II Chronicles 13:21 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 13:21 Commentary: Abijah's Strength & Wives
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does the Chronicler record Abijah's fourteen wives and many children? A study of strength, family, and values in Judah's king.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Abijah's many wives and children are presented as a sign of his growing strength and God's ongoing blessing on the Davidic dynasty after a decisive victory.
- Key words: strengthened himself (חָזַק, Hithpael, reflexive action of self-establishment); took (נָשָׂא, same verb used for taking a wife); specific numbers (14 wives, 22 sons, 16 daughters) emphasize completeness from the Chronicler's records.
- Main debate: whether the listing implicitly endorses polygamy or merely reports it as a cultural marker of prosperity; the New Testament norm is monogamy (1 Tim 3:2).
- Theological theme: covenant faithfulness leads to visible fruitfulness, military victory and household increase, while the rebellious northern dynasty (Jeroboam) is cut off.
- Best use: as part of a sermon or lesson on the Chronicler's theology of blessing, or as an illustration of how Scripture reports cultural practices without necessarily prescribing them.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But Abijah grew strong, married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But Abijah grew mighty and took for himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
KJV King James Version 1769
But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But Abijah waxed mighty, and took unto himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Abijah strengtheneth himself, and taketh to him fourteen wives, and begetteth twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But Abijah strengthened himself, and took fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Empero se fortificó Abías; y tomó catorce|strong="H0702, H6240" mujeres, y engendró veintidós|strong="H6242, H8147" hijos, y dieciséis|strong="H8337, H6240" hijas.
Porém se fortificou Abias; e tomou catorze mulheres, e gerou vinte e dois filhos, e dezesseis filhas.
Mais Abija devint puissant; il eut quatorze femmes, et engendra vingt-deux fils et seize filles.
Abia aber ward mächtig, und er nahm vierzig Weiber und zeugte zweiundzwanzig Söhne und sechzehn Töchter.
Zo versterkte zich Abia; en hij nam zich veertien vrouwen, en gewon twee en twintig zonen en zestien dochteren.
Ma Abija divenne potente, prese quattordici mogli, e generò ventidue figliuoli e sedici figliuole.
Ale Abijasz zmocnił się, i pojął sobie żon czternaście, i spłodził dwadzieścia i dwóch synów, i szesnaście córek.
Авия же усилился; и взял себе четырнадцать жен и родил двадцать два сына и шестнадцать дочерей.
亞比雅 卻漸漸強盛，娶 妻妾 十 四個，生了 二十 二 個兒子，十 六 個女兒。
But Abijah became great, and had fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 13:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Scholars agree that this verse serves as a positive epilogue to Abijah's reign. The Cambridge Bible notes that the fourteen wives are a 'symbol of the wealth and state' of the king. Keil and Delitzsch explain that the waw consecutive verb forms connect the information logically to his strengthening, and that the great family size signified Abijah's increase in strength, especially when contrasted with Jeroboam's soon-extinguished dynasty. Gill and Wesley both observe that because Abijah reigned only three years, most of these marriages and births must have occurred before he took the throne. The consensus among commentators is that the Chronicler records these details not as a moral comment on polygamy but as a demonstration of God's blessing on the Davidic line through military victory and domestic prosperity. The verse closes the account of Abijah on a note of flourishing, pointing to the stability of Judah under his rule.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Chronicler intends this verse as a positive conclusion to Abijah's reign, showing his strength and God's blessing through family increase, contrasted with Jeroboam's collapse.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the family list | Commentators agree the list functions as a positive summary of Abijah's reign, demonstrating prosperity and strength. | Some see it purely as a symbol of wealth (Cambridge Bible); others emphasize the contrast with Jeroboam's extinction (Keil & Delitzsch). The ethical implications of polygamy are not addressed by the Chronicler. |
| Chronology of the marriages | Most agree that fourteen wives and thirty-eight children could not have been acquired or born during Abijah's three-year reign. | Whether they were accumulated before his reign (Gill, Wesley) or over his entire lifetime (Keil & Delitzsch) affects how one reads the waw consecutive verb sequence. |
| Character of Abijah | The Chronicler does not criticize Abijah here, and in the battle account (v.4-12) he portrays him as a defender of true worship. | 1 Kings 15:3 describes Abijah's heart as 'not perfect with the Lord,' creating a tension between the two biblical portraits. Some harmonize by noting his mixed record; others accept the different emphases of Kings and Chronicles. |
| Theological message | The rise of Abijah's house while Jeroboam's falls shows God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant. | Is the blessing a direct reward for Abijah's reliance on God (v.18) or an expression of God's sovereign election of Judah regardless of the king's worth? Both views find support in the passage. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Second Chronicles was written after the Babylonian exile, likely in the late fifth or fourth century BC. The Chronicler aimed to encourage the returned community by showing God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant, even through flawed kings. Polygamy was normal for ancient Near Eastern royalty. A king's many wives, often daughters of allied rulers, signaled his political reach and economic capacity. Feeding, housing and securing a household of fourteen wives and dozens of children required enormous resources; listing them was a way of proclaiming Abijah's prosperity.
