feminine from the same as דֹּמֶן; a dunghill; dunghill.
Transliteration:madmênâh
Pronunciation:mad-may-naw'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word madmênâh (מַדְמֵנָה, `{{H4087}}`) is a feminine noun derived from the same root as dōmen (דֹּמֶן, `{{H1828}}`), which signifies dung, refuse, or manure. Its core meaning is "dunghill" or "midden," referring to a heap or pile of refuse, particularly animal excrement, straw, and other organic waste. Semantically, it evokes strong connotations of uncleanness, desolation, decay, and worthlessness. It represents a place of discarded, defiled material, often associated with agricultural waste or the refuse accumulated near human settlements. The term inherently carries a negative semantic load, denoting impurity and degradation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term madmênâh (מַדְמֵנָה, `{{H4087}}`) appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within the prophetic book of Isaiah:
* **[[Isaiah 25:10]]**: "For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, and Moab will be trodden down in his place, as straw is trodden down in the water of a dunghill."
* In this singular occurrence, madmênâh is employed within a powerful simile to describe the complete and ignominious defeat of Moab. The imagery is intensely vivid and forceful: Moab's utter destruction is likened to straw being trampled into the liquid filth of a dunghill. The phrase "water of a dunghill" (מֵי מַדְמֵנָה) suggests not merely dry refuse, but a saturated, putrid mire, emphasizing the depth of their abasement and the thoroughness of divine judgment. This comparison underscores the loathsome and contemptible end awaiting those who oppose the Lord, reducing a proud nation to worthless, defiled refuse. The context is one of divine judgment against human pride and rebellion, where the exalted are brought low to the most despicable state.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **dōmen (דֹּמֶן, `{{H1828}}`)**: This is the primary root from which madmênâh is derived, meaning "dung," "manure," or "refuse." It appears more frequently in the Old Testament, consistently referring to excrement or refuse, often in contexts of defilement, divine judgment, or agricultural waste. For example, in [[1 Samuel 2:8]], God is described as raising the poor from the "dunghill" ('ashpōth or dōmen depending on translation/context, but conceptually linked), and in [[Psalm 83:10]], the slain are likened to "dung" on the ground. The relationship between madmênâh and dōmen highlights the consistent association with waste, impurity, and contempt.
* **'ashpōth (אַשְׁפֹּת, `{{H830}}`)**: Another significant Hebrew word for "dunghill" or "ash heap." While madmênâh emphasizes the moist, putrid aspect of a dunghill, 'ashpōth often refers to a dry heap of ashes and refuse, a common place for the poor or outcasts to reside (e.g., [[Job 2:8]], [[Psalm 113:7]]). Both terms denote places of lowliness, rejection, and uncleanness, but with slightly different nuances in the type of waste implied.
* **Concepts of Purity and Impurity**: The very nature of a dunghill stands in stark contrast to the biblical emphasis on purity, holiness, and separation (e.g., in the Mosaic Law). It represents the antithesis of the sacred, a place of defilement that renders anything associated with it unclean and abhorrent.
* **Divine Judgment and Humiliation**: The use of madmênâh in [[Isaiah 25:10]] directly connects it to the theme of God's righteous judgment, where the proud and defiant are brought low to a state of utter contempt and degradation. This aligns with broader biblical themes of God humbling the arrogant and exalting the lowly.
### Theological Significance
Despite its single occurrence, madmênâh carries profound theological weight, especially within the context of Isaiah's prophetic message:
* **Divine Sovereignty and Judgment**: The imagery of Moab being "trodden down... as straw is trodden down in the water of a dunghill" powerfully illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over nations and His capacity to bring even the proudest to complete humiliation. It is a vivid depiction of the consequences of opposing the Lord, reducing powerful entities to despised refuse. This underscores God's ultimate authority and the inevitability of His judgment against rebellion.
* **Humiliation and Abasement**: The dunghill serves as a potent symbol of ultimate abasement and degradation. For a nation to be reduced to the state of being trampled into a dunghill signifies not merely defeat, but a loss of dignity, honor, and any semblance of worth. It encapsulates the biblical principle that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" ([[James 4:6]], echoing [[Proverbs 3:34]]). It vividly portrays the ignominious end of those who exalt themselves against the Almighty.
* **Contrast with God's Holiness**: The very nature of a dunghill – a place of filth, decay, and impurity – stands in stark contrast to the holiness and purity of God. Its use in judgment highlights the vast chasm between human sinfulness and divine righteousness, and the defilement that sin brings, which God ultimately purges from His creation.
* **Justice and Restoration (Implicit)**: While madmênâh itself is a symbol of degradation, its related term dōmen (and 'ashpōth) is sometimes used in contexts of God raising the poor from the dunghill ([[1 Samuel 2:8]], [[Psalm 113:7]]). This creates an implicit theological tension: while the proud are cast *into* the dunghill of judgment, the humble and oppressed are *lifted from* it by divine grace, illustrating the transformative power of God's justice and His redemptive plan for the marginalized.
### Summary
Madmênâh (מַדְמֵנָה, `{{H4087}}`) is a rare but exceptionally powerful Hebrew term, appearing only in [[Isaiah 25:10]], defined as a "dunghill." Derived from dōmen (`{{H1828}}`), meaning "dung," it vividly describes a place of refuse, filth, and decay. In its sole biblical occurrence, it functions as a stark and visceral metaphor for the utter humiliation and complete destruction of Moab, who will be "trodden down... as straw is trodden down in the water of a dunghill." This imagery forcefully communicates God's righteous judgment and absolute sovereignty, reducing the proud to a state of complete worthlessness and defilement. The term powerfully highlights the theological themes of divine judgment, the profound abasement reserved for those who oppose God, and the stark contrast between human impurity and God's holiness. Though a symbol of extreme degradation, its usage implicitly underscores the broader biblical narrative of God's justice in humbling the proud while offering hope and elevation to the humble.
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