תַּלְמַי
Talmai, the name of a Canaanite and a Syrian
Definition
Talmai is a proper name given to two distinct individuals in the Old Testament. First, Talmai is identified as a Canaanite king of Geshur, whose daughter Maacah became a wife of King David and mother of Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3, 1 Chronicles 3:2). Second, Talmai is the name of one of the three sons of Anak, a giant living in Hebron, whom Caleb and the Israelites later drove out (Numbers 13:22, Joshua 15:14, Judges 1:10). The name itself means 'ridged' or 'furrowed,' likely describing a physical characteristic or connection to the land.
Biblical Usage
The name Talmai appears six times across historical books. It is used for the Anakite giant in the conquest narratives (Numbers 13:22, Joshua 15:14, Judges 1:10), representing the formidable inhabitants the Israelites faced in Canaan. Later, it refers to the Aramean king of Geshur in the context of David's political marriages and family lineage (2 Samuel 3:3, 13:37, 1 Chronicles 3:2). The usage thus spans from the era of the spies to the united monarchy.
Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root תֶּלֶם (telem, H8525), meaning 'furrow' or 'ridge,' as in a plowed line in a field. The name Talmai is a gentilic or personal form meaning 'the furrowed one' or 'possessor of furrows,' possibly indicating a connection to agriculture, a rugged physical appearance, or a specific geographical feature.
Semantic Range
The two Talmai figures represent significant theological themes. The Anakite Talmai embodies the intimidating obstacles and 'giants' of unbelief that God's people must overcome by faith to inherit the promise (Numbers 13). King Talmai of Geshur represents the complex political alliances and marital compromises of the Davidic monarchy, which introduced foreign influences and contributed to severe family strife (2 Samuel 13). Together, they illustrate challenges from external enemies and internal compromises.
As an Anakite name, Talmai connects to the pre-Israelite giant clans of Canaan, figures of legendary stature and military might feared by the Israelites. As a king's name in Geshur, it signifies a ruler of a small Aramean city-state, highlighting the network of independent kingdoms in the Levant with which Israel engaged in diplomacy and marriage alliances to secure borders and power.
Anak (H6061) — The father of Talmai, the collective name for the giant clan. Geshuri (H1651) — A gentilic term for people from Geshur, the kingdom ruled by Talmai.
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 →