(Naʹam) [Pleasant].

Son of Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, of the tribe of Judah.​—1Ch 4:1, 15.

(Naʹa·mah) [Pleasant].

1. Descendant of Cain; sister of Tubal-cain and the daughter of Lamech by Zillah.​—Ge 4:17-19, 22.

2. Ammonite wife of Solomon and mother of Rehoboam.​—1Ki 14:21; 2Ch 12:13.

3. A Judean city in the Shephelah. (Jos 15:20, 33, 41) Its exact location is uncertain.

(Naʹa·man) [from a root meaning “be pleasant”].

1. A grandson of Benjamin through his firstborn Bela. (1Ch 8:1-4, 7) Having founded a family, the Naamites in the tribe of Benjamin (Nu 26:40), Naaman himself is elsewhere listed as one of the “sons” of Benjamin.​—Ge 46:21.

2. A Syrian army chief of the tenth century B.C.E., during the reigns of Jehoram of Israel and Ben-hadad II of Syria. Naaman, ‘a great, valiant, mighty man held in esteem,’ was the one by whom “Jehovah had given salvation to Syria.” (2Ki 5:1) The Bible gives no details as to how or why Naaman was used to bring this salvation to Syria. One possibility is that Naaman headed the Syrian forces that successfully resisted the efforts of Assyrian King Shalmaneser III to overrun Syria. Since, by remaining free, Syria formed a buffer state between Israel and Assyria, this may have served the purpose of slowing down Assyria’s aggressive push in the W until Jehovah’s due time to allow the northern kingdom to go into exile.

Cured of Leprosy. Naaman was a leper, and while the Syrians did not demand his isolation as Jehovah’s law required of lepers in Israel, yet to learn how he might be cured of this loathsome disease was indeed welcome news. Such news came to him through his wife’s Israelite slave girl who told of a prophet in Samaria who could cure leprosy. Immediately Naaman set out for Samaria with a letter of introduction from Ben-hadad II. However, Israelite King Jehoram, after receiving him with coolness and suspicion, sent him to Elisha. Elisha did not meet Naaman personally but, instead, had his servant tell Naaman to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. His pride hurt, and apparently feeling he had unceremoniously and fruitlessly been run from one place to another, Naaman turned away in a rage. Had his attendants not reasoned with him and pointed out the reasonableness of the instructions, Naaman would have returned to his country still a leper. As it turned out, he bathed the seven times in the Jordan and was miraculously cleansed, the only leper whom Elisha was instrumental in curing.​—2Ki 5:1-14; Lu 4:27.

Becomes Worshiper of Jehovah. Now filled with gratitude and humble appreciation, the Syrian army chief returned to Elisha, a distance of perhaps 50 km (30 mi), and offered him a most generous gift, which the prophet insistently refused. Naaman then asked for some of the earth of Israel, “the load of a pair of mules,” to take home, that upon Israel’s soil he might offer sacrifices to Jehovah, vowing that from then on he would worship no other god. Perhaps Naaman had in mind offering sacrifices to Jehovah upon an altar of ground.​—2Ki 5:15-17; compare Ex 20:24, 25.

Naaman next requested that Jehovah forgive him when, in the performance of his civil duties, he bowed before the god Rimmon with the king, who evidently was old and infirm and leaned for support upon Naaman. If such was the case, then his bowing would be mechanical, being solely for the purpose of dutifully supporting the king’s body and not in personal worship. Elisha believed Naaman’s sincere request, replying, “Go in peace.”​—2Ki 5:18, 19.

After leaving, Naaman was overtaken by Elisha’s covetous servant Gehazi, who lyingly made it appear that Elisha had changed his mind and would, after all, accept some gifts. Naaman gladly granted him gifts of silver and garments. But for this greedy and lying act in which he tried, by misusing his office as Elisha’s attendant, to profit from the work of Jehovah’s spirit, Jehovah punished him by inflicting leprosy on him and on his offspring to time indefinite.​—2Ki 5:20-27.

(Naʹa·ma·thite) [Of (Belonging to) Naamah].

A designation applied to Job’s companion Zophar (Job 2:11; 11:1; 20:1; 42:9) and identifying his family or the place of his residence. Djebel-el-Naʽameh in NW Arabia has been presented as a possible location for Zophar’s home.

(Naʹa·mites) [Of (Belonging to) Naaman].

A family of Israelites descended from Benjamin’s grandson Naaman.​—Nu 26:38, 40.

(Naʹa·rah).

1. [Girl; Young Woman]. A wife of the Judean Ashhur by whom he had four sons.​—1Ch 4:1, 5, 6.

2. [from a root meaning “shake off”]. A city on the boundary of Ephraim (Jos 16:5, 7) thought to be the same as Naaran. (1Ch 7:28) Naarah is generally considered to correspond to the No·o·rathʹ of Eusebius’ Onomasticon (136, 24). Josephus seemingly calls this site Neara. He relates that half of its waters were diverted to irrigate the palms near Archelaus’ palace at Jericho. (Jewish Antiquities, XVII, 340 [xiii, 1]) It has tentatively been identified with Tell el-Jisr, about 3 km (2 mi) NW of Jericho.

(Naʹa·rai) [possibly a shortened form of Neariah, meaning “Boy (Young Man) of Jah”].

Son of Ezbai and a mighty man in David’s military forces. (1Ch 11:26, 37) He may be identical with “Paarai the Arbite” mentioned at 2 Samuel 23:35, in what seems to be a parallel list.

(Naʹa·ran) [from a root meaning “shake off”].

An Ephraimite border city (1Ch 7:20, 28), apparently the same as Naarah.​—Jos 16:5, 7; see NAARAH No. 2.

(Naʹbal) [Senseless; Stupid].

A wealthy Maonite sheep owner who pastured and sheared his flocks in Carmel of Judah. Nabal was also known as a Calebite, that is, a descendant of Caleb. Few Bible characters are so contemptuously described as is Nabal. “[He] was harsh and bad in his practices”; “he is too much of a good-for-nothing fellow [son of Belial] to speak to him”; “he repays . . . evil in return for good”; “senselessness is with him.”​—1Sa 25:2, 3, 17, 21, 25.

David’s men had protected Nabal’s flocks of 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats from marauding bands. After showing this kindness and not being guilty of any misappropriation, David requested Nabal to provide some material assistance for him and his men at shearing time, a traditional time of feasting and hospitality. But Nabal “screamed rebukes” at David’s messengers and sent them away empty-handed. Nabal’s own men feared David’s reaction but did not feel free to speak to Nabal about the matter. One of them, however, told Nabal’s wife Abigail. As David approached, intending to slay Nabal, Abigail met him with generous gifts of food and drink and persuaded him not to become guilty of shedding her husband’s blood. On her return home, she found Nabal “as drunk as could be,” so waited until the next morning to tell him of her encounter with David and how near death he had caused them all to come. Thereupon, Nabal’s “heart came to be dead inside him, and he himself became as a stone,” perhaps indicating some type of paralysis or else referring to the effect on Nabal’s inner emotions. (Compare De 28:28; Ps 102:4; 143:4.) About ten days later Nabal was struck dead by Jehovah. (1Sa 25:2-38) David then took the sensible and courageous Abigail as his wife.​—1Sa 25:39-42; 27:3; 30:5; 2Sa 2:2; 3:3.

(Nab·o·niʹdus) [from Babylonian meaning “Nebo [a Babylonian god] Is Exalted”].

Last supreme monarch of the Babylonian Empire; father of Belshazzar. On the basis of cuneiform texts he is believed to have ruled some 17 years (556-539 B.C.E.). He was given to literature, art, and religion.

In his own inscriptions Nabonidus claims to be of noble descent. A tablet found near ancient Haran gives evidence that Nabonidus’ mother or grandmother was a devotee of the moon-god Sin. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. Pritchard, 1974, pp. 311, 312) As king, Nabonidus showed great devotion to the worship of the moon-god, both at Haran and at Ur, where this god occupied a dominant position.​—PICTURE, Vol. 2, p. 324.

Cuneiform tablets of the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar (Nisan 617-Nisan 616 B.C.E.) list a certain Nabu-naʼid as the one “who is over the city,” and some historians believe this is the same Nabonidus who later became king. However, this would mean that Nabonidus was a very young man when placed in such administrative position and would make him extremely aged at the fall of Babylon, some 77 years later (539 B.C.E.).

Discussing events in the 20th year of Nebuchadnezzar (Nisan 605-Nisan 604 B.C.E.), the Greek historian Herodotus (I, 74) describes a treaty negotiated between the Lydians and the Medes by one “Labynetus the Babylonian” as mediator. Labynetus is considered to be Herodotus’ way of writing Nabonidus’ name. Later, Herodotus (I, 188) refers to Cyrus the Persian as fighting against the son of Labynetus and Nitocris.

In a book of the Yale Oriental Series entitled Nabonidus and Belshazzar, Professor R. P. Dougherty advances the supposition that Nitocris was the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and that therefore Nabonidus (Labynetus) was Nebuchadnezzar’s son-in-law. (1929, p. 63; see also pp. 17, 30.) In turn, the “son” of Nitocris and Nabonidus (Labynetus), mentioned by Herodotus, is thought to be Belshazzar, against whom Cyrus did indeed fight. Although based on much deductive and inductive reasoning, this argument might explain the reason for Nabonidus’ ascension to the Babylonian throne. It would also harmonize with the Biblical fact that Nebuchadnezzar is referred to as the “father” of Nabonidus’ son Belshazzar (Da 5:11, 18, 22), the term “father” at times having the meaning of grandfather or ancestor. This view would make Belshazzar a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.​—See, however, BELSHAZZAR.

Nabonidus’ ascension to the throne followed the assassination of Labashi-Marduk. Yet, the fact that in one of his inscriptions Nabonidus refers to himself as the “mighty delegate” of Nebuchadnezzar and Neriglissar indicates that he claimed that he gained the throne by legitimate means and was not a usurper.

In a number of prisms Nabonidus associates his firstborn son, Belshazzar, with himself in his prayers to the moon-god. (Documents From Old Testament Times, edited by D. W. Thomas, 1962, p. 73) An inscription shows that in his third year, prior to going out on a campaign that resulted in the conquest of Tema in Arabia, Nabonidus appointed Belshazzar to kingship in Babylon. The same text indicates that Nabonidus offended the people of his empire by concentrating worship on the moon-god and by failing to be in Babylon to celebrate the New Year’s festival. The document known as the Nabonidus Chronicle states that in the 7th, 9th, 10th, and 11th years of his reign Nabonidus was in the city of Tema, and in each case the statement is made: “The king did not come to Babylon [for the ceremonies of the month of Nisanu]; the (image of the) god Nebo did not come to Babylon, the (image of the) god Bel did not go out (of Esagila in procession), the fest[ival of the New Year was omitted].” (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 306) Due to the mutilated condition of the text, the record of the other years is incomplete.

Of the oasis city of Tema it is elsewhere recorded: “He made the town beautiful, built (there) [his palace] like the palace in Su·an·na (Babylon).” (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 313) Nabonidus appears to have established his royal residence in Tema, and other texts show that camel caravans carried provisions there from Babylonia. While not relinquishing his position as king of the empire, Nabonidus entrusted the administration of the government of Babylon to Belshazzar. Since Tema was a junction city on the ancient caravan routes along which gold and spices were transported through Arabia, Nabonidus’ interest in it may have been motivated by economic reasons or may have been based on factors of military strategy. The suggestion is also advanced that he considered it politically advisable to administer Babylonian affairs through his son. Other factors, such as the healthful climate of Tema and the prominence of moon worship in Arabia, have likewise been noted as possible motives for Nabonidus’ apparent preference for Tema.

There is no available information as to Nabonidus’ activities between his 12th year and his final year. Anticipating aggression from the Medes and Persians under Cyrus the Great, Nabonidus had entered into an alliance with the Lydian Empire and Egypt. The Nabonidus Chronicle shows Nabonidus back in Babylon in the year of the Medo-Persian assault, with the New Year’s festival being celebrated and the various gods of Babylonia being brought into the city. Regarding Cyrus’ advance, the Chronicle states that, following a victory at Opis, he captured Sippar (c. 60 km [37 mi] N of Babylon) and “Nabonidus fled.” Then follows the account of the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon, and it is stated that upon Nabonidus’ return there he was taken prisoner. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 306) The writings of Berossus, Babylonian priest of the third century B.C.E., relate that Nabonidus had gone out to engage Cyrus’ forces in battle but was defeated. They further tell that Nabonidus took refuge in Borsippa (SSW of Babylon) and that, after Babylon fell, Nabonidus surrendered to Cyrus and was thereafter deported to Carmania (in southern Persia). This account would coincide with the Biblical record at Daniel chapter 5, which shows that Belshazzar was the acting king in Babylon at the time of its overthrow.

As to the absence of any direct mention of Nabonidus in chapter 5 of Daniel, it may be noted that Daniel’s description deals with only a very few events prior to the fall of Babylon, and the actual collapse of the empire is set forth in but a few words. However, his rulership is apparently indicated at Daniel 5:7, 16, 29, where Belshazzar offers to make Daniel the third ruler in the kingdom, implying that Nabonidus was the first and Belshazzar the second. Thus, Professor Dougherty comments: “The fifth chapter of Daniel may be regarded as comporting with fact in not giving any place to Nabonidus in the narrative, for he seems to have had no share in the events which transpired when Gobryas [at the head of Cyrus’ army] entered the city.”​—Nabonidus and Belshazzar, pp. 195, 196; see also pp. 73, 170, 181; see Da 5:1, ftn.

What does the Nabonidus Chronicle actually contain?

Also called “Cyrus-Nabonidus Chronicle” and “The Annalistic Tablet of Cyrus,” this is a clay tablet fragment now kept in the British Museum. It primarily depicts the main events of the reign of Nabonidus, the last supreme monarch of Babylon, including a terse account of the fall of Babylon to the troops of Cyrus. Though it was no doubt originally from Babylon and written in Babylonian cuneiform script, scholars who have examined its script style say it may date from some time in the Seleucid period (312-65 B.C.E.), hence two centuries or more after Nabonidus’ day. It is considered almost certainly to be a copy of an earlier document. The tone of this chronicle so strongly glorifies Cyrus while presenting Nabonidus in a disparaging way that it is thought to have been the work of a Persian scribe, and in fact, it has been referred to as “Persian propaganda.” However, while such may be the case, historians feel that the circumstantial data it contains is nonetheless reliable.

In spite of the brevity of the Nabonidus Chronicle​—the tablet measures about 14 cm (5.5 in.) in breadth at the widest point and about the same in length​—it remains the most complete cuneiform record of the fall of Babylon available. In the third of its four columns, beginning with line 5, pertinent sections read: “[Seventeenth year:] . . . In the month of Tashritu, when Cyrus attacked the army of Akkad in Opis on the Tigris, the inhabitants of Akkad revolted, but he (Nabonidus) massacred the confused inhabitants. The 14th day, Sippar was seized without battle. Nabonidus fled. The 16th day, Gobryas (Ugbaru), the governor of Gutium and the army of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle. Afterwards Nabonidus was arrested in Babylon when he returned (there). . . . In the month of Arahshamnu, the 3rd day, Cyrus entered Babylon, green twigs were spread in front of him​—the state of ‘Peace’ (sulmu) was imposed upon the city.”​—Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 306.

It may be noted that the phrase “Seventeenth year” does not appear on the tablet, that portion of the text being damaged. This phrase is inserted by the translators because they believe that Nabonidus’ 17th regnal year was his last. So they assume that the fall of Babylon came in that year of his reign and that, if the tablet were not damaged, those words would appear in the space now damaged. Even if Nabonidus’ reign was of greater length than is generally supposed, this would not change the accepted date of 539 B.C.E. as the year of Babylon’s fall, for there are other sources pointing to that year. This factor, however, does lessen to some extent the value of the Nabonidus Chronicle.

While the year is missing, the month and day of the city’s fall, nevertheless, are on the remaining text. Using these, secular chronologers calculate the 16th day of Tashritu (Tishri) as falling on October 11, Julian calendar, and October 5, Gregorian calendar, in the year 539 B.C.E. Since this date is an accepted one, there being no evidence to the contrary, it is usable as a pivotal date in coordinating secular history with Bible history.​—See CHRONOLOGY.

Interestingly, the Chronicle says concerning the night of Babylon’s fall: “The army of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle.” This likely means without a general conflict and agrees with the prophecy of Jeremiah that ‘the mighty men of Babylon would cease to fight.’​—Jer 51:30.

Also of interest are the evident references to Belshazzar in the Chronicle. Although Belshazzar is not specifically named, in the light of later portions of the Chronicle (col. II, lines 5, 10, 19, 23), column 1, line 8, is construed by Sidney Smith, in his Babylonian Historical Texts: Relating to the Capture and Downfall of Babylon (London, 1924, p. 100), as showing that Nabonidus entrusted kingship to Belshazzar, making him coregent. Repeatedly the Chronicle states that the ‘crown prince was in Akkad [Babylonia]’ while Nabonidus himself was at Tema (in Arabia). However, the fact that Belshazzar is not mentioned by name nor is his death referred to in the Nabonidus Chronicle in no way brings into question the accuracy of the inspired book of Daniel, where the name Belshazzar appears eight times and his death concludes the graphic account of Babylon’s overthrow narrated in chapter 5. Quite to the contrary, cuneiform experts admit that the Nabonidus Chronicle is extremely brief, and in addition, as shown above, they are of the opinion that it was written to defame Nabonidus, not to give a detailed history. Indeed, as R. P. Dougherty says in his work Nabonidus and Belshazzar (p. 200): “The Scriptural account may be interpreted as excelling because it employs the name Belshazzar.”​—Italics ours.

Although column 4 of the Chronicle is badly broken, scholars have concluded from what remains that the subject was a later siege of Babylon, which had been taken over by some usurper. The first such siege of Babylon that followed Cyrus is thought to have been during the uprising of Nebuchadnezzar III, or Nidintu-Bel, who claimed to be a son of Nabonidus. He was defeated in the accession year of Darius I late in 522 B.C.E.

(Naʹboth).

A Jezreelite vineyard owner and victim of a wicked plot by Queen Jezebel. Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel was within sight of King Ahab’s palace. Naboth declined Ahab’s offer to buy the vineyard or to exchange it for a better vineyard somewhere else, because Jehovah had prohibited sale in perpetuity of a family inheritance. (1Ki 21:1-4; Le 25:23-28) Ahab’s wife Queen Jezebel, however, schemed to have two witnesses falsely accuse Naboth of blaspheming God and the king. Thereby Naboth and his sons were put to death (2Ki 9:26), enabling Ahab to take possession of the vineyard. Because of this murder, Elijah foretold that the dogs not only would eat up Jezebel but would also lick up Ahab’s blood in the same place they licked up Naboth’s blood. Ahab’s offspring would similarly be cut off. (1Ki 21:5-23) This divine pronouncement was carried out.​—1Ki 22:34, 38; 2Ki 9:21, 24-26, 35, 36; 10:1-11.

(Naʹcon) [possibly, Firmly Established].

According to 2 Samuel 6:6, the name of the threshing floor where Uzzah died for grabbing hold of the ark of the covenant. The parallel account at 1 Chronicles 13:9 says “Chidon,” probably indicating that one writer mentioned the name of the place, the other that of its owner, or that one name is an altered form of the other.

(Naʹdab) [Willing; Noble; Generous].

1. The firstborn son of Aaron and Elisheba. (Ex 6:23; 1Ch 6:3) Nadab was born in Egypt and made the great Exodus with Israel. He with his next younger brother Abihu and 70 other Israelites were called with Aaron and Moses up into Sinai, where they saw a vision of Jehovah. (Ex 24:1, 9-11) Nadab and his three brothers were all installed into the priesthood with their father. (Ex 28:1; 40:12-16) Evidently before the day was over, Nadab and Abihu abused their office by offering illegitimate fire. Just what made the fire illegitimate is not stated, but it was probably more than just getting intoxicated (suggested by the immediate prohibition to priests not to drink wine or intoxicating liquor when on duty). However, intoxication may have contributed to their wrongdoing. For their transgression, they were killed by fire from Jehovah and their bodies were disposed of outside the camp. (Le 10:1-11; Nu 26:60, 61) Nadab and Abihu died before they had fathered any sons, leaving their brothers Eleazar and Ithamar to found the two priestly houses.​—Nu 3:2, 4; 1Ch 24:1, 2.

2. A descendant of Judah in the line of Jerahmeel; son of Shammai and father to Seled and Appaim.​—1Ch 2:3, 25, 26, 28, 30.

3. A son of Jeiel of the tribe of Benjamin.​—1Ch 8:1, 29, 30; 9:35, 36.

4. Son of Jeroboam and second king of the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Nadab ruled for parts of two years, starting in about 976 B.C.E., during which he continued the calf worship instituted by his father. While besieging Gibbethon, a former Levite city (Jos 21:20, 23) taken over by the Philistines, Nadab was assassinated by Baasha, who then killed off all remaining members of Jeroboam’s house in order to secure the throne for himself.​—1Ki 14:20; 15:25-31.

