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Modin

Locations
Modern Location Near the modern village of Umm el-Umdan, Israel
Coordinates 31.9167, 35.1333

Geographical Setting

Modin was an ancient Judean village located in the Shephelah region, historically identified with the family seat of the Hasmonean dynasty.

What is the meaning of Modin in the Bible?

Modin was the ancestral home of the Maccabees and the site where Mattathias, a priest, retired to resist Antiochus Epiphanes' persecution. It is also where Mattathias and his family were buried.

SIGNIFICANCE

Understanding Modin as the Hasmonean family seat clarifies the geographical and social origins of the leadership that initiated the Maccabean Revolt, providing context for the family's influence in Judean resistance movements.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Geopolitical & Terrain Context: Modin (located near modern Near the modern village of Umm el-Umdan, Israel) held strategic importance. Understanding its position and trade routes explains why key biblical events unfolded here.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Modin in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Modin clarify?

Source Attribution

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.

How to Cite This Entry

"Modin." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/modin/
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