The BibleGospel Companion

Maon

מָעוֹן · ma.on · H4584G“house; place of sin” Hitchcock's 18695 mentions in 3 books, most in 1 Samuel (3)

Where it is

HoreshHoreshJattirJattirZiphZiphHachilahHachilahJokdeamJokdeamDumahDumahMaonabout 34 km across

31.42° N, 35.12° E

Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles

Mentioned most in

1 Samuel · 3Joshua · 1Judges · 1
Counted from 5 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

About this place

Maon was a city located in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:55), south of Hebron. It is best known as the hometown of Nabal, the wealthy but foolish man who refused to help David and his men (1Sa.25.2). Nabal's wife, Abigail, interceded on his behalf and provided food for David's men, preventing David from taking revenge on Nabal (1Sa.25.18-35). After Nabal's death, David married Abigail (1Sa.25.39-42). Maon is also mentioned as one of the places where David and his men sought refuge from King Saul (1Sa.23.24-25). The wilderness of Maon, located near the city, was one of the areas where David hid from Saul. Additionally, the Maonites are listed among the oppressors of Israel during the time of the judges (Judges 10:12).

Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

Every mention

5 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)

Joshua 1 mention

Joshua 15:55Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Jutah,

Judges 1 mention

Judges 10:12The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.

1 Samuel 3 mentions

1 Samuel 23:24They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.1 Samuel 23:25Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.1 Samuel 25:2There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

What the dictionary says

Habitation, a town in the tribe of Judah, about 7 miles south of Hebron, which gave its name to the wilderness, the district round the conical hill on which…

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
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Sources