Maacah

Maacah is a Hebrew feminine given name that appears in the Hebrew Bible. It is rendered in English as Maacah or Maachah and is associated with more than one woman in the biblical narrative.

One Maacah is described as the wife of King David and the mother of Absalom and Tamar. She is identified as "the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur" and is noted in 2 Samuel 3:3 as David’s wife, producing Absalom and Tamar. This Maacah figures in the early royal history of Israel and Judah and connects David’s household with the kingdom of Geshur.

Another woman named Maacah is described as the mother of Asa, king of Judah, and is often referred to as the queen mother during Asa’s reign. She is mentioned in 1 Kings 15:13 and 2 Chronicles 15:16. According to the biblical account, Asa later removed Maacah from her position as queen mother after she had supported or promoted idol worship in the kingdom.

The name Maacah thus appears in multiple biblical contexts, attached to women linked to the royal families of Israel and Judah. In biblical studies, Maacah is usually treated as a proper name rather than a title, and its use highlights the interconnected dynastic and political circles in the biblical narrative.