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(Heb. Maikah', îִòֲëָä , oppression, Sept. Ìáá÷Ü , but in Gen_22:24, Ìï÷Ü ; in 1Ch_2:48; 1Ch_3:3. Ìù÷Ü ; in 1Ch_7:15-16, Ìïï÷Ü ; in 1Ch_9:35, Ìïù÷Ü ; in 1Ch_11:43, Ìá÷Ü ; Vulg. Maacha; Auth. Vers. "Maacah" only 2Sa_3:3; 2Sa_10:6; 2Sa_10:8), the name of a place and also of nine persons. SEE BETH- MAACHAH.
1. 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-Maacah, or Syria of Maachah ("Syria-Maachah," 1Ch_19:6). It appears to have been situated at the southerly junction of Coele-Syria and Damascene- Syria, being bounded by the kingdom of Rehob on the north, by that of Geshur on the south, and by the mountains on either side of the Upper Jordan, on the east and west. SEE GESHUR.
The little kingdom thus embraced the southern and eastern declivities of Hermon, and a portion of the rocky plateau of Itursea (Porter's Damascus, 1:319; comp. Journ. of Sac. Lit. July 1854, page 310). 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 this petty principality 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). The Gentile nameis Maacahthite ( îִòֲëָúַé , Sept. Ìá÷áèß , but Ìáá÷áèß in 2Sa_23:24, Ìá÷áèÜ in 1Ch_4:19, Ìéï÷áèåß in Jer_40:8; Auth. Version "Maacathite," but "Maachathi" in Deu_3:14), which is also put for the people (Deu_3:14; Jos_12:5; Jos_13:11; Jos_13:13; 2Ki_25:23). Near or within the ancient limits of the small state of Maacah was the town called for that reason Abbel beth-maacah, perhaps its metropolis, which is represented by the modern Abil el-Kamh, situated on the west side of the valley and stream that descends from Merj Ayun towards the Huleh, and on a summit, with a large offset on the south. SEE ABELN-BETH MAACHAH.
Rosenmüller explains the name Maacah to press, to press together, which seems to denote a region enclosed and hemmed in by mountains, a land of valleys. The name of this region is Anglicized everywhere "Maachah" in the Auth. Vers., except in 2Sa_3:3; 2Sa_10:6; 2Sa_10:8. Once (Jos_13:13, second clause) it is written in the original Maacath (Hebrew Maakath', îִòֲëָú , Sept. Ìá÷áèß ,Vulg. Maachati, Auth. Vers. "Maachathites"). The identification of the Chaldee version with the district of Epicairus ( Å᾿ðéêáéñïò ), mentioned by Ptolemy (5:16, 9) as lying between Callirrhoe and Livias, as also that of the Syriac (on 1 Chronicles) with Charan, according to Rosenmüller (Altelth. 1. 2) a tract in the district of the Ledja (Burckhardt, 1:350), is merely traditionary (Reland, Palest. p. 118).
2. The last named of the four children of Nahor by his concubine Reumah, probably a son, although the sex is uncertain (Gen_22:24). B.C. cir. 2040. Ewald arbitrarily connects the name with the district of Maachah in the Hermon range (Gesch. 1:414, note 1).
3. The sister of Hupham (Huppim) and Shupham (Shuppim), and consequently granddaughter of Benjamin; she married Machir, by whom she had two sons (1Ch_7:15-16). B.C. post. 1856. SEE GILEAD.
4. The second named of the concubines of Caleb (son of Hezron), by whom she had several children (1Ch_2:48). B.C. ante 1658.
5. The wife of Jehiel and mother of Gibeon (1Ch_8:29; 1Ch_9:35). B.C. cir. 1658.
6. A daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; she became the wife of David, and mother of Absalom (2Sa_3:3). B.C. 1053. In 1Sa_27:8, we read of David's invading the land of the Geshurites, and the Jewish commentators (in Jerome, ad Reg.) allege that he then took the daughter of the king captive, and, in consequence of her great beauty, married her, after she had been made a proselyte according to the law in Deuteronomy 21. But this is a gross mistake. for the Geshur invaded by David was to the south of Judah, whereas the Geshur over which Talmai ruled was to the north, and was regarded as part of Syria (2Sa_15:8). SEE GESIHUI.
The fact appears to be that David, having married the daughter of this king, contracted an alliance with him, in order to strengthen his interest against Ishbosheth in those parts. Josephus gives her name Ìá÷Üìç (Ant. 7:1, 4). SEE DAVID.
7. The father of Hanan, which latter was one of David's famous body- guard (1Ch_11:43). B.C. ante 1046.
8. The father of Shephatiah, which latter was the military chief of the tribe of Simeon under David and Solomon (1Ch_27:16). B.C. ante 1014.
9. The father of Achish, which latter was the king of Gath, to whom Shimei went in search of his runaway servants, and thus forfeited, his life by transcending the bounds prescribed by Solomon (1Ki_2:39). B.C. ante 1010. He appears to have been different from the Maoch of 1Sa_27:2. SEE ACHISH.
10. A daughter of Abishalom, the wife of Rehoboam, and mother of Abijam (1Ki_15:2). B.C. 973-953. In 1Ki_15:10 we read that Asa's "mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom." It is evident that here "mother" is used in a loose sense, and means "grandmother," which the Maachah named in 1Ki_15:2 must have been to the Asa of 1Ki_15:10. It therefore appears to be a great error to make two persons of them, as is done by Calmet and others. The Abishalom who was the father of this Maachah is called Absalom in 2Ch_11:20-22, and is generally supposed by the Jews to have been Absalom, the son of David; which seems not improbable, seeing that Rehoboam's two other wives were of his father's family (2Ch_11:18). In 2Ch_13:2, she is called "Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah." But Josephus says that she was the daughter of Tamar, the daughter of Absalom (Ant. 8:10, 1), and consequently his granddaughter. This seems not unlikely, and in that case this Tamar must have been the wife of Uriel. SEE ABIJAI.
It would appear that Asa's own mother was dead before he began to reign; for Maachah bore the rank and state of queen-mother (resembling that of the sultaness Valide among the Turks), the powers of which she so much abused to the encouragement of idolatry, that Asa commenced his reforms by "removing her from being queen, because she had made an idol (lit. a fright) in a grove" (1Ki_15:10-13; 2Ch_15:16).