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Maacah – Magdiel
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Maacah
1. A eon of Nahor (). 2. The daughter of Talmai, wife of David, and mother of Absalom ( etc.). 3. The father of Achish, king of Oath (), possibly the same as Maoch (). 4. Wife of Rehoboam, and mother of Abijah (). When she is called ‘daughter’ of Absalom (, , f.), ‘granddaughter’ may be intended, as Absalom had but one daughter, Tamar, who may have married Uriel of Gibeah (, where the name is given as Micaiah; cf. Jos. Ant. vii. x. 1). Maacah fell under the spell of loathsome idolatry, for which Asa deposed her from the position of queen-mother, which she appears to have held till then (, ). 5. A concubine of Caleb (). 6. Wife of Machir ( f.). 7. Wife of Jehiel, the father of Gibeon ( ). 8. One of David’s warriors, father of Hanan (). 9. The father of Shephatiah, the captain of the Simeonltes (). W. Ewing.
Maacah
A small kingdom out of which the Aramsean () inhabitants were not driven (Jos ). It probably lay in what is now known as the Jaulan, E. of the Sea of Galilee and the Upper Jordan (, ). but its borders cannot now be determined. Its king and army were hired against David by the Ammonites, and shared their overthrow in the battle fought near Medeba (, ). The inhabitants were called Maacathites ( etc.).
W. EwiNO.
Maadai
One of the sons of Bani, who had married a foreign wife ()) 1 Esdras 9:34 Momdis.
Maadiah
A priestly family which returned with Zerubbabel ()) called in Moadiah.
Maai
One of the sons of Asaph who took part in the dedication of the walls ().
mAALEH-ACBABBIM.— AV (‘ascent of Akrabbim,’ RV). See Akrabbim.
Maani
Maani (1 Es S«0 = Meunim, , .
Maarath
A town of Judah (). Possibly the name survives in Belt ‘UmmOr, west of ‘Tekoa.
Maabeh-geba
Maabeh-geba (AV ‘the meadows of Gibeah,’ RVm ‘the meadow of Geba’). — The place from which the men placed in ambush rushed forth to attack the Benjamites (). There can be little doubt that we ought to emend MT to ‘to the west of Geba’ (better Gibeah).
Maasai
The name of a priestly family ()
Maaseas
The grandfather of Baruch (Baruch 1:1) = Mabseiah of .
2 N
Maaseiah
1. A priest, of the sons of Jeshua, who had married a foreign wife () [1 Esdras 9:19 Mathelas]). 2, A priest, of the sons of Harim, who had committed the same offence ( [1 Esdras 9:21 Manes]). Foreign wives had been taken also by 3. and 4. — A priest, of the sons of Pashhur ( [1 Esdras 9:22 Massias]), and a layman, of the sons of Pahath-raoab (v. 30) [1 Esdras 9:31 Moossias]). 5. A wall-builder (). 6. One of those who stood upon the right hand of Ezra at the reading of the Law () ; called in 1 Esdras 9:43 Baalsamus. 7. One of those who expounded the Law to the people () ; called in 1 Es maiannas. He is perhaps the same as the preceding. 8. One of those who sealed the coyenant (). 9. A Judahite () in Asaiah. 10. A Benjamite (). 11. 12. Two priests ( f.). 13. A priest in the time of Zedeklah ( ). 14. The father of the false prophet Zedekiah (). 15. A Levitical singer (, ). 16. One of the captains who assisted Jehoiada in the overthrow of Athaliah (). 17. An officer of Uzziah (). 18. A son of Ahaz slain by Ziehri the Ephraimite (). 19. Governor of Jerusalem under Josiah (). 20. In Baaselah appears to be a textual error tor Maaseiah.
lUAASMAS (1 Esdras 8:43) = Shemaiah. Ezi 8:16.
Maath
An ancestor of Jesus ().
Maaz
A Jerahmeelite ().
Maaziah
A priestly family which constituted the 24th course (. ).
Macalon
(1 Esdras 5:21). The same as Michmash; of. .
Maccabees
The name commonly given to the Jewish family othervrise known as Hasmonseans, who led the revolt against Syria under Antiochus iv., and furnished the dynasty of leaders and rulers in the State thus formed. The family is said to have derived its name from a more or less mythical ancestor Hasmonmus. The chief members of the house were:
1. Mattathias (b.c. 167-166), a citizen of Modin, and of priestly descent. When, in accordance with the policy of Antiochus iv., the royal officer attempted to establish heathen sacrifices in that town, Mattathias refused to conform, killed the officer and a Jew about to offer sacrifices, levelled the heathen altar to the ground, and fled with his five sons to the mountains. There he was joined by a number of other patriots and by ‘the Pious’ (see Hasid.eans). After a few months of vigorous fighting in behalf of the Torah, Mattathias died, leaving the conduct of the revolt to his five sons. Of these, Eleazar and John were killed in the succeeding struggle without having attained official standing. The other three were his successors (1 Maccabees 2).
2. Judas (B.C. 166-161), called Maccabee, or ‘the Hammerer,’ from which surname the entire farnlly came to be known. Judas was essentially a warrior, whose plans involved not only the re-establishment of the Torah, but also, in all probability, the re-establishment of the Jewish State in at least a semi-independent position. He defeated successively the Syrian generals ApoUonius and Seron. Antiochus iv. then sent Lysias, the imperial chancellor, to put down the revolt, and he in turn sent a large body of troops against Judas, under three generals — Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias. Judas called the fighting men of Galilee together at Mizpah, organized them, and at Bmmaus surprised and utterly defeated the forces of Gorgias (b.c. 166-165). In the autumn of 165, Lysias himself came against Judas at the head of a great army, but was defeated at Bethzur. Thereupon, in December 165, Judas cleansed the Temple of the Syrian pollutions and inaugurated the re-established worship with a great feast. For a year and a half he waged war on his enemies on the east of the Jordan, while his brother Simon brought the Jews scattered throughout Galilee back to Judsea for safety. His vigorous campaign, however, seems to have alienated ‘the Pious,’ who had seen their ambition realized in the re-establishment of the Temple worship. Lysias returned with a great army, and atBeth-zacharias completely defeated Judas. He then laid siege to Jerusalem, where the citadel was still in Syrian hands. Jerusalem surrendered, but Lysias did not attempt again to disestablish the Jewish faith. He appointed Alcimus as high priest, who was received by ‘the Pious’ as legitimate, although he favoured the Greeks. Judas and his party, however, remained in revolt, and when Lysias returned to Syria, undertook war against Alcimus himself. Demetrius i., who had succeeded Antiochus iv., sent Nicanor to put an end to the rebellion. He was defeated by Judas at Capharsalama, and retreated to Jerusalem, where he threatened to burn the Temple if Judas were not delivered up. This once more brought ‘the Pious’ to the support of Judas, who decisively defeated the Syrians at Adasa, Nicanor himself being killed. Josephus states that at this time Alcimus died and Judas was made high priest. Although this is probably an error, Judas was now at the head of the State. He sent ambassadors to Rome asking for assistance, which was granted to the extent that the Senate sent word to Demetrius i. to desist from fighting the Jews, the allies of the Romans. This international policy of Judas displeased ‘the Pious,’ however, and they deserted him; and before the message of the Senate could reach Demetrius, Judas had been defeated by the Syrian general Bacchides, at Elasa, and killed (1 Maccabees 39).
