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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: Meonenim</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/m/meonenim.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/judges/9-37.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/m/meonenim.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > Meonenim</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/m/meon.htm" title="Meon">◄</a> Meonenim <a href="/topical/naves/m/meonenim--a_place_in_ephraim.htm" title="Meonenim: A Place in Ephraim">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#hit" title="Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary">Hitchcock's</a> • <a href="#smi" title="Smith's Bible Dictionary">Smith's</a> • <a href="#isb" title="International Standard Bible Encyclopedia">ISBE</a> • <a href="#eas" title="Easton's Bible Dictionary">Easton's</a> • <a href="#cnc" title="Multiversion Concordance">Concordance</a> • <a href="#thes" title="Bible Thesaurus">Thesaurus</a> • <a href="#lib" title="Library">Library</a> • <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div><b>Definition and Meaning:</b> <br>The term "Meonenim" is derived from the Hebrew root word "anan," which means to practice soothsaying or divination. In the biblical context, it refers to individuals or groups associated with occult practices, specifically those who engage in divination or seek omens. The term is often used in a negative light, highlighting practices that are contrary to the worship and reliance on the God of Israel.<br><br><b>Biblical References:</b> <br>The primary reference to Meonenim is found in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Judges. In <a href="/judges/9-37.htm">Judges 9:37</a> , the term is mentioned in the context of a location: "Gaal spoke again, 'Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.'" The "Diviners’ Oak" is translated from the Hebrew "elon meonenim," indicating a place associated with diviners or soothsayers.<br><br><b>Historical and Cultural Context:</b> <br>In ancient Israel, the practice of divination and seeking omens was strictly prohibited by Mosaic Law. The Israelites were commanded to avoid such practices, as they were considered abominations to the Lord. <a href="/deuteronomy/18-10.htm">Deuteronomy 18:10-12</a> states, "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you."<br><br>The presence of Meonenim or diviners in the land was a reflection of the surrounding pagan cultures, which often relied on such practices for guidance and decision-making. The Israelites were called to be distinct from these nations, relying solely on the guidance of Yahweh through His prophets and the Law.<br><br><b>Theological Significance:</b> <br>The mention of Meonenim in the Bible serves as a reminder of the spiritual battle between the worship of the one true God and the pagan practices that sought to undermine His authority. The prohibition against divination underscores the importance of faith and trust in God's sovereignty and His revealed will. It also highlights the danger of turning to occult practices, which can lead individuals away from the truth and into spiritual deception.<br><br><b>Application for Believers:</b> <br>For contemporary believers, the concept of Meonenim serves as a caution against engaging in or endorsing practices that seek guidance apart from God. It encourages Christians to seek wisdom and direction through prayer, Scripture, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, rather than through superstitions or occult practices. The call to holiness and reliance on God remains central to the Christian faith, as believers are urged to "test everything; hold fast to what is good" (<a href="/1_thessalonians/5-21.htm">1 Thessalonians 5:21</a>) and to avoid any form of evil or deception.<a name="hit" id="hit"></a><div class="vheading2">Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary</div><span class="encheading">Meonenim</span><p>charmers, regarders of times<a name="smi" id="smi"></a><div class="vheading2">Smith's Bible Dictionary</div><span class="encheading">Meonenim</span><p>(<i>enchanters</i>), <i>The plain of,</i> an oak or terebinth. or other great tree. (<a href="/judges/9-37.htm">Judges 9:37</a>) The meaning of Meonenim if interpreted as a Hebrew word, is enchanters or "observers of times," as it is elsewhere rendered (<a href="/deuteronomy/18-10.htm">18:10,14</a>) in (<a href="/micah/5-12.htm">Micah 5:12</a>) it is soothsayers.<a name="eas" id="eas"></a><div class="vheading2">Easton's Bible Dictionary</div>(<a href="/judges/9-37.htm">Judges 9:37</a>; A.V., "the plain of Meonenim;" R.V., "the oak of Meonenim") means properly "soothsayers" or "sorcerers," "wizards" (<a href="/deuteronomy/18-10.htm">Deuteronomy 18:10</a>, 14; <a href="/2_kings/21-6.htm">2 Kings 21:6</a>; <a href="/micah/5-12.htm">Micah 5:12</a>). This may be the oak at Shechem under which Abram pitched his tent (see <a href="../s/shechem.htm">SHECHEM</a>), the "enchanter's oak," so called, perhaps, from Jacob's hiding the "strange gods" under it (<a href="/genesis/35-4.htm">Genesis 35:4</a>). <a name="isb" id="isb"></a><div class="vheading2">International Standard Bible Encyclopedia</div><span class="encheading">MEONENIM, OAK OF</span><p>me-on'-e-nim, me-o'-ne-nim: ('elon me`onenim; Codex Vaticanus, Elonmaonemein, Codex Alexandrinus, druos apobleponton; the King James Version Plain of): This was a sacred tree which apparently could be seen from the gate of Shechem (<a href="/judges/9-37.htm">Judges 9:37</a>). No doubt it took its name from the soothsayers who sat under it, practicing augury, etc. Several times mention is made of sacred trees in the vicinity of Shechem (<a href="/genesis/35-4.htm">Genesis 35:4</a> <a href="/joshua/24-26.htm">Joshua 24:26</a> <a href="/judges/9-6.htm">Judges 9:6</a>, etc.). Where this tree stood is not known.<br><br>See <a href="../a/augur's.htm">AUGUR'S OAK</a>.<p><a name="lib" id="lib"></a><div class="vheading2">Library</div><p><a href="/library/various/select_masterpieces_of_biblical_literature/iii_the_crowning_of_abimelech.htm"><span class="l">The Crowning of Abimelech</span></a> <br><b>...