Abijah

Several figures bear the name Abijah in the biblical record. The most prominent are the son of Jeroboam who died in childhood, and the king of Judah who reigned after Rehoboam — also called Abijam. A woman named Abijah also appears in the genealogies of Judah.

The Son of Jeroboam

When Jeroboam's son Abijah fell ill, Jeroboam sent his wife in disguise to the prophet Ahijah at Shiloh to learn the child's fate: "At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray you, and disguise yourself, that you will not be known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and go to Shiloh: see, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be king over this people" (1 Ki 14:1-2).

The blind prophet, warned by Yahweh beforehand, recognized her immediately and delivered a sweeping judgment against Jeroboam's house. The oracle identified the child as the one member of Jeroboam's line in whom "there is found some good thing toward Yahweh, the God of Israel" (1 Ki 14:13), and declared that he alone would receive a proper burial while the rest of Jeroboam's house would be consumed. The child died as his mother crossed the threshold on her return to Tirzah, and all Israel mourned him "according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his slave Ahijah the prophet" (1 Ki 14:18).

Abijah King of Judah

Rehoboam elevated Abijah, son of Maacah, above his brothers as designated heir: "And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, [even] the leader among his brothers; for [he was minded] to make him king" (2 Chr 11:22). On Rehoboam's death, Abijam — the name used in Kings — came to the throne of Judah: "Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah" (1 Ki 15:1).

During his reign Abijah confronted Jeroboam directly: "And Abijah stood up on mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel" (2 Chr 13:4). His reign ended with a quiet transition: "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" (2 Chr 14:1).

Abijah Wife of Hezron

The genealogy of Judah also records a woman of this name: "Hezron's wife was Abijah. And she bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa" (1 Chr 2:24). After Hezron's death she is remembered as the mother of Ashhur, the founding figure of Tekoa.