Lexical Summary Madmenah: Madmenah Original Word: מַדְמֵנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Madmenah The same as madmenah; Madmenah, a place in Palestine -- Madmenah. see HEBREW madmenah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as domen Definition a place in Benjamin NASB Translation Madmenah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. מַדְמֵנָה proper name, of a location in Benjamin, north of Jerusalem Isaiah 10:31. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Madmenah lay a few miles north of Jerusalem on the highland route that ran southward from Michmash toward the capital. The surrounding topography is a rolling limestone plateau broken by wadis, making the ridge road the most direct military corridor into Judah’s heartland. The mention of Gebim in the same verse (Isaiah 10:31) suggests a cluster of small settlements in the tribal territory of Benjamin. Archaeological proposals have situated Madmenah near modern el-Menia or at Khirbet ed-Damiyyah, but no excavation has provided decisive proof. Its precise location therefore remains uncertain, yet its placement in the prophetic march-list underscores its proximity to Jerusalem and its vulnerability to invading forces. Occurrence in Prophetic Context Madmenah appears only once in Scripture, in Isaiah 10:31, where the prophet catalogs a string of towns collapsing before the approaching Assyrian army: “Madmenah is in flight; the people of Gebim take refuge.” (Isaiah 10:31) Isaiah’s list moves progressively southward—Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah, Gallim, Laishah, Anathoth, Madmenah, Gebim—finally reaching Nob, whose elevated ridge grants a view of Zion herself (Isaiah 10:32). Each name marks another rung on the ladder of terror as the invader closes in on Jerusalem. The flow of verses thus turns Madmenah into a living waypoint on a prophetic map, dramatizing the imminence of judgment. Name and Symbolic Import The Hebrew consonants hint at refuse or manure, a designation that may have originated in the town’s agricultural function or in a topographical feature such as a dung-heap used to fertilize surrounding fields. In the prophetic drama, however, the coarse sound of the name reinforces a mood of humiliation: even a settlement associated with what is cast away now flees for its life. The play on such an earthy term reminds the audience that human pride, like dung, will be trampled under divine sovereignty (compare Philippians 3:8 for New Testament resonance). Historical Witness to the Assyrian Advance The Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah in 701 B.C. but historical debate continues over whether Isaiah 10 mirrors that specific incursion or anticipates an earlier phase under Tiglath-Pileser III. Either way, the inspired text captures the terror felt by the outlying villages as imperial columns descended the Benjaminite plateau. Madmenah serves as a microcosm of the panic that spread through Judah: homes abandoned, belongings hastily gathered, refugees scrambling southward. The prophetic catalogue amounts to a verbal stele, preserving the memory that God’s covenant people once faced extinction because of national sin. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty over Nations The march of Assyria is portrayed as an instrument in the Lord’s hand (Isaiah 10:5-6). The mention of Madmenah reminds readers that even the smallest hamlet falls under God’s overarching plan. 2. Near Judgment, Ultimate Deliverance Immediately after the invasion itinerary, Isaiah pivots: “But a remnant of Israel will return” (Isaiah 10:20-22). Madmenah’s flight therefore sits within a wider narrative of chastisement leading to restoration. 3. The Principle of Reversal What seems unstoppable halts abruptly: “He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron” (Isaiah 10:34). The same Lord who permits Madmenah’s terror also fells Assyria’s pride. Believers learn to measure crises against the certainty of divine intervention. Practical Application for Ministry • Pastoral Encouragement: Modern congregations facing cultural or political threats may read the flight of Madmenah as a sober reminder that upheaval can touch any community, yet God shepherds a remnant through every storm. Christ-Centered Reflection Isaiah’s looming judgment sets the stage for the Branch of Jesse in Isaiah 11, locating Madmenah within the same sweep of prophecy that ultimately heralds Messiah. The town’s ignoble name, associated with waste, contrasts sharply with the righteous shoot who bears “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding” (Isaiah 11:2). The gospel proclaims that Christ enters our dung-heaps to transform them into fields of fruitfulness. Summary Madmenah stands as a solitary but vivid marker of panic in the face of divine chastening. Its single biblical citation paints a wider canvas of sovereignty, judgment, and redemptive hope. Though humble in profile, the town’s fleeting appearance calls believers to steadfast trust when worldly powers seem to march unopposed, anchoring faith in the God who rules history and preserves His people. Forms and Transliterations מַדְמֵנָ֑ה מדמנה madmeNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 10:31 HEB: נָדְדָ֖ה מַדְמֵנָ֑ה יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הַגֵּבִ֖ים NAS: Madmenah has fled. The inhabitants KJV: Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants INT: has fled Madmenah the inhabitants of Gebim 1 Occurrence |
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