Geshur, an Aramean kingdom ruled by Talmai, was the homeland of David's wife Maacah and a refuge for Absalom after he murdered his half-brother Amnon.
Also known as Geshurite
Geshur was an Aramean kingdom located northeast of the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Bashan. It bordered the Israelite territories of Manasseh and Maacah, as mentioned in Deu.3.14 and Joshua 12:5; 13:11.
The kingdom of Geshur played a significant role in the life of King David and his family. David married Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2Sa.3.3; 1Ch.3.2). Maacah was the mother of Absalom and Tamar, two of David's children who were involved in a tragic family conflict.
After Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon in revenge for the rape of his sister Tamar, he fled to Geshur and sought refuge with his grandfather, King Talmai (2Sa.13.37-38). Absalom remained in Geshur for three years before Joab, David's commander, arranged for his return to Jerusalem (2Sa.14.23,32).
Later, when Absalom rebelled against his father David, he went to Geshur to gather support and raise an army (2Sa.15.8). This suggests that Absalom maintained ties with his maternal grandfather's kingdom and used it as a base for his political ambitions.
In Joshua 13:13, it is mentioned that the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites, indicating that they coexisted with the Aramean kingdom. However, during the reign of Solomon, it seems that Geshur came under Israelite control, as 1Ch.2.23 mentions that Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took Geshur and Aram and their towns.
The biblical narrative portrays Geshur as an independent Aramean kingdom that had close ties with the Israelite royal family through marriage alliances. Its location and political significance made it a place of refuge and a potential source of support for those involved in the power struggles within the Israelite monarchy.
Approximate location: 33.000, 36.417 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Bridge, the name of a district or principality of Syria near Gilead, between Mount Hermon and the Lake of Tiberias (2 Sam. 15:8; 1 Chr. 2:23). The Geshurites probably inhabited the rocky fastness of Argob, the modern Lejah, in the north-east corner of Bashan. In the time of David it was ruled by Talmai, whose daughter he married, and who was the mother of Absalom, who fled to Geshur after the murder of Amnon (2 Sam. 13:37).
(a bridge), a little principality of Syria, northeast of Bashan. (3:14; 2 Samuel 15:8) It ia highly probable that Geshur was a section of the wild and rugged region now called el-Lejah, still a refuge for criminals and outlaws. [Argob]
Geshuri, sight of the valley; a walled valley
GE'SHUR (bridge), a small district or principality of Syria, east of the Jordan and north-east of Bashan. It was within the territory allotted to Manasseh, Deut 3:14; 2 Sam 15:8; 1 Chr 2:23; Josh 13:13; David married a daughter of its king, 2 Sam 3:3,- Absalom fled thither after the murder of Amnon, 2 Sam 13:37. Geshur was probably a part of that rocky region now known as "the Lejah," still the refuge of criminals and outlaws. Merrill places Geshur south of Mt. Hermon, east of the Sea of Galilee and north of Bashan.
GE'SHUR (bridge), a small district or principality of Syria, east of the Jordan and north-east of Bashan. It was within the territory allotted to Manasseh, Deut 3:14; 2 Sam 15:8; 1 Chr 2:23; Josh 13:13; David married a daughter of its king, 2 Sam 3:3,- Absalom fled thither after the murder of Amnon, 2 Sam 13:37. Geshur was probably a part of that rocky region now known as "the Lejah," still the refuge of criminals and outlaws. Merrill places Geshur south of Mt. Hermon, east of the Sea of Galilee and north of Bashan.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
14 verses in 5 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1650
Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. He renamed Bashan after himself, Havvoth-jair, by which it is called to this day.
He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan up to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
This is the land that remains: All the territory of the Philistines and the Geshurites,
also Gilead and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, all of Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah—
but the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites. So Geshur and Maacath dwell among the Israelites to this day.
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)
his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.
After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.
So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
“Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the kingʼs face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”
For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”
But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth-jair, along with Kenath and its sixty surrounding villages. All these were descendants of Machir the father of Gilead.
the third was Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith;
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.