And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
Chileab (his father's picture) - called also Daniel (1 Chronicles 3:1). (The Jewish account of the origin of these names is given by Bochart, 'Hierozoicon,' 2:, 55, p. 663.)
Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur - a region in Syria, north of Israel. This marriage seems to have been a political match, made by David with a view to strengthen himself against Ish-bosheth's party, by the aid of a powerful friend and ally in the north. Piety was made to yield to policy, and the bitter fruit of this alliance with a pagan prince he reaped in the life of the turbulent Absalom. Absalom denotes 'father of peace,' or 'father's peace.' The name was a complete misnomer; because the bearer became the disturber of David's happiness and a rebel to his government.