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Library > Dictionaries > Smith's Bible Dictionary > Mahanaim,
  Mahanaim,  
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a town on the east of the Jordan. The name signifies two hosts or two camps,and was given to it by Jacob, because he there met "the angels of God." ( Genesis 32:1 Genesis 32:2 ) We next meet with it in the records of the conquest. ( Joshua 13:26 Joshua 13:30 ) It was within the territory of Gad, ( Joshua 21:38 Joshua 21:39 ) and therefore on the south side of the torrent Jabbok. The town with its "suburbs" was allotted to the service of the Merarite Levites. ( Joshua 21:39 ; 1 Chronicles 6:80 ) Mahanaim had become in the time of the monarchy a place of mark. ( 2 Samuel 2:8 2 Samuel 2:12 ) David took refuge there when driven out of the western part of his kingdom by Absalom. ( 2 Samuel 17:24 ; 1 Kings 2:8 ) Mahanaim was the seat of one of Solomons commissariat officers. ( 1 Kings 4:14 ) and it is alluded to in the song which bears his name. ch. ( Solomon 6:13 ) There is a place called Mahneh among the villages of the part of Jordan, through its exact position is not certain.