Maonites

Called MEHUNIM in 2 Chronicles 26:7, an Arabian tribe, named with the Amalekintes and other foes of Israel. Their abode may have been near the place now called Maan, nearly east of Petra, on the Haj route from Damascus to Mecca. Uzziah defeated them.

MAON; MAONITES

ma'-on, ma'-on-its, ma-o'-nits (ma`on; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Maor, Maan; Codex Alexandrinus Maon):

(1) A town in the mountain of Judah named along with Carmel and Ziph (Joshua 15:55). It appears again as the home of Nabal, the great flockmaster (1 Samuel 25:2). In the genealogical list of 1 Chronicles 2, Maon stands as the "son" of Shammai and the "father" of Beth-zur (2:44, 45). This evidently means that Shammai was the founder of Maon. About a mile South of el-Karmil, the ancient Carmel, lies Tell Ma`in. This may be confidently identified with Maon, the radicals of the names being the same. It suits the requirements of the narratives in other respects, being near to Carmel, while the surrounding wilderness is still used as the wide pasture land for multitudinous flocks. In this district, the wilderness of Maon, David was hiding when his whereabouts was betrayed to Saul by the men of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:24 f), and only a timely raid by the Philistines delivered him out of that monarch's hands (1 Samuel 23:27).

(2) (Madiam): Maon is named along with the Zidonians and Amalek as having at some time, not mentioned, oppressed Israel (Judges 10:12). The Septuagint "Midian" has been accepted by some scholars as restoring the original text, since, otherwise, the Midianites remain unmentioned. But the Maonites are evidently identical with the Meunim of 1 Chronicles 4:41 (Revised Version), the pastoral people destroyed by Hezekiah. In 2 Chronicles 20:1 the King James Version, instead of "other beside the Ammonites" we must read "some of the Meunim," as associated with the Ammonites in the battle with Jehoshaphat. Against them also Uzziah was helped of God (2 Chronicles 26:7). They are included among the inhabitants of Mt. Seir (2 Chronicles 20:10, 23), so that an Edomite tribe is intended. It is natural to connect them with Ma`an, a place on the great pilgrimage road, and now a station on the Damascus-Hejaz Railway, to the Southeast of Petra. It undoubtedly represents an ancient stronghold.

The Maonites appear in the lists of those who returned from exile (Ezra 2:50, the King James Version "Mehunim," the Revised Version (British and American) "Meunim"; Nehemiah 7:52, "Meunim"). These may possibly be the descendants of prisoners taken in the wars of Jehoshaphat and Uzziah, to whom menial tasks may have been appointed in the temple services.

W. Ewing

4584. Maon -- "habitation," a place in Judah, also a man of Judah ...
... an enemy of Isr. NASB Word Usage Maon (7), Maonites (1). Maon, Maonites. The
same as ma'own; a residence; Maon, the name of an Israelite ...
/hebrew/4584.htm - 6kMaonites (3 Occurrences)
... MAON; MAONITES. ... But the Maonites are evidently identical with the Meunim of 1 Chronicles
4:41 (Revised Version), the pastoral people destroyed by Hezekiah. ...
/m/maonites.htm - 10k

Maon (7 Occurrences)
... MAON; MAONITES. ... But the Maonites are evidently identical with the Meunim of 1 Chronicles
4:41 (Revised Version), the pastoral people destroyed by Hezekiah. ...
/m/maon.htm - 12k

Zophar (4 Occurrences)
... distress (Job 2:11. The LXX. render here "king of the Mineans" = Ma'in,
Maonites, Judges 10:12, in Southern Arabia). He is called a ...
/z/zophar.htm - 10k

Zidonians (11 Occurrences)
... Judges 10:12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress
you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. ...
/z/zidonians.htm - 10k

Nethinim (16 Occurrences)
... The Meunim, for example (Ezra 2:50 equals Nehemiah 7:52), are in all likelihood
descended from the Meonites or Maonites who are mentioned as harassing Israel ...
/n/nethinim.htm - 18k

Oppress (57 Occurrences)
... Judges 10:12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress
you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand. ...
/o/oppress.htm - 24k

Ma'on (4 Occurrences)
Ma'on. Maon, Ma'on. Maonites . Multi-Version Concordance Ma'on (4 Occurrences). ...
(See RSV). Maon, Ma'on. Maonites . Reference Bible.
/m/ma'on.htm - 7k

Mehunims (1 Occurrence)
... This word is in Hebrew the plural of Ma'on, and thus denotes the Maonites who
inhabited the country on the eastern side of the Wady el-Arabah. ...
/m/mehunims.htm - 7k

Ma'onites (1 Occurrence)
Ma'onites. Maonites, Ma'onites. Map . Multi-Version Concordance Ma'onites
(1 Occurrence). ... (DBY RSV). Maonites, Ma'onites. Map . Reference Bible.
/m/ma'onites.htm - 6k

Amalekites (36 Occurrences)
... Judges 10:12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress
you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand. ...
/a/amalekites.htm - 18k

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