Mahanaim means "two camps." When Jacob fled from Esau and returned with his family, he met God's army here.
Genesis 32:1When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.Genesis 32:2Jacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
Joshua 13:26and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan)’s bank, to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan eastward.Joshua 13:27This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and its villages.Joshua 13:28Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.Joshua 13:29Their border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan)), all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the villages of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities.Joshua 13:30Half Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families.
사울(왕)이 죽은 뒤 다윗에게로 완전히 넘어가기 전, 사울의 아들 이스보셋이 왕으로 있던 시기 임시 수도 역할을 하였다.
2 Samuel 2:8and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
후에, 다윗이 압살롬의 반란을 피해 피신한 곳이기도 하다.
2 Samuel 17:24Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra) the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.2 Samuel 17:25Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.2 Samuel 17:26When David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,2 Samuel 17:27brought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, roasted grain,2 Samuel 17:28honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”2 Samuel 17:29honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
2 Samuel 19:32The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.”