### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Maʻăkâthîy**, represented by `{{H4602}}`, is a patrial term for **a Maakathite, or inhabitant of Maakah**. It appears 8 times across 8 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from the place name Maakah `{{H4601}}`, this word is used to identify both a specific people group and individuals originating from that region.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, the **Maachathites** `{{H4602}}` are primarily mentioned in the context of territorial boundaries and the Israelite conquest of Canaan. They are consistently located adjacent to the Geshurites, forming a border for the Israelite territory in Bashan and Gilead ([[Deuteronomy 3:14]]; [[Joshua 12:5]]; [[Joshua 13:11]]). A significant historical detail is that the children of Israel did not expel the Maachathites, who instead continued to dwell among them [[Joshua 13:13]]. The term is also used to identify individuals, such as Jezaniah, a military captain after the fall of Jerusalem ([[Jeremiah 40:8]]; [[2 Kings 25:23]]), Eliphelet, one of David's mighty men [[2 Samuel 23:34]], and Eshtemoa in the genealogies of Judah [[1 Chronicles 4:19]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the people and place of the Maachathites:
* `{{H4601}}` **Maʻăkâh** (Maachah, Maachathites): This is the root word, meaning depression, and refers to the place in Syria from which the Maachathites came. It is also the name of a king who provided soldiers for the Ammonites [[2 Samuel 10:6]] and the daughter of the king of Geshur [[2 Samuel 3:3]].
* `{{H1651}}` **Gᵉshûwrîy** (Geshuri, Geshurites): This is the patrial term for inhabitants of Geshur, a group consistently mentioned alongside the Maachathites. The Israelites did not expel the Geshurites, who bordered their territory [[Joshua 13:13]].
* `{{H1650}}` **Gᵉshûwr** (Geshur): This refers to the district in Syria that was home to the Geshurites. King Talmai of Geshur was the father of Maacah, Absalom's mother [[2 Samuel 3:3]], and Absalom fled there after killing his brother [[2 Samuel 13:37]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H4602}}` is primarily geographical and historical, rather than theological. It serves to delineate identity and territory within the Old Testament.
* **Geographical Marker:** The term is crucial for defining the northern and eastern borders of the Israelite tribal allotments, particularly in the regions of Bashan and Gilead ([[Joshua 12:5]]; [[Joshua 13:11]]).
* **Unconquered People:** The note that the Maachathites were not driven out by Israel is a key historical detail, illustrating the incomplete nature of the conquest and the continued presence of other peoples within Israel's claimed territory [[Joshua 13:13]].
* **Personal Lineage:** The word serves as a gentilic, a specific identifier that attaches a person to their place of origin, as seen in the descriptions of military figures like Jezaniah [[2 Kings 25:23]] and Eshtemoa [[1 Chronicles 4:19]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4602}}` is a precise identifier for the people from Maakah. Its usage is twofold: it defines a distinct people group on the border of ancient Israel whose presence persisted after the conquest, and it provides a specific ancestral origin for key individuals in Israel's history. The term **Maʻăkâthîy** is a clear example of how patrial names were used to establish both national boundaries and personal identity in the scriptural record.
TRV