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MAHOL dance, the father of four sons (1 Kings 4:31) who were inferior in wisdom only to Solomon.

MAIL, COAT OF “a corselet of scales,” a cuirass formed of pieces of metal overlapping each other, like fish-scales (1 Samuel 17:5); also (38) a corselet or garment thus encased.

MAIN-SAIL (Gr. artemon), answering to the modern “mizzen-sail,” as some suppose. Others understand the “jib,” near the prow, or the “fore-sail,” as likely to be most useful in bringing a ship’s head to the wind in the circumstances described (Acts 27:40).

MAKHELOTH assemblies, a station of the Israelites in the desert (Numbers 33:25, 26).

MAKKEDAH herdsman’s place, one of the royal cities of the Canaanites (Joshua 12:16), near which was a cave where the five kings who had confederated against Israel sought refuge (10:10-29). They were put to death by Joshua, who afterwards suspended their bodies upon five trees. It has been identified with the modern village called Sumeil, standing on a low hill about 7 miles to the north-west of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrin), where are ancient remains and a great cave. The Palestine Exploration surveyors have, however, identified it with el-Mughar, or “the caves,” 3 miles from Jabneh and 2 1/2 southwest of Ekron, because, they say, “at this site only of all possible sites for Makkedah in the Palestine plain do caves still exist.” (See ADONI-ZEDEC.)

MAKTESH mortar, a place in or near Jerusalem inhabited by silver merchants (Zephaniah 1:11). It has been conjectured that it was the “Phoenician quarter” of the city, where the traders of that nation resided, after the Oriental custom.