East were familiar with the disappointment of approaching a fountain or well with hope of getting refreshing water, only to find it dried up. In Palestine, in the month of August, there are occasional cirrostratus clouds from the W that do not bring rain. One who looked to these wispy, mistlike clouds as a promise of water for his crops would be bitterly disappointed. So with these false teachers, these immoral men, as Peter goes on to say: “For they utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires of the flesh and by loose habits they entice those who are just escaping from people who conduct themselves in error. While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption.”—2 Pet. 2:1, 17-19.

Jude describes such ones as “waterless clouds carried this way and that by winds.” (Jude 12) Jesus’ half-brother James writes to Christians that (as far as the present life is concerned) “you are a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing.” (Jas. 4:14) Certainly false teachers are like a mist, after a short while passing out of existence forever.—2 Tim. 3:8, 9; Jude 13.

MITHKAH

(Mithʹkah) [perhaps, sweetness].

One of Israel’s wilderness encampments. (Num. 33:28, 29) Its location is not known today. If Mithkah is correctly defined as “sweetness,” the name may allude to the good water of the region.

MITHNITE

(Mithʹnite).

A term applied to Joshaphat, one of the mighty men in David’s military forces. It is not known whether “Mithnite” refers to his place of origin or is his family designation.—1 Chron. 11:26, 43.

MITHREDATH

(Mithʹre·dath) [gift of (god) Mithra].

1. The treasurer of Cyrus who, under royal command, turned over some 5,400 temple utensils of gold and silver to the Israelites for return to Jerusalem.—Ezra 1:7, 8, 11.

2. An opposer of the postexilic temple reconstruction who shared with others in writing a letter to Persian King Artaxerxes falsely accusing the Jews.—Ezra 4:7.

MITYLENE

(Mit·y·leʹne).

The principal city of Lesbos, an island in the Aegean Sea off the W coast of Asia Minor. While en route to Jerusalem in the spring of 56 C.E., the apostle Paul sailed to Mitylene from Assos, a seaport on the mainland of Asia Minor about twenty-eight miles (45 kilometers) to the N-NW. (Acts 20:14) The fact that no mention is made of Paul’s going ashore may imply that the ship merely anchored at Mitylene, perhaps because the needed N winds had abated. On the following day the ship continued S-SW toward Chios.—Acts 20:15.

It is believed that Mitylene originally occupied a small island off the eastern coast of Lesbos. But as the city grew it may have been linked with Lesbos by a causeway and expanded along the coast. This would have created a harbor on the N side and also one on the S side of the causeway. The city was famed as a seat of literary learning and for the architectural beauty of its buildings.

MIXED COMPANY

A group of people who departed from Egypt with the nation of Israel. (Ex. 12:37, 38) Since they were prepared to leave Egypt with the Israelites, this suggests that they had not lost any of their firstborn. Otherwise they would have been occupied in burying their dead, as were the Egyptians. (Num. 33:3, 4) The mixed company must therefore have been in a fit condition to celebrate the Passover. (Compare Exodus 12:43-49; see ALIEN RESIDENT.) Some of these people may have been Egyptians or other foreigners who chose to follow the God and nation of Israel after witnessing a number of Jehovah’s blows against Egypt. Others of this group were likely Egyptians who had married Israelites also the offspring of such unions. The Israelitess Shelomith of the tribe of Dan, for example, had an Egyptian husband and at least one son by him.—Lev. 24:10, 11.

Doubtless both the non-Israelite background of the “mixed company” or “mixed crowd” and the rigors of the wilderness trek prompted a complaining spirit among them that became a source of contention. Their expression of selfish longing spread to the Israelites, so that they too began to weep and say: “How we remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers and the watermelons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic! But now our soul is dried away. Our eyes are on nothing at all except the manna.”—Num. 11:4-6.

At Nehemiah 13:3 and Jeremiah 25:20 the expression “mixed company” denotes non-Israelites. The Nehemiah reference pertains to such foreigners as Moabites and Ammonites. (Neh. 13:1) That the sons of these foreigners (half-Israelites) may also have been included is suggested by the fact that earlier the Israelites dismissed both their foreign wives and sons.—Ezra 10:44.

MIZPAH, MIZPEH

(Mizʹpah, Mizʹpeh) [watchtower].

1. A region inhabited by Hivites and situated at the base of Mount Hermon was known as the “land of Mizpah.” (Josh. 11:3) At least part, if not all of this area, may also have been called the “valley plain of Mizpeh.” (Josh. 11:8) The “land of Mizpah” possibly was the region around Banyas (Caesarea Philippi) to the S of Mount Hermon or the plain E of Mount Hermon along the Wadi et-Tem.

2. A Judean city in the Shephelah. (Josh. 15:33, 38) Its precise location, however, is in question. One suggested identification is Khirbet Safiyeh, about five and a half miles (9 kilometers) S of what is thought to have been the site of ancient Azekah.

