מַדְמֵנָה (mad.me.nah)
mad.me.nah
Madmenah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun madmenah refers to a specific village in the territory of Benjamin, located just north of Jerusalem. According to its etymology, the name translates to "dunghill" or "midden," indicating a place associated with waste or refuse. This humble designation likely reflects the local topography or the agricultural use of the land surrounding the settlement.
This location appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within Isaiah 10:31. The prophet uses the flight from this village as part of a vivid description of the impending collapse of Jerusalem’s defenses. By naming a specific, lowly place, the text grounds the prophetic warning in real geography, emphasizing that even the outskirts of the holy city are not spared from judgment.
The starkness of the name "dunghill" contrasts with the city’s sacred status, highlighting the thoroughness of the coming disaster. Translators typically retain the transliteration Madmenah rather than translating the meaning, preserving the specific identity of the place while allowing the original term’s humble connotations to remain implicit in the historical context.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Madmenah means "dunghill," a humble and unglamorous place on the outskirts of Jerusalem. In Isaiah 10:31, this village is described as fleeing before an advancing enemy. This specific detail shows that no location, however close to the holy city, was safe from the coming judgment. The prophet uses this lowly name to highlight the thoroughness of the disaster.
For your faith, this reminds us that God sees every corner of our lives, including the places we might consider ordinary or overlooked. It is a sobering thought that even the outskirts of Jerusalem were not spared. Yet, it also points to a God who is sovereign over all geography and history. His purposes are executed with precision and completeness.
When we face uncertainty, we can trust in His ultimate control. He knows every detail, from the grandest city to the smallest village. This assurance allows us to rest in His sovereignty, knowing that nothing escapes His notice or purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Madmenah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַדְמֵנָ֑ה1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 10:31
Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.
This verse uses Madmenah's flight as a concrete example of the collapse of Jerusalem's defenses, grounding the prophecy in real geography.