Michmash: Something hidden, a town of Benjamin
(Ezra 2:27) east of Bethel and
south of Migron, on the road to Jerusalem
(Isaiah 10:28) It lay on the
line of march of an invading army from the north, on the north side
of the steep and precipitous Wady es-Suweinit ("valley of the little
thorn-tree" or "the acacia"), and now bears the name of Mukhmas. This
wady is called "the passage of Michmash"
(1 Samuel 13:23) Immediately
facing Mukhmas, on the opposite side of the ravine, is the modern
representative of Geba, and behind this again are Ramah and Gibeah.
This was the scene of a great battle fought between the army of Saul
and the Philistines, who were utterly routed and pursued for some
16 miles towards Philistia as far as the valley of Aijalon. "The
freedom of Benjamin secured at Michmash led through long years of
conflict to the freedom of all its kindred tribes." The power of
Benjamin and its king now steadily increased. A new spirit and a new
hope were now at work in Israel.