3. Jonathan (b.c. 161-143) undertook the leadership of the revolt, only to suffer serious defeat east of the Jordan, where he had gone to avenge the killing of his brother John by the ‘sons of Jambri.’ For a time it looked as if Syria would again establish its complete control over the country. The high priest Alcimus died, and Bacchides, believing the subjection of Judsa complete, returned to Syria (b.c. 160). The land, however, was not at peace, and in the interests of order Bacchides gave Jonathan the right to maintain an armed force at Michmash. The fortunes of the Maccabsan house now rose steadily. As a sort of licensed revolutionist, Jonathan was sought as an ally by the two rivals for the Syrian throne, Alexander Balas and Demetrius i. Each made him extravagant offers, but Jonathan preferred Alexander Balas; and when the latter defeated his rival, Jonathan found himself a high priest, a prince of Syria, and military and civil governor of Judsea (b.c. 150). When Alexander Balas was conquered by Demetrius 11., Jonathan laid siege to the citadel of Jerusalem, which was still in the hands of the Syrians. Demetrius did not find himself strong enough to punish the Jews, but apparently bought off the siege by adding to Judaea three sections of Samaria, and granting remission of tribute. Jonathan thereupon became a supporter of Demetrius 11., and furnished him auxiliary troops at critical times. Thanks to the disturbance in the Syrian Empire, Jonathan conquered various cities in the Maritime Plain and to the south of Judaea, re-established treaties with Rome and Sparta, and strengthened the fortifications of Jerusalem, cutting off the Syrian garrison with a high wall. Joppa was garrisoned and various strategic points throughout Judaea fortified. This steady advance towards independence was checked, however, by the treacherous seizure of Jonathan by Trypho, the guardian and commanding general of the young Antiochus v., by whom he was subsequently (b.c. 142) executed (1 Maccabees 9:23).
4. Simon (b.c. 143-135), another son of Mattathias, succeeded Jonathan when the affairs of the State were in a critical position. A man of extraordinary ability, he was so successful in diplomacy as seldom to be compelled to carry on war. It was greatly to his advantage that the Syrian State was torn by the struggles between the aspirants to the throne, Simon’s first step was to make the recognition of the independence of Judsea a condition of an alliance with Demetrius ii. The need of that monarch was too great to warrant hia refusal of Simon’s hard terms, and the political independence of Judsea was achieved (b.g. 143-142). In May 142 Simon was able to seize the citadel, and in September 141, at a great assembly of priests and people, and princes of the people, and elders of the land, he was elected to be high priest and mihtary commander and civil governor of the Jews, ‘for ever until there should arise a faithful prophet.’ That is to say, the high-priestly oflSce became hereditary in Simon’s family. Following the policy of his house, Simon re-established the treaty with Rome, although he became involved in a strenuous struggle with Syria, in which the Syrian general was defeated by his son, John Hyrcanus. Like his brothers, however, Simon met a violent death, being killed by his son-in-law at a banquet (1 Maccabees 1316).
5. John Hyrcanus (b.c. 135-105). Under this son of Simon, the Jewish State reached its greatest prosperity. Josephus describes him as high, priest, king, and prophet, but strangely enough the records of his reign are scanty. At the opening of his reigp, John’s jposition, uke that of ms father and uncle, was critical. Antiochua yii. (Sidetes), the last energetic king_ of Syria, for a short time threatened to reduce Judsea again to political dependence. He besieged Jerusalem and starved it into surrender. For some reason, however, probably because of the interference of the Romans he did not destroy the city, but, exacting severe terms, left it under the control of Hyrcanus. Antiochus was presently killed in a campaign against the Parthians, and was succeeded by the weak Demetrius u., who had been released from imprisonment by the same nation. John Hyrcanus from this time onwards paid small attention to Syrian
gower,_ and began a career of conquest of the territopf on oth sides of the Jordan and in Samaria. The affairs of Syria growing ever more desperate under the succession of feeble kings, John ceased payment of the tribute which had been exacted by Antiochus, and established a brilliant court, issuing coins as high priest and head of the Congregation of the Jews. He did not, however, take the title of *king_.’ His long reign was marked by a break with the Pharisees, who, as successors of ‘the Pious,’ had been the traditional party of the government, and the establishment of friendship with the Sadducees, thereby fixing the high priesthood as one of the perquisite of that party. John died in peace, bequeathing to his family a well-rounded out territory and an independent government (Jos. Ant. xiii. viii.-x.; BJ i. ii.).
6. Aristobulus I. (B.C. 105-104). According to the will of John Hyrcanus, the government was placed in his widow’s hands, while the high priesthood was given to the oldest of his five sons, Aristobulus. The latter, however, put his mother in prison, where she starved to death, established his brother Antigonus as joint-ruler, and threw his other three brothers into prison. In a short time, urged on by suspicion, he had his brother Antigonus killed, and he himself took the title of ‘king.’ Of his short reign we know little except that he was regarded as a friend of the Greeks, and conquered and circumcised the Iturseans, who probably lived in Galilee. At this time the final Judaizing of Gahlee began (Jos. Ant. xiii. xi.; BJ i. iii.).
