Who was Abia in the bible?

Abia (a Greek form of the Hebrew name Abijah) appears in the New Testament in two ways: as a person named in Jesus’ genealogy, and as the name of a priestly division to which Zacharias belonged.

Abia in Scripture

In Matthew’s genealogy, Abia is presented as one link in a royal line that runs through David and Solomon. The immediate setting places Abia between Rehoboam and Asa:

“Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.” (Matthew 1:7)

This statement is embedded within a larger sequence that identifies the line in which Abia appears. Just before Abia is named, Matthew’s genealogy moves from Jesse to David, and from David to Solomon:

“Jesse became the father of King David. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife.” (Matthew 1:6)

Immediately after Abia is named, Matthew continues the genealogical chain through several generations:

“Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.” (Matthew 1:8)

“Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.” (Matthew 1:9)

“Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.” (Matthew 1:10)

Within this context, Abia is not described by actions or speech; he is identified by his place in the ancestry: Rehoboam “became the father of Abijah,” and Abijah “became the father of Asa” (Matthew 1:7).

In Luke’s opening narrative, Abia appears not as an individual acting in the story, but as the name of a priestly division connected to Zacharias. Luke frames his account as a careful, ordered narration:

“it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;” (Luke 1:3)

“that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.” (Luke 1:4)

Then Luke introduces the setting and the main couple in this portion of the narrative:

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.” (Luke 1:5)

Luke continues by describing their character and situation:

“They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.” (Luke 1:6)

“But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.” (Luke 1:7)

After introducing Zacharias as belonging to “the priestly division of Abijah” (Luke 1:5), Luke narrates Zacharias’ service in terms that connect directly to that division:

“Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division” (Luke 1:8)

In Luke 1, then, “Abijah” functions as an identifying designation for a priestly division associated with Zacharias’ ordered service.

Multiple bearers

The name Abia (Abijah) is used in two distinct referents in these passages. First, it is the name of a man in a genealogy: “Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa” (Matthew 1:7). Second, it is the name of a priestly division: Zacharias is introduced as “of the priestly division of Abijah” (Luke 1:5), and he serves “in the order of his division” (Luke 1:8). The texts do not explicitly connect the genealogical Abijah with the priestly division bearing the same name.

Name and Meaning

In Greek the name is written Ἀβιά (transliterated Abia, pronounced ab-ee-ah’). Strong’s notes that it is of Hebrew origin (H029), and the identity gloss equates it with Abijah.

Observation

Across these references, Abia is used to locate people within ordered lines—Matthew situates Abia within a chain of fatherhood (Matthew 1:7), and Luke situates Zacharias within “the order of his division” connected to Abijah (Luke 1:5, 1:8).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Abia mean?

Abia is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Abijah.

How many times does Abia appear in the Bible?

Abia appears 3 times.

Who was Abia?

In Matthew 1:7, Abia (Abijah) is named in a genealogy as the son of Rehoboam and the father of Asa. In Luke 1:5, Abijah is the name of a priestly division connected with Zacharias.

Where is Abia mentioned in a genealogy?

Matthew 1:7 says, “Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.”

Explore Further

If you found this page about Abia interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).