Original Word: מִנִּית
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Minniyth
Pronunciation: min-NEETH
Phonetic Spelling: (min-neeth')
KJV: Minnith
NASB: Minnith
Word Origin: [from the same as H4482 (מֵן - from)]

1. enumeration
2. Minnith, a place East of the Jordan

Minnith

From the same as men; enumeration; Minnith, a place East of the Jordan -- Minnith.

see HEBREW men

Word Origin
from the same as men
Definition
a place in Ammonite territory
NASB Translation
Minnith (2).

מִנִּית proper name, of a location in Ammonite territory, site unknown (4 Roman miles from Heshbon Euseb.^{Onom. 253, 33}; compare Buhl^{Geogr. 266}); — Judges 11:33 (ᵐ5 ἄχρις Ἀρνών, A εἰς Σεμωειθ, ᵐ5^L Σεμενειθ); ׳חִטֵּי מ Ezekiel 27:17 wheat of Minnîth (compare wheat from Ammon 2 Chronicles 27:5) so Berthol, but dubious; Co conjectures חִטִּים וּנְכאֹת wheat and storax.

[מְנֻסָה] see מְנוּסָה below נוס.

Definition and Geographic Setting

Minnith was an Ammonite locality situated east of the Jordan River, apparently on or near the plateau that stretches between Heshbon and Rabbah. Although the exact site has not yet been confirmed archaeologically, the combined references suggest a fertile district well positioned along the north–south caravan route that later became the King’s Highway. Its proximity to both Ammonite and Israelite spheres of influence helps explain its appearance in very different biblical contexts—one military, the other mercantile.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Judges 11:33 – “He struck them from Aroer to Minnith—twenty cities—and as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.”
2. Ezekiel 27:17 – “Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm.”

Historical Context

Judges 11 records Jephthah’s decisive rout of Ammonite forces that had oppressed Gilead. By naming Minnith as the northern-most point of the Israelite advance, Scripture anchors the victory in concrete geography, underscoring the completeness of the deliverance: the LORD hands over “twenty cities” stretching to the threshold of Ammon’s own heartland. Roughly four centuries later, Ezekiel speaks of Minnith again, this time from the vantage point of Babylonian exile. The prophet’s lament over Tyre (Ezekiel 27) catalogs trade goods that once made the Phoenician port wealthy; wheat from Minnith is listed alongside honey and balm as desirable commodities. The same district that once marked Israel’s triumph had become a valued breadbasket in the international economy.

Agricultural and Economic Significance

Ezekiel’s oracle implies high-quality grain. The fertile basaltic soils east of the Jordan, enriched by winter rains, naturally favored wheat cultivation. Ancient Near Eastern trade lists often paired superior grain with luxury items, indicating that Minnith’s harvest was both abundant and esteemed. The presence of balm in the same verse reinforces the idea of a prosperous micro-region producing sought-after goods. Thus, Minnith illustrates how God’s providential gift of land yields resources that can bless surrounding nations—an echo of the Abrahamic promise (Genesis 12:3).

Theological Themes and Ministry Application

1. Divine deliverance and boundaries: By pushing the Ammonites “to Minnith,” the LORD established clear borders for His people and reminded them that obedience brings security (Deuteronomy 11:24).
2. Stewardship of resources: Israel later exports wheat from Minnith. The passage depicts agricultural abundance used in trade, implying a call to steward God-given bounty for the benefit of others (Proverbs 3:9).
3. Warning against pride: Tyre trusted in commerce rather than the LORD (Ezekiel 27:3). The collapse of a city enriched by Minnith’s wheat warns believers not to anchor security in economic strength but in covenant faithfulness (1 Timothy 6:17).

Archaeological and Scholarly Insights

Proposed identifications include Khirbet el-Mudayna, near modern-day Amman, and sites south of Rabbah toward Heshbon. Survey data reveal Iron Age fortifications and grain silos consistent with a regional center of agricultural storage and distribution. While no inscription naming Minnith has surfaced, pottery horizons align with the period of Judges, lending circumstantial support to the biblical timeline.

Scripture Index

Genesis 12:3; Deuteronomy 11:24; Judges 11:33; Ezekiel 27:17; Proverbs 3:9; 1 Timothy 6:17

מִ֠נִּית מִנִּ֜ית מנית min·nîṯ minNit minnîṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts