Topical Encyclopedia
Maacah is a name that appears multiple times in the Old Testament, referring to both individuals and a region. The name Maacah is of Hebrew origin, meaning "oppression" or "to press."
1.
Maacah, the Region: Maacah was a small Aramean kingdom located near the region of Geshur, east of the Sea of Galilee. It is mentioned in the context of the territorial conquests during the time of King David. In
1 Chronicles 19:6-7, the Maacathites are listed among those who hired chariots and horsemen to fight against David: "When the Ammonites realized they had become a stench to David, they hired from Aram Beth-rehob and Aram Zobah, twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers, as well as the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob."
2.
Maacah, the Wife of David: Maacah was one of King David's wives and the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. She was the mother of Absalom and Tamar. Her marriage to David is noted in
2 Samuel 3:3: "His second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur."
3.
Maacah, the Mother of Absalom: As the mother of Absalom, Maacah played a significant role in the royal family dynamics. Absalom's rebellion against his father David is a pivotal event in the narrative of 2 Samuel. Maacah's influence on Absalom is not explicitly detailed in the scriptures, but her position as a foreign princess may have contributed to Absalom's ambitions and actions.
4.
Maacah, the Wife of Rehoboam: Another Maacah is mentioned as the favorite wife of King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. She was the daughter of Absalom, making her a granddaughter of the earlier Maacah. Her influence is noted in
1 Kings 15:13: "He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley." This Maacah is also referred to as "Micaiah" in some passages, such as
2 Chronicles 13:2.
5.
Maacah, the Father of Hanan: In
1 Chronicles 11:43, Maacah is listed as the father of Hanan, one of David's mighty warriors: "Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite."
6.
Maacah, the Concubine of Caleb: In
1 Chronicles 2:48, Maacah is mentioned as a concubine of Caleb, the son of Hezron: "Caleb’s concubine Maacah gave birth to Sheber and Tirhanah."
The various references to Maacah in the Bible highlight the interconnectedness of familial and political relationships in ancient Israel and its neighboring regions. The individuals named Maacah played roles in the unfolding narrative of Israel's history, from the time of the judges through the monarchy.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Maacah(oppression).
- The mother of Absalom; also calledMAACHAH. (2 Samuel 3:3)
- Maacah, or (in (1 Chronicles 19:6,7)) Maachah, a small kingdom in close proximity to Palestine which appears to have lain outside Argob, (3:14) and Bashun. (Joshua 12:5) The Ammonite war was the only occasion on which the Maacathites came into contact with Israel when their king assisted the Ammonites against Joab with a force which he led himself. (2 Samuel 10:6,8;1 Chronicles 19:7)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MAACAHma'-a-ka (ma`akhah; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Mocha; Codex Alexandrinus Maacha): A small Syrian kingdom adjoining that of Geshur on the western border of Bashan, the inhabitants of which are called Maachathites (the Revised Version (British and American) "Maacathites"), whose territory was taken by Jair (Deuteronomy 3:14Joshua 12:5). The border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites and all Mt. Hermon were given to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 13:11). The inhabitants of these kingdoms, however, were not driven out by Israel (Joshua 13:13), and at a later day the children of Ammon hired mercenaries from Maacah for their encounter with David. The armies met near Medeba when the "Syrians" from Maacah found themselves opposed to Joab. That famous captain completely routed them (2 Samuel 10:6; the Septuagint has "Amalek"). In1 Chronicles 19:6 it is called Aram-maacah, Syria-maachah (the King James Version); and in1 Chronicles 2:23 "Aram" appears instead of "Maacah."
It evidently lay between Geshur on the South and Hermon on the North, being probably bounded by Jordan on the West, although no certain indication of boundaries is now possible. They would thus be hemmed in by Israel, which accounts for `Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel" (Joshua 13:13).It is possible that Abel-beth-maacah may have been a colony founded by men from Maacah.
W. Ewing
MAACAH; MAACHAH
ma'-a-ka (ma`akhah):
(1) Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Mocha; Codex Alexandrinus Mocha, daughter of Nahor, borne to him by Reumah (Genesis 22:24).
(2) Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Maacha; Codex Alexandrinus Maachath, the one wife of David who was of royal rank, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, who became the mother of Absalom (2 Samuel 3:31 Chronicles 3:2).
(3) Maacha, father of Achish, king of Gath (1 Kings 2:39). He is probably referred to as "Maoch" in1 Samuel 27:2.
(4) The daughter of Absalom, the favorite wife of Rehoboam, and mother of Abijah (1 Kings 15:22 Chronicles 11:20, etc.). Evidently "daughter" must here be understood as "granddaughter," according to a common oriental usage. Tamar was the only daughter of Absalom. If Tamar married Uriel of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2), then Maacah was her daughter. In that case the name Micaiah in this passage would be either a copyist's error or a variant of Maacah. She must have been a woman of strong personality. Unfortunately, her influence was cast upon the side of idolatry. She maintained her position in the palace, however, till the reign of her grandson Asa. Possibly she acted as regent during his minority. Ultimately, she was degraded by him for an act of peculiar infamy (1 Kings 15:132 Chronicles 15:16).
(5) Concubine of Caleb, son of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:48).
(6) Sister of Huppim and Shuppim the Benjamites, who became the wife of Machir the Manassite, the "father" of Gilead (1 Chronicles 7:12, 15 f).
(7) Wife of Jeiel, the "father" of Gibeon, an ancestress of King Saul (1 Chronicles 8:29;1 Chronicles 9:35).
(8) Father of Hanan, one of David's mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:43).
(9) Father of Shephatiah, ruler of the Simeonites under David (1 Chronicles 27:16).
W. Ewing
Strong's Hebrew
4602. Maakathi -- inhab. ofMaacah... inhab. of
Maacah. Transliteration: Maakathi Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ak-aw-thee')
Short Definition: Maacathite. Word Origin from Maakah Definition inhab.
...4601. Maakah -- an Israelite name, also a non-Isr. name, also a...
... an Israelite name, also a non-Isr. name, also a region in Syria. Transliteration:
Maakah or Maakath Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ak-aw') Short Definition:Maacah....
62. Abel Beth-maakah -- a city in Northern Israel
... a city in Northern Israel. Transliteration: Abel Beth-maakah Phonetic Spelling:
(aw-bale' bayth ma-a-kaw') Short Definition: Abel-beth-maacah....
1038. Beth Maakah -- "house of Maakah," a place in Northern Israel
... "house of Maakah," a place in Northern Israel. Transliteration: Beth Maakah Phonetic
Spelling: (bayth mah-ak-aw') Short Definition: Beth-maacah....
758. Aram -- Syria and its inhab., also the names of a son of Shem...
... Nahor, and an Isr. NASB Word Usage Aram (65), Aram-maacah* (1), Arameans
(64). Aram, Mesopotamia, Syria, Syrians. From the same as...
Library
Persistency in Wrong Doing.
... He at once sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty
thousand foot soldiers, and of KingMaacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob...
'More than Conquerors through Him'
... children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the
gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, andMaacah, were by...
How the War was Waged against the Ammonites and Happily Concluded.
... They also hired the king of the country calledMaacah, and a fourth king,
by name Ishtob; which last had twelve thousand armed men....
How David Reigned Over one Tribe at Hebron While the Son Of
... The eldest was by Ahinoam, and he was called Arenon; the second was Daniel, by his
wife Abigail; the name of the third was Absalom, byMaacah, the daughter of...
"In the Volume of the Book it is Written of Me" (Heb. . .
... Third, but Absalom was a son of David byMaacah, the daughter of the Gentile king
of Jeshur (2:Sam.3:3). So, too, will the Antichrist be a veritable king among...
Chapter xxii
... These eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. And his concubine, whose
name was Reumah, she also bare sons, Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash,Maacah....
The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6. <....
Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire...
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7. <....
Thesaurus
Maacah (30 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MAACAH.
... The armies met near Medeba when
the "Syrians" from
Maacah found themselves opposed to Joab.
...Beth-maacah (1 Occurrence)
Beth-maacah. Bethmaacah, Beth-maacah. Beth-ma'acah . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia BETH-MAACAH. beth-ma'-a-ka. See ABEL-BETH-MAACAH....
Aram-maacah (1 Occurrence)
Aram-maacah. Arammaacah, Aram-maacah. Aram-ma'acah . Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia ARAM-MAACAH. a-ram-ma'-a-ka. See SYRIA....
Abel-beth-maacah (2 Occurrences)
Abel-beth-maacah. Abelbethmaacah, Abel-beth-maacah. A'bel-Beth-Ma'acah .
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ABEL-BETH-MAACAH....
Ma'acah (22 Occurrences)
Ma'acah.Maacah, Ma'acah. Maacath .... Ma'acah (22 Occurrences). Genesis 22:24
His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, andMaacah...
Abelbethmaacah
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ABEL-BETH-MAACAH.... In 2 Samuel 20:15 (Hebrew)
it is Abel-beth-hammaacah (Maacah with the article)....
Geshur (11 Occurrences)
... ge'-shur (geshur, "bridge"): An Aramean kingdom (2 Samuel 15:8) of no great size
which lay probably to the South ofMaacah, and formed with it the western...
Abijah (32 Occurrences)
... the Bible narrative. She is said to have beenMaacah the daughter of Absalom
(1 Kings 15:2 2 Chronicles 11:20, 21, 22). As more...
Mother (2641 Occurrences)
... The queen-dowager occupied a very important position at the court of the kings of
Israel, eg Bathsheba (1 Kings 2:19);Maacah (1 Kings 15:13); Athaliah (2...
Ijon (3 Occurrences)
... It was captured along with Dan and Abel-beth-maacah (1 Kings 15:20 2 Chronicles
16:4). It shared with these cities a similar fate at the hands of Tiglath...
Resources
Who was Absalom in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Tamar in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Micaiah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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