Michmash

MICHMASH - A place (not enumerated as a town) in the territory of Benjamin, and in the mountains of Bethel, It comes into prominence in connexion with the daring raid of Jonathan and his armour-bearer on a garrison of the Philistines holding a position nearby (1 S.13, 14). It was one of the smaller places to which the returning exiles belonged, contributing only 122 men to the enumeration of Ezra (Ezr.2.27) and Nehemiah (Neh.7.31). Nehemiah further alludes to it as a border town of Benjamin (11.31). Indications of its position may be obtained from the Jonathan story and also from Isaiah's description of the Assyrian advance on Jerusalem (Is.10.28), which indicate its location at the modern village of Mukhmas standing high above the E. bank of the Wadi Suweinit at the head of the Wadi Qelt, a wild stony region E. of the watershed of the hills of Palestine. It was occupied for a time by Jonathan the brother of Judas Maccabaeus to counteract the Seleucid garrison at Bethel (1 Mac.9.73). [Article: Dictionary of the Bible, J.Hastings, 2nd Ed., T&T.Clark, 1963 - R.A.S.M. - J.Gr.]