(Nagʹga·i).

Ancestor of Jesus Christ listed in his genealogy as given by Luke.​—Lu 3:23, 25.

(Na·halʹal) [Watering Place; Pasture].

A city in Zebulun assigned to the Merarite Levites. (Jos 19:10, 14, 15; 21:34, 35) It was also called Nahalol. Instead of driving out the Canaanites inhabiting this city as divinely instructed, the Zebulunites subjected them to forced labor. (Jg 1:30; 2:2) The site of Nahalal is uncertain.

(Na·halʹi·el) [Torrent (Torrent Valley) of God].

A place where the Israelites encamped not long before their fight with Amorite King Sihon. (Nu 21:19-24) Eusebius’ Onomasticon locates it near the Arnon. Nahaliel is therefore commonly linked with one of two wadis, the Wala (a tributary of the Arnon) and the Zarqa Maʽin about 19 km (12 mi) N of the Arnon. A location on either of these wadis would fit the suggested identifications for Mattanah and Bamoth, the two Israelite encampments between which Nahaliel apparently lay.

(Naʹha·lol) [Watering Place; Pasture].

Alternate name for Nahalal, a city in Zebulun.​—Jg 1:30.

(Naʹham) [Comfort].

Brother-in-law of Hodiah, a descendant of Judah.​—1Ch 4:1, 19.

(Na·hamʹa·ni) [from a root meaning “comfort”].

One who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylonian exile.​—Ne 7:6, 7.

(Naʹha·rai).

A Beerothite (Berothite) and one of Joab’s armor-bearers. Naharai was among the mighty men of David’s military forces.​—2Sa 23:24, 37; 1Ch 11:26, 39.

(Naʹhash) [Serpent].

1. King of the Ammonites at the time Saul began his reign. Nahash brought his army against Jabesh in Gilead. The account reads: “At that all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash: ‘Conclude a covenant with us that we may serve you.’ Then Nahash the Ammonite said to them: ‘On this condition I shall conclude it with you, on the condition of boring out every right eye of yours, and I must put it as a reproach upon all Israel.’ In turn the older men of Jabesh said to him: ‘Give us seven days’ time, and we will send messengers into all the territory of Israel and, if there is no savior of us, we must then go out to you.’” Israel rallied around Saul, went to Jabesh, and defeated Nahash. Only a few of Nahash’s army escaped alive.​—1Sa 11:1-11; 12:11, 12.

In a Dead Sea scroll, designated 4QSam⁠^a and believed to be from the first century B.C.E., the following information is inserted just before 1 Samuel 11:1: “[Na]hash, king of the children of Ammon, sorely oppressed the children of Gad and the children of Reuben, and he gouged out a[ll] their right eyes and struck ter[ror and dread] in Israel. There was not left one among the children of Israel bey[ond the Jordan who]se right eye was no[t put o]ut by Naha[sh king] of the children of Ammon; except that seven thousand men [fled from] the children of [A]mmon and entered [J]abesh-Gilead. About a month later . . .” (Bible Review, 1985, Vol. 1, No. 3, p. 28) Basically the same information is given by Josephus.​—Jewish Antiquities, VI, 68-70 (v, 1).

According to Josephus (Jewish Antiquities, VI, 79 [v, 3]), this Nahash was killed in the battle by Saul’s forces. If Josephus’ information is correct, then the Nahash that extended kindness to David some years later must have been a son and successor to the Nahash defeated by Saul. In such a case, the name Nahash may have been a title bestowed on a series of persons, like the titles “Abimelech,” “Pharaoh,” and “Jabin.” When this second-named Nahash died, David sent ambassadors to his son Hanun, who misunderstood David’s honorable intentions and greatly humiliated his representatives. This, in turn, triggered a series of developments that eventually left the Ammonites defeated at the hands of David.​—2Sa 10:1-5; 11:1; 12:26-31; 1Ch 19:1-5; 20:1-3.

2. The father of David’s sister or half sister Abigail and possibly the father of Zeruiah. He was the grandfather of Amasa, and perhaps also of Abishai, Asahel, and Joab. (2Sa 17:25; 1Ch 2:16, 17) Abigail is called “the daughter of Nahash,” but she and her sister are not directly called the daughters of Jesse, David’s father, though they are referred to as the “sisters” of Jesse’s sons, including David. This leaves several possible relationships: (1) That Nahash was a woman, Jesse’s wife and the mother of all involved (the name could be given to either sex), but this is not very likely because women were usually introduced into a genealogy only for special reasons, which here seem to be missing. (2) That Nahash was another name for Jesse, as is suggested by early Jewish tradition. The Greek Septuagint (Lagardian edition) has “Jesse” instead of Nahash in 2 Samuel 17:25. (3) That Nahash was a former husband of Jesse’s wife (a more likely suggestion) and that she bore Nahash two daughters, Abigail and Zeruiah, before marrying Jesse and bearing him several boys.​—See ABIGAIL No. 2.

3. A resident of the Ammonite city of Rabbah. His son Shobi showed kindness to David by sending him supplies when he fled to Mahanaim because of Absalom’s rebellion. (2Sa 17:27-29) He was possibly an Israelite who went to live in Rabbah after the Ammonites there were defeated by Israel.​—2Sa 12:26-31.

(Naʹhath) [Rest; Quietness].

1. Sheik of Edom, son of Reuel and grandson of Esau and his wife Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter.​—Ge 36:2-4, 13, 17.

2. A Levite, descendant of Kohath, and ancestor of Samuel. (1Ch 6:16, 22-28) He is apparently also called “Tohu” and “Toah.”​—1Sa 1:1; 1Ch 6:33-35.

3. A Levite appointed by King Hezekiah as commissioner to assist Conaniah and Shimei with the oversight of “the contribution and the tenth and the holy things” brought to the temple.​—2Ch 31:12, 13.

(Nahʹbi).

Son of Vophsi of the tribe of Naphtali. He was one of the 12 men Moses sent to spy out the land of Canaan and was among those returning with a bad report.​—Nu 13:1-3, 14, 16, 31-33.

(Naʹhor).

1. Father of Terah and grandfather of Abraham. Nahor was a son of Serug and descendant of Shem. He lived 148 years (2177 to 2029 B.C.E.).​—Ge 11:22-26; 1Ch 1:24-27; Lu 3:34-36.

2. Son of Terah; grandson of Nahor (No. 1); and brother of Abraham. (Ge 11:26; Jos 24:2) Nahor married Milcah, Lot’s sister and the daughter of Nahor’s other brother, Haran, hence Nahor’s niece. By her he had 8 sons, and by his concubine Reumah he had 4 more sons, totaling 12, some of whom became tribal heads. (Ge 11:27, 29; 22:20-24) Through his son Bethuel, Nahor became grandfather to Laban and Rebekah, and great-grandfather of Leah, Rachel, Jacob (Israel), and Esau.​—Ge 24:15, 24, 47; 29:5, 16; 1Ch 1:34.

The Genesis account of Terah and Abraham leaving Ur of the Chaldeans does not include Nahor’s name in the list of travelers. (Ge 11:31) It does seem, however, that he may have come later, for Abraham’s servant, seeking a wife for Isaac, traveled to Haran, where Terah took up dwelling and where he died, and where Nahor’s grandson Laban lived when Jacob went to him. (Ge 11:31, 32; 12:4; 27:43) Abraham’s servant came “to the city of Nahor,” either to Haran itself or a place close by, perhaps the Nahur frequently mentioned in various Mari tablets of the second millennium B.C.E. (Ge 24:10; 29:4; The Biblical Archaeologist, 1948, p. 16) And when Jacob parted company from Laban, Laban called on “the god of Abraham and the god of Nahor” to judge between them.​—Ge 31:53; see HARAN No. 4.

(Nahʹshon) [from a root meaning “serpent”].

Wilderness chieftain of the tribe of Judah. Nahshon was the son of Amminadab and among the fifth-listed generation after Judah. (1Ch 2:3-10) His sister was Aaron’s wife. (Ex 6:23) Nahshon formed a link in the line of descent that led to David and Jesus, becoming father to Salmon, who married Rahab, and grandfather of Boaz, who, in turn, married Ruth.​—1Ch 2:11-15; Ru 4:20; Mt 1:4-6, 16; Lu 3:32.

As chieftain of Judah, the leading tribe of Israel, Nahshon assisted Moses with the first wilderness registration of fighting men. He presented a contribution to the tabernacle service when the altar was inaugurated, and he headed Judah’s army of 74,600 that led Israel’s line of march.​—Nu 1:2-7; 2:3, 4; 7:2, 11-17; 10:14.

(Naʹhum) [Comforter [that is, an encourager]].

1. An Israelite prophet of the seventh century B.C.E. and the writer of the book bearing his name. Nahum may have been in Judah at the time he recorded his prophecy. (Na 1:15) His being an Elkoshite evidently means that he was a resident of Elkosh, possibly a city or village of Judah.​—Na 1:1; see ELKOSHITE.

2. A postexilic ancestor of Jesus Christ in the line of his earthly mother Mary.​—Lu 3:25.

This book is a prophetic “pronouncement against Nineveh,” the capital of the Assyrian Empire. This Bible book was written by Nahum the Elkoshite. (Na 1:1) The historical fulfillment of that prophetic pronouncement testifies to the authenticity of the book. Sometime after the Egyptian city of No-amon (Thebes) suffered humiliating defeat in the seventh century B.C.E. (3:8-10), the book of Nahum was committed to writing, being completed before Nineveh’s foretold destruction came in 632 B.C.E.​—See ASSYRIA; NINEVEH.

Harmony With Other Bible Books. The book of Nahum agrees fully with the rest of the Scriptures in describing Jehovah as “a God exacting exclusive devotion,” “slow to anger and great in power,” but by no means withholding punishment. (Na 1:2, 3; compare Ex 20:5; 34:6, 7; Job 9:4; Ps 62:11.) “Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of distress. And he is cognizant of those seeking refuge in him.” (Na 1:7; compare Ps 25:8; 46:1; Isa 25:4; Mt 19:17.) These qualities are clearly manifest in his delivering the Israelites from Assyrian oppression and executing vengeance against bloodguilty Nineveh after a considerable period of forbearance.

Noteworthy, too, are the similarities between Nahum chapter 1 and Psalm 97. The words of Isaiah (10:24-27; 30:27-33) regarding Jehovah’s judgment against Assyria parallel, to an extent, Nahum chapters 2 and 3.​—Also compare Isa 52:7; Na 1:15; Ro 10:15.

Historical Background. Although assured that the conspiracy of Syrian King Rezin and Israelite King Pekah would fail in the attempt to depose him as king (Isa 7:3-7), faithless Ahaz of Judah unwisely appealed to Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III (Tilgath-pilneser) for aid. Eventually this move “caused him distress, and did not strengthen him,” for Judah came under the heavy yoke of Assyria. (2Ch 28:20, 21) Later, Ahaz’ son and successor to the throne, Hezekiah, rebelled against Assyrian dominance. (2Ki 18:7) Thereafter the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib invaded Judah and seized one fortified city after another, this resulting in extensive desolation of the land. (Compare Isa 7:20, 23-25; 8:6-8; 36:1, 2.) The next Judean king, Manasseh, was captured by Assyrian army chiefs and taken to Babylon (then under Assyrian control).​—2Ch 33:11.

Since Judah had thus suffered long under the heavy hand of Assyria, Nahum’s prophecy regarding Nineveh’s imminent destruction was good news. As if Assyria had already experienced its downfall, Nahum wrote: “Look! Upon the mountains the feet of one bringing good news, one publishing peace. O Judah, celebrate your festivals. Pay your vows; because no more will any good-for-nothing person pass again through you. In his entirety he will certainly be cut off.” (Na 1:15) No longer would there be any interference from the Assyrians; nothing would hinder the Judeans from attending or celebrating the festivals. The deliverance from the Assyrian oppressor would be complete. (Compare Na 1:9.) Also, all other peoples hearing about Nineveh’s destruction would “clap their hands,” or rejoice, over her calamity, for the city’s badness had brought much suffering to them.​—3:19.

The military aggressiveness of the Assyrians made Nineveh a “city of bloodshed.” (Na 3:1) Cruel and inhuman was the treatment meted out to captives of her wars. Some were burned or skinned alive. Others were blinded or had their noses, ears, or fingers cut off. Frequently, captives were led by cords attached to hooks that pierced the nose or lips. Truly Nineveh deserved to be destroyed for her bloodguiltiness.

[Box on page 462]

HIGHLIGHTS OF NAHUM

A pronouncement against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria

Written sometime before Nineveh was destroyed in 632 B.C.E.

Jehovah executes vengeance upon his adversaries (1:1-6)

Jehovah requires exclusive devotion; though he is slow to anger, he does not hold back punishment when deserved

No one can stand against the heat of his anger; before him the seas dry up, mountains rock, the hills melt, the earth heaves

Execution of the wicked affords relief for those hoping in Jehovah (1:7–3:19)

Jehovah is a protective stronghold for those relying on him, but he will exterminate the enemy

Good news will be announced to Judah; the “good-for-nothing person” will be cut off, and true worship will be carried on without hindrance

Jehovah will regather his own, but Nineveh will be laid waste, and her war chariots burned

The bloodguilty city is to be plundered as a punishment for her sins; nothing can save her, her warriors have become as women

The stroke inflicted on the king of Assyria has become unhealable

Ancient nails were quite similar to the larger modern ones, although some kinds had four-sided shanks and a longer taper to the point than those in use today. Apparently, earliest nails were made of bronze, though larger nails of later times were made of iron. David prepared “iron in great quantity for nails for the doors of the gates” of the prospective temple. (1Ch 22:3) Ornamental nails have been discovered that were made of bronze overlaid with gold foil, and these are said to date back to about 1300-1200 B.C.E. Concerning nails used in the construction of Solomon’s temple it is said: “The weight for the nails was fifty gold shekels [0.6 kg; 1.5 lb t].”​—2Ch 3:8, 9.

In 1968, in an excavated tomb located just NE of Jerusalem, the remains were found of a Jew who was executed in the first century by being attached to a torture stake. As shown by subsequent studies, an iron nail 11.5 cm (4.5 in.) long was still piercing the right heel bone. This nail may be similar to the nails employed by the Roman soldiers to impale Jesus Christ. Thomas did not believe that Christ was resurrected until after he saw “the print of the nails” in Jesus’ flesh.​—Joh 20:24-29.

Figurative Use. Jesus’ death on the torture stake resulted in the termination of the Mosaic Law covenant. Referring to its cancellation, Paul pointed out that God took the Law out of the way “by nailing it to the torture stake.” (Col 2:13, 14) Solomon likened “those indulging in collections of sentences” to “nails driven in,” possibly because they and their good words from Jehovah have a stabilizing and supporting effect upon a hearer.​—Ec 12:11.

(Naʹin).

A Galilean city where Jesus Christ resurrected the only son of a widow. (Lu 7:11-17) Nain is identified with the village of Nein (Naʽim) on the NW side of Jebel Dahi (Givʽat Ha-More; the hill of Moreh), about 10 km (6 mi) SSE of Nazareth. It is situated in the general area indicated by Jerome and Eusebius for the ancient site. Overlooking the Plain of Jezreel (Esdraelon), Nein lies in an attractive natural setting. Also waters from a spring there support fine groves of olive and fig trees. Today the village is quite small, but ruins in the area show that it was much larger in earlier centuries.​—PICTURE, Vol. 2, p. 738.

In 31 C.E., during his first preaching tour of Galilee, Christ Jesus came to Nain from the vicinity of Capernaum. (Lu 7:1-11) A distance of about 35 km (22 mi) separated the two locations. “The gate” may simply have been an opening between the houses by which a road entered Nain, there being no evidence that a wall ever surrounded the city. It was probably at the eastern entrance of Nain that Jesus and his disciples met the funeral procession, which was perhaps headed for the hillside tombs lying to the SE of modern Nein. Moved with pity for the now childless widow, Jesus approached the bier and resurrected the widow’s son. News of this miracle spread throughout the region and even reached Judea. The event may also be alluded to by the words “the dead are being raised up,” forming part of Jesus’ reply to the messengers later sent by the imprisoned John the Baptizer.​—Lu 7:11-22.

(Naiʹoth).

Seemingly a place where certain prophets resided in the time of Samuel. (1Sa 19:18–20:1) It may refer to a certain locality or quarter of the town of Ramah, in the hill country of Ephraim. (See RAMAH No. 5.) Textual critic S. R. Driver corroborates this view, observing: “Probably it is the name of some locality in Ramah, the signification of which is lost to us.”​—Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, Oxford, 1966, p. 159.

A word or phrase that constitutes a distinctive designation of a person, place, animal, plant, or other object. “Name” can mean a person’s reputation or the person himself.

“Every family in heaven and on earth owes its name” to Jehovah God. (Eph 3:14, 15) He established the first human family and permitted Adam and Eve to have children. Therefore, the earthly lines of descent owe their name to him. He is also the Father of his heavenly family. And just as he calls all the countless stars by their names (Ps 147:4), he undoubtedly gave names to the angels.​—Jg 13:18.

An interesting example of how something completely new was named involves the miraculously provided manna. When the Israelites first saw it, they exclaimed: “What is it?” (man huʼ?) (Ex 16:15) It was apparently for this reason that they called it “manna,” probably meaning “What is it?”​—Ex 16:31.

Scholarly opinions vary as to the origin of certain names, their component roots, and their meaning. For these reasons, the meanings offered for Bible names differ from one reference work to another. In this publication the primary authority for determining the meanings of names is the Bible itself. An example is the meaning of the name Babel. At Genesis 11:9, Moses wrote: “That is why its name was called Babel, because there Jehovah had confused the language of all the earth.” Moses here links “Babel” to the root verb ba·lalʹ (confuse), thus indicating that “Babel” means “Confusion.”

Bible names variously consist of single elements, phrases, or sentences; those of more than one syllable often have shortened forms. Where the Bible does not specifically state the origin of a name, an effort has been made to determine its root or component parts by using respected modern dictionaries. The dictionary employed to determine the roots of the Hebrew and Aramaic names is entitled Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros (by L. Koehler and W. Baumgartner, Leiden, 1958), with its partially completed revision. For Greek names, the ninth edition of A Greek-English Lexicon (by H. G. Liddell and R. Scott and revised by H. S. Jones, Oxford, 1968) was the principal dictionary consulted. Renderings found in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures were then used to assign meanings to these roots. For example, the name Elnathan is made up of the roots ʼEl (God) and na·thanʹ (give), thus meaning “God Has Given.”​—Compare Ge 28:4, where na·thanʹ is rendered “has given.”

Names of Animals and Plants. Jehovah God granted to the first man Adam the privilege of naming the lower creatures. (Ge 2:19) The names given doubtless were descriptive. This is suggested by some of the Hebrew names for animals and even plants. A Hebrew word for “ass” (chamohrʹ) evidently comes from a root meaning “become reddened,” referring to the animal’s usual color. The Hebrew name for turtledove (tohr or tor) evidently imitates this bird’s plaintive cry of “tur-r-r tur-r-r.” “Awakening one” designates the almond tree, apparently because of its being one of the earliest trees to bloom.

Place-Names and Topographical Features. Sometimes men named places after themselves, their offspring, or their ancestors. Murderous Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch. (Ge 4:17) Nobah began calling the conquered city of Kenath by his own name. (Nu 32:42) The Danites, after capturing Leshem, called that city Dan, this being the name of their forefather.​—Jos 19:47; see also De 3:14.

As in the case of altars (Ex 17:14-16), wells (Ge 26:19-22), and springs (Jg 15:19), places were often named on the basis of events that occurred there. Examples of this are Babel (Ge 11:9), Jehovah-jireh (Ge 22:13, 14), Beer-sheba (Ge 26:28-33), Bethel (Ge 28:10-19), Galeed (Ge 31:44-47), Succoth (Ge 33:17), Abel-mizraim (Ge 50:11), Massah, Meribah (Ex 17:7), Taberah (Nu 11:3), Kibroth-hattaavah (Nu 11:34), Hormah (Nu 21:3), Gilgal (Jos 5:9), the Low Plain of Achor (Jos 7:26), and Baal-perazim (2Sa 5:20).

There were instances when physical features provided the basis for the names of places, mountains, and rivers. The cities of Geba and Gibeah (both meaning “Hill”) doubtless got their names because of occupying hills. Lebanon (meaning “White [Mountain]”) may have received its name from the light color of its limestone cliffs and summits or from the circumstance that its upper slopes are covered with snow during a major part of the year. In view of their situation near wells, springs, and watercourses, towns and cities often were given names prefixed by “en” (fountain, or, spring), “beer” (well), and “abel” (watercourse).

