Abijah (priest)

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew ’Ăvîyâ (“Yahweh is my father”), reflecting covenantal identity in Israel’s worship.
• Period/Era: United Monarchy
• Main References: 1 Chronicles 24:10; Nehemiah 12:4, 17
• Key Connections: Aaronic priesthood; David’s organization of temple service; the later “division of Abijah” within post-exilic priestly lists.

Who was Abijah (priest)?

Abijah was an Israelite priest remembered as the head of the eighth priestly division in David’s ordered rotation for sanctuary service.
He appears within genealogical records that preserve priestly continuity from the monarchy into the post-exilic community.
His name is also used for a priestly clan (“the division of Abijah”) noted in later lists.

Key Events & Achievements

• Event 1: Appointed as chief of the eighth priestly division in the casting of lots for temple duties.
• Event 2: His division became a recognized priestly course referenced in later administrative-genealogical records.
• Event 3: Abijah’s name is preserved in post-exilic priestly registers, supporting continuity of ordained service after the exile.

Life Lesson & Legacy

Abijah’s preserved place in Israel’s priestly records highlights the importance of ordered worship and documented lineage in the covenant community.

Key Verse

"the eighth to Abijah," — 1 Chronicles 24:10, ESV