Bible Word Study
מַחֲוִים
Machăvîym · a Machavite or inhabitant of some place named Machaveh
מַחֲוִים
a Machavite or inhabitant of some place named Machaveh
Definition
The Hebrew word מַחֲוִים (Machăvîym) is a gentilic noun, meaning 'a Machavite' or 'an inhabitant of a place called Machaveh.' It functions as a personal or tribal designation, identifying someone's origin. The term appears only in the singular form in the biblical text, even though it uses a plural grammatical ending. Its sole occurrence is in a list of King David's mighty warriors, specifically identifying Eliel the Mahavite (1 Chronicles 11:46). The exact location of Machaveh remains unknown to modern scholarship.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 11:46. Its usage is strictly as a personal identifier or ethnonym within a military roster. The context is the extensive list of David's 'mighty men' (gibborim), where it specifies the origin of the warrior Eliel: 'Eliel the Mahavite.' This pattern is consistent with other entries in the list that use similar gentilic terms to denote a warrior's hometown or tribal affiliation.
Etymology
The word מַחֲוִים is a patrial noun, meaning it derives from a place name. It is formed with the common Hebrew gentilic suffix '-i' (implying 'belonging to'), which here appears in its masculine plural form '-im' used for a singular individual. The root is presumed to be the otherwise unknown place name 'Machaveh' (מַחֲוֶה). No cognates or related roots in other Semitic languages are definitively known, leaving its precise etymology and the location it references uncertain.
Semantic Range
In the cultural context of ancient Israel, such gentilic names were crucial for personal identity, linking an individual to a specific clan, town, or region. Being listed among David's mighty men was a high honor, and noting one's origin served to credit that community. The unknown location of Machaveh highlights how many minor clans and settlements from Israel's early monarchy period are lost to history, reminding us that biblical narratives focus on key figures and events while mentioning many others only in passing. Other gentilic terms in the same list function similarly, such as: יָשֵׁן (Yashēn, H3464) — the Jashenite (2 Samuel 23:32); הַקָּרְחִי (haQarchî, H7146) — the Korahite (1 Chronicles 26:1); הַצּוֹבָא (haTzôvâ', H6717) — the Zobahite (1 Chronicles 11:39).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]