Michmash

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A town of Benjamin, nine miles north by east of Jerusalem, Nehemiah 7:31; 11:31 . It was a strong position and lay on the north side of a deep valley; for which reasons perhaps Sennacherib, on his way to Jerusalem, left his heavy equipage there, Isaiah 10:28,29 . In this deep valley, a little west of the town, are two steep hills or rocks, supposed to be the ones referred to in the account of Jonathan's achievement at "the passage of Michmash," 1 Samuel 13:23; 14:4 . Dr. Robinson found here a village called Mukhmas, which appeared to be the remnant of a town of some size and importance.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ezra 2:27Isaiah 10:281 Samuel 13:23

This was the scene of a great battle fought between the army of Saul and the Philistines, who were utterly routed and pursued for some 16 miles towards Philistia as far as the valley of Aijalon. "The freedom of Benjamin secured at Michmash led through long years of conflict to the freedom of all its kindred tribes." The power of Benjamin and its king now steadily increased. A new spirit and a new hope were now at work in Israel. (See Saul .)

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1 Samuel 13-14. Now Mukhmas, a poor village of gray huts and ruins, seven miles N. of Jerusalem; on the northern edge of the wady Suweinit, the main pass between the central highlands where Michmash stands and the Jordan valley at Jericho. Opposite Michmash on the other side of the ravine was Geba (Jeba) where was the Philistine garrison, and behind this Gibeah. Jonathan smote the garrison or officer. (See JONATHAN.) The Philistines swarmed up from their seacoast plain, and occupied Michmash so that Saul had to retire to Gilgal near Jericho. Then followed Jonathan's bold enterprise, which issued in their rout, from Michmash, the farthest point E., to Ajalon on the W. The battle also passed over to Bethaven (Bethel) four miles N. of Michmash (1 Samuel 14:23.) Josephus (Ant. vi. 6, section 2) says that the part of Michmash held by them consisted of three summits, entrenched by a line of rocks, and ending in a long sharp precipice almost impregnable; here Jonathan and his armorbearer clambered up at their invitation.

Just as 1 Samuel 14:4 describes, there is what was once a sharp "toothlike rock" on one side of the gorge between the armies, answering to Bozez ("shining"), and another on the other answering to Seneh (thorn). The more timid of the Israelites emerged from the holes (which give Michmash its name ("hidden"); others derive it from Chemosh, marking a Moabite invasion at some time) to join in the pursuit. Sennacherib long after, advancing from the N., left his heavy baggage ("carriages") at Michmash, and crossing the pass lodged for the night at Geba (Isaiah 10:28-29). (See GEBA.) Kitchener suggests that Khirbet Haiy is the site of Ai. It is hardly one mile S.E. of Michmash on the old road from Jericho into the interior, and so the first stronghold Joshua would have to overcome. A plain to the N. was the battlefield; and there is room for ambush to hide without being seen by the men of Bethel. Michmash and Ai are closely connected. After the captivity 122 men of Michmash reoccupied their old dwelling (Ezra 2:27; Nehemiah 7:31). Here Jonathan Maccabeus had his seat of government (1 Maccabees 9:73). Eusebius and Jerome (Onomasticon) mention Michmash as near Ramah.

Holman Bible Dictionary

1 Samuel 13:2Isaiah 10:281 Samuel 13:5-61 Samuel 14:20Nehemiah 11:31Nehemiah 7:311 Maccabees 9:73Jonathan

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A place about nine miles from Jerusalem. (1 Samuel 13:5) The name is supposed to be derived from Nacah, to strike.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

MICHMASH. A place (not enumerated as a town) in the territory of Benjamin, and in the mountains of Bethel. It comes into prominence in connexion with the daring raid made by Jonathan and his armour-bearer upon the Philistines there encamped ( 1 Samuel 13:1-23; 1 Samuel 14:1-52 ). It was one of the smaller places to which the returning exiles belonged, contributing only 122 men to the enumeration of Ezra ( Ezra 2:27 ) and Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 7:31 ) [in both these last two passages Michmas ]. Nehemiah further alludes to it as a border city of Benjamin ( Nehemiah 11:31 ). Indications of its position may be obtained from the Jonathan story and also from Isaiah’s picture of the course of an Assyrian raid ( Isaiah 10:28 ). These indications permit an identification of the site with the modern village of Mukhmâs , situated in a wild and desolate region near the head of the Wady Kelt. In 1 Kings 4:9 for Makaz the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] erroneously reads Michmash . For a time it was the seat of the government of Jonathan Maccabæus ( 1Ma 9:73 ).

