Maon
Maon is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tel Main. It appears across 3 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Maon is most memorably associated with David's years as a fugitive from King Saul. Located in the hill country of Judah south of Hebron, Maon appears in Joshua 15:55 as one of the cities allotted to the tribe of Judah. The town gained historical significance when David and his men hid in the wilderness of Maon while Saul pursued him relentlessly. In a dramatic episode recounted in 1 Samuel 23:24-28, Saul had nearly encircled David at the "rock of escape" in the wilderness of Maon when an urgent message about a Philistine raid forced Saul to abandon the chase, saving David's life in what was clearly providential timing. Maon is also the home of Nabal, the wealthy but churlish sheep owner whose wife Abigail wisely intervened to prevent David from taking violent revenge after Nabal's insulting refusal of hospitality (1 Samuel 25:2-3). After Nabal's death, David married Abigail. The wilderness of Maon thus served as a crucible where David's character was tested and shaped before he assumed the throne of Israel.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Maon is identified with Tell Ma'in (Khirbet Ma'in), a prominent tell located approximately thirteen kilometers south of Hebron in the Judean hill country. The site commands a strategic view over the surrounding desert wilderness toward the Dead Sea, consistent with its role as a refuge area in the David narratives. Archaeological surveys have documented pottery from the Iron Age through the Byzantine period. Nearby, the remains of a remarkable sixth-century AD synagogue were discovered at Horvat Maon (Khirbet Ma'on en-Nilin), featuring an elaborate mosaic floor with a menorah, animals, and vine scrolls. The tell itself preserves visible architectural remains on its summit. The surrounding landscape retains its pastoral character, with the transition from cultivated hill country to arid wilderness visible just to the east, vividly illustrating the terrain where David evaded Saul.
Verse Appearances (5)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]