Bible Encyclopedias

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Mahol

(Heb. Machol', מָחוֹל, a sacred dance, as in Psalm 20:12, etc.; Sept. Μαχώλ; Josephus ᾿Ημαών, Ant. 8:2, 5), a person apparently named as the father of the famous wise men Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda (or at least of the last two), prior to the time of Solomon (1 Kings 4:31); but if these be the same with those enumerated as sons of Zerah (1 Chronicles 2:6), the word must be taken as elsewhere to denote simply their pursuit, as musical composers (see Keil's Comment. ad loc. Kings), an art with which dancing has ever been intimately connected. (See ETHAN).