Maacah (Princess of Geshur)

Geshurite Princess and Wife of David

Das vereinte KönigreichPrincessc. 1000 BC

Maacah was the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur, a small Aramean kingdom east of Galilee. She became one of King David's wives and the mother of Absalom and Tamar. Through her children, she became involved in some of the most dramatic events at David's court.

Familie

Schlüsselereignisse

Marriage to David

Maacah married David while he was king in Hebron, likely as part of a political alliance with Geshur.

3his second, Kileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ כִלְאָ֔ב *לאביגל **לַאֲ‍ֽבִיגַ֕יִל אֵ֖שֶׁת נָבָ֣ל הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֑י וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁי֙ אַבְשָׁל֣וֹם בֶּֽן־מַעֲכָ֔ה בַּת־תַּלְמַ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ גְּשֽׁוּר׃ ‬

Mother of Absalom and Tamar

Maacah gave birth to Absalom, who became known for his beauty and later rebelled against his father, and Tamar, who fell victim to the assault by her half-brother Amnon.

3his second, Kileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ כִלְאָ֔ב *לאביגל **לַאֲ‍ֽבִיגַ֕יִל אֵ֖שֶׁת נָבָ֣ל הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֑י וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁי֙ אַבְשָׁל֣וֹם בֶּֽן־מַעֲכָ֔ה בַּת־תַּלְמַ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ גְּשֽׁוּר׃ ‬

Absalom's Flight to Geshur

After Absalom killed Amnon to avenge his sister Tamar, he fled to his maternal grandfather Talmai in Geshur, showing the continued connection to Maacah's family.

37Absalom, however, had fled to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And the king mourned for his son day after day.
וְאַבְשָׁל֣וֹם בָּרַ֔ח וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־תַּלְמַ֥י בֶּן־*עמיחו‪[t]‬*ד **עַמִּיה֖וּד מֶ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֥ל עַל־בְּנ֖וֹ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ ‬
38After Absalom had fled to Geshur, he stayed there three years.
וְאַבְשָׁל֥וֹם בָּרַ֖ח וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר וַיְהִי־שָׁ֖ם שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃ ‬

Mentioned in David's genealogy

Maacah and her son Absalom are mentioned in Chronicles' account of David's sons born in Hebron.

2the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith;
הַשְּׁלִשִׁי֙ לְאַבְשָׁל֣וֹם בֶּֽן־מַעֲכָ֔ה בַּת־תַּלְמַ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר הָרְבִיעִ֖י אֲדֹנִיָּ֥ה בֶן־חַגִּֽית׃ ‬