Abijah/Abijam in Chronicles and Kings
A Synopsis by Ralph W. Klein
© 2000 by Ralph W. Klein
|
2 Chronicles |
1 Kings |
|
Vannutelli 142 13:1-2a Abijah began to reign in the 18th year of Jeroboam. He reigned for three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. |
15:1-2 Abijam began to reign in the 18th year of Jeroboam. He reigned for three years. His mother’s name was Maacah, daughter of Abishalom. |
|
|
15:3-5 His heart was not true like the heart of David his father. Nevertheless, God gave him dominion/a lamp in Jerusalem. He did not turn aside from anything that God commanded…except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (vv. 5b-6 absent in LXX). |
|
13:2b There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. |
15:6 The war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued all the days of his life (an intrusion from 14:30). |
|
13:3-21Abijah’s 400,000 faced Jeroboam’s 800,000. Abijah preached from Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim (15:8; 17:2) to all Israel. David had been given kingship by a covenant of salt. Jeroboam and other scoundrels defied Rehoboam when he was young. Kingdom of Yahweh was in the hands of the sons of David. Golden calves made by Jeroboam are interpreted as false gods, and people buy their way into priesthood for what are "no gods." Priests in north are not descendants of Aaron or Levites. Yahweh is our God and we have not abandoned him. Our priests descend from Aaron and are served by Levites. God is with us at our head and his priests have battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. Do not fight against Yahweh for you cannot succeed. Northern army surrounded army of Judah. When the people of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel. 500,000 from Israel were slain. People of Judah prevailed because they relied on Yahweh.
Abijah took Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron (=Ophrah). Yahweh struck Jeroboam and he died. Abijah grew strong: he had 14 wives and had 22 sons and 16 daughters. See Ralph W. Klein, "Abijah’s Campaign against the North (II Chr 13)—What Were the Chronicler’s Sources?" ZAW 95 (1993) 210-217. |
(2 Sam 24:9 David numbered 800,000 in Israel and 500,000 (LXXL 400,000) in Judah).
Jos 18:21 Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, 22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel [b h s a n a < *B A I J H L K A I I S A N A = Bethel and Jeshanah], 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni [lacking in LXX], and Geba—twelve towns with their villages.
14:20 Jeroboam slept with his ancestors (= a peaceful death). |
|
Vannutelli 143 13:22 the rest of the acts of Abijah, his behavior and his deeds, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo. |
15:7 The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. |
|
13:23 [14:1] Asa succeeded Abijah; the land had rest for ten years. |
15:8 Abijam succeeded by his son Asa. |