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MAKKEDAH

(Heb. maqqēḏâ)

A city to which Joshua pursued five kings heading the Amorite alliance against Gibeon, and which he subsequently captured, annihilating its population (Josh. 10:16-28). The city was among those assigned to Judah (Josh. 15:41). Biblical Makkedah has been sought at numerous sites, but seems now to be located at Khirbet el-Qôm (1465.1045). Makkedah is mentioned several times in Joshua in connection with Azekah and Lachish, in a region of natural caves. That would seem to place it somewhere in the inner Shephelah E of Lachish.

These indications might suit the location of Khirbet Beit Maqdum, but the lack of suitable archaeological data there favors the sizable mound of Khirbet el-Qôm ca. .5 km. (.3 mi.) to the southwest — ca. 10 km. (6 mi.) E of Lachish, 10 km. (6 mi.) W of Hebron. A brief survey by Moshe Kochavi in 1967 was followed by further survey and excavations by William G. Dever (1968-1971) and John S. Holladay (1971). These investigations revealed considerable Iron II occupation, a cyclopean city wall and a two-entry gate, and a cemetery of dozens or more rock-cut bench tombs. Materials salvaged from recent tomb-robbing included large amounts of 10th-7th/6th-century b.c. pottery, a group of dome-shaped shekel weights, and some important 8th-century tomb inscriptions. The general sense of Inscription 3 (T.III) seems to be:

Uriyahu the Governor (or “singer”) wrote it.
May Uriyahu be blessed by Yahweh,
And saved from his enemies by his Asherah.

The reference to “Yahweh and his Asherah” in a context of blessing may seem surprising, but very much the same phrase occurs in an 8th-century inscription from Kuntillet {Ajrûd.

Later occupation of Khirbet el-Qôm is attested by several Hellenistic houses that yielded four Aramaic, one Greek, and one bilingual ostraca, one dated to “year 6,” probably of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (277).

Bibliography. W. G. Dever, “Iron Age Epigraphic Material from the Area of Kh. El-Kôm,” HUCA 40-41 (1969-1970): 139-204; D. A. Dorsey, “The Location of Biblical Makkedah,” Tel Aviv 7 (1980): 185-93; J. S. Holladay, “Khirbet el-Qôm,” IEJ 21 (1971): 175-77.

William G. Dever

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

MAKKEDAH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)