Two men named Talmai turn up in Scripture, and it helps to keep them apart. The first is one of “the children of Anak”, found at Hebron in Numbers 13 and driven out by Caleb in Joshua 15. The second is a king of Geshur, whose daughter Maacah bore Absalom to David. After Absalom killed his brother, he fled to this king, and David “mourned for his son every day.” Neither man gets a speech or a story of his own, yet each stands at the edge of a larger one. To see the second Talmai in context, read 2 Samuel 13.
5 verses
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were.(Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
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;
But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:
Matthew George Easton, 1897
Abounding in furrows. (1.) One of the Anakim of Hebron, who were slain by the men of Judah under Caleb (Num. 13:22; Josh. 15:14; Judg. 1:10).
(2.) A king of Geshur, to whom Absalom fled after he had put Amnon to death (2 Sam. 3:3; 13:37). His daughter, Maachah, was one of David’s wives, and the mother of Absalom (1 Chr. 3:2).
William Smith, 1884
(bold).
(1.) One of the three sons of "the Anak" who were slain by the men of Judah. (Numbers 13:22; Joshua 15:14; Judges 1:10) (B.C. 1450.)
(2.) Son of Ammihud king of Geshur. (2 Samuel 3:3; 13:37; 1 Chronicles 3:2) He was probably a petty chieftain, dependent on David. (B.C. 1040.)