the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Bible Encyclopedias
Michmas
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or Mich´mas or Michmash, a town of Benjamin (;; comp. 7:31), east of Beth-aven (), and south from Migron, on the road to Jerusalem (). The words of; , and , show that at Michmas was a pass where the progress of a military body might be impeded or opposed. It was perhaps for this reason that Jonathan Maccabeus fixed his abode at Michmas (); and it is from the chivalrous exploit of another hero of the same name, the son of Saul, that the place is chiefly celebrated (1 Samuel 13; ). Eusebius describes Michmas as a large village nine Roman miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Ramah. Travelers have usually identified it with Bir or el-Bireh; but Dr. Robinson recognizes it in a place still bearing the name of Mukhmas, at a distance and position which correspond well with these intimations. This is a village situated upon a slope to the north of a valley called Wady es-Suweinit. It is small, and almost desolate, but bears marks of having been once a place of strength and importance. There are many foundations of hewn stones, and some columns lie among them. The valley es-Suweinit, steep and precipitous, is probably the 'passage of Michmash' mentioned in Scripture. In it says Dr. Robinson, 'just at the left of where we crossed, are two hills of a conical, or rather spherical, form, having steep rocky sides, with small wadys running up between each so as almost to isolate them. One of them is on the side towards Jeba (Gibeah), and the other towards Mukhmas. These would seem to be the two rocks mentioned in connection with Jonathan's adventure (). They are not, indeed, so “sharp” as the language of Scripture would seem to imply; but they are the only rocks of the kind in this vicinity. The northern one is connected towards the west with an eminence still more distinctly isolated.'
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Michmas'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/m/michmas.html.
