A place rendered memorable by Joshua’s victory over it. (See Josh. x. 29.) The word means adoration.
Makke´dah, a royal city of the ancient Canaanites (Jos 12:16), in the neighborhood of which was the cave in which the five kings who confederated against Israel took refuge after their defeat (Jos 10:10-29). It afterwards belonged to Judah (Jos 15:41). Makkedah is placed by Eusebius and Jerome 8 Roman miles to the east of Eleutheropolis.
A chief city of the Canaanites, near which five confederate kings were defeated, taken in the cave to which they had fled, and executed. It lay in the vicinity of Libnah, Azekah, and Lachish, southwest of Jerusalem, in the tribe of Judah, Jos 10:10-28 ; 12:16; 15:41.\par
Makke’dah. (place of shepherds). A place memorable in the annals of the conquest of Canaan as the scene of the execution, by Joshua, of the five confederate kings, Jos 10:10-50, who had hidden themselves in a cave at this place.
(It was a royal city of the Canaanites, in the plains of Judah. Conder identifies it with the modern el-Moghar, 25 miles northwest of Jerusalem, where are two caves large enough to contain five men each. Schaff says that "one cave has, curiously enough, five loculi rudely scooped in its side, and an enthusiast might contend that this was the very place of sepulchre of the five kings." -- Editor).
The place where Joshua (Jos 10:10; Jos 10:16-28) executed the five confederate kings in the afternoon of the 24 hours’ day on which he won the victory at Bethhoron. The cave where they hid was a well known one close to Makkedah (the article, "the cave," in the Hebrew shows this). Joshua first made his captains put their feet upon the five kings’ necks (Psa 149:8-9; Mal 4:3) to assure them by this earnest of their future success under God, then executed them deliberately and judicially, and left them hanging to five trees until evening in sight of the defenders of Makkedah so as to strike terror into the enemy.
Next he took Makkedah and smote its king and all its inhabitants. Makkedah was in the
[Makke’dah]
Canaanitish city, connected with which was a cave in which the five Amorite kings took refuge on the day of Joshua’s victory at Gibeon and Beth-horon. They were hanged on trees and then buried in the cave under a heap of stones. The city was taken and destroyed. Jos 10:10-29; Jos 12:16; Jos 15:41. Identified by some with el Mughar, 31° 51’ N, 34° 47’ E.
By: Isidore Singer, Frank Knight Sanders
City situated, according to the Priestly description of tribal boundaries and groups of cities contained in the Book of Joshua (xv. 41), among the foot-hills bordering upon Judah and extending westward to the maritime plain. It is mentioned also several times in the narrative (Josh. x.) of the pursuit of the routed forces of the allied southern kings by the Israelites under Joshua, and once (xii. 16) in the list of the princes conquered during the southern campaign. Apparently Makkedah was a stronghold of some importance, being deemed worthy of especial mention side by side with Libnah, Lachish, and Hebron (x. 28-37). Near the city was a large cave in which the five allies sought refuge. When this was reported to Joshua he ordered the exit of the cave to be blocked by boulders and guarded. The army then followed the fleeing enemy and accomplished its utter defeat. On its return to Makkedah the five kings were led out and executed.
The site of Makkedah is much in doubt. Warren was the first to identify it with the modern Al-Mughar ("the cave"), several miles southwest from Ekron, and about eight miles from the sea and twenty-five miles from Gibeon. The determining reason for this identification is the presence of caves at Al-Mughar. According to Major Conder it is the only site in the Shefelah where caves are to be found. Eusebius declared that Makkedah was eight miles east of Eleutheropolis, but this seems incredible.
MAKKEDAH.—A Canaanite royal city in the Shephçlah, where the five kings of the Canaanites, defeated by Joshua at Gibeon, and chased by Israel down the valley by way of Beth-horon and Azekah, took refuge in a cave (Jos 10:10; Jos 10:16 ff.), whence, later, by Joshua’s orders, they were brought forth and slain. The city was taken and the inhabitants put to the sword. Azekah has not been identified, but in Jos 15:41 it is named with Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, which may be identified with the modern Katrah, Dajûn, and Na’aneh. In this district the name Makkedah has not been found, but Warren and Conder agree in suggesting el-Mughâr, ‘the cave,’ as the most likely spot. The rock-quarrying and tombs mark an ancient site, and caves are found in no other place where Makkedah might be located. It lies on the N. of Wâdy Surâr, about 15 miles S. of Jaffa. The Onomasticon places it about 7 miles E. of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrîn), a position hardly to be reckoned within the Shephçlah.
W. Ewing.
the sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down a whole day, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies.
The 5 kings sought refuge in the cave at Makkedah, where, by Joshua’s orders, they were blocked in with great stones, until the slaughter of the fugitives should be completed. Then the royal prisoners were brought out, and, after the chiefs of Israel had set their feet upon their necks, Joshua slew them and hanged them on five trees until sunset. This is an illustration of the old practice of impaling enemies after death. The bodies were then cast into the cave where they had sought to hide, and great stones were rolled against the entrance.
The flight of the allies was past Beth-boron and Azekah to Makkedah. Azekah is not identified, but it is named with Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah (Jos 15:41). These are probably represented by