Talmai
Peopleâš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)
Talmai was the king of Geshur, a small Aramean polity in the northern Levant, and the father of Maacah, who became one of King David's wives. His daughter Maacah is identified in 2 Samuel 3:3 as the mother of Absalom, and Geshur served as a political sanctuary for Absalom during his rebellion against his father.
What is the meaning of Talmai in the Bible?
Talmai was the king of Geshur, a small Aramean polity in the northern Levant, and the father of Maacah, who became one of King David's wives. His daughter Maacah is identified in 2 Samuel 3:3 as the mother of Absalom, and Geshur served as a political sanctuary for Absalom during his rebellion against his father.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Talmai and Geshur clarifies the complex political alliances David maintained through marriage and explains the geopolitical context of Absalom's exile, highlighting how external Aramean powers influenced the internal succession struggles of the early Israelite monarchy.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Talmai in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Talmai clarify?
Related Topics
Source Attribution & Provenance
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.