MIGRON (pan, a precipice ;' Ma-yadw; in Is. x. 28, Mary€36 ; Alex. Ma-yend, ; lliagron). In describing the romantic and successful attack of Jonathan upon the Philistine host at Michmash, the sacred historian states that when it was made, Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah (or on the border [rirmi. of Gibeah), under a pome granate-tree, which is in Ilfigron' (I Sam. xiv. 2) ; and Migron is again mentioned by Isaiah when giving the route of the Assyrian army towards Jerusalem—' He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he bath laid up his car riages (x. 28). These are the only passages in which the name occurs. It is not quite certain whether the writers mean by it a city or a place so called from some noted cliff, as the word might seem to imply. Be this as it may, Migron must have been situated between Michmash and Geba (written Gibeah, r131=, in I Sam. xiv. 2 ; see GEBA), and on the south side of the deep ravine which separates them ; because Saul was at Migron and the Philistines at Michmash when Jonathan crossed the ravine and surprised the camp. The words of Isaiah, when rightly understood, are not opposed to this. He represents the invader as
having passed from Aiath to Migron. Then he gives an explanatory note, as it were, At Mich mash he hath laid up his baggage,' and this occurred before he reached Migron. Having done so, he went over the passage or ravine, and encamped at Geba.
Migron, therefore, was in all probability situated on, or close to, the southern brow of the ravine now called Wady Suweinit. It was a command ing position (cf. Joseph. Antiq. vi. 6. 2, where it is said to be a high hill'), for Saul was able to see from it the commotion which followed the attack of Jonathan on the Philistine camp. The ravine is not quite half a mile in breadth from brow to brow. Migron was unknown to Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast., s. v. illagdon), and it has not yet been identified. The writer on two occasions examined minutely the whole region around Geba and Michmash, and westward to Ai (or Aiath) and Bethel, but could hear nothing of Migron (Handbk., p. 214). There are several ruined villages, and many commanding cliffs there ; it is impossible, however, now to identify Migron.—J. L. P.