Bible Encyclopedias
Mattanah

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mat´a - na ( מתּנה , mattānāh ; Codex Vaticanus, Μανθαναείν , Manthanaeı́n ; Codex Alexandrinus, Μανθανείν , Manthaneı́n ): A station of the Israelites which seems to have lain between Beer and Nahaliel ( Numbers 21:18 f). The name means "gift," and might not inappropriately be applied to a well in the wilderness (Budde translates "Out of the desert a gift"; see The Expository Times, VI, 482). Some would therefore identify it with Beer. This is improbable. There is now no clue to the place, but it must have lain Southwest of the Dead Sea.