Other names were derived from such characteristics as size, occupation, and produce. Examples are Bethlehem (meaning “House of Bread”), Bethsaida (House of the Hunter (or, Fisherman)), Gath (Winepress), and Bezer (Unapproachable Place).

Places were also called by the names of animals and plants, many of these names appearing in compound form. Among these were Aijalon (meaning “Place of the Hind; Place of the Stag”), En-gedi (Fountain (Spring) of the Kid), En-eglaim (Fountain (Spring) of Two Calves), Akrabbim (Scorpions), Baal-tamar (Owner of the Palm Tree), and En-Tappuah (Fountain (Spring) of the Apple (Tree)).

“Beth” (meaning “house”), “baal” (owner; master), and “kiriath” (town) frequently formed the initial part of compound names.

Names of Persons. In the earlier period of Biblical history, names were given to children at the time of birth. But later, Hebrew boys were named when they were circumcised on the eighth day. (Lu 1:59; 2:21) Usually either the father or the mother named the infant. (Ge 4:25; 5:29; 16:15; 19:37, 38; 29:32) One notable exception, however, was the son born to Boaz by Ruth. The neighbor ladies of Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi named the boy Obed (meaning “Servant; One Serving”). (Ru 4:13-17) There were also times when parents received divine direction about the name to be given to their children. Among those getting their names in this way were Ishmael (God Hears (Listens)) (Ge 16:11), Isaac (Laughter) (Ge 17:19), Solomon (from a root meaning “peace”) (1Ch 22:9), and John (English equivalent of Jehohanan, meaning “Jehovah Has Shown Favor; Jehovah Has Been Gracious”) (Lu 1:13).

Especially did names given at divine direction often have prophetic significance. The name of Isaiah’s son Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning “Hurry, O Spoil! He Has Made Haste to the Plunder; or, Hurrying to the Spoil, He Has Made Haste to the Plunder”) showed that the king of Assyria would subjugate Damascus and Samaria. (Isa 8:3, 4) The name of Hosea’s son Jezreel (God Will Sow Seed) pointed to a future accounting against the house of Jehu. (Ho 1:4) The names of the two other children borne by Hosea’s wife, Lo-ruhamah ([She Was] Not Shown Mercy) and Lo-ammi (Not My People), were indicative of Jehovah’s rejecting Israel. (Ho 1:6-10) In the case of the Son of God, the name Jesus (Jehovah Is Salvation) was prophetic of his role as Jehovah’s appointed Savior, or means of salvation.​—Mt 1:21; Lu 2:30.

The name given to a child often reflected the circumstances associated with its birth or the feelings of the father or the mother. (Ge 29:32–30:13, 17-20, 22-24; 35:18; 41:51, 52; Ex 2:22; 1Sa 1:20; 4:20-22) Eve named her firstborn Cain (meaning “Something Produced”), for, as she said: “I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah.” (Ge 4:1) Regarding him as a replacement for Abel, Eve gave the son born to her after Abel’s murder the name Seth (Appointed; Put; Set). (Ge 4:25) Isaac named his younger twin son Jacob (One Seizing the Heel; Supplanter) because at birth this boy was holding on to the heel of Esau his brother.​—Ge 25:26; compare the case of Perez at Ge 38:28, 29.

Sometimes what an infant looked like at birth provided the basis for its name. The firstborn son of Isaac was called Esau (meaning “Hairy”) on account of his unusual hairy appearance at birth.​—Ge 25:25.

Names given to children were often combined with El (meaning “God”) or an abbreviation of the divine name Jehovah. Such names could express the hope of parents, reflect their appreciation for having been blessed with offspring, or make acknowledgment of God. Examples are Jehdeiah (possibly, May Jehovah Feel Glad), Elnathan (God Has Given), Jeberechiah (Jehovah Blesses), Jonathan (Jehovah Has Given), Jehozabad (probably, Jehovah Has Endowed), Eldad (possibly, God Has Loved), Abdiel (Servant of God), Daniel (My Judge Is God), Jehozadak (probably, Jehovah Pronounces Righteous), and Pelatiah (Jehovah Has Provided Escape).

“Ab” (meaning “father”), “ah” (brother), “am” (people), “bath” (daughter), and “ben” (son) were a part of compound names such as Abida (Father Has Known (Me)), Abijah (My Father Is Jehovah), Ahiezer (My Brother Is a Helper), Ammihud (My People Is Dignity), Amminadab (My People Are Willing (Noble; Generous)), Bath-sheba (Daughter of Plenty; possibly, Daughter [Born on] the Seventh [Day]), and Ben-hanan (Son of the One Showing Favor; Son of the Gracious One). “Melech” (king), “adon” (lord), and “baal” (owner; master) were also combined with other words to form such compound names as Abimelech (My Father Is King), Adonijah (Jehovah Is Lord), and Baal-tamar (Owner of the Palm Tree).

The designations for animals and plants were yet another source of names for people. Some of these names are Deborah (meaning “Bee”), Dorcas or Tabitha (Gazelle), Jonah (Dove), Rachel (Ewe; Female Sheep), Shaphan (Rock Badger), and Tamar (Palm Tree).

As indicated by the repetition of certain names in genealogical lists, it apparently became a common practice to name children after a relative. (See 1Ch 6:9-14, 34-36.) It was for this reason that relatives and acquaintances objected to Elizabeth’s wanting to name her newborn son John.​—Lu 1:57-61; see GENEALOGY (Repetition of names).

In the first century C.E. it was not uncommon for Jews, especially those living outside Israel or in cities having a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles, to have a Hebrew or an Aramaic name along with a Latin or Greek name. This may be why Dorcas was also called Tabitha and the apostle Paul was also named Saul.

At times names came to be regarded as a reflection of an individual’s personality or characteristic tendencies. Esau, with reference to his brother, remarked: “Is that not why his name is called Jacob [One Seizing the Heel; Supplanter], in that he should supplant me these two times? My birthright he has already taken, and here at this time he has taken my blessing!” (Ge 27:36) Abigail observed regarding her husband: “As his name is, so is he. Nabal [Senseless; Stupid] is his name, and senselessness is with him.” (1Sa 25:25) No longer considering her name to be appropriate in view of the calamities that had befallen her, Naomi said: “Do not call me Naomi [My Pleasantness]. Call me Mara [Bitter], for the Almighty has made it very bitter for me.”​—Ru 1:20.

Name changes or new names. Sometimes for a particular purpose names were changed or a person might be given an additional name. While dying, Rachel called her newborn son Ben-oni (meaning “Son of My Mourning”), but her bereaved husband Jacob chose to name him Benjamin (Son of the Right Hand). (Ge 35:16-18) Jehovah changed the name of Abram to Abraham (Father of a Crowd (Multitude)) and that of Sarai (possibly, Contentious) to Sarah (Princess), both new names being prophetic. (Ge 17:5, 6, 15, 16) Because of his perseverance in grappling with an angel, Jacob was told: “Your name will no longer be called Jacob but Israel [Contender (Perseverer) With God; or, God Contends], for you have contended with God and with men so that you at last prevailed.” (Ge 32:28) This change in name was a token of God’s blessing and was later confirmed. (Ge 35:10) Evidently, therefore, when the Scriptures prophetically speak of “a new name,” the reference is to a name that would appropriately represent its bearer.​—Isa 62:2; 65:15; Re 3:12.

At times new names were given to persons elevated to high governmental positions or to those to whom special privileges were extended. Since such names were bestowed by superiors, the name change might also signify that the bearer of the new name was subject to its giver. Subsequent to his becoming Egypt’s food administrator, Joseph was called Zaphenath-paneah. (Ge 41:44, 45) Pharaoh Nechoh, when constituting Eliakim as vassal king of Judah, changed his name to Jehoiakim. (2Ki 23:34) Likewise, Nebuchadnezzar, in making Mattaniah his vassal, changed his name to Zedekiah. (2Ki 24:17) Daniel and his three Hebrew companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were given Babylonian names after being selected for special training in Babylon.​—Da 1:3-7.

An event in a person’s later life sometimes provided the basis for giving a new name to a person. Esau, for example, got his name Edom (meaning “Red”) from the red lentil stew for which he sold his birthright.​—Ge 25:30-34.

Names of Angels. The Bible contains the personal names of only two angels, Gabriel (meaning “Able-Bodied One of God”) and Michael (Who Is Like God?). Perhaps so as not to receive undue honor or veneration, angels at times did not reveal their names to persons to whom they appeared.​—Ge 32:29; Jg 13:17, 18.

What is included in knowing the name of God?

The material creation testifies to God’s existence, but it does not reveal God’s name. (Ps 19:1; Ro 1:20) For an individual to know God’s name signifies more than a mere acquaintance with the word. (2Ch 6:33) It means actually knowing the Person​—his purposes, activities, and qualities as revealed in his Word. (Compare 1Ki 8:41-43; 9:3, 7; Ne 9:10.) This is illustrated in the case of Moses, a man whom Jehovah ‘knew by name,’ that is, knew intimately. (Ex 33:12) Moses was privileged to see a manifestation of Jehovah’s glory and also to ‘hear the name of Jehovah declared.’ (Ex 34:5) That declaration was not simply the repetition of the name Jehovah but was a statement about God’s attributes and activities. “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but by no means will he give exemption from punishment, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon grandsons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation.” (Ex 34:6, 7) Similarly, the song of Moses, containing the words “for I shall declare the name of Jehovah,” recounts God’s dealings with Israel and describes his personality.​—De 32:3-44.

When Jesus Christ was on earth, he ‘made his Father’s name manifest’ to his disciples. (Joh 17:6, 26) Although having earlier known that name and being familiar with God’s activities as recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, these disciples came to know Jehovah in a far better and grander way through the One who is “in the bosom position with the Father.” (Joh 1:18) Christ Jesus perfectly represented his Father, doing the works of his Father and speaking, not of his own originality, but the words of his Father. (Joh 10:37, 38; 12:50; 14:10, 11, 24) That is why Jesus could say, “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.”​—Joh 14:9.

This clearly shows that the only ones truly knowing God’s name are those who are his obedient servants. (Compare 1Jo 4:8; 5:2, 3.) Jehovah’s assurance at Psalm 91:14, therefore, applies to such persons: “I shall protect him because he has come to know my name.” The name itself is no magical charm, but the One designated by that name can provide protection for his devoted people. Thus the name represents God himself. That is why the proverb says: “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.” (Pr 18:10) This is what persons do who cast their burden on Jehovah. (Ps 55:22) Likewise, to love (Ps 5:11), sing praises to (Ps 7:17), call upon (Ge 12:8), give thanks to (1Ch 16:35), swear by (De 6:13), remember (Ps 119:55), fear (Ps 61:5), search for (Ps 83:16), trust (Ps 33:21), exalt (Ps 34:3), and hope in (Ps 52:9) the name is to do these things with reference to Jehovah himself. To speak abusively of God’s name is to blaspheme God.​—Le 24:11, 15, 16.

Jehovah is jealous for his name, tolerating no rivalry or unfaithfulness in matters of worship. (Ex 34:14; Eze 5:13) The Israelites were commanded not even to mention the names of other gods. (Ex 23:13) In view of the fact that the names of false gods appear in the Scriptures, evidently the reference concerns mentioning the names of false gods in a worshipful way.

Israel’s failure as God’s name people to live up to his righteous commands constituted a profanation or defilement of God’s name. (Eze 43:8; Am 2:7) Since the Israelites’ unfaithfulness resulted in God’s punishing them, this also gave opportunity for his name to be spoken of disrespectfully by other nations. (Compare Ps 74:10, 18; Isa 52:5.) Failing to recognize that the chastisement came from Jehovah, these nations wrongly attributed the calamities that befell Israel to the inability of Jehovah to protect his people. To clear his name of such reproach, Jehovah acted for the sake of his name and restored a remnant of Israel to their land.​—Eze 36:22-24.

By manifesting himself in special ways, Jehovah caused his name to be remembered. At places where this occurred, altars were erected.​—Ex 20:24; compare 2Sa 24:16-18; see JEHOVAH.

The Name of God’s Son. Because of remaining faithful to the very death, Jesus Christ was rewarded by his Father, receiving a superior position and “the name that is above every other name.” (Php 2:5-11) All those desiring life must recognize what that name stands for (Ac 4:12), including Jesus’ position as Judge (Joh 5:22), King (Re 19:16), High Priest (Heb 6:20), Ransomer (Mt 20:28), and Chief Agent of salvation.​—Heb 2:10; see JESUS CHRIST.

Christ Jesus as “King of kings and Lord of lords” also is to lead the heavenly armies to wage war in righteousness. As executioner of God’s vengeance, he would be displaying powers and qualities completely unknown to those fighting against him. Appropriately, therefore, “he has a name written that no one knows but he himself.”​—Re 19:11-16.

Various Uses of the Word “Name.” A particular name might be “called upon” a person, city, or building. Jacob, when adopting Joseph’s sons as his own, stated: “Let my name be called upon them and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac.” (Ge 48:16; see also Isa 4:1; 44:5.) Jehovah’s name being called on the Israelites indicated that they were his people. (De 28:10; 2Ch 7:14; Isa 43:7; 63:19; Da 9:19) Jehovah also placed his name on Jerusalem and the temple, thereby accepting them as the rightful center of his worship. (2Ki 21:4, 7) Joab chose not to complete the capture of Rabbah in order not to have his name called upon that city, that is, so as not to be credited with its capture.​—2Sa 12:28.

A person dying without leaving behind male offspring had his name “taken away,” as it were. (Nu 27:4; 2Sa 18:18) Therefore, the arrangement of brother-in-law marriage outlined by the Mosaic Law served to preserve the name of the dead man. (De 25:5, 6) On the other hand, the destruction of a nation, people, or family meant the wiping out of their name.​—De 7:24; 9:14; Jos 7:9; 1Sa 24:21; Ps 9:5.

To speak or to act ‘in the name of’ another denoted doing so as a representative of that one. (Ex 5:23; De 10:8; 18:5, 7, 19-22; 1Sa 17:45; Es 3:12; 8:8, 10) Similarly, to receive a person in the name of someone would indicate a recognition of that one. Therefore, to ‘receive a prophet in the name of a prophet’ would signify receiving a prophet because of his being such. (Mt 10:41, KJ, NW) And to baptize in “the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit” would mean in recognition of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit.​—Mt 28:19.

Reputation or Fame. In Scriptural usage, “name” often denotes fame or reputation. (1Ch 14:17, ftn) Bringing a bad name upon someone meant making a false accusation against that person, marring his reputation. (De 22:19) To have one’s name ‘cast out as wicked’ would mean a loss of good reputation. (Lu 6:22) It was to make “a celebrated name” for themselves in defiance of Jehovah that men began building a tower and a city after the Flood. (Ge 11:3, 4) On the other hand, Jehovah promised to make Abram’s name great if he would leave his country and relatives to go to another land. (Ge 12:1, 2) Testifying to fulfillment of that promise is the fact that to this day few names of ancient times have become as great as Abraham’s, particularly as examples of outstanding faith. Millions still claim to be the heirs of the Abrahamic blessing because of fleshly descent. Similarly, Jehovah made David’s name great by blessing him and granting him victories over the enemies of Israel.​—1Sa 18:30; 2Sa 7:9.

At birth a person has no reputation, and therefore his name is little more than a label. That is why Ecclesiastes 7:1 says: “A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born.” Not at birth, but during the full course of a person’s life does his “name” take on real meaning in the sense of identifying him either as a person practicing righteousness or as one practicing wickedness. (Pr 22:1) By Jesus’ faithfulness until death his name became the one name “given among men by which we must get saved,” and he “inherited a name more excellent” than that of the angels. (Ac 4:12; Heb 1:3, 4) But Solomon, for whom the hope was expressed that his name might become “more splendid” than David’s, went into death with the name of a backslider as to true worship. (1Ki 1:47; 11:6, 9-11) “The very name of the wicked ones will rot,” or become an odious stench. (Pr 10:7) For this reason a good name “is to be chosen rather than abundant riches.”​—Pr 22:1.

Names Written in “the Book of Life.” It appears that Jehovah God, figuratively speaking, has been writing names in the book of life from “the founding of the world.” (Re 17:8) Since Christ Jesus spoke of Abel as living at “the founding of the world,” this would indicate that the reference is to the world of ransomable mankind that came into existence after children were born to Adam and Eve. (Lu 11:48-51) Abel’s name would evidently be the first one recorded on that symbolic scroll.

The names appearing on the scroll of life, however, are not names of persons who have been predestined to gain God’s approval and life. This is evident from the fact that the Scriptures speak of ‘blotting out’ names from “the book of life.” So it appears that only when a person becomes a servant of Jehovah is his name written in “the book of life,” and only if he continues faithful is his name retained in that book.​—Re 3:5; 17:8; compare Ex 32:32, 33; Lu 10:20; Php 4:3; see also LIFE.

Names Recorded in the Lamb’s Scroll. Similarly, the names of persons worshiping the symbolic wild beast have not been recorded in the Lamb’s scroll. (Re 13:8) That wild beast received its authority, power, and throne from the dragon, Satan the Devil. Those who worship the wild beast are therefore a part of the ‘serpent’s seed.’ (Re 13:2; compare Joh 8:44; Re 12:9.) Even before children were born to Adam and Eve, Jehovah God indicated that there would be enmity between the ‘seed of the woman’ and the ‘seed of the serpent.’ (Ge 3:15) Thus from the founding of the world it had already been determined that no worshiper of the wild beast would have his name written in the Lamb’s scroll. Only persons sacred from God’s standpoint were to be so privileged.​—Re 21:27.

In view of the fact that this scroll belongs to the Lamb, logically the names appearing on it would be those of persons given to him by God. (Re 13:8; Joh 17:9, 24) It is therefore noteworthy that the next reference to the Lamb in the book of Revelation depicts him as standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 persons bought from among mankind.​—Re 14:1-5.

(Naʹo·mi) [My Pleasantness].

Mother-in-law of Ruth, who was an ancestress of David and of Jesus Christ.​—Mt 1:5.

Naomi was the wife of Elimelech, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, in the days of the Judges. During a severe famine she and her husband and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, moved to Moab. There Elimelech died. The sons then married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, but about ten years later these sons died childless.​—Ru 1:1-5.

The bereaved Naomi decided to return to Judah. Her two widowed daughters-in-law started to accompany her, but Naomi recommended that they return and marry in their own land, for Naomi herself had “grown too old to get to belong to a husband” and could provide no sons as husbands for them. Orpah turned back, but Ruth stuck with Naomi, out of love for Naomi and her God Jehovah.​—Ru 1:6-17.

Upon arrival in Bethlehem, Naomi said to the women greeting her: “Do not call me Naomi [My Pleasantness]. Call me Mara [Bitter], for the Almighty has made it very bitter for me.” (Ru 1:18-21) Since it was the time of barley harvest, Ruth lovingly went to work gleaning for the support of Naomi and herself, and by chance she lighted upon the field of Boaz. (Ru 2:1-18) When she told Naomi in whose field she was working, Naomi recognized the hand of Jehovah in the matter, inasmuch as Boaz was a near kinsman of Elimelech and therefore one of their repurchasers. She encouraged Ruth to bring this fact to Boaz’ attention. (Ru 2:19–3:18) Boaz quickly responded, following the customary legal procedure in repurchasing Elimelech’s property from Naomi. Ruth then became the wife of Boaz in Naomi’s behalf, in accord with the law of levirate, or brother-in-law, marriage. When a son was born to them, the neighbor ladies gave it the name Obed, saying: “A son has been born to Naomi.” Thus Obed became legal heir to the Judean house of Elimelech.​—Ru 4:1-22.

(Naʹphish) [possibly from a root meaning “soul”].

The 11th listed of Ishmael’s 12 sons. (Ge 25:13-16; 1Ch 1:29-31) As chieftain, he also headed an Ishmaelite tribe that took his name and presumably resided in territory bordering on the E or NE frontier of the Promised Land. In the days of Saul, the Israelite tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh living E of the Jordan successfully made war on the Hagrites and their confederates, including the tribe of Naphish, and captured a great quantity of livestock and people. (1Ch 5:10, 18-22) It is possible, as some scholars suggest, that these Naphish captives were put to work as Nethinim servants of the sanctuary and that after the return from Babylonian exile their descendants were called the sons of Nephushesim, or Nephusim.​—Ne 7:46, 52; Ezr 2:43, 50.

(Naphʹta·li) [My Wrestlings].

1. The second son born to Jacob by Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah in Paddan-aram. (Ge 35:25, 26; Ex 1:1, 4; 1Ch 2:1, 2) Since Bilhah had substituted for her mistress Rachel, Naphtali, like his older full brother Dan, was considered by barren Rachel as her own son. Although her sister Leah by then already had four sons (Ge 29:32-35), Rachel was elated over her success in getting a second son through her maidservant and exclaimed: “With strenuous wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister. I have also come off winner!” The name given to this son, Naphtali (meaning “My Wrestlings”), appropriately expressed Rachel’s feelings at the time of his birth.​—Ge 30:2-8.

Later, Naphtali himself became the father of four sons, Jahzeel (Jahziel), Guni, Jezer, and Shillem (Shallum). (Ge 46:24; 1Ch 7:13) When the dying patriarch Jacob related to his sons what would happen to them in “the final part of the days,” his statement about Naphtali, though one of the briefest, was favorable.​—Ge 49:1, 2, 21.

2. The tribe of Israel named after Naphtali and composed of four tribal families descended from his sons Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. (Nu 26:48, 49) About a year after the Israelites left Egypt, the fighting men of this tribe from 20 years old upward numbered 53,400. (Nu 1:42, 43) While in the wilderness, the tribe of Naphtali, under the leadership of its chieftain Ahira, encamped N of the tabernacle alongside the tribes of Asher and Dan. As part of the three-tribe division of the camp of Dan, the tribe of Naphtali, along with Dan and Asher, was last in the order of march and occupied the important position of rear guard.​—Nu 1:15, 16; 2:25-31; 7:78; 10:25-28.

By the time a second census was taken about four decades after the Exodus from Egypt, the number of able-bodied men in the tribe had dropped to 45,400. (Nu 26:50) Among the men lost to the tribe was Nahbi, one of the ten spies who had brought back a bad report and discouraged the Israelites from entering the Promised Land.​—Nu 13:14, 16, 31-33; 14:35-37.

After finally crossing the Jordan and sharing in the conquest of Jericho and Ai under Joshua’s leadership, Naphtali was one of the tribes ‘standing for the malediction’ in front of Mount Ebal. (Jos 6:24, 25; 8:28, 30-35; De 27:13) When the time came for apportioning the land into tribal inheritances, Pedahel, as divinely appointed representative of the tribe of Naphtali, assisted Joshua and Eleazar the priest in this.​—Nu 34:16, 17, 28; Jos 19:51.

Land Inheritance. The territory assigned to the tribe of Naphtali was situated in the northern part of the Promised Land. (De 34:1, 2) On the E it was bounded by the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. For some distance the territory of Asher extended along the W border. The region assigned to Zebulun bounded Naphtali both on the W and S, and Issachar lay to the S. (Compare Jos 19:32-34.) The reference to Naphtali’s boundary reaching to “Judah at the Jordan” (Jos 19:34) evidently does not mean that it extended to the territory of the tribe of Judah, situated a considerable distance S of Naphtali. In this case “Judah” probably refers to the region E of the Jordan occupied by the family of Jair. Although reckoned as a Manassite by reason of his paternal grandmother (Nu 32:41; Jos 13:29, 30), Jair, through his paternal grandfather, was a descendant of Judah. (1Ch 2:5, 21, 22) So the region given to the family of Jair might appropriately be called Judah on the basis of Jair’s ancestry.

Included in the territory of Naphtali were 19 fortified cities and their settlements. (Jos 19:35-39) One of these cities, Kedesh, was given to the Levites and assigned a sacred status as a city of refuge. (Jos 20:7, 9) Two other cities, Hammath (Hammoth-dor or Hammon) and Kartan (Kiriathaim), were likewise designated for the Levites. (Jos 19:35; 21:6, 32; 1Ch 6:62, 76) From Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath, two other cities of Naphtali, the Canaanites were not driven out but were subjected to forced labor.​—Jg 1:33.

The land once occupied by the tribe of Naphtali, though mountainous (Jos 20:7), is fruitful. Especially fertile are the triangular plain (of Gennesaret) on the NW side of the Sea of Galilee and the Hula region. Moses’ blessing directed to Naphtali perhaps alludes to the land inheritance of the tribe. “Naphtali is satisfied with the approval and full of the blessing of Jehovah. Do take possession of the west and south.” (De 33:23) “West” may also be rendered “sea” (AS ftn) or “lake” (RS) and therefore could denote the Sea of Galilee; and “south” perhaps designates the southernmost territory of Naphtali bordering on that sea. There is also a possibility that the text, though alluding to the Sea of Galilee, should read: “The sea and its fish are his possession.”​—NW ftn.

From the Time of Judges to the Exile. In his deathbed prophecy Jacob had referred to Naphtali as “a slender hind.” (Ge 49:21) This may have alluded to the tribe’s swiftness and skillfulness in warfare, and the history of the tribe appears to bear this out. Ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun courageously responded to Barak’s call to battle against the well-equipped forces under the command of Sisera and, thereafter, were blessed with victory. Barak himself evidently was of the tribe of Naphtali, as Kedesh in Naphtali was apparently his home. (Jg 4:6-15; 5:18) The tribe of Naphtali also gave support to Judge Gideon in the fight against the Midianites.​—Jg 6:34, 35; 7:23, 24.

Years later 1,000 chiefs and 37,000 other warriors of the tribe of Naphtali came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. From as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, food was brought for the feasting done in connection with that event. (1Ch 12:23, 34, 38-40) Under the leadership of King David, the tribe of Naphtali appears to have had a notable part in subduing the enemies of Israel.​—Ps 68:Sup, 1, 27.

Some decades after the division of the kingdom of Israel, Naphtali experienced harassment from Syrian King Ben-hadad I. (1Ki 15:20; 2Ch 16:4) About two centuries later, during Pekah’s reign, inhabitants of Naphtali were taken into Assyrian exile by Tiglath-pileser III. (2Ki 15:29) Nearly a century after the overthrow of the northern kingdom, Judean King Josiah boldly extended his destruction of appendages of idolatry as far N as the devastated places of Assyrian-dominated Naphtali.​—2Ch 34:1-7.

Isaiah’s Prophecy. The humiliation suffered at the hands of the Assyrians may well be referred to at Isaiah 9:1: “The obscureness will not be as when the land had stress, as at the former time when one treated with contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.” Next Isaiah indicates that at a later time honor would be bestowed on what had been treated with contempt​—“the way by the sea, in the region of the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” He continues: “The people that were walking in the darkness have seen a great light. As for those dwelling in the land of deep shadow, light itself has shone upon them.” (Isa 9:1, 2) These very words were quoted by Matthew (4:13-17) and applied to Christ Jesus, “the light of the world,” and to his activity. (Joh 8:12) Since Jesus made Capernaum in Naphtali’s territory “his own city” (Mt 4:13; 9:1), he could in a sense be regarded as belonging to Naphtali. Therefore also Jacob’s prophetic words concerning Naphtali, “He is giving words of elegance,” could reasonably apply to Jesus. (Ge 49:21) The Son of God truly gave “words of elegance,” prompting even officers sent to arrest him to exclaim: “Never has another man spoken like this.”​—Joh 7:46.

Referred To in Visions. In Ezekiel’s vision, Naphtali’s land assignment lay between Asher and Manasseh (Eze 48:3, 4), and one of the gates of the city “Jehovah Himself Is There” was named after Naphtali. (Eze 48:34, 35) Also in vision, the apostle John heard that 12,000 had been sealed out of the (spiritual) tribe of Naphtali.​—Re 7:4, 6.

(Naph·tuʹhim).

Listed as among the descendants of Mizraim, the son of Ham. (Ge 10:6, 13, 14; 1Ch 1:11, 12) As with the other names in this list, scholars usually take the apparent plural form to indicate a tribe or people. Assuming the name to derive from some geographic relationship, scholars often associate Naphtuhim with an Egyptian phrase meaning “those of the Delta,” and on this basis the Naphtuhim are included among the inhabitants of Lower (northern) Egypt. The correctness of these views is not as yet conclusive.

(Nar·cisʹsus).

Head of a household in Rome. When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he requested that his greetings be given to “those from the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.”​—Ro 16:11.

The precious “perfumed oil” that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, applied to Jesus’ head and feet. By reason of its costliness, nard (Gr., narʹdos) was often subjected to adulteration and even counterfeiting. It may be noteworthy, therefore, that both Mark and John use the expression “genuine nard.” (Mr 14:3; Joh 12:3) Valuable ointment sealed in a small alabaster container anciently served as a good investment.​—Joh 12:5; see SPIKENARD.

(Naʹthan) [[God] Has Given].

1. A descendant of Judah. The son of Attai and father of Zabad. Nathan’s grandfather was an Egyptian servant named Jarha.​—1Ch 2:3, 34-36.

2. A prophet of Jehovah during David’s reign; possibly of the tribe of Levi. When the king revealed to Nathan his desire to build a temple for Jehovah’s worship, the prophet replied: “Everything that is in your heart​—go, do.” (2Sa 7:1-3; 1Ch 17:1, 2) However, that night Jehovah informed Nathan that instead of David’s building a temple, Jehovah would build for David a lasting house, and that later on David’s descendant would build the house of Jehovah. Thus through Nathan, Jehovah announced to David a covenant for a kingdom “to time indefinite” in David’s line.​—2Sa 7:4-17; 1Ch 17:3-15.

Nathan was later sent by Jehovah to point out both the magnitude of David’s sin against Uriah the Hittite respecting Bath-sheba and the divine penalty imposed because of it. This he did tactfully but forcefully, using an illustration. David was thereby maneuvered into expressing, unwittingly and without personal prejudice, his own judgment on such an act. Nathan then informed him: “You yourself are the man!” and expressed Jehovah’s judgment upon David and his house.​—2Sa 12:1-18; see also Ps 51:Sup.

In time a second son, named Solomon, was born to David by Bath-sheba. This child Jehovah loved; so he sent his prophet Nathan, who, “for the sake of Jehovah,” named the boy Jedidiah, meaning “Beloved of Jah.” (2Sa 12:24, 25) During the closing days of David’s life when Adonijah attempted to seize the throne, Nathan took appropriate measures to bring the matter to David’s attention. Nathan then shared in the anointing and installing of Solomon as king.​—1Ki 1:5-40.

It appears that Nathan, together with Gad, advised David on the proper deployment of musical instruments in connection with the sanctuary. (2Ch 29:25) Nathan and Gad were evidently the ones used to record the information contained in the concluding chapters of First Samuel and all of Second Samuel. (1Ch 29:29) “Among the words of Nathan the prophet” were also recorded “the affairs of Solomon.”​—2Ch 9:29.

This Nathan may have been the father of Azariah and Zabud, both of whom held important positions during the reign of Solomon. Azariah was a princely overseer of the deputies, while Zabud served as a priest and close friend and adviser to the king.​—1Ki 4:1, 5.

3. The father of Igal and brother of Joel, two of David’s mighty men of war.​—2Sa 23:8, 36; 1Ch 11:26, 38.

4. A son of David by his wife Bath-sheba, born to him in Jerusalem. (2Sa 5:13, 14; 1Ch 3:5) The natural lineage of Messiah is traced, from David through Nathan and his descendants down to Jesus, evidently through Jesus’ mother Mary. (Lu 3:23, 31) Concerning the time when ‘they will look on the One whom they pierced,’ the prophecy of Zechariah says there will be a bitter lamentation and wailing throughout the whole land, family by family, and especially for the families of David, Levi, the Shimeites, and “the family of the house of Nathan.” (Zec 12:10-14) If the family of Nathan’s house here referred to sprang from David’s son, this would make it one of the families of David. Therefore the lamentation would affect families within families.

5. One of the nine head ones of the exiles encamped at the river Ahava, whom Ezra sent to enlist ministers for the services at the house of God in Jerusalem.​—Ezr 8:15-17.

6. A former exile in Babylon, and one of the 13 sons of Binnui who put away their foreign wives in compliance with Ezra’s instructions.​—Ezr 10:10, 11, 38-42, 44.

(Na·thanʹa·el) [from Heb., meaning “God Has Given”].

Presumably the name of Bartholomew, hence one of Jesus’ 12 apostles. Bartholomew, meaning “Son of Tolmai,” was a patronymic term (that is, a designation derived from his father). The apostle John uses his given name Nathanael, whereas Matthew, Mark, and Luke call him Bartholomew. When doing so they associate Philip and Bartholomew together, in the same way that John links Philip with Nathanael. (Mt 10:3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:14; Joh 1:45, 46) It was not uncommon for persons to be known by more than one name. For example, “Simon the son of John” also came to be known as Cephas and Peter. (Joh 1:42) Nor was it exceptional for Nathanael to be called Bartholomew, or the “Son of Tolmai,” as another man was called simply Bartimaeus, or “Son of Timaeus.” (Mr 10:46) The two names, Nathanael and Bartholomew, are used interchangeably by Christian writers of following centuries.

Nathanael was from Cana of Galilee. (Joh 21:2) He began following Jesus early in the Master’s ministry. Philip, after responding to Jesus’ call “Be my follower,” immediately looked up his friend Nathanael and invited him to “come and see” the Messiah. Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” but then responded to the invitation. Jesus, seeing him approach, remarked: “See, an Israelite for a certainty, in whom there is no deceit.” Nathanael must have been an exceptional man for Jesus to make a statement like that. Because Jesus said this and stated that he saw Nathanael under a fig tree before Philip called him, Nathanael confessed that Jesus was indeed “the Son of God, . . . King of Israel.” Jesus assured him that he would “see things greater than these.”​—Joh 1:43-51.

As one of the 12, Nathanael was in constant attendance throughout Jesus’ ministry, being trained for future service. (Mt 11:1; 19:25-28; 20:17-19, 24-28; Mr 4:10; 11:11; Joh 6:48-67) After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Nathanael and others of the apostles went back to their fishing, and it was while they were approaching shore in their boat one morning that Jesus called to them. Nathanael, unlike Peter, stayed in the boat until it got to shore, and then, joining the rest for breakfast, he took in the meaningful conversation between Jesus and Peter. (Joh 21:1-23) He was also present with the other apostles when they met together for prayer and on the day of Pentecost.​—Ac 1:13, 14; 2:42.

(Naʹthan-melʹech) [The King Has Given].

A court official of Judah whose dining room was situated in the porticoes of the temple. While taking steps against false worship, King Josiah made the horses that Judean kings had given to the sun “cease from entering the house of Jehovah by the dining room of Nathan-melech.”​—2Ki 23:11.

In the broad and general sense, a nation is made up of people who are more or less related to one another by blood and who have a common language. Such a national group usually occupies a defined geographic territory and is subject to some form of central governmental control. According to the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, “Hebrew evidences a tendency for goy to describe a people in terms of its political and territorial affiliation, and so to approximate much more closely to our modern term ‘nation.’ ʽam [people], conversely, always retains a strong emphasis on the element of consanguinity as the basis of union into a people.” (Edited by G. J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren, Vol. 2, 1975, p. 427) The Greek terms eʹthnos (nation) and la·osʹ (people) are used similarly. In the Scriptures the plural forms of gohy and eʹthnos usually refer to Gentile nations.

Origin. The first notice of the forming of separate nations appears in the post-Flood period, in connection with the building of the Tower of Babel. Those sharing in this project were united in their opposition to God’s purpose. The principal factor facilitating united action was that “all the earth continued to be of one language and of one set of words.” (Ge 11:1-4) Jehovah took notice of this and, by confusing their language, “scattered them from there over all the surface of the earth.”​—Ge 11:5-9; MAP Vol. 1, p. 329.

Separated now by communication barriers, each linguistic group developed its own culture, art, customs, traits, and religion​—each its own ways of doing things. (Le 18:3) Alienated from God, the various peoples contrived many idols of their mythical deities.​—De 12:30; 2Ki 17:29, 33.

There were three great branches of these nations stemming from the sons and grandsons of Noah’s sons Japheth, Ham, and Shem, and these were reckoned as the founding fathers of the respective nations called by their names. The listing in Genesis, chapter 10, therefore might be termed the oldest tabulation of nations, 70 in number. Fourteen were Japhetic, 30 Hamitic, and 26 Shemitic in origin. (Ge 10:1-8, 13-32; 1Ch 1:4-25) For more information regarding these national groups, see CHART, Vol. 1, p. 329, as well as articles on each of the 70 descendants of Noah.

Many changes, of course, came with the passing of time. Some nations were absorbed by their neighbors or disappeared altogether, because of weakness, disease, or war; others came into existence through new migrations and population increases. The spirit of nationalism at times became very strong among certain groups, and this, coupled with great military exploits, gave ambitious men the necessary thrust to build world empires at the expense of weaker nations.

A Father of Nations. God told Abram to leave Ur and move to a land He would show him, for as He said, “I shall make a great nation out of you.” (Ge 12:1-4) Later, God enlarged on his promise, saying, “You will certainly become a father of a crowd of nations. . . . And I will make you very, very fruitful and will make you become nations, and kings will come out of you.” (Ge 17:1-6) This promise was fulfilled. Abraham’s son Ishmael fathered “twelve chieftains according to their clans” (Ge 25:13-16; 17:20; 21:13, 18), and through the six sons of Keturah, other nations traced their ancestry back to Abraham. (Ge 25:1-4; 1Ch 1:28-33; Ro 4:16-18) From Abraham’s son Isaac sprang the Israelites and Edomites. (Ge 25:21-26) In a much larger, spiritual sense Abraham became “a father of many nations,” for persons of many national groups, including those of the Christian congregation in Rome, by reason of their faith and obedience could call Abraham their father, “the father of all those having faith.”​—Ro 4:11, 16-18; see ISRAEL No. 2.

How God Views the Nations. As the Creator and Universal Sovereign, God is within his absolute rights in setting the nations’ territorial boundaries (if he chooses to do so), as he did with Ammon, Edom, and Israel. (De 2:17-22; 32:8; 2Ch 20:6, 7; Ac 17:26) The Most High and Lofty One over all the earth is not to be compared in greatness with nations of mankind. (Jer 10:6, 7) Actually the nations are as but a drop from the bucket in his sight. (Isa 40:15, 17) So when such nations rage and mutter against Jehovah, as when they put Jesus to death on a torture stake, He only laughs at them in derision and confounds and destroys their presumptuous counsel against Him.​—Ps 2:1, 2, 4, 5; 33:10; 59:8; Da 4:32b, 34, 35; Ac 4:24-28.

Yet for all of Jehovah’s superlative greatness and power, no one can rightly charge him with being unjust in his treatment of national groups. It makes no difference whether God is dealing with a single man or a whole nation, he never compromises his righteous principles. (Job 34:29) If a nation is repentant, as were the people of Nineveh, he blesses them. (Jon 3:5-10) But if they turn to doing bad, even though in a covenant with him, he destroys them. (Jer 18:7-10) When an issue arises, Jehovah sends his prophets with a message of warning. (Jer 1:5, 10; Eze 2:3; 33:7) God is not partial toward any, great or small.​—De 10:17; 2Ch 19:7; Ac 10:34, 35.

Therefore, when whole nations refuse to recognize and obey Jehovah, or they cast him out of their minds and hearts, Jehovah executes his judgments upon them. (Ps 79:6; 110:6; 149:7-9) He devotes them to destruction and turns them back to Sheol. (Ps 9:17; Isa 34:1, 2; Jer 10:25) In descriptive language God says that the wicked nations will be turned over to his Son, the one called “Faithful and True . . . The Word of God,” to be dashed to pieces.​—Ps 2:7-9; Re 19:11-15; compare Re 12:5.

The New Nation of Spiritual Israel. For centuries Jehovah God dealt exclusively with natural Israel, time and again sending his prophets to the nation so that the people might turn from their wayward course. Finally he sent his Son, Christ Jesus, but the majority rejected him. Therefore, Jesus said to the unbelieving chief priests and Pharisees: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”​—Mt 21:33-43.

The apostle Peter clearly identified that “nation” as one composed of persons who had accepted Christ Jesus. (1Pe 2:4-10) In fact, Peter applied to fellow Christians the very words that had been directed to natural Israel: “You are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession.’” (1Pe 2:9; compare Ex 19:5, 6.) All of them recognized God as Ruler and his Son as Lord and Christ. (Ac 2:34, 35; 5:32) They possessed heavenly citizenship (Php 3:20) and were sealed with the holy spirit, which was an advance token of their heavenly inheritance. (2Co 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14) Whereas natural Israel was constituted a nation under the Law covenant, the “holy nation” of spirit-begotten Christians became such under the new covenant. (Ex 19:5; Heb 8:6-13) For these reasons it was most appropriate that they be called “a holy nation.”

When God’s spirit was first poured out upon about 120 disciples of Jesus (all natural Jews) on the day of Pentecost in the year 33 C.E., it became evident that God was dealing with a new spiritual nation. (Ac 1:4, 5, 15; 2:1-4; compare Eph 1:13, 14.) Later, beginning in the year 36 C.E., membership in the new nation was extended to uncircumcised Gentiles, who likewise received God’s spirit.​—Ac 10:24-48; Eph 2:11-20.

Regarding the preaching of the good news to all nations, see GOOD NEWS.

Gog and Magog. The Bible book of Revelation (20:7, 8) states that, after Christ’s Thousand Year Reign, Satan “will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog.” Evidently such nations are the product of rebellion against Christ’s administration.​—See GOG No. 3.

