2 Chronicles 13 · a question people ask
Was Abijah's mother Micaiah or Maacah?
This chapter says, "His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah" (13:2). Two chapters earlier, 2 Chronicles says of Rehoboam, "After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith" (11:20), and "Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief" (11:22). 1 Kings says of Abijam, "His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom" (1 Kings 15:2), and says the same words of Asa, whom it calls his son (1 Kings 15:8, 15:10). 2 Chronicles says of Asa's reign, "Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother" (15:16). None of these verses explains how they fit together, and readers have explained them in more than one way. These notes set the verses side by side and don't choose, as the honest questions of 2 Chronicles 11 and 1 Kings 15 do.
The verses
“He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.”
“After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.”
“Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.”
“He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.”