Michal; though the historian characteristicall
sees in her childlessness a punishment for that ill-
omened outburst of spleen on the most glorious
day of David’s life. The Chronicler omits, as
usual, the painful incident, except 2 S 6".
It remains to add that in 28 218 ‘Michal’ is an ancient but obvious mistake for ‘ Merab’ (which is read by Luc. and Pesh.). Josephus (Anté. VIL. iv. 3) says that Michal returned to fier former husband (Palti), whom he does not name, and bore five children. Th? AV explanation ‘brought up’ for
Heb.) ; and the Targ. on Ru 3° mentions ‘ the pious Paltiel, who placed a sword between himself and Michal . . . because he had refused to go in unto her.’ Similarly Jerome (Qu. Heb. on 1S 25%) explains that Paltiel wept for joy because the Lord had kept him from knowing her. He also (Qu. Heb. on 28 3° 6%) mentions a Jewish tradition that Michal is the same as Eglah, who is emphati- cally styled ‘ David’s wife’ because she was his first wife, and that she died when giving birth to a child. . J. Ὁ. WHITE.
MICHEAS (Micheas), 2 Es 1%,—The prophet Micah.
MICHMAS (0>2).—The form in Ezr 277 (B Μαχμάς, A Xapypds)=Neh 7% (A B Maxeuds) of the name which appears elsewhere (1S 13% 5- 11. 16. 23 145. δ] Ts 10 am 1151) as Michmash (535). See next article.
MICHMASH (bp39; in Ezr 2”, Neh 751: opzn; LXX Max(e)uds; Josephus Maxud; Vulg. Machmas). —A town in the tribe of Benjamin east of Bethel and Beth-aven (1S 13°, cf. Jos 72. In OT it is called nine times Michmash (1S 1355. 145-8! Ts 10%8, Neh 11*) and twice Michmas (Ezr 2”, Neh 7%). In 1 Mac 9% AV has Machmas, RV Michmash. Michmash is mentioned only in connexion with the war of Saul and Jonathan with the Philistines, the (ideal) invasion of Judah by the Assyrians described by Isaiah, and as the seat of government of Jonathan Maccabzeus.
It still bears the name Mukhmds, and stands in the mountains of Judah about 7 miles north of Jerusalem on the eastern slopes at an altitude of 2000 ft. above the Mediterranean Sea, about 900 ft. below Bethel, which is situated on the back- bone of the country. Though located in the midst of the tribe of Benjamin, it is not mentioned in the list of the towns of that tribe.
Michmash is first mentioned as the headquarters of Saul, who, on being made king over Israel, came up from Gilgal, and with two thousand men occupied the mountains of Bethel, while Jonathan with a thousand men occupied Gibeah of Benja. min, a stronghold about 4 to 5 miles north of Jerusalem ; between them lay a strong mountain fortress, Geba, occupied as an outpost by the Philistines. Jonathan, with his characteristic intrepidity and impulsiveness, smote the Philistine garrison (7 3}}) at Geba. On hearing of this, the Philistines of the Shephélah got ready for battle, and, coming up with great multitudes of chariots and horsemen and swarms of footmen, drove the badly armed Hebrews out of the hill-country about Bethel, and pitched their camp at Michmash, east of Beth-aven, opposite to Geba, which was occupied by Jonathan.
The Hebrews were greatly perturbed at this invasion of their lands, and some fled beyond Jordan, while others hid in caves and cisterns, and many assembled at Gilgal with Saul in fear and trembling. Saul, fearing that the Philistines would pursue him even to Gilgal, disobeyed the directions given to him by Samuel, and, after a very unsatisfactory interview with the prophet, abode with Jonathan at Geba (1316 RV, not Gibeah as AV ; but see vol. ii. 116”, 169") of Benjamin with only six hundred badly armed men.
The Philistines sent out three companies east, west, and north to spoil the lands of the Hebrews, much to the distress of Saul and Jonathan, who were not strong enough to prevent it. Jonathan now secretly devised a scheme (14') for dividing the Philistines against themselves and securing their arms for the defenceless Hebrews, and with
‘bare’ is that of the Targum and Jerome (Qu. | this intent he left the camp at Gibeah (y.*) during
ol
364 MICHMASH
the night, unknown to Saul and the garrison, and in company with only his armour-bearer set out on a very perilous and heroic enterprise.
They descended the rocky crag called Senneh, yrotecting Geba to the north, and, arriving at the Boca of a deep valley, found the precipitous cliff of Bozez terminating Michmash, fatis them to the north. Here Jonathan, having ascertained that the young man with him would be faithful to death, disclosed his plans, an expanded account of which is given by Josephus (Ant. VI. vi. 2). The camp of the Philistines was on the spur of a hill, with three plateaus shelving down, one below the other, with precipitous sides and terminating in the rocky crag of Bozez; and at this point the out- poste of the enemy were neglectful of their watch,
ecause they thought it impossible that any one would ascend this crag. Jonathan therefore dis- covered himself just after daybreak to some other Philistine outposts, who called out to the Hebrews to come up and receive the chastisement due to them. This invitation Jonathan considered to be a favourable omen, and retiring out of their sight, with the aid of his comrade, by great labour and difficulty, scaled the heights of Bozez and fell upon its outpost (while they slept ?), slaying about twenty of them. The Philistines, waking up in the dim light of dawn, could not imagine that there were only two Hebrews at work; but supposing they were surprised by a strong force, and being of different tribes, and suspecting each other to be the enemy, fought against one another, as so often neppened on other occasions, and some of them died in battle, while others threw away their armour and fled, many of them being thrown down the rocks headlong. When the watchmen of Geba saw that the multitude of the Philistines melted away from Michmash they reported it to Saul, who went out to battle with his six hundred, The Hebrews that were in hiding in the rocks came out, and those who were with the )tilistines also turned from them, so that Saul found himself suddenly in command of a large force (Josephus says ten thousand men), all fully equipped with the arms of the slaughtered or fleeing Philistines ; and they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon.