Minnith
Minnith is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Umm el Hanafish. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Minnith was an Ammonite city east of the Jordan River, mentioned in two biblical passages. Its most prominent appearance occurs in Judges 11:33, where Jephthah struck the Ammonites with a great slaughter from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, conquering twenty cities in his campaign. This decisive military victory delivered Israel from Ammonite oppression and marked Minnith as the far extent of Jephthah's punitive campaign into Ammonite territory. The city also appears in Ezekiel 27:17, where the prophet lists Minnith wheat among the commodities that Judah and Israel traded with the great commercial city of Tyre. This reference reveals that the region around Minnith was known for its fertile agricultural land, particularly its wheat production, which was of sufficient quality and renown to feature in international commerce. Together these references paint Minnith as a prosperous Transjordanian city situated in productive farming country, significant enough to serve as a geographical marker and a recognized source of premium grain in the ancient Near Eastern trade network.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Minnith has been tentatively identified with Umm el-Hanafish (also rendered Khirbet Umm el-Basatin), located approximately six kilometers northeast of Heshbon in modern Jordan's Amman Governorate. The site sits on the Transjordanian plateau, a region historically known for its wheat cultivation, consistent with Ezekiel's reference to Minnith wheat. Limited archaeological survey work has documented Iron Age pottery sherds at the site, though no major excavation has been conducted. The surrounding landscape remains agricultural, with rolling fields that echo the region's ancient reputation for grain production. Some scholars have alternatively proposed a location closer to Amman. The identification remains uncertain pending further excavation, but the general area aligns well with the biblical description of an Ammonite city on Jephthah's campaign route.
Verse Appearances (2)
Judg
Ezek
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →