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2 Chronicles 13:1

2 Chronicles 13:1 in Multiple Translations

In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah,

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.

Abijah became king of Judah in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam.

In the eyghteenth yeere of King Ieroboam began Abiiah to reigne ouer Iudah.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam — Abijah reigneth over Judah;

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.

When Jeroboam had been ruling Israel for almost 18 years, Abijah became the king of Judah.

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Berean Amplified Bible — 2 Chronicles 13:1

BAB
Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

2 Chronicles 13:1 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB בִּ/שְׁנַ֛ת שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה לַ/מֶּ֣לֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֑ם וַ/יִּמְלֹ֥ךְ אֲבִיָּ֖ה עַל יְהוּדָֽה
בִּ/שְׁנַ֛ת shâneh H8141 year Prep | N-fs
שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה shᵉmôneh H8083 eight Adj
עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה ʻâsâr H6240 ten Adj
לַ/מֶּ֣לֶךְ melek H4428 King's Prep | N-ms
יָרָבְעָ֑ם Yârobʻâm H3379 Jeroboam N-proper
וַ/יִּמְלֹ֥ךְ mâlak H4427 to reign Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
אֲבִיָּ֖ה ʼĂbîyâh H29 Abijah N-proper
עַל ʻal H5921 upon Prep
יְהוּדָֽה Yᵉhûwdâh H3063 Judah N-proper
Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — 2 Chronicles 13:1

בִּ/שְׁנַ֛ת shâneh H8141 "year" Prep | N-fs
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Definition: 1) year 1a) as division of time 1b) as measure of time 1c) as indication of age 1d) a lifetime (of years of life) Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
Usage: Occurs in 647 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). See also: Genesis 1:14; Genesis 47:28; Numbers 7:35.
שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה shᵉmôneh H8083 "eight" Adj
The Hebrew word for the number eight, which was considered a special number in biblical times. It is used to describe quantities, such as eight days or eight years, and also appears in ordinal forms, like eighth or eighth day.
Definition: 1) eight, eighth 1a) eight (as cardinal number) 1b) eighth (as ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers
Usage: Occurs in 105 OT verses. KJV: eight(-een, -eenth), eighth. See also: Genesis 5:4; 1 Chronicles 16:38; Jeremiah 32:1.
עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה ʻâsâr H6240 "ten" Adj
In Hebrew, this word means ten, and is used to form numbers like eleven or thirteen, as seen in Genesis 31:41. It is always used in combination with other numbers.
Definition: 1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers) 1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19
Usage: Occurs in 292 OT verses. KJV: (eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), [phrase] eleven(-th), [phrase] sixscore thousand, [phrase] twelve(-th). See also: Genesis 5:8; Joshua 21:7; 1 Chronicles 25:27.
לַ/מֶּ֣לֶךְ melek H4428 "King's" Prep | N-ms
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Definition: King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)
Usage: Occurs in 1919 OT verses. KJV: king, royal. See also: Genesis 14:1; Joshua 10:39; 1 Samuel 16:1.
יָרָבְעָ֑ם Yârobʻâm H3379 "Jeroboam" N-proper
Jeroboam means the people will contend, the name of two Israelite kings. The first Jeroboam was the king of the northern kingdom of Israel after Solomon's death, mentioned in 2 Kings 13:13.
Definition: A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.13.13; son of: Joash (H3101J); father of: Zechariah (H2148P) § Jeroboam = "the people will contend" 1) the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 10 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon's son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign 2) the 8th king of the northern kingdom of Israel, son of Joash, and 4th in the dynasty of Jehu; during his reign the Syrian invaders were repelled and the kingdom restored to its former borders but the idolatry of the kingdom was maintained
Usage: Occurs in 95 OT verses. KJV: Jeroboam. See also: 1 Kings 11:26; 1 Kings 22:53; Amos 7:11.
וַ/יִּמְלֹ֥ךְ mâlak H4427 "to reign" Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
To advise or counsel is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to reign or rule as a king. It is used in the Bible to describe the actions of leaders, like King Solomon, who sought wisdom to rule God's people. This word is found in the book of 1 Kings.
Definition: 1) to be or become king or queen, reign 1a) (Qal) to be or become king or queen, reign 1b) (Hiphil) to make one king or queen, cause to reign 1c) (Hophal) to be made king or queen
Usage: Occurs in 284 OT verses. KJV: consult, [idiom] indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 36:31; 2 Kings 8:15; 2 Chronicles 10:17.
אֲבִיָּ֖ה ʼĂbîyâh H29 "Abijah" N-proper
Abijah was the name of several people in the Bible, including a king of Judah and a son of Samuel. The name Abijah means 'Jehovah is my father', showing devotion to God. It is mentioned in books like 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
Definition: A woman living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.18.2; daughter of: Zechariah (H2148C); married to Ahaz (H0271); mother of: Hezekiah (H2396); also called Abijah at 2Ch.29.1; Another name of a.vi (אֲבִי "Abi" H0021) § Abia or Abiah or Abijah = "Jehovah is (my) father" 1) king of Judah, son and successor of Rehoboam 2) second son of Samuel 3) son of Jeroboam the first, king of Israel 4) son of Becher, a Benjamite 5) head of a priestly house (one of the 24 Levite groups) 6) head of a priestly house (after the exile) 7) wife of Hezron 8) mother of Hezekiah (cf H021)
Usage: Occurs in 25 OT verses. KJV: Abiah, Abijah. See also: 1 Samuel 8:2; 2 Chronicles 13:3; Nehemiah 12:17.
עַל ʻal H5921 "upon" Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
יְהוּדָֽה Yᵉhûwdâh H3063 "Judah" N-proper
Judah is the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob. It is also the name of the region where the tribe lived. The name means 'praised' and is first mentioned in Genesis.
Definition: § Judah = "praised" the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
Usage: Occurs in 754 OT verses. KJV: Judah. See also: Genesis 29:35; 1 Samuel 23:3; 2 Kings 14:13.

