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Mithnite

proper_name_or_gentilic theological_term standard

A Mithnite is a biblical gentilic or clan-style designation used for an individual in Old Testament warrior lists.

At a Glance

A biblical gentilic designation used to identify an individual, most likely by family, clan, or locality.

Key Points

Description

“Mithnite” is an Old Testament designation used to identify a person in a list context, especially among David’s warriors. It is not a doctrinal term and does not carry theological content in itself. The biblical text does not clarify whether the label derives from a town, region, clan, or other ancestral association, so interpreters usually treat it as a gentilic or family designation. Because the term functions as an identification marker rather than as a theological category, its value lies mainly in historical and literary context.

Biblical Context

The term appears in the catalog of David’s mighty men, where several individuals are identified by place-, clan-, or group-based labels. Such designations help distinguish people with similar names and preserve historical detail within the narrative lists.

Historical Context

Old Testament lists often use gentilic labels to indicate origin, family connection, or association with a locality. “Mithnite” fits that pattern, though the exact referent is not explained in Scripture.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In ancient Israel, identity was commonly expressed through tribe, clan, house, or place of origin. A label such as “the Mithnite” would have helped locate a person socially and geographically within that world.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

The Hebrew form is a descriptive designation rather than a doctrinal term; its exact etymology and place of reference are uncertain.

Theological Significance

The term itself has no direct theological significance. Its main value is historical, showing the careful preservation of personal and group identification in Scripture.

Philosophical Explanation

This is a proper-name style label, not an abstract concept. It functions as a reference marker within a historical list, not as a term for moral or theological analysis.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the meaning of the term or claim certainty about its geographic origin. Scripture does not define it, so conclusions should remain modest.

Major Views

Most interpreters understand “Mithnite” as a gentilic, clan, or place-based identifier. The exact source of the designation is uncertain.

Doctrinal Boundaries

The term should not be treated as a doctrine, office, or theological category. Its meaning is limited to identification within a historical list.

Practical Significance

This entry reminds readers that Scripture preserves real people and historical detail, even in brief lists that seem obscure at first reading.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Mithnite

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