Abijah

Abijah was one of the sons of Samuel, the last judge and a prominent prophet in Israel. Along with his brother Joel, Abijah was appointed by Samuel as a judge over Israel in his old age (1 Samuel 8:1–2). However, Abijah and his brother did not walk in the righteous ways of their father. They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:3).

The corrupt behavior of Abijah and Joel led the elders of Israel to demand a king to rule over them, rejecting the leadership of Samuel and his sons (1 Samuel 8:4–5). This event marked the transition from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy in Israel. Abijah is also mentioned in the genealogy of the Levites in 1 Chronicles 6:28, confirming his lineage as a descendant of Levi through Samuel.