncertain
Death: Uncertain
Burial: Buried in Jerusalem

Abijam (who was also known as Abijah) became king after the death of his father Rehoboam. One of the things that makes this person confusing is the fact that the Bible lists him under two different names: he is called both Abijam and Abijah. This is not the only king in the Old Testament who is referred to by two different names; there are a number of others. This is something to keep in mind when studying the Bible. Sometimes there is more information about the person listed under a different name.

On top of that, there is also some confusion about his ancestry. As you can see, his mother is listed as two different people:

2 Chronicles 13:1: “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.”

1 Kings 15:1: “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.”

So what’s going on here? Well, first of all, Michaiah and Maachah are the same person. Just as Abijam is also called Abijah, Michaiah is also called Maachah. The names are different but the person is the same.

How is it possible that Michaiah can be the daughter of Uriel and the daughter of Abishalom? Well, according to Josephus (Ant. VIII, 10.1), Uriel was the husband of Abishalom’s daughter Tamar. Tamar, in turn, is the mother of Michaiah. In other words, Uriel was Michaiah’s father, and Abishalom was Michaiah’s grandmother. The Bible often referred to an ancestor as that person’s father or mother even if there were several generations between them (just as people sometimes refer to women as “daughters of Eve”).

Abijam reigned over Judah for three years, and did evil:

I Kings 15:1: “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.”

During his reign, Jeroboam king of Israel attacked him. Abijam rebuked him for attacking Judah and for serving idols:

2 Chronicles 13:8: “And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.
12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.”

Abijam was right: Jeroboam had evicted God’s priests from the land and had fallen deep into idolatry. However, Abijam’s hands were not clean either. The Temple may have been operating and the Levites may have been working, but Abijam’s heart was not right with God. The king walked in the sins of his fathers and did not have a perfect heart.

When Jeroboam attacked, he ambushed Abijam’s forces. Abijam then cried out to God for help. The Lord heard his cry and delivered Jeroboam’s army into his hand. During the battle 500,000 men of Israel were killed:

II Chronicles 13:16: “And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.”

After this battle Jeroboam’s power was broken, and Abijam became a mighty king (2 Chronicles 13:20-21). Abijam married 14 wives and had 22 sons and 16 daughters. Even though he once trusted in the Lord for victory, he remained an evil king. When he died, he was buried in Jerusalem:

2 Chronicles 14:1: “So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.”

Asa his son then reigned in his stead.