Places of the Bible

Michmash

Territory of Benjamin · Old Testament · 11 verses

Michmash was a town in the territory of Benjamin, set among steep passes north of Jerusalem. It guarded a narrow route. The name appears in 1 Samuel, Ezra, Nehemiah and 1 more in the King James text.

About Michmash

Michmash was a town in the territory of Benjamin, set among steep passes north of Jerusalem. It guarded a narrow route.

Its place in the story

At Michmash the Philistines gathered against Saul, and Jonathan with his armor-bearer climbed the pass and struck them, beginning a great deliverance. The rout that followed was a notable victory in Saul's reign.

Michmash in Scripture (KJV)

“Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.”
1 Samuel 13:2 (KJV)
“And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.”
1 Samuel 13:5 (KJV)
“And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;”
1 Samuel 13:11 (KJV)
“And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.”
1 Samuel 13:16 (KJV)
“And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.”
1 Samuel 13:23 (KJV)
“The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.”
1 Samuel 14:5 (KJV)
“And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.”
1 Samuel 14:31 (KJV)
“The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.”
Ezra 2:27 (KJV)

Michmash is named 11 times in Scripture; 8 shown above.

Where it leads

Jonathan's bold faith at Michmash, trusting that God can save by many or by few, points to the salvation God brings, made full in Christ.

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People also ask

Where is Michmash in the Bible?

Michmash was a town in the territory of Benjamin, set among steep passes north of Jerusalem. It guarded a narrow route. The name appears in 1 Samuel, Ezra, Nehemiah and 1 more in the King James text.

What happened at Michmash?

At Michmash the Philistines gathered against Saul, and Jonathan with his armor-bearer climbed the pass and struck them, beginning a great deliverance. The rout that followed was a notable victory in Saul's reign.

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Scripture verbatim KJV. Place facts curated; any coordinates via Wikidata (CC0).

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