Tevet 1 – Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites…

Tevet 1, 5785; from sunset December 31, 2024, to sunset January 1, 2025

(The first day of the tenth month)

This is the name “Maharai” as it was written in the Aleppo Codex, or “Crown of Aleppo” – one of the oldest, most complete copies of the Hebrew Scriptures, written over one thousand years ago.

Maharai Takes Command

It’s a new month and that means a new military commander. King David set up a military guard that rotated every month. Each month had a leader and 24,000 men.

And the children of Israel, according to their number, the heads of fathers’ houses, the captains of thousands and hundreds and their officers, served the king in every matter of the military divisions. These divisions came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, each division having twenty-four thousand. – 1 Chronicles 27:1 (NKJ)

The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. – 1 Chronicles 27:13 (NKJ)

He was of the family of Zerah, and dwelt in Netophah in Judah, a small town near Bethlehem. Many of David’s Mighty Men were given the honor of being the captain of one month of each year. Maharai is one of them.

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, – 2 Samuel 23:24-28 (NKJ)

Also the mighty warriors were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, – 1 Chronicles 11:26-30 (NKJ)

The name Maharai comes to us from the verb “mahar” which has two meanings.

To hasten, be speedy or quick, to be skilled.
To acquire by paying a purchase price.

Some scholars believe there is a connection between these two meanings – that being a bride price. They believe that the bride price was not merely a fixed sum of gold but rather a demonstration of a suitor’s worthiness, and thus skill and quickness. At any rate, we can be assured that Maharai lived up to the “skilled” meaning of his name – as he was selected from among David’s thirty Mighty Men to become one of the chosen twelve commanders of the month.

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