2 Chronicles 13:21 Meaning: Abijah's Many Wives
But Abijah grew mighty and took for himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
But Abijah waxed mighty, and took unto himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
And Abijah strengtheneth himself, and taketh to him fourteen wives, and begetteth twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters,
But Abijah strengthened himself, and took fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did the Chronicler record Abijah's many wives and children? This verse shows how ancient Israel measured royal blessing and power.
Context
The Chronicler has just described King Abijah's stunning victory over Jeroboam of Israel. Five hundred thousand enemy soldiers fell, and Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord. Then verse 21 appears almost as an afterthought: Abijah grew strong, took fourteen wives, and fathered thirty-eight children. This detail would not surprise an ancient reader. In the world of the Old Testament, a king's strength was often measured by the size of his household and the number of his alliances. The same book earlier recorded Rehoboam's eighteen wives and sixty concubines. The Chronicler is not moralizing; he is showing that God blessed Abijah with the markers of royal success that his culture recognised.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind "grew mighty" is chazaq. It means to strengthen, to become firm, to prevail. Abijah did not just happen to get stronger; he actively established himself in his kingdom. The same word is used earlier to describe Rehoboam strengthening himself. It carries the sense of taking hold of power with both hands.
Then the verse says he "took" wives. The verb nasa means to lift, carry, or take. In ancient Near Eastern politics, taking a wife was an act of lifting up a relationship: sealing an alliance, honouring a family, expanding influence. These were not private choices; they were public statements of standing.
Finally, yalad, "he fathered", is the ordinary word for begetting children. But here the numbers matter. Twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters show a household that could fill a small village. For the Chronicler, this abundance was a visible sign that God had indeed made Abijah strong, while his enemy Jeroboam's line was about to be cut off.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions agree that this verse describes, not prescribes. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, suggested the marriages were political alliances with neighbouring powers. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges sees the many wives as a symbol of Abijah's wealth and royal state. Matthew Henry, writing from a Reformed perspective, simply notes that Abijah died soon after, so these children were likely born before his reign. Keil and Delitzsch add that the Chronicler connects the large family logically to Abijah's increase in strength, especially compared to Jeroboam's dynasty which did not last. No tradition treats this verse as a model for marriage today. It is a window into how God's people once understood blessing and power.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to read this verse as an endorsement of polygamy. In fact, the Chronicler is reporting a cultural fact. Biblical history shows repeatedly that taking many wives led to family conflict, think of Gideon's sons or David's household. The passage records Abijah's strength in the terms his world understood, without approving every practice of that world.
Main takeaway: Abijah's large family was recorded as a sign of his strength and God's favour, though the Bible elsewhere shows that God's true measure of success is faithfulness, not numbers.
Questions People Ask
Why did Abijah have fourteen wives?
In the ancient Near East, kings often took multiple wives to form political alliances and demonstrate wealth and power. Commentators like Adam Clarke suggest Abijah probably married daughters of neighbouring rulers to secure his kingdom. The Chronicler lists the number as a sign of Abijah's strength, not as a moral recommendation.
Does this verse mean God approves of polygamy?
No. The Bible presents polygamy as a reality in ancient Israel, but it is never commanded or presented as God's ideal. The Torah warns kings not to multiply wives (Deuteronomy 17:17), and stories like Solomon's show the problems it caused. This verse records what happened, not what God prefers.
Why does the Chronicler include the exact numbers of wives and children?
Numbers mattered in the Chronicler's world. Twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters showed Abijah's household was flourishing. The large family contrasted with Jeroboam's failing dynasty. It was a way of saying, 'God has blessed this king visibly.'
How long did Abijah reign?
Abijah reigned only three years in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 13:2). This means many of his wives and children were likely born before he became king, as several commentators point out. His short reign makes the large family even more striking as a sign of his accumulated strength.
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