Original Word: עֶגְלָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: `Eglah
Pronunciation: ehg-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (eg-law')
KJV: Eglah
NASB: Eglah
Word Origin: [the same as H5697 (עֶגלָה - heifer)]

1. Eglah, a wife of David

Eglah

The same as eglah; Eglah, a wife of David -- Eglah.

see HEBREW eglah

Word Origin
from the same as egel
Definition
"heifer," a wife of David
NASB Translation
Eglah (2).

II. עֶגְלָה proper name, feminine wife of David (on sense heifer compare לֵאָה, רָחֵל; see also Gray^{Prop. N. 92, No.27}); — 2 Samuel 3:5 (ᵐ5 Αιγαλ, A Αιγας, ᵐ5^L Αγλα) = 1 Chronicles 3:3 (ᵐ5 Αλα, A Αγλα, ᵐ5^L Εγλα).

Occurrences and Context

Eglah is named twice in the Old Testament, both times within royal genealogies:
• 2 Samuel 3:5 – “the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.”
• 1 Chronicles 3:3 – “the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.”

Her sole biblical role is as one of the six wives taken by David during his seven-year reign in Hebron and as the mother of Ithream, the king’s sixth son.

Role in the Narrative of King David

The listing of Eglah among David’s wives comes in a strategic narrative setting. David is freshly anointed king of Judah, and the chronicling of wives and sons underscores the establishment of his house and the divine blessing promised in 2 Samuel 3:1: “David grew stronger and stronger.” Though Eglah is not mentioned outside the genealogical summaries, the birth of Ithream contributes to the portrait of David’s expanding dynasty that would eventually prepare the way for the united monarchy and, ultimately, for the Messianic expectation centered on David’s line (Isaiah 11:1; Luke 1:32).

Cultural and Historical Insights

1. Royal Marriages. In the Ancient Near East, multiple marriages among kings were normal means of forging alliances and securing succession. Eglah’s inclusion among David’s wives demonstrates his transition from fugitive to firmly enthroned ruler building political capital at Hebron.
2. Significance of Hebron. Every son listed in 2 Samuel 3:2-5 is born before David’s capture of Jerusalem, anchoring Eglah’s account in the formative phase of the kingdom.
3. Name Symbolism. While her name evokes the image of a young cow or heifer—a common sacrificial animal (Numbers 19; Deuteronomy 21:1-9)—Scripture gives no direct allegorical link. Yet the association with sacrifice and fertility provides a fitting backdrop for a matriarch in Israel’s royal house.

Related Traditions and Interpretive Notes

Rabbinic literature occasionally suggests that Eglah may be another name for Michal, David’s first wife; however, the plain sense of the canonical text distinguishes the two women. The genealogical parallels between Samuel and Chronicles reinforce her separate identity and highlight the Bible’s careful preservation of royal records.

Theological Reflections

1. God’s Attention to the Overlooked. Although Eglah receives no recorded dialogue or exploits, the Spirit-guided authors record her name twice, affirming that no servant of God is insignificant in His redemptive story.
2. Integrity of Scripture. The harmonized genealogies of Samuel and Chronicles display the historical reliability of the biblical text, encouraging confidence in all its details—even brief notices like Eglah’s.
3. Shadow of the Gospel. Every mother in David’s line, whether prominent like Bathsheba or almost silent like Eglah, contributes to the unfolding promise that culminates in Jesus Christ, “the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).

Lessons for Faith and Ministry

• Value the seemingly minor characters; God records their names for a purpose.
• Recognize the sovereignty of God in family lines and historical circumstances.
• Teach genealogies not as dry lists but as testimonies of covenant faithfulness leading to Christ.

לְעֶגְלָ֖ה לְעֶגְלָ֥ה לעגלה lə‘eḡlāh lə·‘eḡ·lāh leegLahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts