Abijam

Abijam, also rendered Abijah in some texts, was a king of the Kingdom of Judah described in the Hebrew Bible. He was the son of Rehoboam and the grandson of Solomon, and he ruled from Jerusalem for a brief period of three years. He was the father of Asa, who succeeded him on the throne.

The biblical accounts place his reign in the era of the divided monarchy. Abijam is noted for a notable military engagement with the northern kingdom under Jeroboam I. According to 2 Chronicles 13, he faced Jeroboam’s forces at Zemaraim and achieved victory, despite having fewer troops; the Chronicler emphasizes that the victory came with divine assistance and as part of the Davidic covenant sustaining the house of David. The Books of Kings and Chronicles present his reign as a continuation of the Davidic line, followed by Asa’s rule.

Religious policy and characterization vary slightly between sources, but the narrative generally presents Abijam as a Davidic king who maintained Judah’s royal line during a time of northern opposition. He died after three years and was buried in the City of David, with his son Asa succeeding him on the throne.

Name and etymology: Abijam (Abijah) means “Yahweh is my father.” The name appears in different forms in Kings and Chronicles, reflecting textual variations between the two biblical books. Scholarly dating places his reign in the late 10th century BCE, within the broader context of the early rulers of Judah.