Maoch Compressed, the father of Achish, king of Gath (Sa1 27:2). Called also Maachah (Kg1 2:39).
Maon Habitation, a town in the tribe of Judah, about 7 miles south of Hebron, which gave its name to the wilderness, the district round the conical hill on which the town stood. Here David hid from Saul, and here Nabal had his possessions and his home (Sa1 23:24, Sa1 23:25; Sa1 25:2). "Only some small foundations of hewn stone, a square enclosure, and several cisterns are now to be seen at Maon. Are they the remains of Nabal's great establishment?" The hill is now called Tell M'ain .
Mara Bitter; sad, a symbolical name which Naomi gave to herself because of her misfortunes (Rut 1:20).
Marah Bitterness, a fountain at the sixth station of the Israelites (Exo 15:23, Exo 15:24; Num 33:8) whose waters were so bitter that they could not drink them. On this account they murmured against Moses, who, under divine direction, cast into the fountain "a certain tree" which took away its bitterness, so that the people drank of it. This was probably the 'Ain Hawarah , where there are still several springs of water that are very "bitter," distant some 47 miles from 'Ayun Mousa .
Maralah Trembling, a place on the southern boundary of Zebulun (Jos 19:11). It has been identified with the modern M'alul , about 4 miles south-west of Nazareth.
Maranatha (Co1 16:22) consists of two Aramean words, Maran'athah , meaning, "our Lord comes," or is "coming." If the latter interpretation is adopted, the meaning of the phrase is, "Our Lord is coming, and he will judge those who have set him at naught." (Compare Phi 4:5; Jam 5:8, Jam 5:9.)
Marble As a mineral, consists of carbonate of lime, its texture varying from the highly crystalline to the compact. In Est 1:6 there are four Hebrew words which are rendered marble: (1.) Shesh, "pillars of marble." But this word probably designates dark-blue limestone rather than marble. (2.) Dar some regard as Parian marble. It is here rendered "white marble." But nothing is certainly known of it. (3.) Bahat, "red marble," probably the verd-antique or half-porphyry of Egypt. (4.) Sohareth, "black marble," probably some spotted variety of marble. "The marble pillars and tesserae of various colours of the palace at Susa came doubtless from Persia itself, where marble of various colours is found, especially in the province of Hamadan Susiana." The marble of Solomon's architectural works may have been limestone from near Jerusalem, or from Lebanon, or possibly white marble from Arabia. Herod employed Parian marble in the temple, and marble columns still exist in great abundance at Jerusalem.
Marcheshvan The post-biblical name of the month which was the eighth of the sacred and the second of the civil year of the Jews. It began with the new moon of our November. It is once called Bul (Kg1 6:38). Assyrian, Arah Samna, "eighth month,"
Marcus Col 4:10; Plm 1:24; Pe1 5:13; R.V., "Mark" (q.v.).
Mareshah Possession, a city in the plain of Judah (Jos 15:44). Here Asa defeated Zerah the Ethiopian (Ch2 14:9, Ch2 14:10). It is identified with the ruin el-Mer'ash , about 11/2 mile south of Beit Jibrin.