Bible Word Study
בֵּית מַעֲכָה
Bêyth Maʻăkâh · Beth-Maakah, a place in Palestine
בֵּית מַעֲכָה
Beth-Maakah, a place in Palestine
Definition
Beth-Maakah is a fortified city in northern Israel, located in the territory of the tribe of Naphtali. Its name means 'house of Maakah,' likely referring to a local Aramean kingdom or clan. In the biblical narrative, it serves as a key refuge during the rebellion of Sheba son of Bikri against King David (2 Samuel 20:14-15). The city is strategically significant, representing the northernmost extent of the conflict and a place of final siege.
Biblical Usage
This proper noun is used exclusively in the context of David's kingdom crisis in 2 Samuel 20. It appears twice, describing the city to which Sheba fled and where Joab's forces besieged him (2 Samuel 20:14, 15). The usage highlights it as a remote, fortified location, possibly outside David's immediate control, used by rebels for final defense.
Etymology
The name is a compound of the Hebrew words בַּיִת (bayith, H1004), meaning 'house' or 'dwelling,' and מַעֲכָה (Maʻăkâh, H4601), a personal or clan name. Maakah is also the name of an Aramean kingdom and several individuals in the Bible. Thus, 'Beth-Maakah' literally means 'the house (or place) of Maakah,' indicating a settlement associated with that group.
Semantic Range
Beth-Maakah represents the persistent threat of rebellion and division within the united kingdom of Israel. Its role in 2 Samuel 20 underscores the fragility of David's reign even after Absalom's revolt, highlighting themes of political instability and the need for decisive leadership to maintain God's covenant kingdom. Understanding its location enriches the reading by showing how far dissent could spread. As a city in northern Naphtali, Beth-Maakah was in a border region, likely influenced by Aramean culture due to the Maakah people. Its fortification suggests it was a regional stronghold. In the ancient Near East, place names often identified the ruling clan or deity, so 'house of Maakah' signified the control or patronage of that group, differing from modern place-naming conventions. Abel Beth Maakah (H62) — A longer form of the name, possibly the same or a nearby city, also in Naphtali (2 Samuel 20:15).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]