Eglah Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Eglah was one of David's wives and the mother of his son Ithream, born in Hebron.
wife of King David (2SA 3:5)
Names
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en
Eglah
heifer; chariot; round
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en
Eglah
· Also called · H5698 none · 2SA 3:5 heifer
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he
עֶגְלָה
egəlah · H5698 · 2SA 3:5 heifer
- el Αιγλα Aigla · none · 2SA 3:5
- bg Егла
SDA Books
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Conditional birth estimate · c. 1093 BC – 1068 BC
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Ithream · 1048 BC Descendant |
1 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1093 BC – 1068 BC |
Eglah Article
STEPBible TIPNR
Eglah is mentioned in 2Sa 3:5 and 1Ch 3:3 as one of King David's wives. She is specifically identified as the mother of David's son Ithream, who was born to David while he was reigning in Hebron.
The context of these passages is the listing of David's sons born to him in Hebron, where he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months before becoming king over all Israel (2Sa 5:5). Eglah is mentioned alongside David's other wives, such as Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, and Haggith, each of whom bore him a son during this period.
Interestingly, Eglah is the only one of David's wives mentioned in this list who is not given a descriptive title or background information. The other wives are identified as the daughter of a king or the widow of a notable figure, but Eglah is simply mentioned by name.
Some scholars suggest that Eglah may have been another name for Michal, David's first wife and the daughter of King Saul. However, this is not stated explicitly in the text, and there is no conclusive evidence to support this theory.
Apart from being listed as the mother of Ithream, no further information is provided about Eglah in the biblical text. Her mention in these genealogies serves to highlight David's family structure and the sons born to him during his reign in Hebron.
Eglah Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
A heifer, one of David’s wives, and mother of Ithream (2 Sam. 3:5; 1 Chr. 3:3). According to a Jewish tradition she was Michal.
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Eglah_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Eglah@2Sa.3.5-1Ch) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, eglah_1036)