The basic makeup or constitution of something. It can refer to what a person is by birth, also to hereditary qualities along with general practice. At times it refers to the physical urges of an organism. Translators generally render the Greek words phyʹsis and phy·si·kosʹ (the adjective form) as “nature” and “natural,” respectively.

Men and Animals. That there is a nature belonging to man different from that of wild beasts, and that even wild beasts are not all of the same nature, is shown by the statement at James 3:7: “For every species [Gr., phyʹsis, “nature”] of wild beast as well as bird and creeping thing and sea creature is to be tamed and has been tamed by humankind [phyʹsei tei an·thro·piʹnei, “nature belonging to the man”].” This difference in “nature” reveals the variety in God’s creation and is maintained because of the divine law that each produces according to its own kind.​—Ge 1:20-28; compare 1Co 15:39.

Divine Nature. Also, there is a different nature belonging to those in heaven, spirit creatures of God. The apostle Peter speaks to his fellow Christians, spiritual brothers of Jesus Christ, of “the precious and very grand promises, that through these you may become sharers in divine nature [phyʹse·os].” (2Pe 1:4) That this is a sharing with Christ in his glory as spirit persons, Peter shows in his first letter: “God . . . gave us a new birth [a·na·gen·neʹsas he·masʹ, “having generated us again”] to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you.” (1Pe 1:3, 4) “Divine nature” requires a change in nature through death and resurrection, as made plain by the apostle Paul at First Corinthians chapter 15. He explains that the Christian must die and must be resurrected in a different body, a spiritual one, which requires a change.​—1Co 15:36, 38, 44, 49, 51.

Inherent Nature. Paul speaks of his fellow countrymen the Jews, calling them “Jews by nature,” that is, born of Jewish parents, of the children of Israel, or Jacob.​—Ga 2:15; compare Ro 2:27.

In the illustration of the olive tree, he calls the fleshly Jews the natural (ka·taʹ phyʹsin, “according to nature”) branches of the garden olive. He tells the Gentile Christians: “For if you were cut out of the olive tree that is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree, how much rather will these who are natural be grafted into their own olive tree!” (Ro 11:21-24) The wild olive tree is unfruitful or produces very inferior fruit, but it is common practice in Mediterranean countries to graft branches of cultivated olive trees into the wild olive tree to produce good fruit. However, Paul referred to the less common practice of grafting a wild olive branch into a cultivated tree. He calls this latter grafting “contrary to nature” and uses it as an example to emphasize God’s undeserved kindness to Gentiles in bringing them in to replace “natural branches.” The Jews had been ‘cultivated’ by Jehovah for centuries, but the Gentiles had been “wild,” not having the true religion, not bringing forth fruitage to God. But now they could be made to bring forth fine fruit. Jehovah would accomplish it through this successful ‘grafting.’

Also, in his argument to the Galatians to prevent their enslavement to Judaistic teachings, Paul said: “When you did not know God, then it was that you slaved for those who by nature are not gods.” These false gods they had worshiped were by their very origin and production not truly gods; it was impossible for them to come into such a status. Not merely did they have no authority to be gods, but they did not have such qualities in their intrinsic nature or makeup.​—Ga 4:8.

Conscience. Certain traits or qualities inhere in mankind from birth, actually having been placed in man from the beginning. The apostle Paul comments on the conscience, or at least a vestige of such, that still persists in fallen man, even though in many cases he has strayed from God and does not have his law. This explains why all nations have established many laws that are in harmony with righteousness and justice, and many individuals follow certain good principles. Paul says: “For whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused.”​—Ro 2:14, 15.

In discussing the matter of headship with the Corinthian congregation, Paul called attention to the rule that a woman should wear a head covering when praying or prophesying before the congregation, as a sign of subjection. In illustration, he says: “Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him; but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? Because her hair is given her instead of a headdress.”​—1Co 11:14, 15.

Paul’s reference to “nature itself” evidently included more than “custom,” which he mentions in verse 16 in connection with the use of a head covering by women. Hereditary characteristics also likely had a bearing on what Christians in Corinth viewed as natural. Among Europeans (such as the Greeks), the hair of women, when left uncut, usually becomes considerably longer than that of men. But this is not true of the straight hair of Orientals and Indians or of the woolly hair of Blacks and Melanesians.

In addition to their awareness of hereditary qualities among them, the Christians in Corinth knew that it was the general practice for men to clip their hair to a moderate length. This was common also among Jewish men; so the long uncut hair of Nazirites marked them as men who were not following the general custom. (Nu 6:5) On the other hand, Jewish women usually wore their hair quite long. (Lu 7:38; Joh 11:2) And in the Greek city of Corinth, shaving a woman’s head, or clipping her hair very short, was a sign of her being a slave or of her being in disgrace for having been caught in fornication or adultery.​—1Co 11:6.

So, when saying that “nature itself” taught them, Paul evidently had in mind various factors that would influence their attitude as to what was natural.

In saying “Does not nature itself teach you . . . ?” Paul was not personifying nature, as though it were a goddess. Rather, God has given man reasoning powers. By observing and reasoning on things as God has made them and the results from using these in various ways, man can learn much as to what is proper. It is really God that teaches, and the man with his mind properly oriented by God’s Word can view things in their right perspective and relationship, thereby rightly discerning what is natural or unnatural. By this means the individual can have a trained conscience in this respect and can avoid a conscience that is defiled and that approves unnatural things.​—Ro 1:26, 27; Tit 1:15; 1Co 8:7.

Natural Use of Bodies. It is wrong for men and women to use their bodies in any way that is out of harmony with the functions for which God created them. What is unnatural in that sense is sinful. The Scriptures describe the uncleanness and condemnation coming upon those who practice these things: “That is why God gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites, for both their females changed the natural [phy·si·kenʹ] use of themselves into one contrary to nature; and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full recompense, which was due for their error.” Such persons lower themselves to a beastlike level. (Ro 1:26, 27; 2Pe 2:12) They go after wrong fleshly things because, like a beast, they lack reasonableness, having no spirituality.​—Jude 7, 10.

Birth. Another Greek word translated “natural” is geʹne·sis, literally meaning “birth” or “origin.” James speaks of “a man looking at his natural face [literally, the face of the birth of him] in a mirror.” (Jas 1:23) James also says that “the tongue is a fire” and that it “sets the wheel of natural life [literally, the wheel of the birth] aflame.” (Jas 3:5, 6) James may here be alluding to a wheel, such as that on a chariot, that could be set on fire by a hot, glowing axle. Similarly, the tongue can set aflame the whole round of one’s life into which he came by birth, making life become like a vicious circle, possibly even resulting in his own destruction as by fire.

(Naz·a·reneʹ) [probably from Heb. neʹtser, “sprout”].

A descriptive epithet applied to Jesus and later to his followers. The names Nazarene and Nazirite are not to be confused, for, though spelled similarly in English, they stem from altogether different Hebrew words with different meanings.​—See NAZIRITE.

It was natural and not particularly unusual to speak of Jesus as the Nazarene, since from infancy (less than three years of age) he was raised as the local carpenter’s son in the city of Nazareth, a place about 100 km (60 mi) N of Jerusalem. The practice of associating persons with the places from which they came was common in those days.​—2Sa 3:2, 3; 17:27; 23:25-37; Na 1:1; Ac 13:1; 21:29.

Frequently Jesus was referred to, in widely scattered places and by all kinds of persons, as the Nazarene. (Mr 1:23, 24; 10:46, 47; 14:66-69; 16:5, 6; Lu 24:13-19; Joh 18:1-7) Jesus himself accepted and used the name. (Joh 18:5-8; Ac 22:6-8) On the sign that Pilate had placed on the torture stake he wrote in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek: “Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jews.” (Joh 19:19, 20) From Pentecost 33 C.E. forward, the apostles as well as others often spoke of Jesus Christ as the Nazarene or as being from Nazareth.​—Ac 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 10:38; 26:9.

Prophetic. Matthew pointed out that the name Nazarene was prophetically foretold as another sign identifying Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. He called this to the attention of his readers when he told how Joseph brought Mary and her child back from Egypt following Herod’s death. “Moreover,” Matthew wrote, “being given divine warning in a dream, he [Joseph] withdrew into the territory of Galilee, and came and dwelt in a city named Nazareth, that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’”​—Mt 2:19-23.

Nazareth is not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures. Some suppose Matthew had reference to some lost prophetic book or some unwritten tradition, but his expression, “spoken through the prophets,” is used by writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures only in reference to the same canonical collection of the Hebrew Scriptures we have today. The key to understanding, apparently, lies in equating Nazarene with neʹtser, mentioned above as meaning sprout.

With this in mind, it is evident that Matthew was referring to what Isaiah (11:1) had said concerning Messiah: “There must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jesse; and out of his roots a sprout [we·neʹtser] will be fruitful.” Another Hebrew word, tseʹmach, also means sprout and was used by other prophets when referring to the Messiah. Matthew used the plural, saying that “prophets” had mentioned this coming “Sprout.” For example, Jeremiah wrote about the “righteous sprout” as an offshoot of David. (Jer 23:5; 33:15) Zechariah describes a king-priest “whose name is Sprout,” a prophecy that could apply only to Jesus the Nazarene, the great spiritual Temple-builder.​—Zec 3:8; 6:12, 13.

(Nazʹa·reth) [probably, Sprout-Town].

A city in Lower Galilee where Jesus lived most of his earthly life, along with his half brothers and half sisters. (Lu 2:51, 52; Mt 13:54-56) Both Joseph and Mary were residents of Nazareth when Gabriel announced the approaching birth of Jesus. (Lu 1:26, 27; 2:4, 39) Later, after their return from Egypt, they took up residence in Nazareth again.​—Mt 2:19-23; Lu 2:39.

Location. Most scholars identify Nazareth with En Nasira (Nazerat) in Galilee. (PICTURES, Vol. 2, p. 539) If this view is correct, Nazareth was situated in the low mountains just N of the Valley of Jezreel and approximately halfway between the S tip of the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Coast. It was in a mountain basin with hills rising 120 to 150 m (400 to 500 ft) above it. The area was well populated, with a number of cities and towns near Nazareth. Also, it is estimated that one could walk from Nazareth to Ptolemais on the Mediterranean Coast in seven hours, to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee in five hours, and to Jerusalem in three days.

On one occasion people of Nazareth sought to throw Jesus from “the brow of the mountain upon which their city had been built.” (Lu 4:29) That is not to say that Nazareth was on the very brow or edge, but that it was on a mountain having a brow from which they wanted to hurl Jesus. Some have identified it with a rocky cliff some 12 m (40 ft) high located SW of the city.

Prominence of Nazareth. It is difficult to say with certainty just how prominent Nazareth was in the first century. The most common view of commentators is that Nazareth was then a rather secluded, insignificant village. The principal Biblical statement used to support this view is what Nathanael said when he heard that Jesus was from there: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Joh 1:46) This has been taken by many to mean that Nazareth was looked down upon, even by people of Galilee. (Joh 21:2) Nazareth was near trade routes of the area but not directly on them. It was not mentioned by Josephus, though he referred to nearby Japhia as the largest fortified village of all Galilee, leading to the idea that Nazareth was eclipsed by its neighbor.

On the other hand, Nathanael may simply have been expressing surprise that Philip would claim a man from the neighborhood city of Nazareth in Galilee to be the promised Messiah, for the Scriptures had foretold that that one would come from Bethlehem in Judah. (Mic 5:2) Josephus did not mention many of the settlements in Galilee, so his not mentioning Nazareth might not be particularly significant. It is noteworthy that the Bible does not call Nazareth a village, but always a “city.” (Lu 1:26; 2:4, 39) Furthermore, close-by Sepphoris was an important, fortified city having a district court of the Sanhedrin. Nonetheless, whatever its size and prominence, Nazareth was convenient to important trade routes and main cities, and so its inhabitants would have had ready information about the social, religious, and political activities of the time.​—Compare Lu 4:23.

Attitude of the People. As Jesus grew up, he progressed “in favor with God and men.” (Lu 2:52) He and his half brothers and half sisters were known by the people of Nazareth, and it was his “custom” to attend the local synagogue each week. (Mt 13:55, 56; Lu 4:16) When he was about 30 years of age, Jesus left Nazareth and was baptized by John. (Mr 1:9; Lu 3:23) Some months later, near the start of his Galilean ministry, Jesus returned to Nazareth and in the synagogue read aloud Isaiah 61:1, 2, applying it to himself. The people manifested a lack of faith and attempted to kill him, “but he went through the midst of them and continued on his way,” taking up residence in Capernaum.​—Lu 4:16-30; Mt 4:13.

Over a year later, Christ again visited Nazareth. (Mt 13:54-58; Mr 6:1-6) Though some have thought this to be the same occasion as in Luke 4:16-30, the order of events in Matthew, Mark, and Luke indicates otherwise, as does the fact that Jesus’ activities and the results were somewhat different. His fame may have grown by this time so that a somewhat more hospitable reception was granted him. Though many stumbled over the fact that he was a local man, there is no mention of the people’s trying to kill him this time. He performed some powerful works, but not many, because of the people’s lack of faith. (Mt 13:57, 58) Jesus then left and began his third circuit of Galilee.​—Mr 6:6.

(Nazʹi·rite) [One Singled Out; Dedicated One; Separated One].

There were two classes of Nazirites: those who volunteered and those who were such by divine appointment. The regulations governing volunteer Nazirites are found in the book of Numbers, chapter 6. Either men or women could take a special vow to Jehovah to live as Nazirites for a period of time. However, if a daughter’s father or a wife’s husband heard the vow and did not approve, he could cancel it.​—Nu 30:1-8.

There were three principal restrictions resting on those taking the Nazirite vow: (1) They were to drink no intoxicating beverage; neither were they to eat any product of the grapevine, whether unripe, ripe, or dried, nor drink any of its juice, whether in the fresh, fermented, or vinegar state. (2) They were not to cut the hair of their heads. (3) They were not to touch a dead body, even that of the closest relative​—father, mother, brother, or sister.​—Nu 6:1-7.

Special Vows. The person taking this special vow was “to live as a Nazirite [that is, dedicated, separated] to Jehovah” and not for the plaudits of men due to a showy display of fanatical asceticism. Rather, “all the days of his Naziriteship he is holy to Jehovah.”​—Nu 6:2, 8; compare Ge 49:26, ftn.

The requirements laid on Nazirites, therefore, had special significance and meaning in the worship of Jehovah. Like the high priest who, because of his holy office, was to touch no dead body, not even that of one of his closest relatives, so too the Nazirite. The high priest and the underpriests, because of the serious responsibility of their offices, were forbidden to drink wine or intoxicating liquor when performing their sacred duties before Jehovah.​—Le 10:8-11; 21:10, 11.

Furthermore, the Nazirite (Heb., na·zirʹ) “should prove holy by letting the locks of the hair of his head grow,” such serving as a crowning sign by which all could quickly recognize his holy Naziriteship. (Nu 6:5) The same Hebrew word na·zirʹ was used in regard to the “unpruned” vines during the sacred Sabbath and Jubilee years. (Le 25:5, 11) Interesting too is the fact that the gold plate on the front of the turban of the high priest, engraved with the words “Holiness belongs to Jehovah,” was called “the holy sign of dedication [Heb., neʹzer, from the same root as na·zirʹ].” (Ex 39:30, 31) Likewise, the official headpiece, or diadem, worn by Israel’s anointed kings was also called a neʹzer. (2Sa 1:10; 2Ki 11:12; see CROWN; DEDICATION.) In the Christian congregation the apostle says that a woman’s long hair is given to her instead of a headdress. It is a natural reminder to her that she is in a position different from the man; she should be mindful of her submissive position under God’s arrangement. So such requirements​—uncut hair (unnatural for the man), total abstinence from wine as well as the need to be clean and undefiled—​impressed on the dedicated Nazirite the importance of self-denial and complete submission to the will of Jehovah.​—1Co 11:2-16; see HAIR; HEAD COVERING; NATURE.

Requirements if Nazirite became defiled. A Nazirite would become unclean for seven days if he touched a dead body, even if, because of an accident beyond his control, he inadvertently touched someone that died alongside him. On the seventh day he was to shave the head and purify himself, and the next day he was to take to the priest two turtledoves (or, two young pigeons), one serving as a sin offering, the other serving as a burnt sacrifice; he was also to present a young ram as a guilt offering. Furthermore, the one having taken the vow of Naziriteship must now begin all over again counting the days of the vow as stipulated at the start.​—Nu 6:8-12.

Requirements at conclusion of vow. When the specified duration of the vow came to an end, the Nazirite presented himself to the priests before the tent of meeting, bringing along the prescribed sacrifices consisting of a young ram for a burnt offering, a female lamb for a sin offering, and a ram for a communion sacrifice. He also was to bring a basket of unfermented (unleavened) cakes and wafers that were well oiled, together with the proper grain and drink offerings. In addition to these necessary sacrifices, the Nazirite brought such other offerings to the sanctuary as he could afford. (Nu 6:13-17, 21) Next, the Nazirite had his long hair cut off, and it was placed on the fire under the communion sacrifice. Then portions of the offerings were placed in his hands by the officiating priest and waved by the priest as a wave offering before Jehovah.​—Nu 6:18-20.

It appears that in time the Jews made it possible for wealthy individuals to provide the necessary sacrifices, as an act of charity, for persons of little means who desired to take the Nazirite vow.

This seemed to be the recognized custom that the apostle Paul took advantage of upon arriving in Jerusalem at the end of his third tour. To allay the false rumors that Paul had been “teaching all the Jews among the nations . . . [not] to walk in the solemn customs” of the Jewish nation, Paul’s Christian brothers recommended the following plan. “We have four men with a vow upon themselves,” they told Paul. “Take these men along and cleanse yourself ceremonially with them and take care of their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved.”​—Ac 21:20-26.

As to the length of time that one might be a Nazirite, this was optional with the one making the vow. Jewish tradition (not the Bible) said it could not be less than 30 days, for it was thought that anything less than that degraded the solemnity of the vow, making it commonplace.

Lifetime Nazirites. In the case of those appointed as Nazirites by Jehovah for life, being singled out by him for special service, they took no vows and were not bound by a limited period of time (the days of which were recalculated from the beginning if the vow was broken before being completed). For these reasons Jehovah’s commandments for them differed somewhat from his requirements for voluntary Nazirites. Samson was such a God-appointed lifetime Nazirite, having been divinely appointed to be such before his conception. Even with his mother it was not a discretionary matter. Because her son would be a Nazirite, she was commanded by the angel to observe special regulations​—not to drink wine or intoxicating liquor or to eat anything unclean during her pregnancy.​—Jg 13:2-14; 16:17.

Regarding Samson, the regulation was that “no razor should come upon his head.” (Jg 13:5) However, no prohibition was placed on his touching dead bodies. Hence, Samson’s killing a lion, or his slaying 30 Philistines and then stripping the corpses of their garments, did not profane his Naziriteship. On still another occasion, with God’s approval, he killed a thousand of the enemy “with the jawbone of a male ass​—one heap, two heaps!”​—Jg 14:6, 19; 15:14-16.

In Samuel’s case it was his mother, Hannah, who made a vow, setting apart her yet unconceived child for Jehovah’s service as a Nazirite. To God she said in prayer: “If you will without fail . . . give to your slave girl a male offspring, I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life [“and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink,” (1Ki 1:11, LXX)], and no razor will come upon his head.” (1Sa 1:9-11, 22, 28) John the Baptizer was to “drink no wine and strong drink at all.” Few other details concerning his Naziriteship are given except that he, too, by divine appointment, was to be such from the day of his birth.​—Lu 1:11-15; compare Mt 3:4; 11:18.

John the Baptizer was among those Nazirites whom Jehovah himself raised up. As he says by the mouth of his prophet Amos: “I kept raising up some of your sons as prophets and some of your young men as Nazirites.” However, they were not always accepted or respected, and wayward Israel even tried to break their integrity to Jehovah. (Am 2:11, 12) When the full measure of Israel’s sins reached their limits and Jehovah removed typical Israel in 607 B.C.E., the unfaithful Nazirites within Jerusalem did not escape either. Jeremiah describes how the once healthy and strong Nazirites turned black as their skin shriveled up on their bones because of the terrible famine.​—La 4:7-9.

(Neʹah).

A city mentioned in a description of Zebulun’s territorial boundaries. (Jos 19:10, 13, 14, 16) Neah’s location is uncertain. Some link it with Tell el-Wawiyat, just 1.3 km (0.8 mi) NNW of Rummana, about 10 km (6 mi) N of Nazareth.

(Ne·apʹo·lis) [New City].