7. Alexander Jannseus (B.C. 104-78). After the death of Aristobulus, his widow Alexandra (^Salome) released his three brothers from prison, and married the oldest of them, Alexander Jannseus (or Jonathan), making him king and high priest. Alexander carried on still more vigorously the monarchical policy of Aristobulus, and undertook the extension of Juaaea by the conquest of the surrounding cities, including those of Upper (Salilee. , essentially a warrior, but in his early campaigns was defeated by the Egyptians. Judsea might then iiave become a province of Egypt had not the Jewish counsellors of Cleopatra advised against the subjection of the land. The Egyptian army was withdrawn, and Alexander Jannseus was left in control of the country. His monarchical ambitions, however, aroused the hostility of the Pharisees, and Judsea was rent by civil war. For six years the war raged, and it is said that 50,000 Jews perished. The Pharisees asked aid from Demetrius iii., and succeeded in defeating Alexander. Thereupon, however, feeling that they were in danger of falling again into subjection to Syria, many of the Jews went over to Alexander and assisted him in putting down the rebellion. The consec^uent success of Alexander was marked by a series of ternble pimishments inflicted upon I those who had rebelled against him. During the latter part of his reign he was engaged in struggles with the Greek cities of Palestine, in the siege of one of which he died, bequeathing his kingdom to his wife Alexandra, with the advice that she should make friends with the Pharisees (Jos Ant, XIII. xii.-xv.; BJ i. iv.).
8. Alexandra (b.c. 78-69) was a woman of extraordinary ability, and her reign was one of great prosperity, according to the Pharisees, whose leaders were her chief advisers. She maintained the general foreign policy of her house, defending her kingdom against various foreign enemies, but particularly devoted herself, under the guidance of her brother Simon ben-Shetach, to the inner development of Judsea along lines of Pharisaic policy. The Sadducean leaders were to some extent persecuted, but seem to have been able to bring about their appointment to the charge of various frontier fortresses. The death of Alexandra alone prevented her being involved in a civil war (Jos. Ant. XIII. xvi.; BJ i. v.). _ 9. Aristobulus H. (b.c. 69-63) . After the death of Alexandra civil war broke out. According to the queen’s provision, her eldest son, Hyrcanus ii., who was already high priest, was to have been her successor. In fact, he did undertake to administer the State, but his younger and more energetic brother Aristobulus organized the rebellion, defeated Hyrcanus, and compelled mm to surrender. Bjj the agreement that followed, Hyrcanus was reduced to private life in the enjoyment of a large revenue. It was at this time that Antipater, the father of Herod i., appeared on the scene. He was an Idumsean of boundless ambition and much experience.^ He undertook to replace Hyrcanus on the throne. With the assistance of Aretas, king of Arabia, he organized an army and besieged Aristobulus in the Temple Mount. As the war was proceeding, Pompey sent Scaurus to Syria (b.c. 65). Scaurus proceeded towards Judsea to take advantage of the struggle between the two brothers. Before he reached Judaea, however, both Aristobulus and Hjjrcanus referred their quarrel to him. Scaurus favoured Aristobulus, and ordered Aretas to return to Arabia, Tlds decision, however, did not end the controversy between the brothers, and they appealed to Pompey himself, who meantime had arrived at Damascus. The two brothers pleaded their cause, as did also an embassy of the Jewish people, which asked that the monarchy be abolished, and the government by the high priest be re-established. Pompey deferred his decision, and ordered the two brothers to maintain peace. Aristobulus, however, undertook to continue the revolt, fleeing to Alexandrium, a fortress on the Samaritan hills, above the Jordan Valley. At the command of Pompey he surrendered the fortress, but fled to Jerusalem^ where he prepared to stand a siege. Pompey followed him, and Aristobulus promised to surrender, when, however, Gabinius, the Roman general, went to take possession of the city, he found the gates closed against him. Thereupon Pompey
Proceeded to besiege the city. The various divisions of erusalem surrendered to him except the Temple Mount, This was captured after a long siege, and at terrible cost (B.C. 63). Pompey went into the Holy of Holies, but did not touch the Temple treasures. He did, however, make Judsea tributary to Rome and greatly reduced its territory. Aristobulus was taken prisoner, and Hyrcanus was re-established as high priest, but without the title of ‘king.’ Great numbers of Jews were taken by Pompey to Rome at this time, together with Aristobulus, and became the nucleus of the Jewish community in the capital. With this conquest of Pompey, the Maccabaean State really came to an end; and Judaea became tributary to Rome (Jos. Ant. xiv. i.-iv. BJ I. vi. and vii.).
