MAACAH:
- 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.
E. G. H. I. M. P.