A city of Greece at the northern end of the Aegean Sea that served as a seaport for Philippi. It is generally linked with modern Kavalla. This city occupies a rocky promontory at the head of the Gulf of Kavalla. Its harbor is situated on the western side, and Kavalla itself lies about 15 km (9.5 mi) SE of the ruins of Philippi. Latin inscriptions indicate the city’s dependence on Philippi in Roman times, and portions of an aqueduct there appear to be of Roman construction. The Roman-built Egnatian Way connected Neapolis and Philippi and ran westward all the way to Durazzo (Durrës) on the Adriatic Sea.

It was at Neapolis that the apostle Paul first entered Europe in response to the call to “step over into Macedonia.” From there he went to Philippi, this possibly taking him three or four hours as he crossed the mountain range between the two cities. (Ac 16:9-11) About six years later Paul doubtless passed through Neapolis again.​—Ac 20:6.

(Ne·a·riʹah) [Boy (Young Man) of Jah].

1. A Simeonite, son of Ishi. Neariah and his three brothers headed a force of 500 men that defeated the Amalekites at Mount Seir and thereafter continued to dwell there.​—1Ch 4:42, 43.

2. Son of Shemaiah, father of Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, and descendant of David.​—1Ch 3:1, 22, 23.

(Neʹbai) [possibly from a root meaning “thrive; bear fruit”].

One of “the heads of the people” whose descendant, if not he himself, attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” of Nehemiah’s day.​—Ne 9:38; 10:1, 14, 19.

(Ne·baʹioth).

The firstborn of Ishmael’s 12 sons and founder of one of the prominent Arabian tribes. (Ge 25:13-16; 1Ch 1:29-31) Nebaioth’s sister Mahalath (or possibly Basemath) married their cousin Esau. (Ge 28:9; 36:2, 3) The descendants of Nebaioth are not identified as living in any definite locality; they were probably nomads, moving about as Bedouin with their flocks. In the time of Isaiah, “the flocks of Kedar” (Kedar was Nebaioth’s brother) and “the rams of Nebaioth” were associated together in a prophecy foretelling how such animals would serve as approved sacrifices on Jehovah’s altar.​—Isa 60:7.

Some scholars have attempted to equate the descendants of Nebaioth with the Nabataeans of later times, but the evidence in support of such a suggestion is inconclusive.

(Ne·balʹlat).

A place settled by Benjamites after the Babylonian exile. (Ne 11:31, 34) Neballat is generally identified with Beit Nebala (Horvat Nevallat). Situated on a low hill about 6 km (3.5 mi) ENE of modern Lydda (Lod), Beit Nebala overlooks the SE end of the Plain of Sharon.

(Neʹbat) [He Has Looked At].

An Ephraimite and father of King Jeroboam I, the first ruler of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel.​—1Ki 11:26; 2Ki 14:23, 24.

(Neʹbo).

1. A Moabite city that came under the control of Amorite King Sihon sometime before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. (Compare Nu 21:26; 32:3; Isa 15:2.) Subsequent to Israel’s defeating Sihon, the Reubenites rebuilt Nebo. (Nu 32:37, 38) By the early part of the ninth century B.C.E., however, it appears that the Reubenites (1Ch 5:1, 8) lost the city, for, on the Moabite Stone, King Mesha boasted about having taken it from Israel at the direction of his god Chemosh. Later, both Isaiah (in the eighth century B.C.E.) and Jeremiah (in the seventh century B.C.E.) mentioned Nebo in prophecies directed against Moab.​—Isa 15:2; Jer 48:1, 22.

Nebo is commonly identified with Khirbet Mekhayyet (or, Qaryat el Mukhaiyat), situated about 8 km (5 mi) SW of Heshbon. There are ruins of an ancient fortress at this site. Also, large quantities of pottery fragments (thought to date from the 12th to the beginning of the 6th century B.C.E.) have been found.

2. A city, representatives of which returned from Babylonian exile. (Ezr 2:1, 29) Apparently to distinguish this Nebo from No. 1, it is designated as “the other Nebo.” (Ne 7:33) Modern Nuba, located about 11 km (7 mi) NW of Hebron, has been presented as a possible identification. However, at Ezra 10:43, 44, it may be the name of a man whose descendants returned from the exile and dismissed their wives.

3. Evidently one of the mountains of Abarim. It was from Mount Nebo or from the top of Pisgah (which may have been a part of Nebo or Nebo may have been a part of Pisgah) that Moses viewed the Promised Land, and then he died there. (De 32:48-52; 34:1-4) Mount Nebo is generally identified with Jebel en-Neba (Har Nevo). This mountain has an elevation of more than 800 m (2,630 ft) above sea level and is located about 17 km (11 mi) E of where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea. It is believed that Pisgah may be Ras es-Siyaghah, an eminence just NW of and slightly lower than the peak of Jebel en-Neba. On a clear day the top of Ras es-Siyaghah provides a splendid view of Mounts Hermon, Tabor, Ebal, and Gerizim, the central mountain ridge on which Bethlehem and Hebron are situated, as well as the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.

4. A deity whose humiliation at the fall of Babylon was foretold by the prophet Isaiah. (Isa 46:1, 2) Nebo was worshiped both in Babylonia and Assyria. He was identified with the planet Mercury and was regarded as the son of Marduk and Sarpanitu and the consort of Tashmitum. To his worshipers Nebo was a god of wisdom and learning, “the god who possesses intelligence,” “he who hears from afar,” “he who teaches,” and “lord of the tablet stylus.”​—The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World, by G. Rawlinson, 1885, Vol. I, p. 91; Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. Pritchard, 1974, p. 450.

The prominence of this deity is illustrated by the Babylonian king Nabonidus’ referring to Nebo as “the administrator of all the upper and nether world, who lengthens the span of my life” and also as the one “who extends (the length of) my rule.” Nabonidus credited Nebo with placing into his hands “the correct scepter, the lawful staff, which (alone) ensures the aggrandizement of the country.” (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 310) Another indication of the importance of Nebo in Babylonian religion is the fact that a form of the name appears in the names of the Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar, Nabopolassar, and Nabonidus; also in Nebuzaradan (2Ki 25:8) and perhaps Abednego.​—Da 1:7.

Nebo is prominently associated with the ancient city of Borsippa (modern Birs or Birs-Nimrud) near Babylon. In the spring, every New Year’s Day, the image of Nebo was taken in sacred procession from Borsippa to Babylon. Thereafter, when the image was returned to its sanctuary at Borsippa, the image of Marduk (also called by his title Bel [Lord]) was carried partway along with that of Nebo. It was most appropriate, therefore, that the prophecy of Isaiah specifically mentioned the coming disgrace of Bel and Nebo at Babylon’s fall.​—Isa 46:1, 2.

(Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar), Nebuchadrezzar (Neb·u·chad·rezʹzar) [from Akkadian, meaning “O Nebo, Protect the Heir!”].

Second ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire; son of Nabopolassar and father of Awil-Marduk (Evil-merodach), who succeeded him to the throne. Nebuchadnezzar ruled as king for 43 years (624-582 B.C.E.), this period including the “seven times” during which he ate vegetation like a bull. (Da 4:31-33) To distinguish this monarch from the Babylonian ruler by the same name but of a much earlier period (the Isin dynasty), historians refer to him as Nebuchadnezzar II.

Historical notices in cuneiform inscriptions presently available about Nebuchadnezzar somewhat supplement the Bible record. They state that it was in the 19th year of Nabopolassar’s reign that he assembled his army, as did his son Nebuchadnezzar, then crown prince. Both armies evidently functioned independently, and after Nabopolassar went back to Babylon within a month’s time, Nebuchadnezzar successfully warred in mountainous territory, later returning to Babylon with much spoil. During the 21st year of Nabopolassar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar marched with the Babylonian army to Carchemish, there to fight against the Egyptians. He led his forces to victory. This took place in the fourth year of Judean King Jehoiakim (625 B.C.E.).​—Jer 46:2.

The inscriptions further show that news of his father’s death brought Nebuchadnezzar back to Babylon, and on the first of Elul (August-September), he ascended the throne. In this his accession year he returned to Hattu, and “in the month Shebat [January-February, 624 B.C.E.] he took the vast booty of Hattu to Babylon.” (Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, by A. K. Grayson, 1975, p. 100) In 624 B.C.E., in the first official year of his kingship, Nebuchadnezzar again led his forces through Hattu; he captured and sacked the Philistine city of Ashkelon. (See ASHKELON.) During his second, third, and fourth years as king he conducted additional campaigns in Hattu, and evidently in the fourth year he made Judean King Jehoiakim his vassal. (2Ki 24:1) Also, in the fourth year Nebuchadnezzar led his forces to Egypt, and in the ensuing conflict both sides sustained heavy losses.

Conquest of Jerusalem. Later, the rebellion of Judean King Jehoiakim against Nebuchadnezzar evidently resulted in a siege being laid against Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It appears that during this siege Jehoiakim died and his son Jehoiachin ascended the throne of Judah. But a mere three months and ten days thereafter the reign of the new king ended when Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar (in the month of Adar [February-March] during Nebuchadnezzar’s seventh regnal year [ending in Nisan 617 B.C.E.], according to the Babylonian Chronicles). A cuneiform inscription (British Museum 21946) states: “The seventh year: In the month Kislev the king of Akkad mustered his army and marched to Hattu. He encamped against the city of Judah and on the second day of the month Adar he captured the city (and) seized (its) king [Jehoiachin]. A king of his own choice [Zedekiah] he appointed in the city (and) taking the vast tribute he brought it into Babylon.” (Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, by A. K. Grayson, 1975, p. 102; PICTURE, Vol. 2, p. 326) Along with Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar took other members of the royal household, court officials, craftsmen, and warriors into Babylonian exile. It was Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah that Nebuchadnezzar made king of Judah, and he changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah.​—2Ki 24:11-17; 2Ch 36:5-10; see CHRONOLOGY; JEHOIACHIN; JEHOIAKIM.

Sometime later Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, allying himself with Egypt for military protection. (Eze 17:15; compare Jer 27:11-14.) This brought the Babylonians back to Jerusalem, and on Tebeth (December-January) 10 in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. (2Ki 24:20; 25:1; 2Ch 36:13) However, news that a military force of Pharaoh was coming out of Egypt caused the Babylonians to lift the siege temporarily. (Jer 37:5) Subsequently Pharaoh’s troops were forced to go back to Egypt, and the Babylonians resumed the siege against Jerusalem. (Jer 37:7-10) Finally, in 607 B.C.E., on Tammuz (June-July) 9 in the 11th year of Zedekiah’s reign (Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year if counting from his accession year or his 18th regnal year), a breach was made in Jerusalem’s wall. Zedekiah and his men fled but were overtaken in the desert plains of Jericho. Since Nebuchadnezzar had retired to Riblah “in the land of Hamath,” Zedekiah was brought before him there. Nebuchadnezzar had all of Zedekiah’s sons slaughtered, and then he blinded and bound Zedekiah in order to take him as a prisoner to Babylon. The postconquest details, including the burning of the temple and the houses of Jerusalem, the disposition of temple utensils, and the taking of captives, were handled by Nebuzaradan the chief of the bodyguard. Over those not taken captive, Gedaliah, an appointee of Nebuchadnezzar, served as governor.​—2Ki 25:1-22; 2Ch 36:17-20; Jer 52:1-27, 29.

His Dream of an Immense Image. The book of Daniel states that it was in “the second year” of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingship (probably counting from the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. and therefore actually referring to his 20th regnal year) that Nebuchadnezzar had the dream about the golden-headed image. (Da 2:1) Although the magic-practicing priests, conjurers, and Chaldeans were unable to interpret this dream, the Jewish prophet Daniel did so. This moved Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge Daniel’s God as “a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a Revealer of secrets.” He then constituted Daniel “ruler over all the jurisdictional district of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” Nebuchadnezzar also appointed Daniel’s three companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to administrative posts.​—Da 2.

Later Exiles of Jews. About three years later, in the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, more Jews were taken into exile. (Jer 52:30) This exile probably involved Jews who had fled to lands that were later conquered by the Babylonians. Lending support to this conclusion is the statement of the historian Josephus: “In the fifth year after the sacking of Jerusalem, which was the twenty-third year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar marched against Coele-Syria and, after occupying it, made war both on the Moabites and the Ammanites. Then, after making these nations subject to him, he invaded Egypt in order to subdue it, and, having killed the king who was then reigning and appointed another, he again took captive the Jews who were in the country and carried them to Babylon.”​—Jewish Antiquities, X, 181, 182 (ix, 7).

Takes Tyre. It was also sometime after the fall of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. that Nebuchadnezzar began the siege against Tyre. During this siege the heads of his soldiers were “made bald” from the chafing of the helmets and their shoulders were “rubbed bare” from carrying materials used in the construction of siegeworks. As Nebuchadnezzar received no “wages” for serving as Jehovah’s instrument in executing judgment upon Tyre, He promised to give him the wealth of Egypt. (Eze 26:7-11; 29:17-20; see TYRE.) One fragmentary Babylonian text, dated to Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th year (588 B.C.E.), does, in fact, mention a campaign against Egypt. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. Pritchard, 1974, p. 308) But it cannot be established whether it relates to the original conquest or a later military action.

Building Projects. Besides attaining numerous military victories and expanding the Babylonian Empire in fulfillment of prophecy (compare Jer 47-49), Nebuchadnezzar engaged in considerable building activity. To satisfy the homesick longings of his Median queen, Nebuchadnezzar reportedly built the Hanging Gardens, rated as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Many of the extant cuneiform inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar tell of his building projects, including his erection of temples, palaces, and walls. An excerpt from one of these inscriptions reads:

“Nebuchadrezzar, King of Babylon, the restorer of Esagila and Ezida, son of Nabopolassar am I. As a protection to Esagila, that no powerful enemy and destroyer might take Babylon, that the line of battle might not approach Imgur-Bel, the wall of Babylon, that which no former king had done [I did]; at the enclosure of Babylon I made an enclosure of a strong wall on the east side. I dug a moat, I reached the level of the water. I then saw that the wall which my father had prepared was too small in its construction. I built with bitumen and brick a mighty wall which, like a mountain, could not be moved and connected it with the wall of my father; I laid its foundations on the breast of the under-world; its top I raised up like a mountain. Along this wall to strengthen it I constructed a third and as the base of a protecting wall I laid a foundation of bricks and built it on the breast of the under-world and laid its foundation. The fortifications of Esagila and Babylon I strengthened and established the name of my reign forever.”​—Archaeology and the Bible, by G. Barton, 1949, pp. 478, 479.

The foregoing harmonizes with Nebuchadnezzar’s boast made just before he lost his sanity: “Is not this Babylon the Great, that I myself have built for the royal house with the strength of my might and for the dignity of my majesty?” (Da 4:30) But when, in fulfillment of his divinely sent dream about the chopped-down tree, his reasoning powers were restored, Nebuchadnezzar had to acknowledge that Jehovah is able to humiliate those walking in pride.​—Da 4:37; see MADNESS.

Very Religious. The indications are that Nebuchadnezzar was extremely religious, building and beautifying the temples of numerous Babylonian deities. Particularly was he devoted to the worship of Marduk, the chief god of Babylon. To him Nebuchadnezzar gave credit for his military victories. Trophies of war, including the sacred vessels of Jehovah’s temple, appear to have been deposited in the temple of Marduk (Merodach). (Ezr 1:7; 5:14) Says an inscription of Nebuchadnezzar: “For thy glory, O exalted MERODACH a house have I made. . . . May it receive within itself the abundant tribute of the Kings of nations and of all peoples!”​—Records of the Past: Assyrian and Egyptian Monuments, London, 1875, Vol. V, p. 135.

The image of gold set up by Nebuchadnezzar in the Plain of Dura was perhaps dedicated to Marduk and designed to promote religious unity in the empire. Enraged over the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to worship this image even after being given a second opportunity, Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they be thrown into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. However, when these three Hebrews were delivered by Jehovah’s angel, Nebuchadnezzar was forced to say that “there does not exist another god that is able to deliver like this one.”​—Da 3.

Nebuchadnezzar also appears to have relied heavily on divination in planning his military moves. Ezekiel’s prophecy, for example, depicts the king of Babylon as employing divination in deciding whether to go against Rabbah of Ammon or against Jerusalem.​—Eze 21:18-23.

(Neb·u·shazʹban) [from Akkadian, meaning “O Nebo, Deliver Me!”].

The Rabsaris, chief court official, in the forces of Nebuchadnezzar that destroyed Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. Nebushazban was one of several princes that directed the release of Jeremiah. (Jer 39:13, 14) Either Nebushazban is referred to by his title or else another man was also called Rabsaris in the group that sat down in the Middle Gate after the Babylonians first broke through Jerusalem’s wall.​—Jer 39:2, 3.

(Neb·uʹzar·adʹan) [from Babylonian, meaning “Nebo Has Given Offspring”].

Chief of the bodyguard and principal figure in Nebuchadnezzar’s forces at the actual destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. It does not appear that Nebuzaradan was present during the initial siege and breakthrough of Jerusalem, for it was about a month later that he “came to Jerusalem,” after King Zedekiah had been brought to Nebuchadnezzar and blinded.​—2Ki 25:2-8; Jer 39:2, 3; 52:6-11.

From outside the city, Nebuzaradan directed the Babylonian operations of destroying the city, which began “on the seventh day of the month” (the fifth month, Ab), and which included looting the temple treasures, wrecking the wall, dealing with the captives, and allowing some of the lowly ones to remain. (2Ki 25:8-20; Jer 39:8-10; 43:5, 6; 52:12-26) Three days later, on the tenth day of the month, it appears that Nebuzaradan “came into Jerusalem” (“entered Jerusalem,” RS, JB) and, after an inspection, put a torch to the house of Jehovah and reduced the city to ashes. (Jer 52:12, 13) Josephus observed that it was on the very same day, the tenth day of the fifth month, when Solomon’s temple was burned, that the temple rebuilt by Herod was also burned, in 70 C.E.​—The Jewish War, VI, 250 (iv, 5); VI, 268 (iv, 8); see AB.

Nebuzaradan, under orders from Nebuchadnezzar, released Jeremiah and spoke to him kindly, letting him choose what he would do, offering to look after him and granting him some supplies. Nebuzaradan was also spokesman for the king of Babylon in appointing Gedaliah governor over those remaining. (2Ki 25:22; Jer 39:11-14; 40:1-7; 41:10) About five years later, 602 B.C.E., Nebuzaradan took other Jews into exile, apparently those who had fled to surrounding territories.​—Jer 52:30.

(Neʹcho[h]).

A pharaoh of Egypt contemporaneous with Judean King Josiah. According to the Greek historian Herodotus (II, 158, 159; IV, 42), Nechos (Necho) was the son of Psammetichus (Psammetichos, Psamtik I) and succeeded his father as ruler of Egypt. Although beginning construction work on a canal linking the Nile with the Red Sea, he did not complete this project. However, he did send a Phoenician fleet on a voyage around Africa. This journey was successfully completed in three years.

Toward the close of Josiah’s 31-year reign (659-629 B.C.E.), Pharaoh Necho was on his way to help the Assyrians at the river Euphrates. At that time Josiah disregarded “the words of Necho from the mouth of God” and was mortally wounded while attempting to turn the Egyptian forces back at Megiddo. About three months later, Pharaoh Necho took Jehoahaz, Josiah’s successor to the throne, captive and made 25-year-old Eliakim his vassal, changing the new ruler’s name to Jehoiakim. Necho also imposed a heavy fine on the kingdom of Judah. (2Ch 35:20–36:4; 2Ki 23:29-35) At Carchemish, between three and four years later (625 B.C.E.), Necho’s forces suffered defeat at the hands of the Babylonians under the command of Nebuchadnezzar.​—Jer 46:2.

The part of a human or an animal that connects the head with the rest of the body. The Hebrew terms for neck evidently emphasize its skeletal structure that can be broken (Ex 13:13; 1Sa 4:18) or the back part of the neck. (Ge 49:8; Jos 10:24) In the Bible the term “neck” is frequently used in a figurative way.

In Hebrew, one fleeing in defeat was literally said to turn his “neck” to the enemy (compare Jos 7:8), that is, the back of his neck. Therefore, to ‘have one’s hand on the back of the neck’ of his enemies was to conquer, or subdue, them. (Ge 49:8; 2Sa 22:41; Ps 18:40) With similar significance, on monuments of Egypt and Assyria, monarchs are represented in battle scenes as treading on the necks of their enemies. Likewise, Joshua ordered his army commanders: “Come forward. Place your feet on the back of the necks of these kings.”​—Jos 10:24.

A yoke upon the neck indicated servitude, submission, or bondage. (Ge 27:40; Jer 30:8; Ac 15:10) The frequent expressions “stiff-necked” and ‘hardened neck’ represent a rebellious and obstinate spirit. As a warning to us, the Scriptures say that “a man repeatedly reproved but making his neck hard will suddenly be broken, and that without healing.”​—Pr 29:1; De 9:6, 13; 31:27; 2Ki 17:14; Ps 75:5; Isa 48:4.