Study Notes — 2 Chronicles 13:1

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Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 2 Chronicles 12:16 And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Abijah reigned in his place.
2 1 Kings 15:1–8 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. And Abijam walked in all the sins that his father before him had committed, and his heart was not as fully devoted to the LORD his God as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life. As for the rest of the acts of Abijam, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. And Abijam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David, and his son Asa reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 13:1 Summary

This verse tells us that Abijah became the king of Judah during the eighteenth year of Jeroboam's reign in Israel, marking a significant point in the history of the divided kingdom. Just as God had a plan for His people in 2 Chronicles 7:14, Abijah's reign was part of God's larger plan. The fact that Abijah's mother was Micaiah, daughter of Uriel, reminds us that family and heritage are important, as seen in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. As we reflect on Abijah's story, we can learn about the importance of trusting in God's plan, even in times of conflict or uncertainty, just as the Israelites were called to trust in God's promises in Deuteronomy 31:6.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was significant about the timing of Abijah's reign in Judah?

The timing of Abijah's reign is notable because it occurred during the eighteenth year of Jeroboam's reign in Israel, highlighting the concurrent kingdoms of Judah and Israel, as seen in 2 Chronicles 13:1 and 1 Kings 14:20.

Who was Abijah's mother and what is known about her family?

Abijah's mother was Micaiah, daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah, although the Bible does not provide extensive information about her family, as mentioned in 2 Chronicles 13:2, we can look to other biblical accounts like 2 Chronicles 15:1-2 for insight into the importance of family lineage.

What can be inferred about the relationship between Judah and Israel during Abijah's reign?

The fact that there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam, as stated in 2 Chronicles 13:2, suggests a state of conflict and division between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, reminiscent of the divisions described in 1 Kings 12:1-33.

How does Abijah's reign relate to the broader narrative of the divided kingdom?

Abijah's reign is part of the ongoing story of the divided kingdom, which began with the split between Judah and Israel after the death of Solomon, as recorded in 1 Kings 11:26-40 and 1 Kings 12:1-33, and continued through the reigns of various kings, including Jeroboam and Abijah.

Reflection Questions

  1. What can we learn from the timing and circumstances of Abijah's ascension to the throne, and how might this apply to our own lives?
  2. In what ways do the actions and decisions of leaders, like Abijah and Jeroboam, impact the lives of their people, and what does this teach us about the importance of wise leadership?
  3. How does the conflict between Judah and Israel during Abijah's reign reflect the broader spiritual struggles and divisions within God's people, and what lessons can we draw from this for our own spiritual journeys?
  4. What role do you think faith and trust in God played in Abijah's decisions and actions as king, and how can we apply this to our own lives and leadership roles?

Gill's Exposition on 2 Chronicles 13:1

Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. [See comments on 1 Kings 15:1].

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 13:1

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Trapp's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 13:1

2 Chronicles 13:1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.Ver. 1. Now in the eighteenth year.] See 1 Kings 15:1-2.

Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 13:1

(1) Now.—Not in the Hebrew. The verse is nearly identical with the parallel in Kings.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 13:1

CHAPTER XIII Abijah begins to reign over Judah, and has war with Jeroboam, 1-3. His speech from Mount Zemaraim to Jeroboam, before the commencement of hostilities, 4-12. While thus engaged, Jeroboam despatches some troops which come on the rear of Abijah's army, 13. Perceiving this, they cry unto the Lord, and the Israelites are defeated with the loss of five hundred thousand men, 14-18. Abijah retakes several cities from Jeroboam, who is smitten by the Lord, and dies, 19, 20. Abijah's marriages and issue, 21, 22. NOTES ON CHAP. XIII

Cambridge Bible on 2 Chronicles 13:1

Ch. 2 Chronicles 13:1-2 (= 1 Kings 15:1-2). Abijah succeeds 1. Abijah] Called Abijam in the Heb. of 1 Kin. (LXX. Ἀ ?âéïý, i.e. Abijahu).

Barnes' Notes on 2 Chronicles 13:1

The history of Abijah’s reign is here related far more fully than in Kings (marginal reference), especially as regards his war with Jeroboam.

Sermons on 2 Chronicles 13:1

SermonDescription
David Guzik (1 Kings) Why Dynasties Come and Go by David Guzik In this sermon, the speaker begins by reminding the audience of the previous events in the book of First Kings, specifically the transition of power from David to Solomon. They hig

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