Lexical Summary Abi: Abi Original Word: אֲבִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Abi From 'ab; fatherly; Abi, Hezekiah's mother -- Abi. see HEBREW 'ab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as ab Definition "my father," Hezekiah's mother NASB Translation Abi (1). Topical Lexicon Identity in the Kingdom of Judah Abi is the mother of King Hezekiah and the wife of King Ahaz of Judah (2 Kings 18:2). Her sole explicit appearance in the Hebrew text is under the shortened form “Abi,” while 2 Chronicles 29:1 records the fuller form “Abijah.” Both references locate her as “daughter of Zechariah,” grounding her identity within a family already noted for spiritual sensitivity in the history of Judah (compare 2 Chronicles 26:5). Name and Covenant Themes The fuller form “Abijah” carries the confession “Yahweh is my Father,” while the shorter “Abi” (“my father”) still preserves the relational core. In either form the name proclaims personal trust in the covenant God, anticipating themes later echoed by prophets who call Israel to remember the paternal care of the LORD (for example Isaiah 63:16; Malachi 2:10). Historical Setting Abi lived during one of the most turbulent chapters of Judah’s history. Her husband, Ahaz, “did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 16:2), introducing syncretism and idolatry on a scale not seen since the divided kingdom began. Her son Hezekiah, however, became the greatest reformer since David, opening and purifying the temple, destroying idolatrous high places, and re-instating the Passover (2 Kings 18; 2 Chronicles 29–31). Abi stands at the hinge of these two reigns, and Scripture implicitly contrasts the godliness associated with her and her lineage against the apostasy of Ahaz. Spiritual Influence on Hezekiah Although the text never describes her actions directly, the results of her son’s reign suggest strong spiritual nurture. Hezekiah institutes reforms “according to all that his father David had done” (2 Kings 18:3), yet his biological father was Ahaz. The mother’s formative role—underscored elsewhere in Scripture (Proverbs 31:1; 2 Timothy 1:5)—helps explain this striking divergence. The Chronicles account even places Hezekiah’s religious initiatives in the “first month” of his reign (2 Chronicles 29:3), implying convictions deeply rooted before he ascended the throne. Intertextual Connections Zechariah, Abi’s father, is likely the seer who “had understanding in the visions of God” and who once guided King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:5). If so, Abi links the royal house to a prophetic-priestly line, foreshadowing the later unity of priestly and royal offices in Christ (Zechariah 6:12–13; Hebrews 7). Furthermore, the name Abijah appears elsewhere—most notably a son of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:31) and a priestly division in the time of David (1 Chronicles 24:10)—all reinforcing the thematic blend of paternal care and covenant fidelity. Prophetic Resonance and Messianic Hints Hezekiah’s reign, shaped in part by Abi’s influence, becomes a type of messianic expectation: a Davidic king who trusts God in the face of Assyrian threat (2 Kings 19). Isaiah 7–9, delivered in Ahaz’s day, announces Emmanuel and the child whose name is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). The maternal presence behind Hezekiah quietly anticipates Mary’s role in bringing forth the true Son whose Father is God Himself. Lessons for Ministry Today 1. Godly parenting can counteract an ungodly environment; Abi’s legacy demonstrates that faithfulness in the home can influence national destiny. Summary Though mentioned only once by name in the Old Testament, Abi’s strategic position at the crossroads of apostasy and revival magnifies the importance of covenantal faith within the family. Her life testifies that God preserves a remnant and raises reformers—even in the darkest periods—through the hidden faithfulness of those who fear His name. Forms and Transliterations אֲבִ֖י אבי ’ă·ḇî ’ăḇî aViLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 18:2 HEB: וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ אֲבִ֖י בַּת־ זְכַרְיָֽה׃ NAS: name was Abi the daughter KJV: name also [was] Abi, the daughter INT: name and his mother's was Abi the daughter of Zechariah |
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