H4266 H4266
Mahanaim — a town in Gilead meaning 'two camps,' linked to Jacob's angelic encounter
A dual-form proper noun meaning 'two camps,' naming a settlement in Gilead east of the Jordan. Jacob coined the name when he encountered God's angels on his return from Paddan-aram, exclaiming 'this is God's camp!' (Gen 32:2). The site later served as a boundary marker between Gad and Manasseh (Josh 13:26, 30), was designated a Levitical city (Josh 21:38; 1 Chr 6:65), and became a royal refuge — first for Ish-bosheth's short-lived reign (2 Sam 2:8, 12, 29) and later for David during Absalom's revolt (2 Sam 17:24, 27; 19:33). Solomon stationed a governor there (1 Kgs 2:8; 4:14). The Song of Songs alludes to a 'dance of Mahanaim' (Song 6:13).
Senses
1. Mahanaim (place name) — The place name Mahanaim (מַחֲנַיִם, 'two camps'), a town east of the Jordan in the region of Gilead. Named by Jacob at his angelic encounter (Gen 32:2), it appears in tribal boundary descriptions (Josh 13:26, 30), Levitical city lists (Josh 21:38; 1 Chr 6:65), and historical narratives as a seat of Ish-bosheth's rival kingdom (2 Sam 2:8, 12, 29) and David's refuge from Absalom (2 Sam 17:24, 27; 19:33). All target languages transliterate consistently: eng 'Mahanaim', spa 'Mahanaim/Majanaim', fra 'Machanayim', deu 'Machanajim'. 13×
AR["فِي-مَحَنَايِمَ", "مَحَنايِم", "مَحَنايِمَ", "مَحَنَايِمَ", "مَحْنَايِمَ", "مِنْ-مَحَنايِمَ", "مِنْ-مَحَنَايِمَ", "وَ-مِنْ-مَحَنايِمَ"]·ben["এবং-মহনয়িম-থেকে", "থেকে-মহনয়িম", "মহনয়িম", "মহনয়িম-থেকে", "মহনয়িমে", "মহনায়িমে"]·DE["Machanajim", "Machanayim", "Mahanaim", "[מחנים]", "in-Machanayim", "in-Mahanaim", "und-von-Machanayim", "von-Machanayim", "von-Mahanaim", "zu-Mahanaim"]·EN["Machanayim", "Mahanaim", "and-from-Machanayim", "from-Machanayim", "from-Mahanaim", "in-Machanayim", "in-Mahanaim", "to-Mahanaim"]·FR["Machanayim", "Mahanaim", "[מחנים]", "dans-Machanayim", "dans-Mahanaim", "de-Machanayim", "de-Mahanaim", "et-de-Machanayim", "à-Mahanaim"]·heb["ב-מחניים", "ו-מ-מחנים", "מ-מחניים", "מ-מחנים", "מחניים", "מחניים-ה", "מחניימה", "מחנים"]·HI["और-महनैम-से", "मखनैम-में", "महनैम", "महनैम-में", "महनैम-से"]·ID["Isyboset", "Mahanaim", "dan-dari-Mahanaim", "dari-Mahanaim", "di-Mahanaim", "ke-Gibeon", "ke-Mahanaim"]·IT["Machanayim", "Mahanaim", "[מחנים]", "a-Mahanaim", "da-Machanayim", "da-Mahanaim", "e-da-Machanayim", "in-Machanayim", "in-Mahanaim"]·jav["Mahanaim", "dhateng-Mahanaim", "lan-saking-Mahanaim", "saking-Mahanaim", "wonten-Mahanaim"]·KO["그리고-에서-마하나임에서", "마하나임", "마하나임에", "마하나임에서", "마하나임으로", "마하나임을", "마하나임이라", "에서-마하나임", "에서-마하나임에서"]·PT["Machanayim", "Mahanaim", "de-Machanayim", "desde-Mahanayim", "e-desde-Mahanayim", "em-Machanayim", "em-Mahanaim", "para-Mahanaim"]·RU["Маханаим", "в-Маханаим", "в-Маханаиме", "и-от-Маханаима", "из-Маханаима", "от-Маханаима"]·ES["Mahanaim", "Majanaim", "Majanayim", "de-Majanayim", "desde-Majanaim", "en-Majanaim", "en-Majanayim", "y-desde-Majanaim"]·SW["Mahanaimu", "huko-Mahanaimu", "kutoka-Mahanaimu", "na-kutoka-Mahanaimu"]·TR["Mahanayim", "Mahanayim'de", "Mahanayim'den", "Mahanayim'e", "Mahanayim'i", "Mahanayimden", "ve-Mahanayimden"]·urd["اور-محنیم-سے", "محنائم", "محنایم", "محنایم-میں", "محنیم", "محنیم-سے"]
Gen 32:2, Josh 13:26, Josh 13:30, Josh 21:38, 2 Sam 2:8, 2 Sam 2:12, 2 Sam 2:29, 2 Sam 17:24, 2 Sam 17:27, 2 Sam 19:32, 1 Kgs 2:8, 1 Kgs 4:14 (+1 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מַחֲנַיִם n.pr.loc. (two camps)—E. of Jordan; name from Jacob’s meeting angels according to Gn 32:3 (J), place on border of Gad Jos 13:26, of Manasseh v 30 (P); Levit. city in Gad 21:36 (P) = 1 Ch 6:65; named also 2 S 2:8 (מַהֲנָ֑יִם), v 12, 29 (-נָ֑יִם), 19:33; 1 K 2:8 (-נָ֑ים); מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה 2 S 17:24, 27 1 K 4:14; site unknown, v. Di Gn; כִּמְ��ֹלַת הַמַּחֲנָ֑יִם Ct 7:1 is put here Ex Hi Öt al.: as at a (the) dance of Mahanaim; dance of a double choir Gi Stickel RV.