Questions & Answers

Maachah or Michaiah

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Holy Scripture › Maachah or Michaiah

The question

First Kings 15:2 mentions that the name of Abijam's mother is Maachah the daughter of Abishalom and 2 Chronicles 13:2 says his mother's name is Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. How can the same person have two different mother's names and 2 different fathers. The Arabic Holy Bible says 'daughter' but the English version says the 'granddaughter' of Abishalom.

The answer

Maachah is actually the granddaughter of Abishalom (1 Kings 15:2 NKJV). Uriel of Gibeah married Abishalom's daughter, Tamar, and to them was born Michaiah [known as Maachah or Maacah] who became Rehoboam's wife.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1183 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.