Maacah מַעֲכָה
Daughter of Talmai; wife of David; mother of Absalom
Who is Maacah in the Bible?
Maacah was the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur and became one of King David's wives, bearing him the son Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3). Her marriage to David likely represented a political alliance between Israel and the northern region of Geshur. Maacah is primarily remembered as the mother of Absalom, whose rebellion against his father David and subsequent death profoundly shaped the trajectory of David's reign and legacy (2 Samuel 15-18). She may also have been the mother of Tamar, who was raped by her half-brother Amnon, a tragic event that set in motion the events leading to Absalom's rebellion. Maacah's significance in Scripture centers on her role as the matriarch of one of David's most consequential sons, whose actions influenced the course of Israel's monarchy.
Biography
Maacah was the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur, a region located northeast of the Sea of Galilee (2Sa.3.3; 1Ch.3.2). She became one of King David's wives and bore him a son named Absalom. Maacah's marriage to David likely served as a political alliance between Israel and Geshur. Absalom, her son, would later flee to Geshur after murdering his half-brother Amnon and remained there for three years (2Sa.13.37-38). Although not mentioned by name, Maacah was likely the mother of Tamar, who was raped by her half-brother Amnon (2Sa.13.1-22). Maacah's role in the biblical narrative is primarily as the mother of Absalom, whose rebellion against David and subsequent death had a profound impact on the king and his reign (2Sa.15-18). Her inclusion in the genealogies of David's family underscores the importance of maternal lineage in the royal line of Judah.
Family
Parents
In Scripture
2 biblical books2 Samuel 1 verse
- 2 Samuel 3:3
"his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;"
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 3:2
"the third was Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith;"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מַעֲכָה | Maakah (or Maakath), the name of a place in Syria, also of a Mesopotamian, of three Israelites, and of four Israelitesses and one Syrian woman |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | מַעֲכָה | Maakah (or Maakath), the name of a place in Syria, also of a Mesopotamian, of three Israelites, and of four Israelitesses and one Syrian woman |