מָדוֹן
Madon, a place in Palestine
Definition
Madon is a proper noun referring to a Canaanite city-state that allied with Jabin, king of Hazor, against the Israelites during the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 11:1). It is listed among the cities whose kings were defeated by Joshua at the Waters of Merom and later executed (Joshua 12:19). The name appears only in these military conquest narratives, identifying a specific political entity in northern Canaan. Its precise location remains uncertain, though it is consistently associated with the coalition of northern kings.
Biblical Usage
The word מָדוֹן is used exclusively in the Book of Joshua, specifically in the context of military alliances and conquest. It appears in Joshua 11:1 as part of the coalition gathered by Jabin, king of Hazor, to fight against Israel. Its second occurrence is in Joshua 12:19, where the king of Madon is listed among the thirty-one kings defeated by Joshua west of the Jordan. The usage is strictly geographical and political, denoting a participant in the decisive northern campaign.
Etymology
Madon (מָדוֹן) is derived from the same Hebrew root as the common noun מָדוֹן (madon, H4067), meaning 'strife' or 'contention.' As a place name, it likely carries the sense of 'place of strife' or 'contention,' which may reflect a historical conflict associated with the location or describe its contentious role in the biblical narrative of conquest. It is a proper noun formed from this root.
Semantic Range
While Madon itself is a specific location, its inclusion in the conquest narratives underscores the theme of God fulfilling His covenant promise to give the land of Canaan to Israel (Genesis 15:18-21). The defeat of its king demonstrates God's sovereignty over the nations and His power in securing victory for Israel, as seen in Joshua 11:6. Understanding it as a named adversary highlights the completeness of Joshua's victories, which were ordained by God.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, a city like Madon was a small, independent kingdom or city-state with its own king. Its alliance with Hazor, a major regional power, reflects the typical political and military coalitions formed by Canaanite city-states against a common threat. The biblical record of its defeat aligns with the conquest model of the Late Bronze Age, where victory over a king meant control over his city and territory.
None applicable for a proper place name.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →