5991. Ammichur

Lexical Summary

Ammichur: Ammichur

Original Word: עַמִּיחוּר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: `Ammiychuwr
Pronunciation: am-mee-KHOOR
Phonetic Spelling: (am-mee-khoor')
KJV: Ammihud (from the margin)
Word Origin: [from H5971 (עַם - People) and H2353 (חוּר - white)]

1. people of nobility
2. Ammichur, a Syrian prince

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Ammihud

From am and chuwr; people of nobility; Ammichur, a Syrian prince -- Ammihud (from the margin).

see HEBREW am

see HEBREW chuwr

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
see Ammihud.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

עמיחור 2 Samuel 13:37 Kt see עַמִּיהוּד. above

Topical Lexicon

Scriptural Context

“Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihur, king of Geshur; and David mourned for his son day after day” (2 Samuel 13:37). Ammihur appears only here, yet the verse stands at a crucial turning-point in the narrative of David’s household, framing Absalom’s flight after the murder of Amnon and foreshadowing the rebellion that will arise three years later (2 Samuel 15:7–10).

Geographical and Political Background

Geshur occupied a small Aramean kingdom east of the Sea of Galilee. Although bordered by Israel on the west, it retained its autonomy through much of David’s reign. Scripture previously noted that David had married Maacah “daughter of Talmai king of Geshur” (2 Samuel 3:3), making Talmai David’s father-in-law and Ammihur David’s grandfather-in-law. This alliance suggests that David sought diplomatic ties with neighboring states during the consolidation of his kingdom (cf. 2 Samuel 8:3–12). The presence of a royal marriage accords with common Ancient Near Eastern practice, and it explains why Absalom expected protection in Geshur: he fled to his maternal relatives.

Family Connections and Dynastic Alliance

1. Ammihur → Talmai → Maacah → Absalom and Tamar
2. The union of David and Maacah blended Judahite and Aramean bloodlines, which later complicates loyalties. Absalom’s mixed heritage may have bolstered his political ambitions; having royal standing in both Israel and Geshur, he could rally support beyond Judah (2 Samuel 15:10).
3. Ammihur’s kingship underscores that David’s court contained influential foreign connections. These ties, however, did not override covenantal requirements; Deuteronomy 17:17 warns kings against multiplying wives lest their hearts turn away. The tension between prudent diplomacy and covenant faithfulness threads through David’s life.

Role in the Narrative of Absalom

• Refuge and Asylum: Absalom remained in Geshur “three years” (2 Samuel 13:38). Old Testament law afforded cities of refuge to manslayers (Numbers 35:6–28), yet Absalom, guilty of premeditated fratricide, could not claim that provision in Israelite territory. Geshur supplied the sanctuary Israel’s legal system would have denied.
• Delay of Justice: During Absalom’s sojourn under Ammihur’s dynasty, David’s unresolved grief deepened, creating both personal anguish and national uncertainty. Joab eventually engineered Absalom’s recall (2 Samuel 14), but the king’s half-hearted reconciliation left room for unrest. Ammihur’s indirect involvement thus shaped the subsequent insurrection that nearly fractured the kingdom (2 Samuel 15–18).
• Contrast with Divine Refuge: Psalm 46:1 speaks of God as “an ever-present help in times of trouble.” Absalom’s earthly refuge proved fleeting; his return ended in judgment (2 Samuel 18:14–17). The episode highlights the inadequacy of political sanctuary apart from repentance and divine mercy.

Theological and Pastoral Implications

1. Consequences of Unchecked Sin: David’s passivity toward Amnon’s crime (2 Samuel 13:21) and Absalom’s bloodshed precipitated further turmoil. Ammihur’s remote kingdom becomes a stage upon which sin’s ripple effects play out.
2. Complexity of Mixed Alliances: Believers are called to be “blameless and innocent” (Philippians 2:15), yet strategic alliances must never compromise covenant loyalty. The David–Maacah marriage, ultimately linking David to Ammihur, yielded both political benefit and moral hazard.
3. Need for Reconciliation Grounded in Justice: Mere geographic distance (Ammihur’s Geshur) could not resolve guilt. Genuine reconciliation required the intersection of justice and mercy—fulfilled ultimately in Christ, who “is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14).

Related Themes and Passages

• Cities of refuge: Numbers 35; Deuteronomy 19; Joshua 20
• Royal marriages and foreign influence: Deuteronomy 17:17; 1 Kings 11:1–8
• Restorative justice: 2 Samuel 14; Psalm 85:10
• Fatherly grief: Genesis 37:34–35; Luke 15:20–24

Summary

Though Ammihur enters Scripture only by name in 2 Samuel 13:37, his lineage frames a pivotal episode in Israel’s monarchy. His kingdom of Geshur provided asylum to Absalom, thereby influencing the cadence of David’s family drama and the nation’s stability. The brief mention of Ammihur serves as a sober reminder that personal alliances, political calculations, and unanswered sin are intertwined realities, all under the sovereign hand of the LORD who brings every deed into judgment and offers lasting refuge in Himself.

Forms and Transliterations

עַמִּיה֖וּד עמיהוד ‘am·mî·hūḏ ‘ammîhūḏ ammiHud

Englishman's Concordance

2 Samuel 13:37
HEB: [עַמִּיחוּר כ] (עַמִּיה֖וּד ק) מֶ֣לֶךְ
KJV: the son of Ammihud, king
INT: Talmai the son Ammihud the king of Geshur

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5991
1 Occurrence

‘am·mî·hūḏ — 1 Occ.