Boy Old Testament Rare
Talmai
my furrow; that suspends the waters; heap of waters
תַּלְמַי tal.may
Talmai (Hebrew: תַּלְמַי, tal.may) means “my furrow; that suspends the waters; heap of waters”, by traditional interpretation. Two men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Abigail in 2 Samuel 3.
Which Talmai?
Two men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Talmai
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Talmai
father of Maacah; mother of Absalom; son of Ammihud
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 6 across 5 books
- Bearers
- 2 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Numbers 13:22 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 3:2 |
| Cross-references | 120 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Sheshai co-occurrence Appears with Sheshai in Numbers 13.
- Ahiman co-occurrence Appears with Ahiman in Numbers 13.
- Maacah co-occurrence Appears with Maacah in 2 Samuel 3.
- Ammihud co-occurrence Appears with Ammihud in 2 Samuel 13.
- Chileab co-occurrence Appears with Chileab in 2 Samuel 3.
- Anak co-occurrence Appears with Anak in Numbers 13.
- Haggith co-occurrence Appears with Haggith in 1 Chronicles 3.
- Absalom co-occurrence Appears with Absalom in 2 Samuel 3.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.3.3;
son of: Ammihud (H5989J);
father of: Maacah (H4601I)
§ Talmai = "furrowed"
1) one of the 3 sons of the giant Anak who were slain by the men of Judah
2) son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, later king of Geshur himself, and father of Maacah, the mother of Absalom and wife of David
Talmai was the king of Geshur and father of Maacah, one of David's wives and mother of Absalom.
The biblical story
Talmai is mentioned in 2Sa.3.3 and 1Ch.3.2 as the father of Maacah, who was one of David's wives and the mother of Absalom. Talmai was the king of Geshur, an Aramean city-state to the northeast of Israel. After Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon, he fled to Geshur and stayed with his grandfather King Talmai for three years before Joab brought about his reconciliation with David (2Sa.13.37).
Key verses
Talmai appears in 3 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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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 -
But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
2 Samuel 13:37 -
The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:
1 Chronicles 3:2
Show all 3 references
2 Samuel (2)
- 2 Samuel 3:3
- 2 Samuel 13:37
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 3:2