1. Meaning and Etymology:
The name "Abia" is a variant of "Abijah," which means "Yahweh is my father" or "My father is Yahweh" in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew words "ab" (father) and "Yah" (a shortened form of Yahweh, the name of God).

2. Biblical References and Contexts:

· Abia, Son of Samuel:
Abia is mentioned as one of the sons of the prophet Samuel. In 1 Samuel 8:2 , it states, "The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba." Abia, along with his brother Joel, served as a judge in Israel. However, they did not follow their father's righteous ways, leading to the people's demand for a king.

· Abia, King of Judah:
Abia is also the name of a king of Judah, often referred to as Abijah. He was the son of Rehoboam and the grandson of Solomon. His reign is recorded in 1 Kings 15:1-8 and 2 Chronicles 13. In 1 Kings 15:1-3 , it is written, "In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. And Abijah walked in all the sins his father had committed before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of his forefather David had been." Despite his shortcomings, Abia is noted for a significant victory over Jeroboam, king of Israel, as described in 2 Chronicles 13.

· Abia, Priestly Division:
Abia is also associated with one of the priestly divisions established by King David. In 1 Chronicles 24:10 , it states, "the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah." This division was part of the 24 priestly courses that served in the temple, and it is notably mentioned in the New Testament in relation to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, who belonged to the division of Abijah (Luke 1:5).

3. Historical and Theological Significance:

· Judicial Role:
As a son of Samuel, Abia's role as a judge highlights the transition period in Israel's history from theocracy to monarchy. His failure to uphold justice contributed to the people's clamor for a king, which led to the anointing of Saul as the first king of Israel.

· Monarchical Role:
As a king of Judah, Abia's reign was marked by conflict with the northern kingdom of Israel. His military success against Jeroboam is seen as a divine intervention, despite his personal failings. This victory is often interpreted as a testament to God's covenant with David's lineage.

· Priestly Role:
The mention of Abia in the context of the priestly divisions underscores the structured religious practices established in ancient Israel. The division of Abijah is significant in the New Testament narrative, linking the Old Testament priestly traditions to the birth of John the Baptist, a pivotal figure in the New Testament.

4. Cultural and Religious Impact:

The name Abia, in its various contexts, reflects the multifaceted roles individuals played in the religious, judicial, and monarchical systems of ancient Israel. It serves as a reminder of the complexities of leadership and the enduring influence of divine promises throughout biblical history.Abia

In the New Testament the same as ABIJAH in the Old Testament, which see.

My father is the Lord, the Greek form of Abijah, or Abijam (Matthew 1:7), instead of Abiah (1 Chronicles 7:8). In Luke 1:5, the name refers to the head of the eighth of the twenty-four courses into which David divided the priests (1 Chronicles 24:10). ABIA; ABIAH

a-bi'-a, a-bi'-ah: Variants for ABIJAH; which see.

7. Abia -- Abijah, Abia, the name of two Israelites
... 6, 7. Abia. 8 . ... Word Origin of Hebrew origin Abiyyah Definition Abijah,
Abia, the name of two Isr. NASB Word Usage Abijah (3). Abia. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/7.htm - 6k

Matthew's Genealogy of Jesus Christ
... begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the
wife of Urias; 7. And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/matthews genealogy of jesus christ.htm

How Izates was Betrayed by his Own Subjects, and Fought against by ...
... Accordingly, they wrote to Abia, king of the Arabians, and promised him great sums
of money, if he would make an expedition against their king; and they ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how izates was.htm

Appendix vii. On the Date of the Nativity of Our Lord
... as furnished in this notice (Luke 1:5) of his annunication to his father, that
Zacharias officiated in the Temple as on of the course of Abia' (see here vol. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix vii on the date.htm

The Annunciation of St. John the Baptist
... It was the first week in October 748 auc, [631] that is, in the sixth year before
our present era, when the course of Abia' [632] - the eighth in the original ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter iii the annunciation of.htm

Of the Agreement of the Evangelists Matthew and Luke in the ...
... "And David begat Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias; and Solomon begat
Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; and Asa begat Josaphat ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon i of the agreement.htm

Elijah Come Again
... LUKE Chaps. I to XII ELIJAH COME AGAIN. 'There was, in the days of Herod the king
of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/elijah come again.htm

Of the Question How it Can be Shown that the Narrative of the Haul ...
... his Gospel in the following fashion: "There was in the days of Herod the king of
Jud??a, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter ix of the question how.htm

From the Fourth Chapter.
... But Luke said, "There was a priest, by name Zachariah, of the course of Abia, and
his wife was of the daughters of Aaron:" [2268] this is the likeness of a calf ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the fourth chapter.htm

A Statement of the Manner in which Luke's Procedure is Proved to ...
... [721] There was, in the days of Herod the king of Jud??a, a certain priest named
Zacharias, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter v a statement of the.htm

The Assumption of Moses
... the people, viz. Rehoboam, Abia, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Ahaziah, and Athaliah;
and nine God defended, viz. Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the assumption of moses.htm

Abia (3 Occurrences)
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ABIA; ABIAH. ...Abia (3 Occurrences). Matthew 1:7 And Solomon
begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; (KJV DBY WBS). ...
/a/abia.htm - 7k

Roboam (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Roboam (1 Occurrence). Matthew 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam;
and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; (KJV DBY WBS). ...
/r/roboam.htm - 6k

Begat (112 Occurrences)
... DBY WBS YLT). Matthew 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia;
and Abia begat Asa; (KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT). Matthew 1:8 ...
/b/begat.htm - 31k

Abiah (4 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ABIA; ABIAH. a-bi'-a, a-bi'-ah: Variants for ABIJAH;
which see. Multi-Version Concordance Abiah (4 Occurrences). ...
/a/abiah.htm - 7k

Abi (2 Occurrences)

/a/abi.htm - 12k

Zacharias (11 Occurrences)
... (1.) A priest of the course of Abia, the eighth of the twenty-four courses into
which the priests had been originally divided by David (1 Chronicles 23:1-19). ...
/z/zacharias.htm - 15k

Zibiah (2 Occurrences)
... woman of Beersheba, mother of King Jehoash (Joash) of Judah (2 Kings 12:1 (Hebrew
verse 2); 2 Chronicles 24:1. Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Vaticanus have Abia...
/z/zibiah.htm - 7k

Elisabeth (8 Occurrences)
... Luke 1:5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named
Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron ...
/e/elisabeth.htm - 9k

Course (87 Occurrences)
... Luke 1:5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named
Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron ...
/c/course.htm - 38k

Who was King Abijah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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