Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 13:21

"But Abijah waxed mighty, and took unto himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters." — 2 Chronicles 13:21 (ASV)

But Abijah waxed mighty. — And Abijah strengthened himself, after his life-and-death struggle with Jeroboam. (See 2 Chronicles 12:13.)

And married fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. —Abijah reigned only three years altogether. He must, therefore, have had most of these wives and children before his accession. (2 Chronicles 11:21–23 may be said to imply this; see Note on 2 Chronicles 11:23.) A stop should be placed after the first clause, thus: And Abijah strengthened himself. And he took him fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons, etc. The two facts are merely placed side by side, though a tacit contrast may be suggested between the number of Abijah’s offspring, and the speedy extirpation of the house of Jeroboam.