Chapter 36. Geshurim, Girzim, and Maachathim
Moreover, and as discussed previously, Akkaddian Gasru is close to the Semitic source for the Hebrew transliteration Geshur/Gshuwr, which indicates that the Geshurim were connected to Mesopotamian giants. The Semitic GSR, meaning “strong,” has toponymic connections to Geshur/Gshuwr and eponymously to Gesuri/Gshuwriy, as inhabitants of Geshur meaning proud beholder. It follows that the northern Geshurim dwelled alongside other Rephaim in the land of giants.
Some believe the Geshurim of Syria broke away from Israelite dominance sometime before the monarchy. Geshur in the time of King David was reigned over by King Talmai, a patronymically named king seemingly descended from the Anakim King Talmai of Kiriatharba. The dynastic Talmai’s name binds the Geshurim to the southern Anakim, and to the Horim, Hivvim, and Hurrim of Syria because Talmai was a Hurrian/Horim name. Talmai’s father was Amihud/`Ammiychuwr remembered as from people of nobility and majesty. `Ammiyhuwd is defined as a people of splendor and kinsman of majesty, which resonates connections to im, the suffix to underline the male plural for ones of majesty, as in angels, gods and their male progeny. Majesty is defined as the greatness of God, gods, lofty, regal, title of monarchs, and the royals.
North Geshur was allied with the powerful military network of Sihon and Og of Bashan before the Israelite conquest. Later the Geshurim were an ally with the Maachathim on Geshur’s northwest border as part of the Syrian peoples in David’s era. Maachah was situated on Bashan’s west side, likewise known as Syriamaachah/Aramma`akah, located just north of King Hadadezer’s Aramaean/Edomite empire. It follows that the Geshurim King Talmai fathered a daughter named Maachah who married King David, which produced Absalom. Israelites, though, were instructed not to intermarry with them.
Maacha was an eponymous name for the Maachathites, patronymic for several kings, patrial for the Maachah city, and matronymic for queens.
