Bible Location
9 cross references · Modern-day map available
Michmash was a Benjaminite town north-east of Jerusalem near a steep pass in the hill country. It is important because it was the scene of Jonathan's daring attack on the Philistines and one of the most memorable military episodes in Saul's reign. First appears in 1 Sam 13:2.1
Coordinates
31.87, 35.28
First appears
1 Sam 13:2
AI summary: Michmash is significant largely because of terrain and courage. Its pass and surrounding ravines make it one of the most strategically vivid places in the early monarchy narratives, especially in the story of Jonathan's attack on the Philistine outpost. Because of that episode, Michmash becomes a place remembered for bold faith, battlefield geography, and the contested control of Benjamin's hill country. The cross references present it as a militarily crucial pass-town in the Saul narratives.1
Latitude
31.87
Longitude
35.28
Bible references
9
Something hidden, a town of Benjamin (Ezra 2:27), east of Bethel and south of Migron, on the road to Jerusalem (Isa. 10:28). It lay on the line of march of an invading army from the north, on the north side of the steep and precipitous Wady es-Suweinit (“valley of the little thorn-tree” or “the acacia”), and now bears the name of Mukhmas. This wady is called “the passage of Michmash” (1 Sam. 13:23). Immediately facing Mukhmas, on the opposite side of the ravine, is the modern representative of Geba, and behind this again are Ramah and Gibeah.
This was the scene of a great battle fought between the army of Saul and the Philistines, who were utterly routed and pursued for some 16 miles towards Philistia as far as the valley of Aijalon. “The freedom of Benjamin secured at Michmash led through long years of conflict to the freedom of all its kindred tribes.” The power of Benjamin and its king now steadily increased. A new spirit and a new hope were now at work in Israel. (See SAUL.) 3
Source note: this 1893 dictionary language reflects its period and may be culturally insensitive or outdated. It is presented as historical source material, not as ai-BIBLE’s language, interpretation, or endorsement.
| Book | Cross-References |
|---|---|
| 1Sam | |
| Neh | |
| Isa |
Figure1: A table of cross references between the selected passage and other passages (Data from Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.)
AI-assisted summary prepared for ai-BIBLE and stored as page content, based on dictionary material, place metadata, and linked Bible cross references.
Alistair de Blacquiere-Clarkson, “ai-BIBLE Bible Names JSON Factsheet Aggregating Material from Smith’s Bible Dictionary & Hitcocks’s New and Complete Analysis of the Bible.” ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
M.G.Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.