2 Samuel 3 3

2 Samuel 3:3 kjv

And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

2 Samuel 3:3 nkjv

his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;

2 Samuel 3:3 niv

his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

2 Samuel 3:3 esv

and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

2 Samuel 3:3 nlt

The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

2 Samuel 3 verses

2 Samuel 3 3 Meaning

2 Samuel 3:3 continues the listing of David's sons born in Hebron, detailing the second and third. The second son, Chileab (also known as Daniel), was born to Abigail, widow of Nabal, highlighting her status as one of David's key wives and emphasizing her prior significant role. The third son mentioned is Absalom, born to Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. This specifies the lineage and, by implication, the political alliances David established through marriage during his formative years as king in Hebron. It sets the stage for understanding future dynastic struggles and the complex relationships within David's royal household.

2 Samuel 3 3 Context

Chapter 3 of 2 Samuel describes the ongoing civil war between the house of David (in Hebron) and the house of Saul (under Ish-bosheth's weak rule with Abner as military commander). David's power is steadily increasing, while Saul's house is weakening. Amidst this consolidation of power and political maneuvering, David continues to grow his family. Verses 2-5 enumerate the six sons born to David during his seven-and-a-half-year reign in Hebron. This particular verse lists Chileab and Absalom, whose mothers—Abigail and Maacah—were not merely wives but significant figures whose backgrounds contributed to David's standing or forged key alliances. These familial details were crucial in the ancient Near East, not just for lineage but for political stability and succession. The strategic marriage with Talmai's daughter, Maacah, positioned David favorably with a bordering Aramaean kingdom, although such intermarriages often carried future spiritual and relational costs.

2 Samuel 3 3 Word analysis

• Chileab (כִּלְאָב, Kil'av): Meaning "whole father" or "completion of father." This is the only place in 2 Samuel where he is named; 1 Chronicles 3:1 calls him Daniel (דָּנִיאֵל, Daniyel), meaning "God is my judge." The reason for the differing names is unknown but could suggest a common practice of having two names, a theological preference in Chronicles to use the more pious name, or a distinct emphasis on his parentage ("whole father" indicating completion of David's line from a wise wife) versus divine oversight. Little is known of Chileab/Daniel, implying he did not play a significant role in David's history.

• Abigail (אֲבִיגַיִל, Avigayil): Meaning "my father is joy" or "father of joy." She was Nabal's discerning and beautiful wife whom David married after Nabal's death (1 Sam 25). Her wisdom and swift action saved David from shedding innocent blood, making her an exemplary figure. Her inclusion here as the mother of one of David's sons born in Hebron highlights her high standing among his wives and the moral uprightness she represented in David's early rise.

• Nabal (נָבָל, Naval): Meaning "fool" or "senseless." He was the wealthy Carmelite whose foolishness and arrogance led to his demise, paving the way for Abigail to become David's wife. His inclusion in this description of Abigail emphasizes her separation from a "foolish" lineage and her transition to a "wise" one through David.

• Carmelite: Pertaining to Carmel, a mountainous region renowned for its fertility and agricultural richness, particularly sheep rearing. It signifies Nabal's place of origin and his significant wealth, which Abigail brought into David's household.

• Absalom (אַבְשָׁלוֹם, Avshalom): Meaning "father of peace" or "my father is peace." This name stands in stark and poignant irony to his future actions, as he orchestrates a rebellion that brings civil war, division, and sorrow to David's reign. He embodies internal conflict and the destruction of peace within David's household and the kingdom.

• Maacah (מַעֲכָה, Ma'akhah): Meaning "oppression" or "to crush." She is specified here as "the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur," differentiating her from any other Maacah in the biblical record. Her identity establishes her foreign, royal lineage.

• Talmai (תַּלְמַי, Talmay): King of Geshur. Geshur was an Aramean kingdom situated in the region east of the Sea of Galilee, a territory considered on the periphery of Israelite lands. Marrying his daughter, Maacah, formed a political alliance, likely securing borders or trade routes for David's emerging kingdom.

• Geshur (גְּשׁוּר, Geshur): Meaning "bridge." It refers to the Aramean city-state. This specific identification of Absalom's mother's origin (a foreign kingdom) highlights David's strategic intermarriage alliances, common practice in the ancient Near East. However, such marriages with foreign women could also be a source of spiritual compromise, even if not explicitly condemned here, echoing later warnings against such practices (Deut 7:3-4).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "and the second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite": This phrase positions Chileab as a key son despite his minimal narrative presence, primarily through the detailed mention of his mother, Abigail. It elevates Abigail's standing due to her noted wisdom and her transition from the house of a foolish man to that of David.
  • "and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur": The extensive description of Absalom's parentage is crucial. It signals his royal and foreign heritage, which is significant later in his life when he flees to Geshur (2 Sam 13:37-38). This lineage also hints at the potential complexities and challenges arising from such political marriages with non-Israelite royal families.

2 Samuel 3 3 Bonus section

• David's Strategic Marriages: The naming of mothers alongside sons underscores that these unions were more than personal choices; they were strategic. Wives like Ahinoam (from Jezreel) and Abigail (from Carmel) represent alliances within Israel, while Maacah from Geshur signifies an external, foreign alliance. This network of relationships strengthened David's political standing during his transition from tribal leader to undisputed king of all Israel.
• The Problem of Polygamy and Intermarriage: While David's polygamy was accepted culturally for a king in his time, it diverged from God's original design for marriage (Gen 2:24) and directly contravened later Deuteronomic instructions for kings not to multiply wives (Deut 17:17) and for Israelites not to intermarry with foreign peoples (Deut 7:3-4). Though this verse doesn't condemn these actions, the narrative trajectory of David's family life, particularly with Absalom, often demonstrates the relational turmoil and even divine judgment that flowed from such deviations. The foreign background of Absalom’s mother (Maacah of Geshur) sets up a significant connection for him to flee to when he murders Amnon, highlighting the practical impact of such an alliance in David’s later personal and political troubles.

2 Samuel 3 3 Commentary

2 Samuel 3:3 provides a concise but highly informative account of two more sons born to David in Hebron, emphasizing their mothers' identities. The specific mention of Abigail is notable, as she was a woman of significant wisdom and discretion, qualities admired and sought after by David (1 Sam 25). Her son, Chileab (or Daniel, as per 1 Chr 3:1), fades into the background of the narrative, highlighting that not all of David's progeny played a major historical role.

In contrast, the detailed description of Absalom's mother, Maacah, as the "daughter of Talmai king of Geshur," immediately flags this marriage as a significant political alliance. Such marriages were a common method in the ancient world for securing diplomatic ties and extending influence. Geshur, being an Aramean kingdom, points to David's strategic regional connections beyond immediate Israelite territories during his consolidating reign.

However, while politically expedient, David's multiplication of wives and especially marrying foreign princesses had long-term consequences, both within his family and for the kingdom. Absalom, ironically named "father of peace," ultimately brings great turmoil to David's reign. This verse, by stating his lineage so clearly, sets up the irony and lays the groundwork for understanding the complex character and origins of a key figure in David's later life, whose rebellion would nearly shatter his kingdom. The list of sons born in Hebron reinforces David's growing legitimacy and influence but also hints at the internal strife inherent in such large and diverse royal households.