מַעֲכָה
Maakah (or Maakath), the name of a place in Syria, also of a Mesopotamian, of three Israelites
Definition
Maakah (or Maakath) is a proper noun primarily referring to a small Aramean kingdom or region in Syria, located near the borders of Israel, often mentioned in conflict contexts (e.g., 2 Samuel 10:6, 8). It also serves as a personal name for several individuals, including a son of Nahor (Genesis 22:24), a wife of King David and mother of Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3), and a grandmother of King Asa (1 Kings 15:10). The name can denote both males and females, and its spelling sometimes varies as Maakath (Joshua 13:13).
Biblical Usage
The word appears 23 times across historical books like Genesis, Joshua, Samuel, and Kings. As a place, it describes a Syrian territory whose inhabitants, the Maakathites, were not fully driven out by Israel (Joshua 13:13). As a personal name, it identifies key figures in royal lineages and foreign relations, such as the Maakah who was mother of a king (1 Kings 15:2) or the one who sheltered a fugitive (1 Kings 2:39). Usage patterns show it often linked to geopolitical tensions or family dynamics in Israel's monarchy.
Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root מָעַךְ (maʿak, H4600), meaning 'to press, squeeze, or depress.' The name likely signifies 'depression' or 'oppression,' possibly referring to the terrain or circumstances of the region. The variant מַעֲכָת (Maakath) appears in Joshua 13:13, maintaining the same root meaning.
Semantic Range
Maakah highlights themes of Israel's incomplete obedience in conquering the Promised Land (Joshua 13:13) and the complex, often problematic, foreign influences on its monarchy through marriages (e.g., 2 Samuel 3:3). Understanding this name enriches reading by revealing how geopolitical neighbors and familial ties shaped Israel's history and spiritual fidelity, reflecting broader biblical narratives of covenant faithfulness and compromise.
In its ancient setting, Maakah as a region was a small Aramean kingdom near Israel, representing a persistent pagan influence that challenged Israel's territorial and religious purity. As a personal name, it was used across genders and ethnicities, indicating cultural interchange in the ancient Near East. Modern readers might overlook its significance as merely a name, but it carried connotations of 'depression' or foreign identity in biblical times.
אֲרָם (Aram, H758) — Refers broadly to Syria/Aram, whereas Maakah is a specific sub-region or kingdom within it. בֵּית מַעֲכָה (Beth Maakah, H1038) — A fortified city within the territory of Maakah, meaning 'house of Maakah.'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →