Maon

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. A city in the mountains of Judah ( Joshua 15:55). In the waste pasture ("wilderness") of Maon in the plain S. of Jeshimon, at the hill of Hachilah, David narrowly escaped Saul through the Ziphites' treachery ( 1 Samuel 23:19;  1 Samuel 23:24-25). Saul was on one side of the mountain, David on the other, when a message announcing a Philistine invasion called Saul away; the rock that separated the pursuer and the pursued was called "Sela-hammahlekoth," the rock of divisions. Nabal's flocks fed on the pastures of Maon and the adjoining Carmel ( 1 Samuel 25:2).

He conducted his sheepshearing at Carmel, because he was there near good water in the plain between Hebron and Carmel, the finest plain in the hill country of Judah, that which Achsah desired of Caleb her father; for she wanted, besides the arid south land (Negeb), "springs of water," and received this "field" or cultivated plain with "upper and nether springs." Now Mat, a conical hill, seven miles S. of Hebron. On the same level as Tell Zif; the passage  1 Samuel 23:24-25, refers to the wady el War, "valley of rocks," a rugged place having its head close to Tell Main; the long ridges running E. to the Dead Sea are a fit site for David's escape. (Conder, Palestine Expl.)

2. In  Judges 10:12, "the Maonites did oppress you," the Mehunim of  2 Chronicles 26:7 may be meant, the inhabitants of Mann (translated for "habitations,"  1 Chronicles 4:41, Meunites, who were strangers there), a city near Petra, E. of wady Muss. Otherwise, a "Maon" tribe, of which Maon city was a remnant, near Amalek, dispossessed by Caleb, may have oppressed Israel subsequently under the judges. But thus all notice of Israel's great oppressor Midian would be omitted; and Septuagint in both the best manuscripts read for "the Maonites" in  Judges 10:12 "Midian."

No Hebrew manuscript existing supports this. In  2 Chronicles 20:1, "with them (other) beside the Ammonites," or as others translated "others who dwelt aside from (i.e. beyond) the Ammonites," namely, tribes in the Syro-Arabian desert bordering upon Ammon on the N. and E.; compare  2 Chronicles 20:2 (Keil). But  2 Chronicles 20:10;  2 Chronicles 20:22, mentioning inhabitants of Mount Seir or Edom among the invaders, favor Hiller's alteration of Meeha'amonim into Meehame'unim, the Maonites of Mann near the Edomite Petra; E. of wady Muss, in the mountainous region W. of the Arabah. The Maonites are mentioned instead of the Edomites, to imply that not only Edomites but tribes from other parts of Mount Seir joined the invasion. The Maonites probably were of non Edomitic origin.

3. Descendant of Caleb, son of Shammai, father of founder of Bethzur ( 1 Chronicles 2:45).

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Maon ( Mâ'On ). 1. Founder of Beth-zur,  1 Chronicles 2:45. 2. One of the cities of Judah, in the mountains.  Joshua 15:55, and a district where David hid from Saul, and near which Nabal had possessions.  1 Samuel 23:24. 25. The name of Maon still exists in Main, a lofty conical hill 100 feet high, about eight miles south from Hebron.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. City in the highlands of Judah, to the 'wilderness' of which David and his men resorted when pursued by Saul.  Joshua 15:55;  1 Samuel 23:24,25;  1 Samuel 25:2 . Identified with ruins at Main , 31 25' N, 35 7 E.

2. Son of Shammai, a descendant of Caleb.   1 Chronicles 2:45 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ma'on. (Habitation). One of the cities of the tribe of Judah, in the district of the mountains.  Joshua 15:55. Its interest for us lies in its connection with David.  1 Samuel 23:24-25. The name of Maon still exists in Main , a lofty conical hill, south of and about seven miles distant from Hebron.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A town in the edge of the hill-country of Judah,  Joshua 15:55 , near which Nabal lived and David took refuge from Saul,  1 Samuel 23:24 -  25;  25:2 . Dr Robinson finds it the ruinous place called Main, seven miles south by east from Hebron.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Chronicles 2:45 2 Joshua 15:55 1 Samuel 25:2 1 Samuel 23:24-25 1 Samuel 25:2

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A city of Judah, ( Joshua 15:55) The word means an habitation. ( Exodus 15:23-25)

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 23:24,25 25:2

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Maon', מָעוֹן , Habitation, as often; Sept. Μαών ), the name of a man and of a place. (See Maonite).

1. The son of Shammai, of the tribe of Judah and family of Caleb, and the "father" (i.e. founder) of Bethzur ( 1 Chronicles 2:45). B.C. prob. post 1618.

2. A town in the tribe of Judah ( Joshua 15:55), which gave name to a wilderness (part of the desert of Judaea), where David hid himself from Saul, and around which the churlish Nabal had great possessions ( 1 Samuel 23:24-25;  1 Samuel 25:2). Josephus calls it Emma ( Ε᾿Μμᾶ , Ant. 6:13, 6). Eusebius and Jerome place it to the east of Daroma (Onomast. s.v. Μανῶν , Maon). Irby and Mangles were in the neighborhood in 1818, but did not detect this and other ancient names. Robinson finds it in the present lMain, which is about seven miles south by east from Hebron. Here there is a conical hill about 200 feet high, on the top of which are some ruins of no great extent, consisting of foundations of hewn stone, a square enclosure, the remains probably of a tower or castle, and several cisterns. The view from the summit is extensive. The traveler found here a band of peasants keeping their flocks, and dwelling in caves amid the ruins (Bibl. Researches, 2:190-196). With this identification De Saulcy (Narrative, 1:441) and Schwarz (Palestiune, p. 106) agree. (See Mehunim).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ma´on, a town in the tribe of Judah , which gave name to a wilderness where David hid himself from Saul, and around which the churlish Nabal had great possessions . Jerome places it to the east of Daroma. The name does not occur in modern times, and Dr. Robinson regards it as one of the sites first identified by himself. He finds it in the present Maîn, which is about seven miles south by east from Hebron. Here there is a conical hill about 200 feet high, on the top of which are some ruins of no great extent, consisting of foundations of hewn stone, a square enclosure, the remains probably of a tower or castle, and several cisterns. The view from the summit is extensive. This is Maîn. The traveler found here a band of peasants keeping their flocks, and dwelling in caves amid the ruins (Bibl. Researches, ii. 190-196).