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King Abijam of Judah

(2 Chronicles 13.1-22)

15 Abijam became king of Judah in Jeroboam's eighteenth year as king of Israel, and he ruled from Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.

Abijam did not truly obey the Lord his God as his ancestor David had done. Instead, he was sinful just like his father Rehoboam. 4-5 (A) David had always obeyed the Lord's commands by doing right, except in the case of Uriah.[a] And since Abijam was David's great-grandson, the Lord kept Jerusalem safe and let Abijam have a son who would be the next king.

6-7 (B) The war that had broken out between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued during the time that Abijam was king.

Everything else Abijam did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Judah. Abijam died and was buried in Jerusalem,[b] and his son Asa became king.

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Footnotes

  1. 15.4,5 Uriah: A Hittite who served in David's army; David had him killed so he could marry his wife Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11.1-27).
  2. 15.8 Jerusalem: See the note at 2.10,11.

Abijah King of Judah(A)

15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah[a] became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah(B) daughter of Abishalom.[b]

He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted(C) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp(D) in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep(E) any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah(F) the Hittite.

There was war(G) between Abijah[c] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 15:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 12:16); most Hebrew manuscripts Abijam; also in verses 7 and 8
  2. 1 Kings 15:2 A variant of Absalom; also in verse 10
  3. 1 Kings 15:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Abijam (that is, Abijah); most Hebrew manuscripts Rehoboam