מלכים א, פרק ט״ו, פסוק י׳

King Asa's long reign is marked by a surprising family detail that sheds light on the complex political and spiritual dynamics of the royal palace. Maacah is introduced as his mother, though she was actually his grandmother, the mother of his father Abijam.

She is granted this immediate parental title for several reasons. In Biblical tradition, grandparents are sometimes referred to as parents [רד״ק]. More practically, Maacah was the one who actually raised Asa, leading him to treat her with the deep respect usually reserved for a biological mother [מצודת דוד, חומת אנך]. Politically, because Asa ascended to the throne at a young age following his father's brief rule, Maacah served as the dominant, ruling queen during his early years [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The specific mention of Maacah serves to highlight Asa's exceptional moral character. Maacah was a known idolater. Yet, despite growing up under her care and authority, Asa was entirely uninfluenced by her actions. He completely rejected her beliefs and chose instead to do what was right in the eyes of God [רלב״ג, רד״ק]. His loyalty to God ultimately eclipsed his family ties, leading him to strip Maacah of her royal power because of her idol worship. Taking such a bold action against a family matriarch was made possible, in part, by the fact that she was his grandmother; the strict obligation of honor owed to her was less absolute than the duty owed to a biological mother [חומת אנך].