Bible Encyclopedias
Maacah

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

1. Small Aramean kingdom east of the Sea of Galilee (1 Chronicles 19:6). 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 (2 Samuel 10:6). It is probable that the city Abel of Beth-maachah in Naphtali (ib. 20:15) derived its name from its relation to this kingdom and people.
2. A wife of David, and daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur (ib. 3:3), a near neighbor of the Maachathites.
3. King of Gath, to whose son, Achish, Shimei's servants fled early in Solomon's reign (1 Kings 2:39). About a half-century earlier than this event, David with 600 men had fled to Achish, son of Maoch, King of Gath (1 Samuel 27:2); but the identification of Maoch is doubtful, though kinship is exceedingly probable.
4. Wife of Rehoboam, King of Judah, and mother of Abijah; in 1 Kings 15:2 she is called the daughter of "Abishalom," but of "Absalom" in 2 Chronicles 11:20,21. She was removed from her position as queen mother by her grandson Asa (ib. 15:16).Other persons of this name are mentioned in Genesis 22:24; 1 Chronicles 2:48, 7:15, 8:29, 11:43, 27:16.