Migron

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

MIGRON. One of the places mentioned in Isaiah’s description of the march of the Assyrians on Jerusalem. The direction of the march is from north to south: hence Migron (  Isaiah 10:28 ) lay north of Michmash (wh. see), and north of the Wady es-Suwçnît , which is the ‘pass’ of   Isaiah 10:29 . The name perhaps survives in Makrûn , a ruined site situated a mile or two N.W. of Makhmâs (Michmash). In   1 Samuel 14:2 Samaul, whose army was encamped south of the Wady es-Suwçnît , is said to have dwelt in ‘the uttermost part of Geba (so read) under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron.’ Probably ‘in Migron’ should rather be translated ‘in the threshing-floor’; if not, we must infer that there were two places not many miles apart, one north and the other south of the Wady es-Suwçnît , bearing the same name. This southern Migron has not been identified.

G. B. Gray.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("precipice".) Near Saul's city Gibeah, on the edge of its district ( 1 Samuel 14:2); here he sat under a pomegranate with Ahiah the priest and his little army of 600. Mentioned again (unless it is a distinct Migron) in Sennacherib's march toward Jerusalem from the N. ( Isaiah 10:28-29.)

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Migron ( Mîg'Ron ), precipice. A place near Gibeah.  1 Samuel 14:2. Migron is also mentioned in Sennacherib's approach to Jerusalem.  Isaiah 10:28. It was near Michmash.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mig'ron. (Precipice). A town or a spot, in the neighborhood of Gibeah.  1 Samuel 14:23. Migron is also mentioned in Sennacherib's approach to Jerusalem.  Isaiah 10:28.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Place near Gibeah where Saul encamped.  1 Samuel 14:2 . It occurs again in  Isaiah 10:28 , as on the Assyrian's line of march against Jerusalem.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A town in the vicinity of Ai and Gibeah, north of Michmash, now lost,  1 Samuel 14:2;  Isaiah 10:28 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 14:2 Isaiah 10:28 Isaiah 10:1

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A village near Gibeah. ( 1 Samuel 14:2) It means perhaps fear, from Magar.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Isaiah 10:28 1 Samuel 14:2

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Migron', מַגְרוֹן , Precipice; Sept. in 1 Samuel Μαγδών , in Isaiah Μαγδών v.r. Μαγγεδώ , apparently reading ד for ר ; Vulg. Magron), a town of Benjamin, which, from the historical indications, must have been between Ai and Michmas, on the route of the invading Assyrian army southward ( Isaiah 10:28). From Michmas a narrow valley extends northward out of and at right angles with that which has been identified as the passage of Michmas (q.v.). The town of Migron seems to have been upon and to have commanded the pass through this valley, somewhere between the modern Deir Diwan and Mukhmus (Robinson's Researches, 2:149). Saul was stationed at the further side of Gibeah (? Geba), "under a pomegranate tree which is by Migron" ( 1 Samuel 14:2), when Jonathan performed his great exploit at Michmas; and this is to be explained (see Rosenmuller, Alterth. II, 2:170 sq.; Bachiene, II, 2:145) on the supposition that Migron was on the border (perhaps extending considerably north-west of Michmas) of the district to which Gibeah gave its name. Migron, therefore, was in all probability situated on, or close to, the ravine now called Wady Suweinit. It was a commanding position (Josephus, Ant. 6:6, 2. where it is said to be "a high hill"), for Saul was able to see from it the commotion which followed the attack of Jonathan on the Philistine camp. The ravine is not quite half a mile in breadth from brow to brow. According to Schwarz (Palest. page 130), there are extant some ruins about half a mile south of the site of Bethel, which the Arabs still call Burj (fort) Magrun; but no map exhibits here more than a ruined church, and the position is too far north. Keil thinks the Migron of 1 Samuel was a different place from that of Isaiah (Comment. on Samuel ad loc.), but this is an unnecessary supposition. The only locality that seems to combine the scriptural requirements is the eminence just north-west of Mukhmus, which separates Wady Suweinit from its branch running up directly north to Deir Diwan; and some ancient town appears to be indicated by the sepulchres in the latter valley.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mig´ron ( מגרון , mighrōn  ; Μαγών , Magón ):

(1) A place in the uttermost part of Geba - which read here instead of Gibeah - marked by a pomegranate tree, where Saul and his 600 men encamped over against the Philistines, who were in Michmash ( 1 Samuel 14:2 ). Josephus describes the distress of Saul and his company as they sat on a high hill ( bounós hupsēlós ) viewing the widespread desolation wrought by the enemy. There is, however, nothing to guide us as to the exact spot. Many suppose that the text is corrupt; but no emendation suggested yields any satisfactory result. The place was certainly South of Michmash.

(2) (Codex Vaticanus Μαγεδώ , Magedṓ  ; Codex Alexandrinus Μαγεδδώ , Mageddṓ ): The Migron of   Isaiah 10:28 is mentioned between Aiath (Ai) and Michmash. If the places are there named in consecutive order, this Migron must be sought to the North of Michmash. It may with some confidence be located at Makrūn , a ruined site to the North of the road leading from Michmash to Ai.

There is nothing extraordinary in two places having the same name pretty close to each other. The two Beth-horons, although distinguished as upper and lower, are a case in point. So also are the two Bethsaidas. There is therefore no need to try to identify the two with one another, as some (e.g. Robertson Smith in Journal of Philology , Xiii , 62 ff) have attempted to do with no success.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Mig´ron, a town which, from the historical indications, must have been south or south-west of Ai, and north of Michmas . From Michmas northward a narrow valley extends out of and at right angles with that which has been identified as the pass of Michmas [MICHMAS]. The town of Migron seems to have been upon and to have commanded the pass through this valley, but its precise situation has not been determined. Saul was stationed at the further side of Gibeah, 'under a pomegranate-tree which is by Migron' , when Jonathan performed his great exploit at Michmas; and this is to be explained on the supposition that Migron was on the border, towards Michmas, of the district to which Gibeah gave its name.