MAKKEDAH (79 ; perhaps place of shepherds,' from root 17J ; Gesen., Thesaurus, s. v. ; MaKnaci, but in Josh. xv. 41 Maxn5dx• ; Alex. MamnScl ; Maceda), an ancient royal city of Canaan (Josh. xii. 16), captured by Joshua imme diately after the defeat of the allied kings at Gibeon (x. 28). It obtains its only celebrity from its connection with that great battle. We read that the defeated Canaanites fled down the Pass of Bethhoron, and were hotly pursued by the Israelities 'to Azekah and Makkedah' (x. ro). At the latter town was a cave in which the fugitive monarchs hid themselves _(16, 17). Stones were rolled on the mouth of the cave, and the pursuit followed up until they that remained entered into fenced cities' (2o). Then Joshua returned to Makkedah, opened the cave, slew the kings, and hanged them on five trees' (26).
The situation of Makkedah is not precisely de scribed in the Bible, yet we have some indication of the region in which it stood. After the slaughter of the kings at Makkedah, Joshua marched on Lib nah, and then on Lachish (x. 29). The site of the latter is known. It is on the southern border of the plain of Philistia [LACHISH] ; and Libnah appears to have been situated a short distance north of it [LIBNAH]. Joshua's line of march was south or south-west ; and, therefore, we may infer that Makkedah lay north, or north-east, of Libnah. With this agrees the order of the towns in Josh. xii. 15, 16—Libnah, Adullam, Makkedah ; • and in ch. xv. Makkedah is enumerated among the towns allotted to Judah in the Shephelali (33, 41) ; that is, the plain of Philistia lying near the western base of the hills. All the kings who joined the
king of Jerusalem against Gibeon were from the south—Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. When their armies were driven down the Pass of Bethhoron, they would naturally endeavour to escape to their own cities (x. 19) along the base of the mountains, where their flight would he un impeded. All these indications point to one locality ; and with them partly agrees the state ment of Eusebius and Jerome, who place Mak kedah eight miles from Eleutheropolis towards the east (rpOs cintroXds ; Onomast.,s.v. Maceda). When the writer explored the Shephelah in the spring of 1857, he found at the foot of the mountains, about eight miles north-east of Eleutheropolis, a small village called el-X7ediah, not far from Jarmuth, one of the confederate cities ; in the hill-side near it are numerous large caves. This may probably mark the site, as it bears some resemblance to the name of Makkedah (Handbk. 251). Van de Velde would locate it at Sumeil, two and a half hours north-west of Eleutheropolis (Memoir, 332). The only objection against el-Klediah is its distance from Bethhoron—about twenty miles. The kings were captured and killed on the evening of the day of battle ; Makkedah also was taken that same day (ver. 28). All this, however, is possible, unless we deny the miracle, for the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and halted not to go down about a whole day' (ver. 13).—J. L. P.