Maon

Maon was a town on a high ridge in the Judean Wilderness south of Hebron, between Carmel (the Judean village) and Ziph (Joshua 15:55). David and his band of outlaws hid in the "wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon," and Saul came after them — David literally on one side of the mountain and Saul on the other — until a sudden Philistine raid forced Saul to break off the chase (1 Samuel 23:24-28). The most famous Maon episode is the story of Nabal: a wealthy sheep-master "whose business was in Carmel" but whose home was at Maon (1 Samuel 25:2). Nabal refused to give David's men food during sheep-shearing season, insulted them, and David swore to wipe out every male in the household. Nabal's wife Abigail intercepted David with a caravan of food and a brilliant speech that saved both her household and David's integrity. Ten days later "the Lord struck Nabal, and he died" — and Abigail became David's wife (1 Samuel 25:38-42).