Eglah עֶגְלָה
David's wife and mother of Ithream
Biography
Eglah is mentioned in 2Sa.3.5 and 1Ch.3.3 as one of King David's wives. She is specifically identified as the mother of David's son Ithream, who was born to David while he was reigning in Hebron.
The context of these passages is the listing of David's sons born to him in Hebron, where he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months before becoming king over all Israel (2Sa.5.5). Eglah is mentioned alongside David's other wives, such as Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, and Haggith, each of whom bore him a son during this period.
Interestingly, Eglah is the only one of David's wives mentioned in this list who is not given a descriptive title or background information. The other wives are identified as the daughter of a king or the widow of a notable figure, but Eglah is simply mentioned by name.
Some scholars suggest that Eglah may have been another name for Michal, David's first wife and the daughter of King Saul. However, this is not stated explicitly in the text, and there is no conclusive evidence to support this theory.
Apart from being listed as the mother of Ithream, no further information is provided about Eglah in the biblical text. Her mention in these genealogies serves to highlight David's family structure and the sons born to him during his reign in Hebron.
Family
In Scripture
2 biblical books2 Samuel 1 verse
- 2 Samuel 3:5
"and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron."
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 3:3
"the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife:"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עֶגְלָה | H5698 |