3. A city in the territory of Benjamin. (Josh. 18:26, 28) Nebi Samwil (about 5 miles [8 kilometers] N-NW of Jerusalem) and Tell en-Nasbeh (some 8 miles [13 kilometers] N of Jerusalem) have often been suggested as possible locations for the ancient site. An interpretation of certain archaeological findings seems to favor Tell en-Nasbeh. For example, jar handles have been found bearing what some scholars consider to be the three Hebrew letters for m-s-p and hence a shortened form of Mizpah. But others reject this view and read the letters otherwise.

It was at Mizpah that all the fighting men of Israel assembled and decided to take action against those involved in a mass sex crime committed at Gibeah of Benjamin. When the Benjamites refused to hand over the guilty men of that city, full-scale war erupted. Finally, the tribe of Benjamin was almost annihilated, only six hundred able-bodied men escaping. (Judg. 20:1-48) Earlier, at Mizpah, the Israelites had sworn that they would not give their daughters in marriage to Benjamites. (Judg. 21:1) After the battle, therefore, measures had to be taken to preserve the tribe of Benjamin. One of these was the giving of four hundred virgin girls from Jabesh-gilead to the Benjamites. The rest of the population of that city had been destroyed, as none of its inhabitants had come to Mizpah and supported the fight against Benjamin.—Judg. 21:5-12.

At a later period the prophet Samuel congregated all Israel and prayed for them. On that occasion the Israelites fasted and confessed their sins. When word about their assembly at Mizpah reached the Philistines, they took advantage of the situation to launch an attack. But Jehovah threw the enemy into confusion, enabling the Israelites to subdue the foe. Apparently to commemorate this God-given victory Samuel erected a stone between Mizpah and Jeshanah, calling it Ebenezer (“the stone of help”). Thereafter Samuel continued judging Israel and, as he did so, made a yearly circuit of Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah. (1 Sam. 7:5-16) Later, in 1117 B.C.E., another assembly at Mizpah witnessed Samuel’s introducing Saul as Israel’s first king.—1 Sam. 10:17-25.

In the tenth century B.C.E. Mizpah was built up by Judean King Asa with materials from Ramah, a city that Israelite King Baasha had been forced to desert. (1 Ki. 15:20-22; 2 Chron. 16:4-6) Some three centuries later, in 607 B.C.E., the victorious Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as governor over the Jews remaining in the land of Judah. Gedaliah administered affairs from Mizpah. There the prophet Jeremiah took up residence. Also, surviving army chiefs and other Jews who had been scattered came to Mizpah. Governor Gedaliah, although having been forewarned, failed to exercise caution and was assassinated at Mizpah. Chaldeans and Jews with him there were likewise slaughtered. Thereafter sixty visiting men also met their death. The band of assassins, led by Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, took the rest of the people captive. Overtaken by Johanan the son of Kareah, Ishmael escaped with eight men, but the captives were rescued, later to be taken to Egypt.—2 Ki. 25:23-26; Jer. 40:5–41:18.

Following the Babylonian exile, men of Mizpah and the princes Shallun and Ezer shared in repairing the wall of Jerusalem.—Neh. 3:7, 15, 19.

4. A city E of the Jordan in Gilead (Judg. 10:17; 11:11, 29), perhaps the same place as the Mizpah mentioned at Hosea 5:1. Since Mizpah was the home of Jephthah, logically this would place the city in the territory of Manasseh in northern Gilead. (Compare Judges 10:17–11:1, 11, 34; 12:4, 5.) But its exact location is uncertain.

5. A city of Moab where David, while outlawed by King Saul, settled his parents. (1 Sam. 22:3) Mizpeh’s precise location cannot be established definitely. Some scholars believe it may be the same place as Kir of Moab. (Isa. 15:1) Others have presented Ruzm el-Mesrife (situated W-SW of modern Madeba [ancient Medeba]) as a possible identification.

MIZRAIM

(Mizʹra·im).

Listed second among the sons of Ham. (Gen. 10:6) Mizraim was the progenitor of the Egyptian tribes (as well as some non-Egyptian tribes) and the name came to be synonymous with Egypt. (Gen. 10:13, 14; 50:11) Thus, the word “Egypt” in English translations actually renders the Hebrew Mits·raʹyim (or Ma·tsohrʹ in a few cases, 2 Ki. 19:24; Isa. 19:6; 37:25; Mic. 7:12). The Tell el-Amarna letters of the late second millennium refer to Egypt as Misri, similar to the modern Arabic name for the land (Misr).

