into “two hosts” on his return from Padan-aram (Genesis 32:2). This name
was afterwards given to the town which was built at that place. It was the
southern boundary of Bashan (Joshua 13:26, 30), and became a city of the
Levites (21:38). Here Saul’s son Ishbosheth reigned (2 Samuel 2:8, 12),
while David reigned at Hebron. Here also, after a troubled reign,
Ishbosheth was murdered by two of his own bodyguard (2 Samuel 4:5-7),
who brought his head to David at Hebron, but were, instead of being
rewarded, put to death by him for their cold-blooded murder. Many years
after this, when he fled from Jerusalem on the rebellion of his son
Absalom, David made Mahanaim, where Barzillai entertained him, his
headquarters, and here he mustered his forces which were led against the
army that had gathered around Absalom. It was while sitting at the gate of
this town that tidings of the great and decisive battle between the two
hosts and of the death of his son Absalom reached him, when he gave way
to the most violent grief (2 Samuel 17:24-27).
The only other reference to Mahanaim is as a station of one of Solomon’s
purveyors (1 Kings 4:14). It has been identified with the modern
Mukhumah, a ruin found in a depressed plain called el-Bukie’a, “the little
vale,” near Penuel, south of the Jabbok, and north-east of es-Salt.
- MAHANEH-DAN Judges 18:12 = “camp of Dan” 13:25 (R.V.,
“Mahaneh-dan”), a place behind (i.e., west of) Kirjath-jearim, where the
six hundred Danites from Zorah and Eshtaol encamped on their way to
capture the city of Laish, which they rebuilt and called “Dan, after the
name of their father” (18:11-31). The Palestine Explorers point to a ruin
called ‘Erma, situated about 3 miles from the great corn valley on the east
of Samson’s home. - MAHATH grasping. (1.) A Kohathite Levite, father of Elkanah (1
Chronicles 6:35).
(2.) Another Kohathite Levite, of the time of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles
29:12).
- MAHAZIOTH visions, a Kohathite Levite, chief of the twenty-third
course of musicians (1 Chronicles 25:4, 30). - MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ plunder speedeth; spoil hasteth, (Isaiah
8:1-3; comp. Zephaniah 1:14), a name Isaiah was commanded first to write
in large characters on a tablet, and afterwards to give as a symbolical name