1 Chronicles 2:48
Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.
Original Language Analysis
מַֽעֲכָ֔ה
Maachah
H4601
מַֽעֲכָ֔ה
Maachah
Strong's:
H4601
Word #:
3 of 7
maakah (or maakath), the name of a place in syria, also of a mesopotamian, of three israelites, and of four israelitesses and one syrian woman
יָ֥לַד
bare
H3205
יָ֥לַד
bare
Strong's:
H3205
Word #:
4 of 7
to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
Historical Context
Concubines were secondary wives, often from lower social status, captured in war, or given as gifts. Their children could inherit, though primary wives' sons received preference. The practice persisted throughout Old Testament period but decreased post-exilic, with later Judaism emphasizing monogamy more strongly.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Scripture's honest recording of concubinage without approving it teach us to distinguish between what God permits and what He prefers?
- What does Christ's upholding of Genesis 2:24 (one man, one woman) teach about God's ideal versus cultural accommodations?
Analysis & Commentary
Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah—מַעֲכָה (Maacah) was a common name meaning 'oppression' or 'pressure,' shared by multiple biblical women including David's wife. As פִּילֶגֶשׁ (pilegesh, 'concubine'), Maachah held secondary wife status—legitimate but without full wife privileges. Sheber (שֶׁבֶר, 'fracture' or 'breach') and Tirhanah (תִּרְחֲנָה, meaning uncertain) extended Caleb's considerable family network.
Concubinage in ancient Israel, while culturally accepted, fell short of God's Genesis 2:24 design for monogamous marriage. The practice created household tensions (Genesis 16, 21) and succession conflicts (2 Samuel 3:2-5). The Chronicler records these realities without moral commentary, letting Scripture's narrative arc—from polygamy's problems to Christ's elevation of marriage (Matthew 19:4-6)—provide interpretation.