How did Abijah's actions in 2 Chronicles 13:21 reflect God's blessing on him? Setting the Scene • 2 Chronicles 13:21: “But Abijah grew strong and married fourteen wives, and he became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.” • The verse comes right after God grants Abijah a decisive victory over Jeroboam (13:13-18). The chronicler now highlights the ongoing results of that divine favor. Abijah’s Growing Strength: God-Given Empowerment • “Abijah grew strong” – the Hebrew verb ḥāzaq implies being firmly established, fortified, or made mighty. • Scripture consistently ties true strength in a king to the Lord’s hand rather than to human prowess (2 Chron 1:1; 1 Samuel 2:10). • Abijah’s military, political, and economic stability are all presented as gifts flowing from God’s prior intervention in battle (13:18). A Fruitful Household: Children as a Visible Blessing • Fourteen wives, thirty-eight children – in ancient Israel this was a public marker of prosperity and divine favor. • Psalm 127:3-5: “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward… Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” • Deuteronomy 28:4 lists “the fruit of your womb” among the covenant blessings for obedience. Abijah’s large family visibly displays that promise at work. Safeguarding the Davidic Covenant • God had pledged an enduring line to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Abijah’s many sons secure multiple potential heirs, strengthening the dynasty. • 2 Chron 13:5 reminds Judah that “the LORD God of Israel has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt.” Abijah’s expanding lineage shows that covenant actively unfolding. Echoes of Earlier Promises • Genesis 17:6 – God told Abraham, “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.” Abijah’s fertility echoes that patriarchal blessing. • 1 Chron 28:4 – David testifies that God “has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.” The same choosing and multiplying grace now rests on Abijah, Solomon’s grandson. Observable Signs of God’s Blessing in 2 Chronicles 13:21 • Military and political might increased. • Domestic prosperity shown by multiple wives (common royal practice for alliances and influence). • An abundance of sons and daughters, securing succession and reflecting covenant faithfulness. • All three facets point back to the Lord’s promise to build and preserve the house of David. Practical Takeaway The chronicler uses Abijah’s strength and flourishing family not as an endorsement of polygamy but as a tangible proof that God keeps His word to those who rely on Him. The same faithful God still empowers, provides, and fulfills His promises in ways that can be seen and celebrated today. |
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