Michmethah

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Michmethah The word occurs only in   Joshua 16:6;   Joshua 17:7 , in each case with the article, therefore probably not a proper name. Of the meaning of the word we are entirely ignorant. It indicated a place or some natural feature on the boundary of Manasseh. An echo of the old name may perhaps be heard in el-Mukhneh , the plain which lies to the east of Nâbins.

W. Ewing.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

A landmark between Ephraim and Manasseh W. of Jordan, on the E. of and facing Shechem ( Joshua 17:7); but  Joshua 16:6 says Ephraim's border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the N. side; Grove supposes a gap between  Joshua 16:5 and  Joshua 16:6.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mich'methah. (Hiding-Place). A place which formed one of the landmarks, of the boundary of the territories, of Ephraim and Manasseh, on the western side of Jordan.  Joshua 17:7. The position of the place must be somewhere, on the east of , and not far distant from, Shechem.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Boundary of Ephraim and Manasseh.  Joshua 16:6;  Joshua 17:7 . Identified by some with Sahel Mukhnah, 32 11' N, 35 17' E .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 16:6 Joshua 17:7

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 16:6 17:7

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Mikmethath', מַכְמְתָת , perh. Hiding-Place; Sept. Μαχθώθ , Vulg. Machmethath), a town on the northern border of Ephraim (and the southern of Manasseh), situated eastward of Shechem and southward from Asher, in the direction of Tappuah ( Joshua 17:7), also not very far west of Jordan, but beyond Taanath-Shiloh ( Joshua 16:6; where part of the verse appears to have become transposed from its proper location at the beginning of  Joshua 16:8; see Keil's Comment. ad loc.). These notices appear to fix it not far from Wady Bidan, north-east of Salem. (See Tribe). This position corresponds to the location assigned to the associated places by Eusebius (Schwarz, Palest. page 147); and M. de Saulcy found a little village in this vicinity, called el-Makhna, which he thinks may be a vestige of the Biblical locality (Narrative, 1:93); but Dr. Robinson, who passed through this region during his last visit, speaks only of "several villages" visible in this vicinity (Researches, new ed. 3:298), and applies the name el- Makhna to a large fertile valley south of Nablus (ibid. page 132, etc.); which, however, according to Van de Velde's Map, runs into Wady Bidan.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mik´mḗ - tha ( המּכמתה , ha - mikhmethāh  ; Codex Vaticanus Ἱκασμών , Hikasmṓn  ; Codex Alexandrinus Μαχθώθ , Machthṓth ): A place named in defining the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh (  Joshua 16:6;  Joshua 17:7 ). It is said to lie "before," i.e. to the East of Shechem. In the name itself, the meaning of which is obscure, there is nothing to guide us. The presence of the article, however (" the Michmethah"), suggests that it may not be a proper name, but an appellative, applying to some feature of the landscape. Condor suggests the plain of Makhneh, which lies to the East of Nablus (Shechem), in which there may possibly be an echo of the ancient name.