Mahanaim

Mahanaim is a settlement named in 16 verses of the Bible. It is most likely identified with Tell edh Dhahab el Gharbi (medium confidence; 5 other proposals below).

Location

Where scholars place it, most confident first. Confidence is OpenBible.info's score from the sources it surveys; it is not this site's judgment.

Verses

Genesis

• Genesis 32:2
  And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.

Joshua

• Joshua 13:26
  And from Heshbon unto Ramath–mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;the territory from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;
• Joshua 13:30
  And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:The territory from Mahanaim through all Bashan—all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all the towns of Jair that are in Bashan, sixty cities;
• Joshua 21:38
  And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 2:8
  But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
• 2 Samuel 2:10
  Ish–bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
• 2 Samuel 2:12
  And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
• 2 Samuel 2:29
  And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
• 2 Samuel 17:24
  Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
• 2 Samuel 17:27
  And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo–debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
• 2 Samuel 18:23
  But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
• 2 Samuel 19:32
  Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.Barzillai was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.

1 Kings

• 1 Kings 2:8
  And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
• 1 Kings 4:14
  Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:Ahinadab son of Iddo in Mahanaim;

1 Chronicles

• 1 Chronicles 6:80
  And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,

Song of Solomon

• Song of Solomon 6:13
  Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you. Why do you look at the Shulammite, as on the dance of Mahanaim?

Notes

1. Locations from the OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
2. Verses are those where at least one of ten English translations names this place, per OpenBible.info.