10. Hyrcanus H. was a weak man, but had for his adviser and major domo Antipater, an exceedingly able man. ‘The State, as re-organized by Gabinius, was attached to Syria and Hyrcanus exercised the function of high priest (63-40). During this time Judsea was swept more completely into the current of Roman history, because of the assistance rendered by Antipater and Hyrcanus to Caesar in his struggle with the party of Pompey in Egypt. In gratitude Caesar gave many rights and privileges to the Jews throughout the Roman world. Hyrcanus was, however, not appointed king, but’ ethnarch,’ and Antipater was made procurator. The walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down by Pompey, were now rebuilt, and various cities taken away by Pompey were restored to the Judtean territory. Hyrcanus, completely under the_ control of Antipater, supported Cassius in the struggle which followed the death of Cfaesar, but in the disturbances following the death of Brutus and Cassius espoused the cause of Antony. At this critical juncture Antipater was killed, and his two sons, Phasael and Herod, were appointed by Antony tetrarchs of the country of the Jews. Antigonus, however, the second son of Aristobulus, with the assistance of the Parthians, captured PhaBael, compelled Herod to flee, and seized the State. Hyrcanus was carried away prisoner by the Parthians, and his ears were cut off, so that he could no longer act as high priest.
After Herod had been made king, Hyrcanus was brought back to Judaea, and became a centre of one of the various intrigues against Herod, who had married Hyrcanus’ granddaughter Mariamme. As a result, Herod had him executed (B.C. 30), on the charge of conspiracy with the king of Arabia (Jos. A nt. XIV. v.-xiii.; BJ I. viii.-xiii.).
11 . Alexander, the elder son of Aristobulus ii . , who escaped from Pompey on the journey to Rome, collected an army and headed an insurrection in Judaea (B.C. 67). finally defeated, and later during the civil wars was beheaded by order of Pompey as a friend of Csesar.
12. Antigonus, with his father Aristobulus, escaped from the Romans, and in B.C. 56 headed a revolt in Judaea. Aristobulus retreated to Machgerus, but after two years’ siege was compelled to surrender, and went again as prisoner to Rome, where he was poisoned (b.c 49), just as he was setting out to the East to assist Ceesar. Antigonus in B.C. 47 attempted unsuccessfully to induce Caesar to establish him as king of Judaea in place of Hyrcanus and Antipater. After the death of Csesar and during the second triumvirate, Antigonus attempted to gain the throne of Judaea with the assistance of the Parthians, and in 40-37 maintained himself with the title of ‘king and high priest.’ At the end of that period, however, Herod I., who had been appointed king by the Romans, conquered Antigonus with the assistance of Rome. Antigonus was beheaded (b.c. 37) by Antony at the request of Herod (Jos. Ant. xiv. xiv.-xvi.; BJ i. xiv.- xviii. 3).
13. Alexandra, daughter of Hyrcanus n., marned her cousin Alexander, son of Aristobulus ll. She was a woman of great ability, and as the mother of Mariamme, wife of Herod I., was an object of bitter hatred on the part of Herod’s sister Salome. She was executed by Herod m B.C. 28.
14. Aristobulus HI., son of Alexander and Alexandra, became a member of the household of Herod after the latter’s marriage with Mariamme. Like all Hasmonaeans, he waspossessedof great personal beauty.and was afavourite with the people. At the request of his sister he was made high priest by Herod (B.C. 35) . On account of his popularity, Herod had him drowned while he was bathing at Jericho, in the same year, when he had reached the age of seventeen.
