MADMANNAH

(Mad·manʹnah) [from a root meaning “manure”].

1. This name appears in the list of descendants of Judah through Caleb. Caleb’s concubine Maacah is stated to have borne “Shaaph the father of Madmannah.” (1Ch 2:49) However, most scholars consider the term “father” to be used here in the sense of “founder” and consider Madmannah in this text to correspond with the town considered below, Shaaph being viewed as the founder or perhaps the rebuilder thereof after its capture. It may be noted that the names of Kiriath-jearim and Bethlehem appear in a similar context in the following verses.​—1Ch 2:50, 54.

2. A city in the southern part of the territory of Judah. (Jos 15:21, 31) Although Umm Deimneh may preserve the ancient name, there are no suitable remains at the site. Scholars in recent times favor Khirbet Tatrit, about 15 km (9.5 mi) NE of Beer-sheba. A comparison of Joshua 15:31 with the parallel lists at Joshua 19:5 and 1 Chronicles 4:31 indicates it to be the same as Beth-marcaboth. Beth-marcaboth (meaning “House of the Chariots”) may have been a secondary name of Madmannah.​—See BETH-MARCABOTH.