Mahanaim is a place mentioned a number of times by the Bible said to be near Jabbok, beyond the Jordan River. Although two possible sites have been identified, the precise location of Mahanaim is very uncertain. The most widely accepted of the proposed sites lies about ten miles east of the Jordan River. Tell edh-Dhahab el-Gharbi, the western one of the twin Tulul adh-Dhahab tells, is a possible location. Mahanaim was said to be in the same general area as Jabesh-gilead. In the Biblical narrative, the first mentioned of Mahanaim occurs in the Book of Genesis as the place where Jacob, returning from Padan-aram to southern Canaan, had a vision of angels. Believing it to be "God's camp", Jacob names the place Mahanaim to memorialize the occasion of his own company sharing the place with God's. Later in the story, Jacob is moved by fear at the approach of his brother and as a result divided his retinue into two hosts, hence the town built on the site took two hosts as its name. According to the Book of Joshua and 1 Chronicles it became a Levitical city, having been located at the southern boundary of Bashan until the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites. In the Biblical narrative, around the start of the United Monarchy, the city was a stronghold that had been adapted to serve as a sanctuary for important fugitives ; the narrative states that after King Saul died, Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, established Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, in Mahanaim as king of Israel. Mahanaim is the location to which David is described as fleeing while at war with his son Absalom; having arrived at Mahanaim, David is described as having sheltered with a man named Barzillai, and having mustered forces there to combat Absalom's army. It is also the location that the Bible states was the place where David was informed about his victory over Absalom, and the death of his son. According to Gaston Maspero, Mahanaim was among the cities plundered by Shishak during his invasion of Israelitish territory, also Champollion, Rosellini and Budgeshare his view identifying Ma'hanema' with Mahanaim. There is no subsequent reference to the city in the annals, and it is not improbable that a vigorous resistance to Shishak or to some other invader brought about its utter demolition. The dance of Mahanaim is mentioned in Song of Solomon 6:13.