15. Mariamme, daughter of Alexander and Alexandra, was reputed to be one of the most beautiful women of the time. She became the wife of Herod, who loved her jealously. Driven to madness, however, by the scandalous reports of his sister Salome, Herod had her executed in B.C. 29.
Although the direct line of Hasmonaeans was thus wiped out by Herod, the family was perpetuated in the sons of Herod himself by Mariamme — Alexander and Aristobulus. Both these sons, indeed, Herod caused to be executed because of alleged conspiracies against him, but the Maccabaean line still lived in the persons of Herod of Chalcis and Agrippa I. and ii. (see Hehod). Shailer Mathews.
Maccabees, Books of
See Apocrypha, §§ 1, 2.
Macedonia
The Macedonians were a part of the Hellenic race who settled early in history in the region round the river Axius at the N.W. corner of the .aSgaean. When they first came into Greek politics they had dominion from the mountains N. of Thessaly to the river Strymon, excepfwhere the Greek colonies of the peninsula of Chalcidice kept them back. Their race was probably much mixed with Illyrian and Thracian elements; they did not advance in culture with Southern Greece, but kept their primitive government under a king, and were regarded by the Greeks as aliens. Down to the time of Philip (B.C. 359) they played a minor part as allies of various Greek cities having interests in the N. vEgaean. Under Philip, through his organization of an army and his diplomatic skill, they became masters of Greece, and under his son Alexander conquered the East. The dynasties which they established in Syria and Egypt were Macedonian, but in the subsequent Hellenization of the East they took no larger part than other Greek races. In their original dominions they remained a hardy and vigorous race. After several wars with Borne, Macedonia was divided into four separate districts with republican government, but it received the regular organization of a province in b.c. 146.
Macedonia was the scene of St. Paul’s first work in Europe. See Philippi, Thessalonica, Bekcea. The province at that time included Thessaly, and stretched across to the Adriatic; but Philippi was a colony, not subject to the governor of the province, and Thessalonica was also a ‘free city,’ with the right of appointing its own magistrates. The Via Egnatia ran across the province from Dyrrhachium to Neapolls, and St. Paul’s journey was along this from Neapolis through Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia, to Thessalonica. A further visit is recorded in . and the Pastoral Epistles imply another after his first imprisonment ().
A. E. HiLLARD.
Machsrus
A place E. of the Dead Sea, fortified by Alexander Janngeus, and greatly enlarged and strengthened by Herod the Great (Jos. BJ vii. vi. 1). According to Josephus, the daughter of Aretas retired to this place when she left the bigamous Antipas. He describes it as ‘in the borders of the dominions of Aretas and Herod,’ and then ‘subject to her father’ (,Ant. XVIII. V. 1). on to say that here John was imprisoned and beheaded ( ff. etc.). If it was then subject to Aretas, this is at least curious. The fortress was one of the last taken by the Romans in the war of independence (BJ ii. xviii. 6, vii. vi.). It is identified with the ruin of Mukawer, on the height about half-way between Wady Zerka Ma’ in and WOdy eU MBjib. W. EwiNG.
Machbannai
A Gadite who joined David at Ziklag ().
Machbena
Named in the genealogical list of Judah (). Machbena is probably the same as Cabbon of , which may perhaps be identified with el- Kubeibeh, situated about 3 miles south of Beit Jibrin.
Machi
The father of Geuel, the Gadite spy ().
MACHIB, — 1. The eldest ‘son’ of Manasseh (Jos ), the only son (). Machir was also the ‘father of the Gilead.’ These names are ethnographic, and their use suggests that the Machirites were either coterminous with the tribe of Manasseh (wh. see) or were its most warlike part. Settled on the W. of Jordan, they Invaded N. Gilead some time after the days of Deborah, and so became the ‘father of the Gilead.’ 2. Son of Aramiel of Lo-debar on the E. of Jordan. He clung to the house of Saul as long as possible, and afterwards victualled David’s men when that king was fleeing from Absalom ( ). W. F. Cobb.
Machnadebai
One of the sons of Bani, who had married a foreign wife ().
