Mahanaim
    two camps, a place near the Jabbok, beyond Jordan, where Jacob
    was met by the "angels of God," and where he divided his retinue
    into "two hosts" on his return from Padan-aram (Gen. 32:2). This
    name was afterwards given to the town which was built at that
    place. It was the southern boundary of Bashan (Josh. 13:26, 30),
    and became a city of the Levites (21:38). Here Saul's son
    Ishbosheth reigned (2 Sam. 2:8, 12), while David reigned at
    Hebron. Here also, after a troubled reign, Ishbosheth was
    murdered by two of his own bodyguard (2 Sam. 4:5-7), who brought
    his head to David at Hebron, but were, instead of being
    rewarded, put to death by him for their cold-blooded murder.
    Many years after this, when he fled from Jerusalem on the
    rebellion of his son Absalom, David made Mahanaim, where
    Barzillai entertained him, his headquarters, and here he
    mustered his forces which were led against the army that had
    gathered around Absalom. It was while sitting at the gate of
    this town that tidings of the great and decisive battle between
    the two hosts and of the death of his son Absalom reached him,
    when he gave way to the most violent grief (2 Sam. 17:24-27).

      The only other reference to Mahanaim is as a station of one of
    Solomon's purveyors (1 Kings 4:14). It has been identified with
    the modern Mukhumah, a ruin found in a depressed plain called
    el-Bukie'a, "the little vale," near Penuel, south of the Jabbok,
    and north-east of es-Salt.



 Mahanaim, tents; two fields; two armies