Ok here goes nothing... I'm going to address both questions at the same time.
Now... before I get started here let me say a few things. This is the best I've got to give at this point. What I would like to demonstrate here is the difference between our culture and the Jewish culture. Though it may appear that I am "grasping at straws" (and maybe I am) I'm certainly not trying to do that. I merely want to understand this. Both of these questions involve a family who was not talked about much in the bible at all apparently. I do believe there is an explanation for this, which is what I wish to present. If anything, just as something to think about and consider. However, if it comes right down to it and this sounds like nothing more than a load of BS... well... I guess we'll just have to write this one off as a contradiction until it can be proven otherwise.
First question:
Who was Abijam's mother?
Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom
Quote:1 Kings 15:1-2
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
Michaiah the daughter of Uriel
Quote:2 Chronicles 13:1-2
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel.
Second question:
How were Abijam and Asa related?
Abijam was Asa's father.
Quote:1 Kings 15:8
And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
Abijam was Asa's brother. (They both had the same mother, Maachah.)
Quote:1 Kings 15:1-2
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
Quote:1 Kings 15:9-10
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
First let me point out that in neither of these scriptures does it refer to Asa as Abijam's brother. It states who his "mother" is. That is important to note because the Jewish culture again is much different from ours. Their language, their ideals, their practices, and so forth. For centuries the Jews have lived in a "community" setting. Much different than ours. The majority of our "family" often times consists of (using mine as an example) the sister in WA, the brother in IL, the aunts and uncles in SC, and the cousins in CA, and so forth. All spread to the four winds. Once a year most of us get together for Thanksgiving to catch up on our lives, but really, there's not a lot of "community" going on within certain parts of my family. However within the Jewish culture it has been much different.
Though they too spread out there still seems to be a sense of "community" and acceptance within their ranks. This is not to say that we don't "love" our family that is far away, however our involvement in their lives is generally at a much different level than the Jewish people. Which boils down to their culture and how they are brought up. This very thing is demonstrated in the book of Ruth:
Quote:Ruth 3
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
Now, you might say, "Well of course she is going to call her "her daughter". Technically she was through marriage. But it doesn't end there:
Quote:Ruth 3
8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, "Who are you?" So she answered, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative." 10 Then he said, "Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.
Now, keep in mind two things here. Her relation to this family is only through her marriage to Naomi's son, who is now dead by the way. So by all mean their "relationship" had been terminated legally speaking at this point. Yet we find Naomi still embracing her as if she were a blood relative and not only that refereing to her (Naomi's family) as "our" family.
The second thing to keep in mind is his response to her. Without hesitation he referred to her as "my daughter" as well. I am pointing this out to show just how loosely these terms were used within their culture. It wasn't a matter of "blood relation" necessarily for one to be considered "family". Even the original hebrew definitions of the words regarding family show this:
Daughter
1323 bath bath from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, X first, X old, + owl, town, village.
Mother
517 'em ame a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam, mother, X parting.
Father
1 'ab awb a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application):--chief, (fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names in "Abi-".
Sister
269 'achowth aw-khoth' irregular feminine of 251; a sister (used very widely (like 250), literally and figuratively):--(an-)other, sister, together.
Brother
251 'ach awkh a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".
Family
4940 mishpachah mish-paw-khaw' from 8192 (Compare 8198); a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extens. a tribe or people:--family, kind(-red).
So... to sum it all up here I am suggesting that it is quite possible that the references made here in the "contradicting" scriptures are quite possibly refereing to their relationship based on the Jewish cultures ideal of family, which is obviously quite different from ours.