Throat. The Hebrew word for “throat” evidently refers to the front part of the neck where the organs for speaking and swallowing are found. (Ps 149:6; Jer 2:25) The importance of the discipline and authority of one’s parents (and, by implication, the eminent value of God’s commandments and laws) is emphasized by the admonition to ‘bind them upon the throat,’ where beautiful and precious ornaments were worn. (Pr 1:8, 9; 3:1-3; 6:20, 21) Walking with one’s throat stretched forth can evidence haughtiness. (Isa 3:16) Of wicked men of lies and bloodshed, the Bible says: “In their mouth there is nothing trustworthy; . . . their throat is an opened burial place.”​—Ps 5:9; Ro 3:13.

An ornamental chain or string of beads, gold, silver, coral, jewels, and the like, worn around the neck. Necklaces were anciently worn by women (Ca 1:10; 4:9; compare Eze 16:11) and even by men, especially those of high station. (Ge 41:41, 42; Da 5:7, 16, 17, 29) The Midianites of Gideon’s day put necklaces on the necks of their camels, and from these necklaces, apparently, moon-shaped ornaments hung as pendants. (Jg 8:21, 26) Necklace-style chains were at times used for ornamentation, as for the temple pillars Jachin and Boaz.​—2Ch 3:15-17.

Of boastful, wicked people it is said that “haughtiness has served as a necklace to them.” (Ps 73:3, 6) On the other hand, the discipline of a father and the law of a mother are as a fine necklace to a son’s throat.​—Pr 1:8, 9.

(Ned·a·biʹah) [Jah Is Willing (Noble; Generous)].

Last-named son of King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), born during Jeconiah’s exile in Babylon. (1Ch 3:17, 18; 2Ki 24:15; Jer 29:1, 2, 4, 6) Nedabiah was a descendant of David of the tribe of Judah and an uncle of Zerubbabel, the postexilic governor.​—1Ch 3:1, 17-19; Hag 1:1.

A slender tool with a sharp point at one end and a hole, or eye, at the other; used for sewing with thread (or sometimes with leather strips) and for embroidering. (Ex 28:6; 35:34, 35; Ec 3:7; Lu 5:36) While bone needles and some made of ivory have been discovered at ancient sites, bronze needles were generally used. They are very similar to present-day needles. Bronze needles varying in length from approximately 4 to 14 cm (1.5 to 5.5 in.) have been found in Palestine. Some Egyptian bronze needles were from 8 to 9 cm (3 to 3.5 in.) long.

In an illustration pertaining to entry into the Kingdom, Jesus Christ said: “It is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Mt 19:24; Mr 10:25) Some have held the needle’s eye to be a small gate through which a camel, if relieved of its load, could pass with difficulty. However, the Greek word for “needle” found at Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25 (rha·phisʹ) is drawn from a verb meaning “sew.” Also, the Greek word appearing in the parallel passage of Luke 18:25 (be·loʹne) is used to refer to a literal surgical needle. Regarding these Greek terms Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words notes: “The idea of applying ‘the needle’s eye’ to small gates seems to be a modern one; there is no ancient trace of it. The Lord’s object in the statement is to express human impossibility and there is no need to endeavour to soften the difficulty by taking the needle to mean anything more than the ordinary instrument.”​—1981, Vol. 3, p. 106.

As a hyperbole, the illustration emphasized how difficult it would be for rich men not simply to begin serving God but actually to enter into the Kingdom.​—1Ti 6:17-19; Lu 13:24.

(Negʹeb) [South].

The Hebrew word neʹghev is thought to be derived from a root meaning “be parched” and often denotes the semiarid area S of the mountains of Judah. Neʹghev also came to mean “south” and is used with reference to a southern side (Nu 35:5), a southern boundary (Jos 15:4), and a southern gate (Eze 46:9). In some translations a distinction between the geographic designation and the compass direction is not maintained, resulting in confusing renderings. An example of this is Genesis 13:1, where translating neʹghev as “south” (AS, KJ, Le) makes it appear that Abraham went southward out of Egypt, when actually his direction was northward through the Negeb to Bethel. But this difficulty has been eliminated in many modern translations.​—AT, JB, NW, RS.

Topography. The Negeb of ancient times seems to have embraced an area extending from the district of Beer-sheba in the N to Kadesh-barnea in the S. (Ge 21:14; Nu 13:17, 22; 32:8) The prophet Isaiah described this region as a land of hard conditions, a haunt of lions, leopards, and snakes. (Isa 30:6) In the northern section, occasional springs, wells, and pools are found, and the tamarisk is one of the few trees that thrives there. (Ge 21:33) To the SW of Beer-sheba lie two small areas and one relatively large area of sand dunes. Much of the Negeb is a plateau between 450 and 600 m (1,500 and 2,000 ft) above sea level, with peaks up to 1,050 m (3,440 ft) in elevation. To the S and E of Beer-sheba there are rugged ridges, generally running from E to W.

History. The cisterns, terrace walls, and ruins of many towns that have been found in the Negeb indicate that the area anciently supported a considerable population. Here the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac found pasturage for their large flocks. (Ge 13:1, 2; 20:1; 24:62) And in Abraham’s time the Elamite king Chedorlaomer, with his three allies, defeated the inhabitants of the Negeb.​—Ge 14:1-7.

Centuries afterward, the Israelite spies sent by Moses entered the Promised Land from the Negeb, which at that time was inhabited by the Amalekites. (Nu 13:17, 22, 29) Under the leadership of Joshua, all the inhabitants of the Negeb were defeated (Jos 10:40; 11:16) and cities in this region became part of the territory of the tribe of Simeon. (Jos 19:1-6) Also, the nomadic Kenites, who were related to Moses through marriage, took up residence in the Negeb. (Jg 1:16; compare 1Sa 15:6, 7.) The Israelites evidently did not maintain control over the area. Over the years there were repeated clashes with the Canaanites of the Negeb and particularly with the Amalekites. (Jg 1:9; 6:3; 1Sa 15:1-9; 30:1-20) From the city of Ziklag, given to him by the Philistine king Achish, David made raids upon the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites of the Negeb. (1Sa 27:5-8) Apparently not until David’s reign as king, after the defeat of the Edomites, did Israel gain complete control of the Negeb. (2Sa 8:13, 14) The later Judean king Uzziah evidently built towers and hewed out cisterns in this region.​—2Ch 26:10.

After the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, Obadiah foretold that the Israelites would be restored to their land, including the Negeb.​—Ob 19, 20.

This word has the meaning of paying no attention to; disregarding; being remiss in care for or treatment of (someone or something); failure to carry out or perform (orders, duties, and so forth). The word can carry the connotation of willfulness or deliberateness in such failure, or merely of oversight through indifference or carelessness.

One of several Hebrew terms having the meaning “neglect” is the verb pa·raʽʹ, which literally means “loosen.” (Nu 5:18) It has the sense “go ungroomed” with regard to physical appearance (Le 10:6), “go unrestrained” with regard to conduct (Ex 32:25), and “neglect” or “shun” discipline. (Pr 13:18; 15:32; compare Ex 5:4, where it is rendered “leave off.”) Another is the word ʽa·zavʹ, which literally means “abandon; leave.” (De 29:25; 1Ki 12:8) Thus, Nehemiah encouraged true worshipers not to “neglect” the house of the true God. (Ne 10:39; compare 13:11.) Another Hebrew term to designate neglect literally means “slackness,” like that of a loose bow.​—Jer 48:10; compare Ps 78:57.

The Greek word a·me·leʹo (from a, “not,” and meʹlo, “care for”) contains more definitely the idea of unconcern, not caring, and not so much the thought of unintentional oversight or the overlooking of something. After describing the severe punishment for disobedience to the Mosaic Law, the apostle Paul says: “How shall we escape if we have neglected [Gr., a·me·leʹsan·tes, “having been unconcerned (of)”] a salvation of such greatness in that it began to be spoken through our Lord . . . while God joined in bearing witness?” Here he indicates that it is not the matter of an oversight, but the lack of concern, a ‘drifting away’ (vs 1), disobedience to the word of God spoken through his only-begotten Son.​—Heb 2:1-4, Int.

Matthew used a form of this Greek word in relating Jesus’ illustration of the marriage feast. Those invited by the king to his son’s wedding feast did not come. Why? Not through oversight, but, “unconcerned they went off, one to his own field, another to his commercial business.” For this lack of concern they were counted unworthy.​—Mt 22:5, 8.

The young man Timothy was given a heavy responsibility as an overseer in Ephesus. Paul admonished him: “Do not be neglecting [or, being careless of] the gift in you that was given you through a prediction and when the body of older men laid their hands upon you.” It took much energetic action on Timothy’s part to avoid being neglectful. He had to be absorbed in his reading, proper teaching, conduct, exhortation, and example, showing concern by constant, undeviating attention. Otherwise he could lose out by negligence, by lack of real concern for God’s favor bestowed upon him.​—1Ti 4:11-16, Int.

Paul quotes Jehovah’s words concerning Israel wherein He spoke of the Law covenant, saying, “which covenant of mine they themselves broke, although I myself had husbandly ownership of them.” (Jer 31:32) In place of “although I myself had husbandly ownership of them,” the Septuagint reads: “and I stopped caring for them.” This doubtless explains why the quotation, at Hebrews 8:9, reads: “Because they did not continue in my covenant, so that I stopped caring [showed no concern] for them.” Jehovah was certainly not negligent in the sense of carelessness or oversight; rather, he showed great concern for his covenant people until they disregarded his word and rebelled against him. Only then and on that basis was it that he “stopped caring [Gr., e·meʹle·sa] for them.”

(Ne·helʹam) [Of (Belonging to) Nehelam; or, possibly, The Dreamer].

Perhaps the home of the false prophet Shemaiah. (Jer 29:24, 31, 32) But a location by this name is unknown. Therefore some have suggested that “of Nehelam” may be a family designation and thus translate the phrase “the Nehelamite.” (KJ, NE) Others believe that Jeremiah was perhaps making a play on the Hebrew word cha·lamʹ, meaning “dream.”​—Compare Jer 23:25.

(Ne·he·miʹah) [Jah Comforts].

1. One who was possibly a leader among those returning from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel.​—Ezr 2:1, 2; Ne 7:7.

2. Son of Azbuk and prince over half the district of Beth-zur. Since the town of Beth-zur was located in the mountainous region of Judah (Jos 15:21, 48, 58), Nehemiah may have been a Judean. In 455 B.C.E., he shared in repairing the wall of Jerusalem.​—Ne 3:16.

3. Son of Hacaliah and brother of Hanani; cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes (Longimanus) and, later, governor of the Jews, rebuilder of Jerusalem’s wall, and writer of the Bible book bearing his name.​—Ne 1:1, 2, 11; 2:1; 5:14, 16.

During the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, in the month Chislev (November-December), Nehemiah, while in Shushan the castle, received visitors, his brother Hanani and other men from Judah. Upon his inquiry, they told him about the bad plight of the Jews and that the wall and gates of Jerusalem were still in ruins. Nehemiah was moved to tears. For days thereafter he mourned, continually fasting and praying. He confessed Israel’s sin and, on the basis of God’s words to Moses (De 30:1-4), petitioned Jehovah to “make him an object of pity” before King Artaxerxes so that his plan to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall might be successful.​—Ne 1.

Later, in the month of Nisan (March-April), Nehemiah’s prayers were answered. The king noticed that Nehemiah’s face was gloomy and asked why. Nehemiah then informed him about the sorry state of affairs in Jerusalem. When asked what he was seeking to secure, Nehemiah, immediately praying to God, requested permission from the king to return and rebuild Jerusalem. The request was granted. Additionally, Nehemiah received letters from the king, entitling him to freedom of passage through the areas under the jurisdiction of governors W of the Euphrates River and also granting timber supplies for the project. With chiefs of the military force and horsemen, he departed for Jerusalem.​—Ne 2:1-9.

Jerusalem’s Wall Rebuilt. After being in Jerusalem for three days, Nehemiah, unknown to anyone except a few men who were with him, made a nighttime inspection of the city. While the rest were on foot, Nehemiah rode an animal, probably a horse or an ass. The ruins became so extensive as to obstruct passage, but Nehemiah was able to finish his inspection.​—Ne 2:11-16.

Following the completion of his survey, Nehemiah revealed his plan to the Jews, drawing to their attention Jehovah’s hand in the matter. Encouraged thereby, they responded: “Let us get up, and we must build.” Despite the derisive words of Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, repair work began on about the fourth of Ab (July-August).​—Ne 2:17-20; compare Ne 6:15.

As the work progressed, Sanballat and Tobiah continued to deride and mock the efforts of the Jews to repair the wall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah made this a subject of prayer, “and the people continued to have a heart for working.” When the wall reached half its height, Sanballat, Tobiah, and neighboring peoples intensified their opposition to the point of conspiring to fight against Jerusalem. Nehemiah repeatedly received reports to that effect from Jews living near the city. Again Nehemiah manifested prayerful reliance on Jehovah. To meet the tense situation, he armed the workmen, arranged for others to stand guard, and outlined an alarm system. Nehemiah did not even take off his clothes at night, evidently to be ready to fight in the event of an alarm signal from the watch.​—Ne 4.

Urgent as the situation was, Nehemiah was not too busy to give due consideration to the outcry of the Jews. Hearing their complaints that they were being oppressed by having to pay interest, he censured the nobles and deputy rulers, arranged a great assembly, and, after exposing this evil, instructed that the situation be rectified.​—Ne 5:1-13.

It was after this that the enemies made attempts to stop the rebuilding work. Four times they tried to allure Nehemiah away from his project, but he informed them that he was unable to take time off from the great work that he was doing. Thereafter Sanballat sent an open letter that contained false charges and suggested that they meet for counsel. Nehemiah replied: “Things such as you are saying have not been brought about, but it is out of your own heart that you are inventing them.” Trying still another trick, Tobiah and Sanballat hired a Jew to frighten Nehemiah into wrongfully hiding in the temple. Nehemiah, however, did not give way to fear, and the repair work came to a successful completion on the 25th day of Elul (August-September), just 52 days after construction work began. Nevertheless, Tobiah continued to send intimidating letters to Nehemiah.​—Ne 6.

With the wall completed, Nehemiah directed his attention to the work of organizing the temple servants. Next he placed two men in command of the city, one of these being his brother Hanani. Nehemiah also gave instructions regarding the opening and the closing of the city gates and the guarding of them.​—Ne 7:1-3.

Genealogical Enrollment. At this time Jerusalem’s population was quite small. This seemingly was why God put it into Nehemiah’s heart to assemble the nobles, deputy rulers, and people to get them enrolled genealogically, for the information procured thereby could have served as a basis for taking steps to increase the population of Jerusalem. Apparently while Nehemiah was giving consideration to this genealogical enrollment, he found the record of those who had returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel.​—Ne 7:4-7.

Law Observance Restored. It was probably at Nehemiah’s direction that an assembly was held in the public square near the Water Gate. Although Ezra the priest evidently took the lead in giving instruction in the Law, Nehemiah also shared therein. (Ne 8:1-12) Next, the eight-day Festival of Booths was held. Two days later the Israelites convened again. During this assembly a general confession of Israel’s sin was made. Thereafter a written confession contract was drawn up. This confession contract or “trustworthy arrangement” was attested by the princes, Levites, and priests. Nehemiah, “the Tirshatha [governor],” was the first to attest it by seal. (Ne 8:13–10:1) All the people agreed to refrain from intermarriage with foreigners, to observe the Sabbaths, and to support the temple service. Next, one person out of every ten was selected by lot to dwell permanently in Jerusalem.​—Ne 10:28–11:1.

It was after this that the wall of Jerusalem was inaugurated. For the occasion Nehemiah appointed two large thanksgiving choirs and processions to make a tour of the wall in opposite directions. This was done, and all met at the temple to offer sacrifices. Additionally, men were appointed to be in charge of the contributions for the priests and Levites.​—Ne 12:27-47.

About 12 years later, in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes, Nehemiah left Jerusalem. Upon his return, he found deplorable conditions among the Jews. Eliashib the high priest had made a dining hall in the courtyard of the temple for the use of Tobiah, the very man who earlier had viciously opposed the work of Nehemiah. Immediately Nehemiah took action. He threw all of Tobiah’s furniture outside the dining hall and instructed that the dining hall be cleansed.

Additionally, Nehemiah took measures to ensure the contributions for the Levites and enforced strict Sabbath observance. He also administered discipline against those who had taken foreign wives, whose sons by these women were not even able to speak the Jewish tongue: “And I began to find fault with them and call down evil upon them and strike some men of them and pull out their hair and make them swear by God: ‘You should not give your daughters to their sons, and you should not accept any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves.’”

Nehemiah’s ‘finding fault’ with these men doubtless was his reproving and rebuking them by means of God’s law, exposing their wrong action. These men were bringing the restored nation into disfavor with God, after God had kindly repatriated them from Babylon to restore true worship at Jerusalem. Nehemiah ‘called down evil upon them,’ meaning that he recited the judgments of God’s law against such violators. He ‘struck’ them, probably not personally, but ordered them flogged as an official judicial action. He ‘pulled out (a portion of) their hair.’ This was a symbol of moral indignation and ignominy before the people. (Compare Ezr 9:3.) Nehemiah then chased away the grandson of High Priest Eliashib, who had become a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite.​—Ne 13:1-28.

Nehemiah, an Outstanding Example. Nehemiah stands out as a sterling example of faithfulness and devotion. He was unselfish, leaving behind a prominent position as cupbearer in the courtyard of Artaxerxes to undertake the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. As there were many enemies, Nehemiah willingly exposed himself to danger in behalf of his people and true worship. Not only did he direct the work of repairing the wall of Jerusalem but he also had an active, personal share in the task. He wasted no time, was courageous and fearless, relied fully on Jehovah, and was discreet in what he did. Zealous for true worship, Nehemiah knew God’s law and applied it. He was concerned about building up the faith of his fellow Israelites. He showed himself to be a man who manifested a proper fear of Jehovah God. Though enforcing God’s law zealously, he did not domineer over others for selfish benefit but showed concern for the oppressed. Never did he demand the bread due the governor. Instead, he provided food for a considerable number of persons at his own expense. (Ne 5:14-19) Appropriately Nehemiah could pray: “Do remember me, O my God, for good.”​—Ne 13:31.

A book of the Hebrew Scriptures that primarily relates events occurring shortly before and during Nehemiah’s governorship in Judah. (Ne 5:14; 13:6, 7) The opening words of this inspired account identify the writer as “Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah” (1:1), and much of it is written in the first person.

Time Covered and Time of Writing. The month of Chislev (November-December) of a certain 20th year is the reference point with which the historical narrative begins. (Ne 1:1) As is evident from Nehemiah 2:1, this 20th year must be that of Artaxerxes’ reign. Obviously, the 20th year in this case is not reckoned as starting in Nisan (March-April), for Chislev of the 20th year could not then precede Nisan (mentioned at Ne 2:1) of the same 20th year. So it may be that Nehemiah used his own count of time, reckoning the lunar year as beginning with Tishri (September-October), which month Jews today recognize as the beginning of their civil year. Another possibility is that the reign of the king was reckoned from the actual date that the monarch ascended the throne. This could be so even though the Babylonian scribes continued to reckon the years of the Persian king’s reign on their customary basis of a Nisan-to-Nisan count, as their cuneiform tablets show they did.

Reliable historical evidence and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy point to 455 B.C.E. as the year in which Nisan of the 20th year of Artaxerxes’ reign fell. (See PERSIA, PERSIANS [The Reigns of Xerxes and of Artaxerxes].) Accordingly, the Chislev preceding Nisan of that 20th year would fall in 456 B.C.E., and the 32nd year of Artaxerxes’ reign (the last date mentioned in Nehemiah [13:6]) would include part of 443 B.C.E. Therefore, the book of Nehemiah covers a period from Chislev of 456 B.C.E. until sometime after 443 B.C.E.

It was in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes’ reign that Nehemiah left Jerusalem. Upon his return, he found that the Jews were not supporting the priests and Levites, the Sabbath law was being violated, many had married foreign women, and the offspring of the mixed marriages did not even know how to speak the language of the Jews. (Ne 13:10-27) For conditions to have deteriorated to this point indicates that Nehemiah’s absence entailed a considerable period. But there is no way to determine just how long after 443 B.C.E. Nehemiah completed the book bearing his name.

Agreement With Other Bible Books. The book of Nehemiah exalts Jehovah God. It reveals him to be the Creator (Ne 9:6; compare Ge 1:1; Ps 146:6; Re 4:11), a God who answers the sincere prayers of his servants (Ne 1:11–2:8; 4:4, 5, 15, 16; 6:16; compare Ps 86:6, 7), and the Defender of his people (Ne 4:14, 20; compare Ex 14:14, 25). He is “a God of acts of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness” (Ne 9:17; compare Nu 14:18), “the God of the heavens, the God great and fear-inspiring, keeping the covenant and loving-kindness toward those loving him and keeping his commandments.”​—Ne 1:5; compare De 7:9, 10, 21.

