Original Word: מַדְמֵן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Madmen
Pronunciation: mad-MEN
Phonetic Spelling: (mad-mane')
KJV: Madmen
NASB: madmen
Word Origin: [from the same as H1828 (דּוֹמֶן - dung)]

1. dunghill
2. Madmen, a place in Israel

Madmen

From the same as domen; dunghill; Madmen, a place in Palestine -- Madmen.

see HEBREW domen

Word Origin
from the same as domen
Definition
a place in Moab
NASB Translation
madmen (1).

מַדְמֵן proper name, of a location in Moab Jeremiah 48:2 (on text, however, compare Che Isaiah 25:10).

Biblical Setting

The single scriptural mention of Madmen appears within the larger oracle against Moab in Jeremiah 48. The prophet catalogs a cascade of Moabite towns destined for judgment, underscoring the breadth of divine retribution. The inclusion of Madmen in this litany signals that no enclave, however obscure, would escape the coming calamity.

“ ‘You too, Madmen, will be silenced; the sword will pursue you.’ ” (Jeremiah 48:2)

Geographical and Historical Context

The precise location of Madmen is uncertain. Most scholars situate it in the southern reaches of Moab, perhaps near the Arnon Gorge, owing to its association with other Moabite sites in the chapter (Heshbon, Nebo, Kir). Archaeological surveys have proposed Tell el-Medine—southwest of Dhiban—as a candidate, although evidence remains inconclusive. The village likely functioned as a satellite settlement supporting larger urban centers through agriculture and animal husbandry, typical of Moabite culture during the late Iron Age.

Role in Jeremiah’s Oracle Against Moab

Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jeremiah 48:1-25, 45-47) mirrors themes found in Isaiah 15–16, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:8-11: Moab’s pride invites judgment. By naming Madmen specifically, Jeremiah personalizes the warning. The town’s predicted “silencing” dramatizes the totality of divine justice—neither great city nor minor village will evade the sword. The wordplay between Madmen and “be silenced” (דָּמָם, damam) intensifies the rhetorical force: the very name anticipates the town’s fate.

Prophetic and Theological Significance

1. Universality of Judgment: Madmen’s inclusion confirms that divine accountability reaches every community.
2. Certainty of the Word: The prophecy demonstrates that God’s pronouncements, however improbable at the moment, are inevitably fulfilled (Isaiah 55:10-11).
3. Pride Precedes a Fall: Moab’s overconfidence parallels later warnings to Judah (Jeremiah 49–52) and to nations today, reminding readers that God opposes the proud (1 Peter 5:5).

Archaeological and Geographical Proposals

• Tell el-Medine: Pottery from the Iron IIB–C phases suggests occupation during Jeremiah’s ministry.
• Alternative sites near Wadi el-Madeba or Wadi eth-Thamad remain plausible, given etymological overlap with Arabic place-names.
• Absence from extrabiblical inscriptions may reflect the town’s modest status rather than the inaccuracy of the prophetic record.

Intertextual Connections

Madmen shares the oracle with:
• Heshbon (Jeremiah 48:2) – a royal Moabite city where strategies of rebellion formed.
• Nebo (Jeremiah 48:1) – highlighted earlier for its pagan high place (Numbers 32:38).
• Dibon (Jeremiah 48:18) – site of the Mesha Stele, illustrating Moab’s historic self-promotion opposite Israel’s covenantal narrative. Together, these references portray Moab as a composite culture of idolatry, arrogance, and hostility toward God’s people.

Ministry and Practical Application

1. Hidden Corners of the Heart: Just as Madmen, a little-known village, fell under judgment, concealed sins invite divine scrutiny (Psalm 139:23-24).
2. Intercession for the Nations: Jeremiah weeps for Moab (Jeremiah 48:31-32). Believers are called to pray even for adversarial peoples (Matthew 5:44).
3. Confidence in Scripture: The historical precision of Jeremiah’s geography fortifies trust in the reliability of the prophets and, by extension, the entire canon (2 Timothy 3:16).

Summary

Though mentioned only once, Madmen embodies the prophetic theme that no place is too small to stand outside God’s moral jurisdiction. Its judgment within Jeremiah 48 reinforces the certainty of divine justice, the peril of national pride, and the comprehensive scope of God’s redemptive plan—lessons that remain urgent for every generation.

מַדְמֵ֣ן מדמן maḏ·mên madMen maḏmênInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts