Maacah (King of Maacah, an Aramean petty king hired by the Ammonites against David)

Aramean petty king

Tunnetaan myös nimellä: Maakahs, Maakah, Maah

Yhdistynyt kuningaskuntaKingWarriorc. 1000 BC

The King of Maacah was an Aramean petty king who ruled a small kingdom north of Israel, in the region of the Golan Heights. He was hired as a mercenary by the Ammonites along with other Aramean forces to fight against King David. His forces were defeated by David's commander Joab in a decisive battle.

Avaintapahtumat

The Ammonites hire Aramean forces

After the Ammonite king Hanun had dishonored David's envoys, the Ammonites hired the king of Maacah along with the Arameans from Beth-Rehob and Zobah, as well as men from Tob, to fight against David.

6When the Ammonites realized they had made themselves odious to David, they sent and hired the Arameans of Beth Rehob and the Arameans of Zobah—twenty thousand foot soldiers—along with the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and twelve thousand men from Tob.
וַיִּרְאוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֥י נִבְאֲשׁ֖וּ בְּדָוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֡וֹן וַיִּשְׂכְּרוּ֩ אֶת־אֲרַ֨ם בֵּית־רְח֜וֹב וְאֶת־אֲרַ֣ם צוֹבָ֗א עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֙לֶף֙ רַגְלִ֔י וְאֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ מַֽעֲכָה֙ אֶ֣לֶף אִ֔ישׁ וְאִ֣ישׁ ט֔וֹב שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃ ‬
7When David heard of it, he sent out Joab with the whole army of fighting men.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ אֶת־יוֹאָ֔ב וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־הַצָּבָ֖א הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃ ‬
8The Ammonites marched out and took up battle positions at the entrance of the gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open field.
וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיַּעַרְכ֥וּ מִלְחָמָ֖ה פֶּ֣תַח הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַאֲרַ֨ם צוֹבָ֤א וּרְחוֹב֙ וְאִֽישׁ־ט֣וֹב וּמַֽעֲכָ֔ה לְבַדָּ֖ם בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ ‬

Joab meets the enemy in battle

David's commander Joab organized Israel's army into two divisions to face the threat from the Ammonites ahead of him and the Arameans, including Maacah's men, behind him.

9When Joab saw that he faced battle lines both in front of him and behind him, he chose some of the best troops in Israel and drew them up against the Arameans.
וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹאָ֗ב כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה מִפָּנִ֖ים וּמֵֽאָח֑וֹר וַיִּבְחַ֗ר מִכֹּל֙ בְּחוּרֵ֣י *בישראל **יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ לִקְרַ֥את אֲרָֽם׃ ‬
10The rest of the men he put under the command of his brother Abishai, who drew them up against the Ammonites.
וְאֵת֙ יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם נָתַ֕ן בְּיַ֖ד אַבְשַׁ֣י אָחִ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֕ךְ לִקְרַ֖את בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ ‬
11Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and rescue you.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֤ק אֲרָם֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי וְהָיִ֥תָה לִּ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה וְאִם־בְּנֵ֤י עַמּוֹן֙ יֶחֱזְק֣וּ מִמְּךָ֔ וְהָלַכְתִּ֖י לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַֽ לָֽךְ׃ ‬
12Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in his sight."
חֲזַ֤ק וְנִתְחַזַּק֙ בְּעַד־עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַֽיהוָ֔ה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ ‬
13Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.
וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יוֹאָ֗ב וְהָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֔וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בּֽ͏ַאֲרָ֑ם וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃ ‬

The defeat of the Arameans

The Arameans, including the forces of the king of Maakah, fled when Joab advanced against them, and the Ammonites withdrew to their city.

13Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.
וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יוֹאָ֗ב וְהָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֔וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בּֽ͏ַאֲרָ֑ם וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃ ‬
14When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and withdrew into the city. So Joab broke off the attack against the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
וּבְנֵ֨י עַמּ֤וֹן רָאוּ֙ כִּי־נָ֣ס אֲרָ֔ם וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י אֲבִישַׁ֔י וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָעִ֑יר וַיָּ֣שָׁב יוֹאָ֗ב מֵעַל֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖א יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ ‬

Parallel account in 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles also tells how the Ammonites hired the king of Maakah and his people with a thousand men, along with other Aramean forces, to fight against Israel.

6When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah.
וַיִּרְאוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֥י הִֽתְבָּאֲשׁ֖וּ עִם־דָּוִ֑יד וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח חָ֠נוּן וּבְנֵ֨י עַמּ֜וֹן אֶ֣לֶף כִּכַּר־כֶּ֗סֶף לִשְׂכֹּ֣ר לָ֠הֶם מִן־אֲרַ֨ם נַהֲרַ֜יִם וּמִן־אֲרַ֤ם מַעֲכָה֙ וּמִצּוֹבָ֔ה רֶ֖כֶב וּפָרָשִֽׁים׃ ‬
7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his troops, who came and camped near Medeba. The Ammonites also mustered from their cities and came out to fight.
וַיִּשְׂכְּר֣וּ לָהֶ֡ם שְׁנַיִם֩ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֜לֶף רֶ֗כֶב וְאֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ מַעֲכָה֙ וְאֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י מֵידְבָ֑א וּבְנֵ֣י עַמּ֗וֹן נֶאֶסְפוּ֙ מֵעָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ פ ‬

Joab's victory described in Chronicles

Also in the account in Chronicles, it is described how Joab defeated the Arameans, including the men of Maakah, and put them to flight.

14Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to attack the Arameans, and they fled before him.
וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ יוֹאָ֜ב וְהָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י אֲרָ֖ם לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיָּנ֖וּסוּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃ ‬
15When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. So Joab returned to Jerusalem.
וּבְנֵ֨י עַמּ֤וֹן רָאוּ֙ כִּי־נָ֣ס אֲרָ֔ם וַיָּנ֣וּסוּ גַם־הֵ֗ם מִפְּנֵי֙ אַבְשַׁ֣י אָחִ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָעִ֑ירָה וַיָּבֹ֥א יוֹאָ֖ב יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ פ ‬
16When the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer's army at their head.
וַיַּ֣רְא אֲרָ֗ם כִּ֣י נִגְּפוּ֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים וַיּוֹצִ֣יאוּ אֶת־אֲרָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְשׁוֹפַ֛ךְ שַׂר־צְבָ֥א הֲדַדְעֶ֖זֶר לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ ‬
17When David was told of it, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced against them, and drew up his lines to meet them. David formed his battle line against the Arameans, and they fought against him.
וַיֻּגַּ֣ד לְדָוִ֗יד וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיָּבֹ֣א אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם וַיַּעֲרֹ֨ךְ דָּוִ֜יד לִקְרַ֤את אֲרָם֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃ ‬
18But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army.
וַיָּ֣נָס אֲרָם֮ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג דָּוִ֜יד מֵאֲרָ֗ם שִׁבְעַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ רֶ֔כֶב וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִ֣ישׁ רַגְלִ֑י וְאֵ֛ת שׁוֹפַ֥ךְ שַֽׂר־הַצָּבָ֖א הֵמִֽית׃ ‬
19When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. And the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
וַיִּרְא֞וּ עַבְדֵ֣י הֲדַדְעֶ֗זֶר כִּ֤י נִגְּפוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּשְׁלִ֥ימוּ עִם־דָּוִ֖יד וַיַּֽעַבְדֻ֑הוּ וְלֹא־אָבָ֣ה אֲרָ֔ם לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶת־בְּנֵי־עַמּ֖וֹן עֽוֹד׃ פ ‬

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