MANOAH

RVm). If so, the Israelites were reminded (but only vaguely, see v.'») of some known substance. Tlie similar Arabic word means 'gift.' More probably the words are a question — 'What is it?' Unaware of the proper term, they thus spoke of manna as 'the-what-is-it.'

2. The manna was flaky, small, and white (Ex 16"- «'). It resembled the 'seed' (better 'fruit') of the coriander plant (Ex 16'i, Nu 11'), and suggested bdellium (Nu 11» [see § 3]). It could be ground, and was stewed or baked (Ex 1623, Nu 118). The taste is compared to that of honey-wafers (Ex 16"), or oil (Nu ll'). It was gathered fresh every morning early (but see § 4), for, if exposed to the sun, it melted (Ex 16"; cf. Wis 192); if kept over-night (see § 4), it went bad (Ex 16'"). Each person was entitled to a measured 'omer of manna (Ex 16").

3. Many would identify manna with the juice of certain trees. The flowering ash (S. Europe) exudes a ' manna ' (used in medicine) ; and a species of tamarisk found in the Sinai peninsula yields a substance contain-ing sugar. The description of manna would not in every point support such an identification, but it is worth noting that manna is likened (see § 2) to bdellium, which is a resinous exudation. A more recent theory is that manna was an edible lichen Uke that found in Arabia, etc.

4. Manna would thus come under the category of 'special providences,' not 'miracles.' There can, however, be no doubt that the Biblical writers regarded it as miraculous, (a) There is enough for a host of '600,000 footmen.' (6) The quantity gathered proves exactly suited to the consumer's appetite (Ex 16"). (c) The Sabbath supply (gathered the previous day) retains its freshness (Ex 16»<). (d) An 'omer of it is kept as a sacred object near (Ex 1632'-) but not vnthin (1 K 89; ct. He 9^, Rev 2") the ark. (e) Allusions to it suggest the supernatural (Neh 9^", Ps 78"'- 105", 2 Es I", Wis l&o 19»).

5. All this must lend significance to NT mention. Christ as the living bread is typified by manna (Jn &"'-, 1 Co 10'; cf. '); and secret spiritual sustenance is the reward for 'him that overcometh' (Rev 2").

H. F. B. COMPSTON.

MANOAH. — The father of Samson, of the town of Zorah, and of the family of the Danites (Jg IS'-^s 142. 3. 6. 6. 9. 10 1631). We learn but Uttle of his character and occupation from the Bible narrative. He was a worshipper of Jehovah, and a man of reverent piety; he was hospitable, like his ancestor Abraham; he shared the disUke of his people for the alien surround-ing tribes, and strongly deprecated an alliance between his son and the PhiUstines. The second narrative gives us the following information about him. His wife was barren, but she was warned by a Divine messenger that she was destined to bear a son who was to be a Nazirite and dedicated to Jehovah. The messenger appeared again when Manoah also was present, and re-peated his prophecy (Jg IZ''-^). We hear of Manoah on four more occasions: we find him remonstrating with his son about the proposed Philistine marriage (142- s); he accompanied his son on the preliminary visit to Timnah (w.'- »), and again to the marriage itself (w.»- in). He did not survive his son, who was buried by his side (168'). Cf. art. Samson.

These scanty details are somewhat amplified by Josephus (Anf. v.vlii. 2, 3), who wasapparently following some ancient Jewish tradition. T. A. Moxon.

MANSION. — The English word occurs in Scripture only in Jn 14^, ' In my Father's house are many man-sions' (RVm 'Or, abiding places'). Its retention is an archaism, for the modern connotation of a house of some dignity is quite lacking from the word as used byTindale (1525), apparently from theVulg. mansiones, 'abiding places.' The Gr. word (mom), like the Latin, means (1) the act of abiding, (2) a place of abode. In

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MARANATHA

the NT it occurs also in Jn 14», where 'make our abode ' is Greek idiom for ' abide.' Hence the thought in Jn 142 is simply that there is ample room for the disciples in the Father's house. In the LXX the Gr. word occurs only once, viz. 1 Mac 7", 'give them no abiding place ' (RV 'suffer them not tolive any longer').

S. W. Green. MANSLAYER.— See Kin [Next of] and Reeuge (Cities of].

MAN -STEALING.— See 'Kidnapping' in art. Crimes, § 7.

MANTELET.— See Fortification, § 7.

MANTLE.— See Dress, § 4 (c).

MANUSCRIPTS.— See Text and Writing.

MAOOH.— The father of Achish king of Gath (1 S 27'). He is probably to be identified with Maacah No. 3

MAON, MAONITES.— 1. In Jg lO'" the Maonites are mentioned together with the Zidonians and Amalekites as having oppressed Israel. They dwelt in Mt. Seir, south of the Dead Sea. According to 1 Ch 4«"-, the Maonites (called Meunim in this passage) were, in the reign of Hezekiah, driven out of their pasture land by the Simeonites. 'The passage is interesting as showing how long the original Canaanites held their own in the land after the IsraeUte invasion. In 2 Ch 26' they are mentioned as having been overcome by Uzziah (cf. 2 Ch 20', where 'Ammonites' should probably be 'Meunim').

2. A different place of the name of Maon is mentioned in Jos 15" ; this was a small town in the hill-country of Judaea. It was in the 'wilderness' of Maon that Nabal dwelt (IS 25''), and in this district David sojourned on two occasions during the period of his outlaw life (23™- 252«). W. O. E. Oesterley.

MARA. — The name which Naomi claimed for herself: 'Call me not Naomi ('pleasant'), call me Mara (i.e. 'bitter'): for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me' (Ru 1'").

MARAH, — The first 'station' of the Israelites after crossing the sea (Ex IS", Nu 338- '). If the passage was in the neighbourhood of Suez, Wady Hawarah, about 15 to 16 hours' camel-ride from 'the Wells of Moses' (nearly opposite Suez on the E. side of the Gulf of Suez) on the route to the convent of St. Katherine (the traditional Sinai), is a suitable identification.

MARALAH. — A place on the west border of Zebulun (Jos 19"). The site is quite uncertain.

MARANATHA. — An Aram, expression which occurs in 1 Co 16^2 in juxtaposition with 'anathema' ('If any man loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema. Maran atha' [so RV]).

1. Meaning of the term.— The original meaning of the terra has been disputed, but it is now generally agreed that it is a component of two distinct words (cf. RV above). Most moderns follow Bickell in holding that the two parts of which the expression is composed mean 'Our Lord, comel' ( = Aram. maranS, tha). Ttiis seems preferable to the older view, according to which the meaning would be 'Our Lord has comel' ( = Aram. maran 'atM). The imperative sense is made probable by Rev 222" ('Amen. Come, Lord Jesus 1'), from which it may perhaps be inferred that some such formula as 'O our Lord, or O Lord, comel' was in use in early Christian circles. A very early instance of the use of the term occurs in the Didache at the end of the Eucha-ristic prayer (ch. 10).

The passage runs as follows: —

'Let grace come, and this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David.

If any is holy, let him come: if any is not, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen.'

Here the combination maranatha. Amen ( = '0 our Lord, comel Amen') is strildngly parallel with the