Being a mother is never easy but the job is even more difficult in times of moral decay and financial instability. Add a corrupt father who holds all earthly power, and you understand the daily battle Abi fought for twenty-five years as she determined to raise a godly son in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. [1]

     Abi grew up in a home where God was deeply loved and obeyed. Her father advised king Uzziah [2] and she was probably born in Jerusalem during the last years of this godly king. Her family was well off financially and highly respected. Abi was probably a young teen when the monarchy changed and Jotham ruled in his father's place. When appropriate, she would have been included in social gatherings at the palace and she probably knew a young prophet who was often around. Isaiah was just beginning his ministry as she came of age. One could say things looked pretty good for Abi's future. But something went wrong on her way to the marriage alter and the outlook changed from golden to black.

     Women had little to say in regard to who married and Abi would have been no exception. Her life partner was chosen by her father and the matter settled by contract between him and the perspective groom. When Zechariah picked a husband for Abi, he made the biggest mistake of her life.

     Abi was given to Ahaz, a descendent from David, and second in line for the throne. She gave him a son about half-way through his brother's reign as king. Jothan was a good ruller, but when he died at forty-one his brother took his place, things changed dramatically. The undercurrent of evil that had been building in the nation exploded with Ahaz leading the way. Abi was swept into the role of queen as political intrigue, religious corruption and financial ruin took over the land.

     Ahaz had many women. There were other wives and concubines, even though Abi was his official queen and many other sons were running around the palace. Abi knew what it was like to give her life and her loyalty and her body to a man with whom she had little in common and who was impossible to respect.

     Not only was her home life in a mess, her nation was going down the tube as well. War was threatening on several fronts and the inept politics of her foolish husband continually made things worse. The land once ruled by David had been divided into two kingdoms; Israel in the north and Judah-where Ahaz ruled-in the south. When the northern kingdom started giving him trouble Ahaz relied on political manipulation for help and appealed to a foreign nation.

   Assyria was glad to "help." In fact, she moved through Israel like a steamroller-then kept on coming until she reduced Judah to servitude as well. When Ahaz was forced to bribe this new enemy into some similitude of peace, he robbed God's temple of both money and costly furnishings, drained the national treasury and confiscated the wealth of private citizens as well.

     But her husband's most stupid blunder was Abi's greatest concern. He looked at the prosperity of other nations and imported their gods hoping they would restore his lost wealth. Although he had a godly father, Ahaz gave whole hearted support to pagan ceremonies where his "worship" included temple prostitution and child sacrifice. When the king took some of his own sons and burned them alive Abi must have wondered when her husband's perverted lust for money would lead him to burn the heir to the throne as well.

     But despot kings don't live forever and Hezekiah took the throne at age twenty-five. He led the nation in sweeping revival, beat Assyria back behind Judah's borders and his push for moral reform swept from the palace to the lowest village. Although it would not last-nothing in this life ever does-it was the last and greatest revival Judah would know before their deportation to Babylon about a hundred years later.

     Abi won her war. She pushed against a tide of moral decay, fought the odds, and delivered for God's use a righteous son who loved the Lord. In her honor the Holy Spirit breaks tradition when giving the geology of king Hezekiah. Paying only limited attention to his father, the Bible states, "And his mother's name was Abi, daughter of Zechariah." [3]