Mithcah

MITHCAH, or Methca, an Encampment of the Israelites in the Wilderness, between Tarah and Hashmonah, Numb. xxxiii. 28, 29. Mithcah is probably the same as Metheg-ammah, mentioned 2 Sam. viii. 1. Compare 1 Chron. xviii, 1. where it is said that David took Gath and her Daughters. [So Hebr. Vulgat. The English Translation has, Gath and her Towns.] And in Samuel, that he took Metheg the Mother, or Metheg and its Mother; that is, Metheg and Gath. Gath and Metheg were in the Neighbourhood of Hashmonah, pretty far to the South of the Land of Promise. Instead of Metheg the Mother, the Hebrew reads Metheg-ammah, which St. Jerome has translated by Frænum tributi. But I rather think he wrote Frænum cubiti, and that the Transcribers have substituted Frænum tributi in its Room. But it is better to take Metheg for the Name of a Place, which is probably the same as Mithcah.

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