The immediate context is a decisive victory over the northern kingdom (v.17-20). Abijah had cried out to the Lord, and the Chronicler explicitly says Judah 'relied on Yahweh' (v.18). This victory is the high point of his reign. Following the military success, the epilogue (vv.21-22) reports a surge in domestic strength. The Hebrew verb for 'grew mighty' (יתְחַזֵּק) is Hithpael, a reflexive stem, meaning Abijah 'strengthened himself.' It echoes the same verb used earlier to describe Rehoboam's establishment (2 Chr 12:13). The Chronicler is consistent in using family size as one measure of divine blessing (compare Rehoboam in 11:21).
Abijah reigned only three years (13:2). Keil and Delitzsch, Gill and Wesley all note that the fourteen wives and thirty-eight children could not have been acquired or born during such a short reign. The waw consecutive on 'took' (וַיִּשָּׂא) does not imply chronological sequence; rather, it logically links this prosperity summary to the preceding victory. The takeaway is not that Abijah married fourteen wives after the battle, but that the Chronicler presents the full scope of his reign's fruitfulness as one unified picture of strength, a direct contrast to Jeroboam's dynasty, which was about to be wiped out (v.20).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for II Chronicles 13:21. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the numbers (14, 22, 16) are consistent in the major traditions. The uniform reading supports the Chronicler's intentional use of precise figures.
Reception History
Jewish interpretation, especially in the Midrash and Talmud, generally treats the large household of Davidic kings as a sign of divine blessing and covenantal faithfulness, without moral censure of polygamy. Early Christian commentators, such as Jerome and Augustine, read the passage typologically, the many sons and daughters prefiguring the large spiritual family of Christ. Reformation-era exegetes like the Geneva Bible note the fact of polygamy without praise. Modern evangelical scholarship tends to emphasize the historical reporting function of the verse, setting it alongside the New Testament's clearer teaching on monogamy. Across traditions, the verse has been cited less as a proof text and more as a window into the Chronicler's historiographical values: God's blessing is visibly displayed in the prosperity and continuation of the Davidic line.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Strength seen in provision: Abijah's many wives and children demonstrate his ability to provide for a large household. In the ancient world this was a visible mark of a king's success. The Chronicler shows that God's blessing includes material and familial prosperity.
- Strength from divine help: The listing of wives and children follows directly after the victory report. Abijah did not win the battle by his own might; Judah relied on God (v.18). His subsequent 'growing mighty' is a fruit of that reliance, not a replacement for it.
- Strength as contrast: Jeroboam's house is cut off (v.20); Abijah's house multiplies. The Chronicler uses the family list to underscore the difference between a king who trusts God and a king who opposes Him. Multiplication is a covenant sign (Gen 12:2; 17:6).
Five-point outline
- The Chronicler's perspective: post-exile hope restored through David's line.
