1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Abijah (Hebrew: אֲבִיָּה, ʾAḇiyyāh) or Abijam (אֲבִיָּם, ʾAḇiyyām)
• Meaning: “My father is Yahweh” (Abijah) or “Father of the sea/people” (Abijam, possibly a variant); the name affirms divine authority or lineage from God

2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Thirty-sixth generation from Adam; twenty-sixth generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Rehoboam – first king of Judah after the division
• Son: Asa – succeeded him and continued the Davidic line
• Lineage Role: Second king of Judah; preserved the royal line during political tension with the northern kingdom (Israel)

3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Reigned for three years in Jerusalem (1 Kings 15:1–2; 2 Chronicles 13:1–2)
• His reign was marked by war against Jeroboam of Israel, during which he appealed to Judah’s covenantal heritage and faithfulness to the temple
• Though portrayed negatively in Kings (“he walked in all the sins of his father”), Chronicles presents him as delivering a theological speech affirming the Davidic covenant (2 Chronicles 13:4–12)
• Succeeded by his son Asa, who led significant religious reforms

4. Theological and Christological Significance
• Stood in defence of temple worship and priesthood despite political instability
• Served as a transitional figure who preserved Judah’s identity and divine promise
• His mixed legacy illustrates God’s mercy in sustaining the Davidic line even through morally inconsistent rulers
• Included in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:7)

5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Remembered for a decisive military victory over Israel despite being outnumbered (2 Chronicles 13:13–20)
• His affirmation of covenantal worship sets a theological contrast with the idolatry of Israel
• Displays the tension between political instability and divine faithfulness in Judah’s monarchy
• His brief reign prepared the way for Asa’s reforms and religious renewal

6. Summary Insight
• Abijah’s reign, though short and spiritually mixed, defended Judah’s covenant identity and preserved the royal line—serving God’s unfolding redemptive purpose in the Messianic ancestry.

7. Biblical References
• 1 Kings 14:31–15:8 (as Abijam)
• 2 Chronicles 13
• Matthew 1:7