R. A. S. Macalister.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mich'mash. (hidden). A town which is known to us, almost solely, by its connection with the Philistine war of Saul and Jonathan. 1 Samuel 13:1; 1 Samuel 14:1. It has been identified, with great probability, in a village which still bears the name of Mukhmas, about seven miles north of Jerusalem. The place was, thus, situated in the very middle of the tribe of Benjamin. In the invasion of Sennacherib, in the reign of Hezekiah, it is mentioned by Isaiah. Isaiah 10:28. After the captivity, the man of the place returned. Ezra 2:27; Nehemiah 7:31.

At a later date, it became the residence of Jonathan Maccabaeus, and the seat of his government. 1 Maccabees 9:73. In the time of Eusebius and Jerome, it was "a very large village, retaining its ancient name, and lying near Ramah in the district of Aelia (Jerusalem), at ten miles distance therefrom." Immediately below the village, the great wady spreads out to a considerable width - perhaps half a mile; and its bed is broken up into an intricate mass of hummocks and mounds, two of which, before the torrents of three thousand winters had reduced and rounded their forms, were, probably, the two "teeth of cliff" - the Bozes and Seneh of Jonathan's adventure.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mik´mash ( מכמשׁ , mikhmāsh  ; Μαχμάς , Machmás ): A town in the territory of Benjamin, apparently not of sufficient importance to secure mention in the list of cities given in Joshua 18:21 ff. It first appears as occupied by Saul with 2,000 men, when Jonathan, advancing from Gibeah, smote the Philistine garrison in Geba ( 1 Samuel 13:2 ). To avenge this injury, the Philistines came up in force and pitched in Michmash (1 Samuel 13:5 ). Saul and Jonathan with 600 men held Geba, which had been taken from the Philistine garrison (1 Samuel 13:16 ). It will assist in making clear the narrative if, at this point, the natural features of the place are described.

Michmash is represented by the modern Mukhmās , about 7 miles North of Jerusalem. From the main road which runs close to the watershed, a valley sloping eastward sinks swiftly into the great gorge of Wâdy es - Suweinı̄t . The village of Mukhmās stands to the North of the gorge, about 4 miles East of the carriage road. The ancient path from Ai southward passes to the West of the village, goes down into the valley by a steep and difficult track, and crosses the gorge by the pass, a narrow defile, with lofty, precipitous crags on either side - the only place where a crossing is practicable. To the South of the gorge is Geba, which had been occupied by the Philistines, doubtless to command the pass. Their camp was probably pitched in a position East of Mukhmās , where the ground slopes gradually northward from the edge of the gorge. The place is described by Josephus as "upon a precipice with three peaks, ending in a small, but sharp and long extremity, while there was a rock that surrounded them like bulwarks to prevent the attack of the enemy" ( Ant. , VI, vi, 2). Conder confirms this description, speaking of it as "a high hill bounded by the precipices of Wâdy es - Suweinı̄t on the South, rising in three flat but narrow mounds, and communicating with the hill of Mukhmās , which is much lower, by a long and narrow ridge." The Philistines purposed to guard the pass against approach from the South. On the other hand they were not eager to risk an encounter with the badly armed Israelites in a position where superior numbers would be of little advantage. It was while the armies lay thus facing each other across the gorge that Jonathan and his armor-bearer performed their intrepid feat ( 1 Samuel 14:1 ff). See Bozez; Seneh .

It will be noted that the Philistines brought their chariots to Michmash (1 Samuel 13:5 ). In his ideal picture of the Assyrian advance on Jerusalem, Isaiah makes the invader lay up his baggage at Michmash so that he might go lightly through the pass (1 Sam 10:28). A company of the men of Michmash (see Michmas ) returned with Zerubbabel from exile (Ezra 2:27; Nehemiah 7:31 ). Michmash produced excellent barley. According to the Mishna, "to bring barley to Michmash" was equivalent to our English "to carry coal to Newcastle." Michmash was the seat of government under Jonathan Maccabeus (1 Macc 9:73).

The modern village is stone-built. There are rock-cut tombs to the North. Cisterns supply the water. There are foundations of old buildings, large stones, and a vaulted cistern.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(1 Samuel 13:2-23; 1 Samuel 14:5; 1 Samuel 14:31; Nehemiah 11:31; Isaiah 10:28). (See Michmas).