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Madmannah

biblical_place theological_term standard

Madmannah is a minor Old Testament town associated with the territory of Judah. Scripture gives little detail beyond its place in Judah’s southern settlement list.

At a Glance

Madmannah is a biblical town in Judah, mentioned in Scripture as part of the tribe’s southern towns; its exact location is uncertain.

Key Points

Description

Madmannah is a minor Old Testament place name listed among the towns connected with Judah’s inheritance. The biblical record gives only brief notice and does not provide narrative detail or a secure geographic identification. For that reason, Madmannah is best understood as one of the many preserved local names that mark the historical and territorial setting of Israel’s settlement in the land. Some later discussion has tried to relate it to other similar names in the genealogical or geographic record, but such identifications remain uncertain and should be held cautiously.

Biblical Context

Madmannah appears in the list of towns in Judah’s southern region. Its inclusion shows that Joshua’s land allotment records were not abstract boundaries only, but also concrete place names tied to Israel’s settlement in the land.

Historical Context

Outside the brief biblical notices, Madmannah is not well attested. Like many small ancient towns, it survives chiefly as a name in Scripture, while its precise site remains debated or unidentified.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient Jewish and later geographic discussion sometimes attempted to preserve memory of lesser-known towns in Judah, but Scripture itself does not develop Madmannah beyond its place-name function.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew: מַדְמַנָּה (Madmannah). The meaning of the name is uncertain.

Theological Significance

Madmannah has little direct doctrinal content, but it contributes to the Bible’s historical reliability by preserving real places within Israel’s covenant history and territorial inheritance.

Philosophical Explanation

As a place name, Madmannah illustrates how Scripture grounds theology in concrete history rather than abstraction. The Bible’s geographic details are part of its historical witness, even when a location is otherwise obscure.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the certainty of Madmannah’s identification or exact site. The name is significant as a biblical place reference, but Scripture gives limited information about it.

Major Views

Most discussion centers on whether Madmannah can be identified with a known archaeological site or related name. No proposal is certain enough to treat as settled.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Madmannah is a geographic reference, not a doctrinal test case. Its uncertainty should not be used to question the authority or reliability of Scripture.

Practical Significance

Madmannah reminds readers that the Bible’s record includes ordinary places and lesser-known towns, all of which belong to the real historical setting of God’s dealings with His people.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Madmannah

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