מַחֲנֶה

From the study of Genesis 32:7

Range of meaning

From chanah, 'to encamp'. It means a camp or encampment: the place where a travelling group stops, and also the group itself. It is used often of military camps (Israel's camp in the wilderness, Philistine camps in Samuel), but also of caravans and households on the move.

Against the English

BSB, ESV and YLT have 'camps'. KJV 'bands' and WEB/NASB 'companies' keep the idea of a group of people but lose the link to the place-name Mahanaim. NIV/NLT 'groups' is the flattest and loses the camp-and-army picture altogether.

How it drifted

KJV's 'bands' meant 'companies of people' in 1611 (cf. 'a band of soldiers'). Modern readers may hear musical groups or just a vague 'group'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Very common in the Hebrew Bible (about 200 times), especially in Exodus–Numbers for Israel's camp and in Samuel for armies. The Greek Septuagint uses parembolē here, its normal word for an army camp.

From the study of Exodus 19:16

Range of meaning

A camp or encampment. Very often it means an army's camp (Judg 7; 1 Sam 17). It can also mean the company of people in the camp. In the wilderness books it is the organised camp of Israel, with purity rules about who may be inside (Num 5:1–4; Deut 23:10–15).

Against the English

'Camp' is accurate. English loses the military and organised sense somewhat. Israel is pictured as an ordered host, not a crowd of refugees.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 23:14: 'YHWH your God walks in the midst of your camp... so your camp must be holy.' Exod 32:17 uses 'a sound of war in the camp'.

From the study of Exodus 14:19

Range of meaning

From ḥānâ, 'to encamp'. An encampment, the people living in it, and very often an army in the field (Gen 32:7-10; 1 Sam 17:1; Judg 7). It can mean any travelling company, but military use is common and fits this setting.

Against the English

BSB/KJV/WEB/NASB 'camp'. ESV 'host' and NIV 'army' bring out the military sense. NLT drops the word and paraphrases as the people being led.

How it drifted

Modern 'camp' suggests tents, holidays or a resting place. Here it means a marching, organised host.

Used elsewhere in the period

Israel left Egypt 'by their hosts/divisions' (ṣivʾotām, 12:41, 51) and 'in battle formation' or 'armed' (ḥămušîm, 13:18, a disputed word). In 14:20 Egypt is also a maḥănēh. Num 2 and 10 describe Israel's camp in military divisions with a rear guard (Num 10:25). The Septuagint uses parembolē, the normal Greek word for a military camp.