Maacathites

MAACATHITES (mā-ăk'a-thīts, Heb. ma‘ăkhāthî). The people of the nation of Maacah, residing near the Geshurites in the region of Bashan. They were in the area taken by Jair, the son of Manasseh (Deut.3.14), situated on the border of the kingdom of Og king of Bashan (Josh.12.5). The half-tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad were assigned among other adjacent areas, “Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan” (Josh.13.11). The Israelites did not drive out the Maacathites or Geshurites but lived with them (Josh.13.13). The grandfather of Eliphelet, one of David’s mighty men, was a Maacathite (2Sam.23.34). After the fall of Jerusalem, among the men who came to Gedaliah, the Babylonian governor at Mizpeh, was Jaazaniah, the son of a Maacathite (2Kgs.25.23; Jer.40.8). Eshtemoa, the son of Hodiah, a descendant of Judah, was a Maacathite (1Chr.4.19). These Maacathites were descendants of the people not expelled by the Israelites.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

Mentioned in Scripture are Ahasbai M (2Sa 23:34), Jaazaniah (2Ki 25:23), Naham (1Ch 4:19) and Jezaniah (Jer 40:8). See preceding article.