מַדְמֵן
𐤌𐤃𐤌𐤍
Mademen
H4086 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Madmên: a proper noun referring to a specific settlement, likely a town in the territory east of the Jordan River. The name derives from a root associated with dung or refuse, possibly referencing a characteristic of the locale, such as agricultural use or fertility from manure. The name functions as a toponym rather than a common noun and is only attested as a placename in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
a town named Madmên; figurative 'dunghill-place'; name with possible derogatory or descriptive significance; proper noun only
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root דמן (d-m-n), which conveys 'dung, manure, refuse.' The place name מַדְמֵן (Madmên) likely means 'manure-place' or 'dunghill-place,' possibly indicating land enriched with dung, a refuse site, or a figurative designation of the town's status or characteristics in prophecy. Immediate derivation from דֹּמֶן with the prefixed מ (as a locative or descriptive) is most probable.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Madmên appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (Jeremiah 48:2), in a prophetic oracle against Moab. The context suggests a real or symbolic location within Moabite territory, east of the Jordan. The connection of the name to dung may have ironic or derogatory connotations in prophetic speech, a common feature in ancient Near Eastern polemical toponyms. There is no archeological confirmation of the specific site, though its mention alongside other Moabite towns suggests it was known in the late monarchic or early exilic period. The translation of Madmên as 'dunghill' in some English traditions (and as 'Madmen' as an Anglicized proper name) obscures the original reference, which is best treated as a localized placename bearing figurative or descriptive force, much as other polemic biblical toponyms. There is no evidence that residents of Madmên were Israelites; the context and placement within Moabite or adjacent Transjordanian geography is clear.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as דֹּמֶן; dunghill; Madmen, a place in Palestine; Madmen.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דמן (d-m-n) — dung, manure, refuse
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1828 | דֹּמֶן | like rotted manure |
| H1829 | דִּמְנָה | Manure-Mound |
| H4087 | מַדְמֵנָה | Dung-Heap Town |
| H4088 | מַדְמֵנָה | Dung-Heap Place |
| H4089 | מַדְמַנָּה | Dung-Heap Settlement |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4086-01 |
מַדְמֵ֣ן | mademen | HNp |
Madmen | Manure-Place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4086-01 |
Jeremiah 48:2 | מַדְמֵ֣ן | mademen | HNp |
Madmen | Manure-Place |