Abijah

Both Rehoboam and Jeroboam named their sons Abijah. Jeroboam’s son died (chap. 14.). Perhaps Rehoboam’s son is called Abijam because he was not esteemed worthy to bear the divine name. We find from 2 Chron. 13. that he, with an army of 400,000 men, attacked Jeroboam, who had double that number, that he reproached Israel for having forsaken both David and God. He claimed that Judah was “the kingdom of the Lord,” and, although Jeroboam laid an ambush against him, he defeated the ten tribes, with the loss of half-a-million men, and captured several cities; after which Jeroboam died. Abijah had 14 wives and 38 children.
Maachah is believed to have been the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah and his wife Thamar, Absalom’s daughter. She was a wicked woman, and Asa removed her from being queen (verse 13) because she worshipped Ashtaroth.
Asa was a good king; he reigned 41 years. The account in Chronicles 14. to 16. records how Asa was delivered from Zerah, the Ethiopian, with an army of one million men, and how Azariah, the son of Oded, encouraged him. Baasha, the King of Israel, built Ramah, that he might prevent his people from falling away to the good King Asa, whereupon Asa, instead of relying on the Lord, purchased Syria’s help. While Benhadad (the first) warred against Israel, Judah carried away the stones, and built other cities with them. Asa was rebuked by Hanani, the seer, for his lack of faith in God, and told that henceforth he should have nothing but war


1910 Christadelphian p 192