Machpelah
The name of a locality in which, according to the Priestly narrative of the Hexateuch, were situated a field and a cave purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite, to serve as a burial-place for himself and his family (). Here Sarah was buried by her husband; and subsequently Abraham himself, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were laid to rest in the same spot (). The appellation ‘Machpelah,’ which seems in strictness to designate the site comprehensively, is also applied to the actual field and the cave within it, which are respectively called ‘the field of Machpelah’ ( ) and the ‘cave of Machpelah’ ( ). The place is described as being’ Before Mamre’ (), ‘before’ usually meaning ‘east of (see , , ), just as’ behind’ signifies ‘west of (). Mamre, in , is identified with Hebron, which is the modern eUKhalil (‘the Friend,’ i.e. Abraham, cf. , ), a town built on the sides of a narrow valley, the main portion of it lying on the face of the E. slope. The traditional site of the cave of Machpelah is on the E. hill, so that it would appear that ancient Hebron was built ,to the west of the modern city, on the W. hill, and that It has subsequently extended into the valley and climbed the opposite declivity.
Above the supposed site of the cave there is now a rectangular enclosure called the Haram, measuring 181 ft. by 93 ft. internally (the longer axis running from N.W. to S.E.), and surrounded by massive walls 40 ft. high, which are conjectured to date from the time of Herod the Great, though some authorities incline to assign them to a still earlier period. At the S.E. end of the quadrangle is a mosque, once a Christian church, 70 ft. by 93 ft., parts of which are attributed to the 12th century. Within the mosque are cenotaphs of Isaac and Rebekah; in a porch on the N.W. side are those of Abraham and Sarah; whilst at the opposite end of the enclosure are those of Jacob and Leah. The Haram has been but rarely entered by Christians in modern times. King Edward vn. was admitted to it, when Prince of Wales, in 1862; and the present Prince of Wales, with his brother, visited it in 1882. The cave, which is reputed to be the real resting-place of the patriarchs and their wives, is below the floor of the mosque, and is thought to be double, in accordance with a tradition which perhaps is derived from the LXX rendering of Machpelah as ‘the double cave.’ The entrances to it, of which there are said to be three, are in the flagged flooring of the building., It is doubtful whether any Christian has been allowed to enter it in modern times.
G. W. Wade.
Macron
Surname of Ptolemy (1 Maccabees 3:38, 2 Mac 4«), who was governor of Cyprus (2 Maccabees 10:12 f.) and subsequently of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia (2 Mao 8:8).
Madai
Madai ( Ch ). See Medes.
Madmaioiah
A town in the Negeb of Judah (), named with Hormah and Ziklag. Its place is taken in etc., by Beth-marcaboth. No satisfactory identification has been suggested. Conder mentions Umm Demineh N. of Beersheba, but does not think it suitable. W. Ewing.
Madmen
A place in Moab, which, if the MT be correct, has not been identified. The name occurs only in [Gr. 314. where there is a characteristic word-play: gam Madmin tiddSml, ‘also, O Madmen, thou Shalt be brought to silence’ (LXX kai pausin pausetai). It is a very natural suggestion that the initial m of Madmen has arisen by dittography from the final m of the preceding word, and that for Madmen we should read Dimon (cf. ), i.e. Dibon (cf. ). Cf. art. Medeba.
Madmenah
A place apparently north of Jerusalem, named only in the ideal description of the Assyrian invasion. . The name has not been recovered.
MADON, — A royal city of the Canaanites in the north ( ). Khirbet Madin near Hattin might suit. If, however, Macion be a scribal error for Maron, then MeirBn, at the foot of Jebd Jermuk, may be the place intended. W. Ewinq.
Maelus
Maelus (1 Esdras 9:26) =Mijamin, .
Magadan
See Dalmanutha.
Magbish
An unknown town, presumably in Benjamin, whose ‘children’ to the number of 156 are said to have returned from the Exile () ; omitted in the parallel passage . perhaps identical with Magpiash of .
Magdala, Magdalene
See Mart, No. 3.
Magdiel
A ‘duke’ of Edom ( = 1 Ch !")•
James Hastings (ed.), with John A. Selbie and John C. Lambert, Dictionary of the Bible (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1909). Public domain. Scan of Cornell University Library’s copy from the Internet Archive; text from its OCR, with the Bible references read again from the page images.