2294. Chaggith
Lexical Summary
Chaggith: Haggith

Original Word: חַגִּית
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Chaggiyith
Pronunciation: khag-GEETH
Phonetic Spelling: (khag-gheeth')
KJV: Haggith
NASB: Haggith
Word Origin: [feminine of H2291 (חַגִּי - Haggi)]

1. festive
2. Chaggith, a wife of David

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Haggith

Feminine of Chaggiy; festive; Chaggith, a wife of David -- Haggith.

see HEBREW Chaggiy

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
fem. of Chaggi
Definition
"festal," a wife of David
NASB Translation
Haggith (5).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חַגִּית proper name, masculine (festal) wife of David and mother of Adonijah 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5,11; 1 Kings 2:13; 1 Chronicles 3:2; ᵐ5 Ἀγγιθ.

חגה (√ of following; compare Arabic conceal; , place of refuge, protection).

Topical Lexicon
Scriptural Profile

Haggith appears five times in the Old Testament: 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5; 1 Kings 1:11; 1 Kings 2:13; 1 Chronicles 3:2. In every instance she is identified as a wife of King David and the mother of Adonijah. Her account unfolds quietly in the narrative of David’s household yet becomes pivotal in the royal succession narrative at the close of David’s reign.

Historical and Cultural Context

David’s polygamous household, formed through political alliances and personal choices, produced sons raised amid shifting court loyalties. Haggith likely entered David’s life during his seven-and-a-half-year reign in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:2-5), when several marriages strengthened tribal bonds. The maternal lineage of royal sons was significant; mothers wielded influence at court and were integral to their sons’ claims. Though Scripture offers no details of Haggith’s ancestry, her son’s later ambition indicates a mother whose status was recognized among David’s wives.

Family and Domestic Significance

Adonijah is listed fourth among David’s sons (2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Chronicles 3:2). His elder brothers Amnon and Absalom died violently, and Chileab (Daniel) disappears from the record. By natural order Adonijah expected the throne. The narrative therefore presents Haggith as mother to the heir-apparent in human estimation, underscoring how the divine choice of Solomon overturned conventional succession.

Haggith and the Royal Succession Crisis

Adonijah’s self-exaltation marks Haggith’s name with political tension:

1 Kings 1:5: “At that time Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king.’ ”
1 Kings 1:11: “Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, ‘Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?’ ”
1 Kings 2:13: “Now Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, ‘Do you come in peace?’ ”

The inspired narrator repeatedly attaches Adonijah’s actions to his maternal identity, suggesting that legitimate dynastic claims were measured not only by birth order but also by the standing of the mother. While Bathsheba actively secured Solomon’s accession, Haggith’s silence in the record highlights the sovereignty of God in elevating Solomon apart from human maneuvering.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty over Human Ambition: Adonijah’s bid, rooted in his position as Haggith’s firstborn, failed because the throne belonged to the son whom the LORD had chosen (1 Chronicles 22:9-10). Haggith’s account therefore illustrates that lineage and natural right yield to covenant promise.
2. Maternal Influence in God’s Purposes: Scripture often portrays mothers shaping Israel’s history (e.g., Hannah, Bathsheba). Haggith’s example shows that even when a mother’s voice is absent, her role in covenant history is acknowledged by the Spirit-inspired record.
3. Warning against Self-Exaltation: Adonijah’s downfall echoes Absalom’s earlier rebellion and anticipates later prophetic calls to humility. The mention of Haggith reminds readers that privilege does not guarantee blessing apart from obedience.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Encouragement for Parents: Like Haggith, many parents watch adult children make choices beyond their control. The narrative urges trust in God’s overruling hand even when outcomes diverge from expectation.
• Leadership Caution: Church and community leaders may feel entitled to position by seniority or heritage. Adonijah’s story, framed by his identity as Haggith’s son, warns that calling is confirmed by God, not merely by human precedent.
• Intercessory Priority: The silence of Haggith invites contemporary believers to fill the gap with prayer for emerging leaders that their ambition submit to God’s will.

Integration within the Canon

Haggith’s placement in Samuel–Kings and Chronicles reinforces the chronicler’s interest in legitimate messianic lineage culminating in Christ. Matthew traces Messiah’s line through Solomon, not Adonijah, quietly vindicating the divine choice made in David’s day. Thus, Haggith’s brief appearances contribute to the unfolding narrative that the promised King would come through God-appointed—not merely human—descent.

Summary

Though mentioned only five times, Haggith stands at a crucial intersection of Israel’s royal history. As wife of David and mother of Adonijah, her identity highlights questions of inheritance, the perils of presumption, and the faithfulness of God to His covenant purposes. Her story, woven into the larger tapestry of redemption, reminds believers that God’s plans prevail over human ambition and that every life, however briefly noted, serves His eternal design.

Forms and Transliterations
חַגִּ֑ית חַגִּ֛ית חַגִּֽית׃ חַגֵּ֗ית חגית חגית׃ chagGeit chagGit ḥag·gêṯ ḥag·gîṯ ḥaggêṯ ḥaggîṯ
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
2 Samuel 3:4
HEB: אֲדֹנִיָּ֣ה בֶן־ חַגִּ֑ית וְהַחֲמִישִׁ֖י שְׁפַטְיָ֥ה
NAS: the son of Haggith; and the fifth,
KJV: the son of Haggith; and the fifth,
INT: Adonijah the son of Haggith and the fifth Shephatiah

1 Kings 1:5
HEB: וַאֲדֹנִיָּ֧ה בֶן־ חַגִּ֛ית מִתְנַשֵּׂ֥א לֵאמֹ֖ר
NAS: the son of Haggith exalted
KJV: the son of Haggith exalted
INT: now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted saying

1 Kings 1:11
HEB: אֲדֹנִיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־ חַגִּ֑ית וַאֲדֹנֵ֥ינוּ דָוִ֖ד
NAS: the son of Haggith has become king,
KJV: the son of Haggith doth reign,
INT: Adonijah the son of Haggith our lord and David

1 Kings 2:13
HEB: אֲדֹנִיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־ חַגֵּ֗ית אֶל־ בַּת־
NAS: the son of Haggith came
KJV: the son of Haggith came
INT: now Adonijah the son of Haggith about Bathsheba

1 Chronicles 3:2
HEB: אֲדֹנִיָּ֥ה בֶן־ חַגִּֽית׃
NAS: [was] Adonijah the son of Haggith;
KJV: Adonijah the son of Haggith:
INT: Adonijah the son of Haggith

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2294
5 Occurrences


ḥag·gêṯ — 1 Occ.
ḥag·gîṯ — 4 Occ.

2293
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