</b> And Gaal spake again and said, See, there come people down by the middle of the<br> land, and one company cometh by the way of the oak of <b>Meonenim</b>. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/iii the crowning of abimelech.htm</font><a name="thes" id="thes"></a><div class="vheading2">Thesaurus</div><a href="/topical/m/meonenim.htm"><span class="l"><b>Meonenim</b> (1 Occurrence)</span></a><br><b>...</b> Easton's Bible Dictionary (Judges 9:37; AV, "the plain of <b>Meonenim</b>;" RV, "the oak<br> of <b>Meonenim</b>") means <b>...</b> Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. <b>MEONENIM</b>, OAK OF. <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/m/meonenim.htm - 8k</font><p><a href="/topical/e/elon-meonenim.htm"><span class="l">Elon-<b>meonenim</b> (1 Occurrence)</span></a><br>Elon-<b>meonenim</b>. E'lonites, Elon-<b>meonenim</b>. Eloquence . Multi-Version<br> Concordance Elon-<b>meonenim</b> (1 Occurrence). Judges <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/e/elon-meonenim.htm - 6k</font><p><a href="/topical/o/oak.htm"><span class="l">Oak (22 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> hence, the name. T. Witton Davies. <b>MEONENIM</b>, OAK OF. me-on'-e-nim <b>...</b> evidence of<br> their homage. See <b>MEONENIM</b>. W. Ewing. OAK. ok: Several Hebrew <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/o/oak.htm - 33k</font><p><a href="/topical/g/gaal.htm"><span class="l">Gaal (10 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> 9:37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Behold, people are coming down by the middle of<br> the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of <b>Meonenim</b>." (WEB KJV <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/g/gaal.htm - 10k</font><p><a href="/topical/e/e'lonites.htm"><span class="l">E'lonites (1 Occurrence)</span></a><br>E'lonites. Elonites, E'lonites. Elon-<b>meonenim</b> . Multi-Version Concordance <b>...</b> (See<br> RSV). Elonites, E'lonites. Elon-<b>meonenim</b> . Reference Bible. <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/e/e'lonites.htm - 6k</font><p><a href="/topical/e/eloquence.htm"><span class="l">Eloquence (4 Occurrences)</span></a><br><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/e/eloquence.htm - 8k</font><p><a href="/topical/d/detachment.htm"><span class="l">Detachment (6 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> yet to speak, and saith, 'Lo, people are coming down from the high part of the land,<br> and another detachment is coming by the way of the oak of <b>Meonenim</b>.' (YLT). <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/d/detachment.htm - 8k</font><p><a href="/topical/m/moreh.htm"><span class="l">Moreh (3 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> The present writer has often seen such trees with multitudinous rags of all colors<br> attached to them by the peasantry as evidence of their homage. See <b>MEONENIM</b>. <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/m/moreh.htm - 11k</font><p><a href="/topical/m/meon.htm"><span class="l">Meon (5 Occurrences)</span></a><br><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/m/meon.htm - 7k</font><p><a href="/topical/m/meonothai.htm"><span class="l">Meonothai (2 Occurrences)</span></a><br><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/m/meonothai.htm - 7k</font><p><a name="res" id="res"></a><div class="vheading2">Resources</div><a href="/concordance/">Bible Concordance</a> • <a href="/dictionary/">Bible Dictionary</a> • <a href="/encyclopedia/">Bible Encyclopedia</a> • <a href="/topical/">Topical Bible</a> • <a href="/thesaurus/">Bible Thesuarus</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="cnc" id="cnc"></a><div class="vheading2">Concordance</div><span class="encheading">Meonenim (1 Occurrence)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/9-37.htm">Judges 9:37</a></span><br />Gaal spoke again and said, "Behold, people are coming down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of <span class="boldtext">Meonenim</span>."<br /><span class="source">(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT)</span><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/m/meonenim.htm">Meonenim</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/m/meonenim--a_place_in_ephraim.htm">Meonenim: A Place in Ephraim</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/elon-meonenim.htm">Elon-meonenim (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/o/oak.htm">Oak (22 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/g/gaal.htm">Gaal (10 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/e'lonites.htm">E'lonites (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/eloquence.htm">Eloquence (4 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/detachment.htm">Detachment (6 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/moreh.htm">Moreh (3 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/meon.htm">Meon (5 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/meonothai.htm">Meonothai (2 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/a/addeth.htm">Addeth (44 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/soothsayers.htm">Soothsayers (16 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/pillar.htm">Pillar (72 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/plain.htm">Plain (113 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/shechem.htm">Shechem (61 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/h/highest.htm">Highest (58 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/middle.htm">Middle (169 Occurrences)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/m/meon.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Meon"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Meon" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/naves/m/meonenim--a_place_in_ephraim.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Meonenim: A Place in Ephraim"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Meonenim: A Place in Ephraim" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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