Many scholars hold that Mizraim is a dual form representing the duality of Egypt (that is, Upper and Lower Egypt), but this is conjectural. (See EGYPT, EGYPTIAN.) The names of Mizraim’s descendants are apparently plural forms: Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim and Caphtorim. (Gen. 10:13, 14; 1 Chron. 1:11, 12) For this reason it is usually suggested that they represent the names of tribes rather than individual sons. Although this is possible, it should be noted that there are other names that appear to be dual or plural in their construction, such as Ephraim, Appaim, Diblaim and Meshillemoth (Gen. 41:52; 1 Chron. 2:30, 31; Hos. 1:3; 2 Chron. 28:12), each obviously referring to only one individual.

MIZZAH

(Mizʹzah) [strong, firm].

A descendant of Esau through Reuel and a sheik of Edom. (Gen. 36:17; 1 Chron. 1:34-37) Mizzah was Esau’s grandson, as he is included among “the sons [or, “grandsons”] of Basemath, Esau’s wife,” who was Ishmael’s daughter and the mother of Reuel.—Gen. 36:2, 3, 10, 13.

MNASON

(Mnaʹson) [possibly, reminding].

A native of Cyprus and “an early disciple.” Paul and those with him were to be entertained in Mnason’s home as the apostle returned from his missionary journey in c. 56 C.E. Some disciples from Caesarea accompanied Paul’s group on the way from Caesarea to Jerusalem, to bring them to Mnason.—Acts 21:15-17.

MOAB

(Moʹab) [possibly, from (her) father], Moabites (Moʹab·ites).

1. The son of Lot by his older daughter. Like his half-brother Ammon, Moab was conceived after Lot and his daughters left Zoar and began dwelling in a cave of the nearby mountainous region. Moab became the forefather of the Moabites.—Gen. 19:30-38.

2. The territory anciently inhabited by the Moabites was called “Moab” and also the “field(s) of Moab.” (Gen. 36:35; Num. 21:20; Ruth 1:2; 1 Chron. 1:46; 8:8; Ps. 60:8) Earlier the Emim had resided in this land but were apparently displaced by the Moabites. (Deut. 2:9-11; compare verses 18-22.) Toward the close of Israel’s wilderness wandering the territory of Moab appears to have extended from the torrent valley of Zered in the S to the torrent valley of Arnon in the N (a distance of some 30 miles [48 kilometers]), the Dead Sea forming the W boundary and the Arabian desert an undefined E boundary. (Num. 21:11-13; Deut. 2:8, 9, 13, 18, 19) Rising sharply from the Dead Sea, this region is chiefly a tableland slashed by gorges and has an average elevation of some 3,000 feet (900 meters) above the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient times it afforded pasture for vast flocks (2 Ki. 3:4) and supported vineyards and orchards. (Compare Isaiah 16:6-10; Jeremiah 48:32, 33.) Grain was also cultivated.—Compare Deuteronomy 23:3, 4.

There was an earlier period when the land of Moab extended N of the Arnon and included the “desert plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho.” (Num. 22:1) But sometime before the arrival of the Israelites, Amorite King Sihon annexed this region and the Arnon came to be Moab’s N boundary. (Num. 21:26-30; Judg. 11:15-18) The Ammonites also suffered defeat at the hands of Sihon and were pushed to the N and E. The territory conquered from both peoples by the Amorites formed a wedge between Moab and Ammon, and thus Moab came to be bounded by Amorite territory on the N and Edomite territory on the S. (Judg. 11:13, 21, 22; compare Deuteronomy 2:8, 9, 13, 14, 18.) At its greatest extent the territory of Moab was approximately sixty miles (97 kilometers) from N to S and twenty-five miles (40 kilometers) from E to W.—See map on page 70.

Probably because a part of Amorite territory had once belonged to Moab, it continued to be called the “land of Moab.” (Deut. 1:5) It was in this former Moabite territory that the Israelites encamped before crossing the Jordan. (Num. 31:12; 33:48-51) There a second census was taken of Israel’s able-bodied men from twenty years old upward. (Num. 26:2-4, 63) Also there divine commands and judicial decisions were received about Levite cities, cities of refuge and inheritance. (Num. 35:1–36:13) There Moses delivered his final discourses and concluded with Israel the covenant of the repeated law. (Deut. 1:1-5; 29:1) Finally Moses ascended Mount Nebo to view the Promised Land and then died. For thirty days Israel mourned Moses’ death on the desert plains of Moab.—Deut. 32:49, 50; 34:1-6, 8.

MOAB’S RELATIONSHIP TO ISRAEL

As descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot, the Moabites were related to the Israelites. The languages of both peoples were very similar, as seen from the inscription on the Moabite Stone. Also, like the Israelites, the Moabites appear to have practiced circumcision. (Jer. 9:25, 26) Nevertheless, with few exceptions such as Ruth and King David’s mighty man Ithmah (Ruth 1:4, 16, 17; 1 Chron. 11:26, 46), the Moabites manifested great enmity toward Israel.

Before Israel’s entry into the Promised Land

The song of Moses about Jehovah’s destroying Egypt’s military might in the Red Sea indicated that news of this event would cause the “despots of Moab”