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MAHANAIM (‘two camps’ or ‘two hosts’ [if the Heb. word is really a dual, which is very doubtful]).—An important city E. of Jordan on the frontier of Gad and Manasseh (Jos_13:25; Jos_13:30); it was a Levitical city within the territory of Gad (Jos_21:38; Jos_21:40). It was clearly N. of the Jabbok, as Jacob travelling S. reached it first (Gen_32:2; Gen_32:22). Here Abner made Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, king (2Sa_2:8), and here David took refuge from his rebel son Absalom (2Sa_17:24-27; 2Sa_19:32). Solomon put Abinadab in authority in this city (1Ki_4:14). There is apparently a reference to Mahanaim in Son_6:13 (see RV [Note: Revised Version.] and AVm [Note: Authorized Version margin.] ). The site of Mahanaim is quite uncertain. A trace of the name appears to linger in Mahneh, the name of a mass of ruins in the Jebel Ajlûn N.W. of the village Ajlûn. Merrill suggests a ruin called Suleikhat in the Wady Ajlûn, near its entrance to the Jordan valley; others consider the site of Jerash, which is first mentioned, as Gerasa, in the time of Alexander Jannæus, as a likely spot for so prominent and, apparently, so attractive a city.
B. W. G. Masterman.