- Abijah's victory: a military and theological turning point.
- The list of wives and children: a rhetorical flourish of success.
- Chronological probability: most family grown before his short reign.
- The unspoken question: does Scripture endorse polygamy? It reports it without praise; New Testament teaching points to monogamy (1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6).
Illustration hooks
- A family photo wall in a home: each photo tells a story of growth, provision and legacy. The Chronicler is showing us Abijah's 'family photo' as part of his legacy.
- A small business owner who expands after one major contract. Outsiders see the growth; the owner knows the contract came from a relationship of trust. Abijah's victory was the contract; the family growth was the visible expansion.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean God approves of polygamy?
- How do we reconcile Abijah's many wives with 1 Kings 15:3, which says his heart was not fully with the Lord?
- What counts as 'strength' in God's eyes today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears at the end of Abijah's story in Chronicles. It comes right after a stunning victory and it describes his household in numbers. As you read it, notice what the Chronicler chooses to highlight and what he leaves out. Think about how the original audience, Jews returning from exile, would have heard this summary of a Davidic king's success.
Discussion questions
- What do these numbers (14 wives, 22 sons, 16 daughters) tell you about Abijah's status and resources? How would a record like this be received in a post-exile community?
- Why does the Chronicler put this family list immediately after the battle report (vv.17-20)? What connection might he be making between victory and family growth?
- Compare this verse with Judges 8:30 (Gideon's many sons) and 2 Chronicles 11:21 (Rehoboam's many wives). What pattern do you see in how the Old Testament narrators handle royal polygamy?
- In verse 21, Abijah 'strengthened himself' (Hithpael). Does this suggest self-reliance or something else, given the earlier statement that 'Judah prevailed because they relied on Yahweh' (v.18)?
- How does the New Testament's vision of marriage and leadership (1 Timothy 3:2; Matthew 19:4-6) inform the way we read this Old Testament report without condemning it?
- What does this verse teach about the kind of blessing God gave to David's line, even when the king was personally flawed?
- If you were teaching this passage to someone who asks, 'Does the Bible say polygamy is okay?', how would you answer using this verse in context?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 8:30 | Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. |
| Judges 8:31 | His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. |
| Judges 9:5 | He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. |
| Judges 10:4 | He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. |
| II Samuel 5:12 | David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. |
| II Samuel 5:13 | David took more concubines and wives for himself out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. |
| II Chronicles 11:21 | Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets the large number of wives as a strategic move, not just personal desire. He suggests these marriages were political alliances with surrounding powers, using their daughters to secure treaties and strengthen his own position.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the fourteen wives are listed here as a symbol of Abijah's wealth and royal grandeur, not simply as a marital fact. The point is that the number itself conveys the king's prosperity and the state he kept.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
So Abiiah waxed mightie, and marryed foureteene wiues, and begate two and twentie sonnes, and sixteene daughters.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill resolves the apparent timeline puzzle: Abijah ruled only three years but had fourteen wives and thirty-eight children, so most of these marriages and births must have happened before he became king, not during his brief reign.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch points out that Abijah likely took most of his fourteen wives before he became king, not after his victory, since his three-year reign left no time for so many children afterward. The growing family was a sign of Abijah's strengthening rule, in stark contrast to Jeroboam's collapsing
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the three speeches found only in Chronicles (Abijah's, Azariah's, and Hanani's) are no inventions but genuine documents from prophetic sources. Their highly original, powerful content, breathing the stern spirit of Samuel and Nathan, cannot be free compositions. They must come from primitive tradition, drawn from the writer's prophetic historical sources.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Jeroboam scorned Abijah's appeal to reason and religion, trusting instead in his military strategy and ambush. But his confidence in politics and brute force failed, because Judah prevailed by relying on God rather than on human schemes.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that the marriage mentioned was not something that occurred after the victory, since the man died soon after that event. Rather, the marriage was a fact throughout his entire life, a general statement about his condition rather than a specific sequence.