Abijah / Abijam

The name that is transliterated as “Abijah” or “Abijam” in English means “God my Father” (Abijah) or “father of the sea,” “father of light (Abijam). (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that depicts the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel fighting 1 Kings 15:6 and following). The V-shaped hand also means that the heart is not upright and does the opposite (see 1 Kings 15:3). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Abijah / Abijam” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

complete verse (2 Chronicles 13:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 13:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “He ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was called Maakah daughter of Uriel who came from Gibeah.
    Then, Abijah fought with Jeroboam.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abia lived in Jerusalem, and he reigned within the (period) of three years. His mother was Maaca the child of Uriel who of/from Gibea.
    Abia and Jeroboam fought-(each-other).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Micaiah (OR, Maacah), the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah town.
    There was a war between the armies of Abijah and Jeroboam.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 13:2

He reigned for three years in Jerusalem …: This verse follows a common formula that states the number of years during which the king ruled and the name and origin of his mother. A similar formula is used in 2 Chr 20.31; 22.2; 24.1; 25.1; 26.3; 27.1; 29.1.

His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibe-ah: Abijah’s mother was Micaiah (literally “Micayahu” [La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade]). Elsewhere in the Old Testament, Micaiah is a man’s name, but here it clearly refers to a woman. The name of Abijah’s mother is given in 1 Kgs 15.2 and 2 Chr 11.22 as Maacah, which is why the Septuagint and some modern versions here in chapter 13 give her name as “Maacah” (New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Osty-Trinquet). It is difficult to know how to understand the different texts regarding the name of Abijah’s mother. To further complicate matters, both 1 Kgs 15.10 and 2 Chr 15.16 say that Maacah was the mother of Abijah’s son Asa.

Uriel of Gibe-ah was the father of Micaiah. However, according to 2 Chr 11.20, her father was Absalom. Compare 1 Kgs 15.2, which says his name was Abishalom. Translators should simply follow the Masoretic Text here and not attempt to harmonize the information here with that in 1 Kgs 15 and 2 Chr 11. Gibe-ah, the hometown of King Saul (1 Sam 10.26), was about 5 kilometers (3 miles) north of Jerusalem. Translators may wish to make it explicit that Gibe-ah was a town or city (so Good News Translation).

Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam: Just as there had been constant war between Jeroboam and Abijah’s father Rehoboam (2 Chr 12.15), so there was continual war between the two kingdoms during Abijah’s reign. Instead of saying there was war, some English versions use the idiom “war broke out” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible). But in other languages it may be more natural to say that the two kings or their armies “started fighting.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Chronicles 13:2

13:2a and he reigned in Jerusalem three years.

He was king in Jerusalem for three years.
-or-
He ruled in Jerusalem City for three (3) years.

13:2b His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah.

His mother was Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel from the town of Gibeah.
-or-
Abijah’s mother was called Micaiah/Maacah. Micaiah’s/Maacah’s father was called Uriel. He was from the town of Gibeah.

13:2c And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

There was war between Abijah ⌊king of Judah⌋ and Jeroboam ⌊king of Israel⌋.
-or-
During the time that Abijah ⌊ruled the kingdom of Judah⌋ and Jeroboam ⌊ruled the kingdom of Israel,⌋ their armies fought each other.

© 2021, 2022 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.