Maacah

or BETH-MAACHA, a little province of Syria to the east and the north of the sources of the river Jordan, upon the road to Damascus. Abel or Abela was in this country, whence it was called, Abelbeth- Maachah. We learn from Jos 13:13, that the Israelites did not destroy the Maachathites, but permitted them to dwell in the land among them. The distribution of the half tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan, extended as far as this country, Deu 3:14; Jos 12:5.

Ma´acah, or Maacath, a city and region at the foot of Mount Hermon, not far from Geshur, a district of Syria (Jos 13:13; 2Sa 10:6; 2Sa 10:8; 1Ch 19:7). Hence the adjacent portion of Syria is called Aram-Maachah or Syria of Maachah (1Ch 19:7). The Israelites seem to have considered this territory as included in their grant, but were never able to get possession of it (Jos 13:13). In the time of David the small state had a king of its own, who contributed 1000 men to, the grand alliance of the Syrian nations against the Jewish monarch (2Sa 10:6; 2Sa 10:8). The lot of the half-tribe of Manasseh beyond the Jordan extended to this country, as had previously the dominion of Og, king of Bashan (Deu 3:14; Jos 12:5). Near, or within the ancient limits of Maacah, was the town called for that reason Abel beth-Maacah [ABEL].

Ma’acah. (oppression).

1. The mother of Absalom; also called Maachah. 2Sa 3:3.

2. Maacah, or (in 1Ch 19:6-7), Maachah, a small kingdom in close proximity to Palestine which appears to have lain outside Argob, Deu 3:14, and Bashun. Jos 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. 2Sa 10:6; 2Sa 10:8; 1Ch 19:7.

Abel-beth-Maacah was not in it, but in Israel; in the direction of Maacah, and somehow connected with it (2Sa 20:14-16). A small kingdom outside Argob (Deu 3:14), and Bashan (Jos 12:5). Between Bashan and the kingdom of Damascus, on the skirts of Mount Hermon, E. of the Lejah. The mention of Maacah with the Geshurites points to a connection between them; probably by affinity, as the Geshurite Talmai’s daughter bears the name Maacah. Both were connected with Syria (1Ch 19:6-7; 2Sa 10:6; 2Sa 10:8). The king of Maacah was Ammon’s ally against David; his small contingent, 1,000 men, shows the pettiness of the region.

Maacah (mâ’a-kah), oppression, 2Sa 3:3; or Maachah, 1Ch 3:2. 1. A daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, was taken in battle by David, according to Hebrew tradition, and made one of his wives and bore him Absalom. 2. A small district or kingdom on the northeastern frontier of Palestine, in Syria, near Ammon and toward Mesopotamia, 2Sa 10:6; or Maachah, 1Ch 19:6-7.

By: Emil G. Hirsch, Ira Maurice Price

1. Small Aramean kingdom east of the Sea of Galilee (I Chron. xix. 6). Its territory was in the region assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan. Maacah, its king, became a mercenary of the Ammonites in their war against David (II Sam. x. 6). It is probable that the city Abel of Beth-maachah in Naphtali (ib. xx. 15) derived its name from its relation to this kingdom and people.

2. A wife of David, and daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur (ib. iii. 3), a near neighbor of the Maachathites.

3. King of Gath, to whose son, Achish, Shimei's servants fled early in Solomon's reign (I Kings ii. 39). About a half-century earlier than this event, David with 600 men had fled to Achish, son of Maoch, King of Gath (I Sam. xxvii. 2); but the identification of Maoch is doubtful, though kinship is exceedingly probable.

4. Wife of Rehoboam, King of Judah, and mother of Abijah; in I Kings xv. 2 she is called the daughter of "Abishalom," but of "Absalom" in II Chron. xi. 20, 21. She was removed from her position as queen mother by her grandson Asa (ib. xv. 16).Other persons of this name are mentioned in Gen. xxii. 24; I Chron. ii. 48, vii. 15, viii. 29, xi. 43, xxvii. 16.

MAACAH.—1. A son of Nahor (Gen 22:24). 2. The daughter of Talmai, wife of David, and mother of Absalom (2Sa 3:5 etc.). 3. The father of Achish, king of Gath (1Ki 2:39), possibly the same as Maoch (1Sa 27:2). 4. Wife of Rehoboam, and mother of Ahijah (2Ch 11:20). When she is called ‘daughter’ of Absalom (1Ki 15:2; 1Ki 15:10, 2Ch 11:20 f.), ‘granddaughter’ may be intended, as Ahsalom had but one daughter, Tamar, who may have married Uriel of Gibeah (2Ch 13:2, where the name is given as Micaiah; cf. Jos. [Note: Josephus.] Ant. VII. x. 1). Maacah fell under the spell of loathsome idolatry, for which Asa deposed her from the position of queen-mother, which she appears to have held till then (1Ki 15:18, 2Ch 15:16). 5. A concubine of Caleb (1Ch 2:48). 6. Wife of Machir (1Ch 7:15 f.). 7. Wife of Jehiel, the father of Gibeon (1Ch 8:28; 1Ch 9:35). 8. One of David’s warriors, father of Hanan (1Ch 11:43). 9. The father of Shephatiah, the captain of the Simeonites (1Ch 27:18).

W. Ewing.

MAACAH.—A small kingdom out of which the Aramæan (1Ch 19:6) inhabitants were not driven (Jos 13:13). It probably lay in what is now known as the Jautân, E. of the Sea of Galilee and the Upper Jordan (Deu 3:14, Jos 12:6; Jos 13:11), but its borders cannot now be determined. Its king and army were hired against David by the Ammonites, and shared their overthrow in the battle fought near Medeba (2Sa 10:1-19, 1Ch 19:1-19). The inhabitants were called Maacathites (2Sa 23:34 etc.).

W. Ewing.

mā´a-ka (מעכה, ma‛ăkhāh; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Μωχᾶ, Mōchá; Codex Alexandrinus Μααχά, Maachá): 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 (Deu 3:14; Jos 12:5). The border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites and all Mt. Hermon were given to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Jos 13:11). The inhabitants of these kingdoms, however, were not driven out by Israel (Jos 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 (2Sa 10:6 ff the Septuagint has “Amalek”). In 1Ch 19:6 it is called Aram-maacah, Syria-maachah (the King James Version); and in 1Ch 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” (Jos 13:13).It is possible that Abel-beth-maacah may have been a colony founded by men from Maacah.