Numerous allusions to the Law are found in the book of Nehemiah. These involve the calamities to result from disobedience and the blessings to come from repentance (Le 26:33; De 30:4; Ne 1:7-9), loans (Le 25:35-38; De 15:7-11; Ne 5:2-11), marriage alliances with foreigners (De 7:3; Ne 10:30), Sabbaths, the release from debts (Ex 20:8; Le 25:4; De 15:1, 2; Ne 10:31), the altar fire (Le 6:13; Ne 10:34), the Festival of Booths (De 31:10-13; Ne 8:14-18), and the entry of Moabites and Ammonites into the congregation of Israel (De 23:3-6; Ne 13:1-3), as well as tithes, firstfruits, and contributions.​—Ex 30:16; Nu 18:12-30; Ne 10:32-39.

There is also historical information in this book that is found elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Ne 9:7-35; 13:26; compare Ne 13:17, 18 with Jer 17:21-27.) And contemporary history in the account illustrates other Biblical passages. Psalms 123 and 129 find a historical parallel in what was experienced by Nehemiah and the other Jews in connection with their rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. (Ne 4:1-5, 9; 6:1-14) Jehovah’s causing Artaxerxes to do His will by granting Nehemiah’s request to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem historically illustrates Proverbs 21:1: “A king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of Jehovah. Everywhere that he delights to, he turns it.”​—Ne 2:4-8.

Both the book of Ezra (2:1-67) and the book of Nehemiah (7:6-69) list the number of exiles from various families or houses who returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel. The accounts harmonize in giving 42,360 as the total number of Israelites who returned, apart from slaves and singers. (Ezr 2:64; Ne 7:66) However, there are differences in the numbers given for each family or house, and the individual figures in both listings yield a total of far less than 42,360. Many scholars would attribute these variations to scribal errors. While this aspect cannot be completely ignored, there are other possible explanations for the differences.

It may be that Ezra and Nehemiah based their listings on different sources. For example, Ezra could have used a document listing those who enrolled to return to their homeland, whereas Nehemiah might have copied from a record listing those who actually did return. Since there were priests who were unable to establish their genealogy (Ezr 2:61-63; Ne 7:63-65), it is not unreasonable to conclude that many of the other Israelites faced the same problem. Consequently, the 42,360 could be the combined total of the number from each family plus many others who were unable to establish their ancestry. Later, however, some may have been able to establish their correct genealogy. This could explain how a fluctuation in numbers might still give the same total.

[Box on page 488]

HIGHLIGHTS OF NEHEMIAH

Events surrounding the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the subsequent clearing out of wrong practices from among the Jews

Covers a period that begins more than 80 years after the Jews returned from exile in Babylon

Jerusalem’s walls are rebuilt in the face of opposition

In Shushan, Nehemiah learns about the ruined state of Jerusalem’s wall; he prays for Jehovah’s support, then asks the Persian monarch Artaxerxes for permission to go and rebuild the city and its wall; Artaxerxes consents (1:1–2:9)

Arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah inspects the ruined walls by night; afterward he reveals to the Jews his purpose to rebuild (2:11-18)

Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem​—foreigners all—​oppose the rebuilding; first they try ridicule, then they conspire to fight against Jerusalem; Nehemiah arms the workers, and they continue building (2:19–4:23)

Plots against Nehemiah himself fail, and the wall is completed in 52 days (6:1-19)

The wall is inaugurated; at the ceremony two thanksgiving choirs and processions march in opposite directions on top of the wall and meet at the temple; there is great rejoicing (12:27-43)

The affairs of Jerusalem are put in order

After the wall is completed, Nehemiah secures Jerusalem with gates and assigns duties to gatekeepers, singers, and Levites; he appoints Hanani and Hananiah to be in charge of the city (7:1-3)

Nehemiah sets out to make a genealogical record of the people; he finds the book of genealogical enrollment of those returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel; priests that cannot establish their genealogy are barred ‘until the priest with Urim and Thummim stands up’ (7:5-73)

Jerusalem is underpopulated, so one out of every ten of the people is designated by lot to reside in the city (7:4; 11:1, 2)

Efforts are made to improve the spiritual condition of the Jews

Wealthy Jews agree to make restoration to their poor brothers, whom they have wrongly charged interest on loans (5:1-13)

At a public assembly, Ezra reads the Law and certain Levites share in explaining it; the people weep but are encouraged to rejoice because the day is holy; they rejoice, too, because they understand what has been read to them (8:1-12)

The next day, from their reading of the Law, the people learn about celebrating the Festival of Booths; they follow through by observing the feast with great rejoicing (8:13-18)

Next, there is a gathering during which the people confess their national sins and review Jehovah’s dealings with Israel; they also make an oath to keep the Law, to refrain from intermarriage with foreigners, and to accept obligations for maintaining the temple and its services (9:1–10:39)

Following the inauguration of the wall, there is another public reading from the Law; when they discern that Ammonites and Moabites should not be allowed into the congregation, they begin to separate “all the mixed company” from Israel (13:1-3)

After a prolonged absence, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and finds that things have deteriorated; he cleanses the dining halls, directs that tithes be contributed for the support of the Levites and singers, enforces Sabbath keeping, and reproves those who have married foreign women (13:4-30)

(Neʹhi·loth).

A transliteration of nechi·lohthʹ, a Hebrew term of uncertain derivation and meaning, occurring only in the superscription of Psalm 5. Nehiloth appears to be a musical expression, and many believe that it refers to a wind instrument, linking it with a Hebrew root related to cha·lilʹ (flute). However, the phrase “for Nehiloth” may designate a melody. The Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render the term “[for] her who inherits.”

(Neʹhum).

Apparently an alternate spelling for Rehum, one of the men returning from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel.​—Ezr 2:2; Ne 7:7.

(Ne·hushʹta).

Daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem and wife of King Jehoiakim. When the first captives were taken to Babylon in 617 B.C.E. after the three-month rule of her son Jehoiachin, Nehushta was taken along and likely remained there the rest of her life.​—2Ki 24:6, 8, 12; Jer 29:2.

(Ne·iʹel).

A city of Asher (Jos 19:24, 27), identified with Khirbet Yaʽnin (Horvat Yaʽanin), about 15 km (9.5 mi) ESE of Acco.

A person living nearby, whether friend or enemy; or, viewed spiritually, a person who demonstrates to others the love and kindness that the Scriptures command, even though he lives at a distance or is not a relative or an associate. One Hebrew word rendered “neighbor” is sha·khenʹ, which has reference to location, either of cities or of persons, and includes friends and enemies.​—Jer 49:18; Ru 4:17; Ps 79:4, 12.

Other associated Hebrew terms that are in some contexts rendered “neighbor” vary slightly in connotation and give us a broader view of the relationships expressed in the Hebrew Scriptures. Reʹaʽ means “fellow, companion, friend” and can apply to closeness of relationship, but it generally means one’s fellowman or fellow countryman, whether he is a close associate, lives nearby or not. In most of its uses in the Scriptures it applies to a fellow member of the commonwealth of Israel or to one residing in Israel. (Ex 20:16; 22:11; De 4:42; Pr 11:9) ʽA·mithʹ means “fellow” or “associate” and is used often in the sense of one with whom a person has some dealings. (Le 6:2; 19:15, 17; 25:14, 15) Qa·rohvʹ, meaning “near, at hand, related to,” has reference to place, time, or persons; it can imply a more intimate relationship than “neighbor” and is at times rendered ‘intimate or close acquaintance.’ (Ex 32:27; Jos 9:16; Ps 15:3; 38:11) No one English word can express fully all these shades of meaning.

Similarly, in the Greek Scriptures there are three words with slightly different flavor that are usually translated “neighbor”: geiʹton, “one living in the same land” (Lu 14:12; Joh 9:8); pe·riʹoi·kos, an adjective meaning “dwelling around,” used as a noun (plural) at Luke 1:58; ple·siʹon, meaning “near,” used with the article ho (the), literally, “the (one) near.” (Ro 13:10; Eph 4:25) Of these Greek words, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says: “[These words] have a wider range of meaning than that of the Eng. word neighbour. There were no farmhouses scattered over the agricultural areas of Palestine; the populations, gathered in villages, went to and fro to their toil. Hence domestic life was touched at every point by a wide circle of neighbourhood. The terms for neighbour were therefore of a very comprehensive scope. This may be seen from the chief characteristics of the privileges and duties of neighbourhood as set forth in Scripture, (a) its helpfulness, e.g., . . . Luke 10:36; (b) its intimacy, e.g., Luke 15:6, 9 . . . Heb. 8:11; (c) its sincerity and sanctity, e.g., . . . Rom. 13:10; 15:2; Eph. 4:25; Jas. 4:12.”​—1981, Vol. 3, p. 107.

Bad Neighbors. However, some living nearby might be evil neighbors, as were the neighbor nations around Israel. When Jerusalem’s temple was destroyed by Babylonian hands in 607 B.C.E., these nations, such as Edom, rejoiced, even surrendering fugitive Jews to their enemies. (Ps 137:7; Ob 8-14; Mic 4:11) The psalmist was moved to write: “We have become a reproach to our neighbors [a plural form of sha·khenʹ], a derision and a jeering to those round about us.” He prayed: “Repay to our neighbors [a plural form of sha·khenʹ] seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you.” Because Jehovah ‘dwelt’ among Israel, he spoke of the nations that opposed his people as “all my bad neighbors, who are touching the hereditary possession that I caused my people, even Israel, to possess.”​—Ps 79:4, 12; Jer 12:14; compare Ps 68:16.

Love Toward Neighbor Commanded. The Bible, throughout, instructs one to exercise love, kindness, generosity, and helpfulness toward one’s neighbor, whether he be merely a dweller nearby, an associate, a companion, an intimate acquaintance, or a friend. The Law commanded: “With justice you should judge your associate [form of ʽa·mithʹ]. . . . You must not hate your brother in your heart. You should by all means reprove your associate, that you may not bear sin along with him . . . and you must love your fellow [form of reʹaʽ] as yourself.” (Le 19:15-18) (In the Greek Septuagint the word reʹaʽ is here translated by the Greek expression ho ple·siʹon.) David commends the man who “has not slandered with his tongue. To his companion [form of reʹaʽ] he has done nothing bad, and no reproach has he taken up against his intimate acquaintance [form of qa·rohvʹ].” (Ps 15:3) Repeated are the injunctions not to do harm to one’s fellowman (reʹaʽ), not even to despise him or to desire anything that belongs to him.​—Ex 20:16; De 5:21; 27:24; Pr 14:21.

The apostle Paul said: “He that loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” He then names some of the commandments of the Law and concludes: “and whatever other commandment there is, is summed up in this word, namely, ‘You must love your neighbor [ple·siʹon] as yourself.’ Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor [ple·siʹon]; therefore love is the law’s fulfillment.” (Ro 13:8-10; compare Ga 5:14.) James calls the command to love one’s neighbor as oneself “the kingly law.”​—Jas 2:8.

Second-greatest commandment. To a Jew who asked, “What good must I do in order to get everlasting life?” and who wanted to know which commandments to follow, Jesus named five of the Ten Commandments and added the injunction at Leviticus 19:18 when he said: “You must love your neighbor [ple·siʹon] as yourself.” (Mt 19:16-19) He also classified this injunction as the second most important in the Law​—one of the two on which all the Law and the Prophets hung.​—Mt 22:35-40; Mr 12:28-31; Lu 10:25-28.

Who is my neighbor? Jesus also deepened the appreciation of his hearers as to the meaning of the word ple·siʹon when another man, anxious to prove himself righteous, asked: “Who really is my neighbor [ple·siʹon]?” In Jesus’ illustration of the merciful Samaritan he made it emphatic that even though one is living at a distance, or is not a relative or an associate, the real neighbor is the one who will exercise the love and kindness to another that the Scriptures command.​—Lu 10:29-37.

In the Commonwealth of Israel. At Hebrews 8:11 a form of the Greek word po·liʹtes, “citizen,” appears in most Greek texts; some late manuscripts read ple·siʹon. Paul here quotes from the restoration prophecy of Jeremiah 31:34, spoken to those in the commonwealth of Israel: “‘And they will no more teach each one his companion [form of reʹaʽ] and each one his brother, saying, “Know Jehovah!” for they will all of them know me, from the least one of them even to the greatest one of them,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.” Paul applies it to the spiritual “holy nation,” “the Israel of God,” saying: “And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother . . . ”

Counsel From Proverbs. While a person is to help his neighbor and to love him, yet he must exercise caution not to make attempts to become the most intimate associate of his neighbor or fellowman​—to avoid imposing or presuming upon him. The proverb couches the thought in these terms: “Make your foot rare at the house of your fellowman [form of reʹaʽ], that he may not have his sufficiency of you and certainly hate you.”​—Pr 25:17.

However, faith and trust in a companion, and the advisability of calling on such a person in time of need are counseled in the Proverbs: “Do not leave your own companion or the companion of your father, and do not enter the house of your own brother on the day of your disaster. Better is a neighbor [sha·khenʹ] that is near than a brother that is far away.” (Pr 27:10) Here the writer seems to be saying that a close family friend is one to be valued and should be looked to for help rather than even so close a relative as a brother, if that brother is far away, because he may not be as ready or at least not in as favorable a position to render help as the family companion.

(Ne·koʹda) [Speckled].

1. The forefather of a group of Nethinim who returned from Babylonian exile in 537 B.C.E.​—Ezr 2:1, 43, 48; Ne 7:46, 50.

2. The forefather of a group “unable to tell the house of their fathers and their origin.” (Ezr 2:59, 60; Ne 7:61, 62) Since the names of Delaiah and Tobiah associated with Nekoda in these verses do not occur elsewhere in a list of returning exiles, it is assumed that this Nekoda is a person different from No. 1.

(Nemʹu·el).

1. First listed of Simeon’s five sons and family head of the Nemuelites. (Nu 26:12-14; 1Ch 4:24) In the list of those who came into Egypt with Jacob he is called Jemuel.​—Ge 46:8, 10; Ex 6:15.

2. Son of Eliab and great-grandson of Reuben. His brothers were the rebels Dathan and Abiram, whom the earth swallowed up.​—Nu 26:5, 8, 9; De 11:6.

(Nemʹu·el·ites) [Of (Belonging to) Nemuel].

A family of Simeon descended from Nemuel.​—Nu 26:12.

(Neʹpheg).

1. Son of Izhar and brother of Korah and Zichri. Of the tribe of Levi, he was a cousin of Moses and Aaron.​—Ex 6:16, 18, 20, 21.

2. One of King David’s sons born at Jerusalem.​—2Sa 5:13-15; 1Ch 3:5, 7; 14:3-6.

(Nephʹi·lim) [Fellers; Those Who Cause [Others] to Fall Down].

This is a transliteration of the Hebrew word nephi·limʹ, plural in its three occurrences in the Bible. (Ge 6:4; Nu 13:33 [twice]) It evidently stems from the causative form of the Hebrew verb na·phalʹ (fall) as found, for example, in 2 Kings 3:19; 19:7.

The Bible account describing Jehovah’s displeasure with men in the days of Noah before the Flood relates that “the sons of the true God” took for themselves wives from among the attractive daughters of men. It then mentions the presence of “Nephilim,” saying: “The Nephilim proved to be in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of the true God continued to have relations with the daughters of men and they bore sons to them, they were the mighty ones [Heb., hag·gib·bo·rimʹ] who were of old, the men of fame.”​—Ge 6:1-4.

Identity. Bible commentators, considering verse 4, have offered several suggestions as to the identity of these Nephilim. Some have thought that the derivation of the name indicates that the Nephilim were ‘fallen angels,’ angels who sinned. Others, using a remarkable line of reasoning, conclude that the designation Nephilim itself indicates that they ‘fell from heaven’ in that they were ‘begotten by heavenly beings.’ Other scholars, focusing their attention particularly on the statement “and also after that” (vs 4), have said the Nephilim were not ‘fallen angels’ or the “mighty ones,” since the Nephilim “proved to be in the earth in those days” before the sons of God had relations with women. These latter scholars hold the opinion that the Nephilim were simply wicked men like Cain​—robbers, bullies, and tyrants who roamed the earth until they were destroyed by the Flood. Still another group, taking into consideration not only the meaning of the name Nephilim but also the context of verse 4, conclude that the Nephilim were not themselves angels, but were the hybrid offspring resulting from materialized angels having intercourse with the daughters of men.

Same as “gib·bo·rimʹ.” Certain Bible translations adjust the location of the phrase “and also after that,” placing it near the beginning of verse 4, thus identifying the Nephilim with the “mighty ones,” the gib·bo·rimʹ, mentioned in the latter part of the verse. For example: “In those days, as well as afterward, there were giants [Heb., han·nephi·limʹ] on the earth, who were born to the sons of the gods whenever they had intercourse with the daughters of men; these were the heroes [Heb., hag·gib·bo·rimʹ] who were men of note in days of old.”​—Ge 6:4, AT; see also Mo, NIV, and TEV.

The Greek Septuagint also suggests that both the “Nephilim” and “mighty ones” are identical by using the same word giʹgan·tes (giants) to translate both expressions.

Reviewing the account, we see that verses 1 to 3 tell of “the sons of the true God” taking wives and of Jehovah’s statement that he was going to end his patience with men after 120 years. Verse 4 then speaks of the Nephilim proving to be in the earth “in those days,” evidently the days when Jehovah made the statement. Then it shows that this situation continued “after that, when the sons of the true God continued to have relations with the daughters of men,” and describes in more detail the results of the union of “the sons of the true God” with women.

Who were the ‘sons of God’ that fathered the Nephilim?

Who were “the sons of the true God” that were involved? Were they men who were worshipers of Jehovah (as distinguished from the general run of wicked mankind), as some claim? Evidently not. The Bible implies that their marriage to the daughters of men resulted in whipping up the badness in the earth. Noah and his three sons, along with their wives, were the only ones in God’s favor and were the only ones preserved through the Deluge.​—Ge 6:9; 8:15, 16; 1Pe 3:20.

Hence, if these “sons of the true God” were merely men, the question arises, Why were their offspring “men of fame” more than those of the wicked, or of faithful Noah? Also, the question might be asked, Why mention their marriage to the daughters of men as something special? Marriage and childbearing had been taking place for more than 1,500 years.

The sons of God mentioned at Genesis 6:2, therefore, must have been angels, spirit “sons of God.” This expression is applied to angels at Job 1:6; 38:7. This view is supported by Peter, who speaks of “the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient when the patience of God was waiting in Noah’s days.” (1Pe 3:19, 20) Also Jude writes of “the angels that did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place.” (Jude 6) Angels had the power to materialize in human form, and some angels did so to bring messages from God. (Ge 18:1, 2, 8, 20-22; 19:1-11; Jos 5:13-15) But heaven is the proper abode of spirit persons, and the angels there have positions of service under Jehovah. (Da 7:9, 10) To leave this abode to dwell on earth and to forsake their assigned service to have fleshly relations would be rebellion against God’s laws, and perversion.

The Bible states that the disobedient angels are now “spirits in prison,” having been ‘thrown into Tartarus’ and “reserved with eternal bonds under dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.” This seems to indicate that they are greatly restricted, unable again to materialize as they did prior to the Flood.​—1Pe 3:19; 2Pe 2:4; Jude 6.

Increased Wickedness. “The mighty ones who were of old, the men of fame” that were produced by these marriages, were not men of fame with God, for they did not survive the Flood, as did Noah and his family. They were “Nephilim,” bullies, tyrants, who no doubt helped to make conditions worse. Their angelic fathers, knowing the construction of the human body and being able to materialize, were not creating life, but lived in these human bodies and, cohabiting with women, brought forth children. Their children, “mighty ones,” were therefore unauthorized hybrids. Apparently the Nephilim did not, in turn, have children.

In Mythology. The fame and dread of the Nephilim, it appears, gave rise to many mythologies of heathen people who, after the confusion of languages at Babel, were scattered throughout the earth. Though the historical forms of the Genesis account were greatly distorted and embellished, there was a remarkable resemblance in these ancient mythologies (those of the Greeks being only one example), in which gods and goddesses mated with humans to produce superhuman heroes and fearful demigods having god-man characteristics.​—See GREECE, GREEKS (Greek Religion).

A Report Intended to Terrorize. The ten spies who brought back to the Israelites in the wilderness a false report on the land of Canaan declared: “All the people whom we saw in the midst of it are men of extraordinary size. And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who are from the Nephilim; so that we became in our own eyes like grasshoppers, and the same way we became in their eyes.” No doubt there were some large men in Canaan, as other scriptures show, but never except in this “bad report,” which was carefully couched in language designed to strike terror and cause panic among the Israelites, are they called Nephilim.​—Nu 13:31-33; 14:36, 37.

(Neph·toʹah).

The name associated with a spring on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin. (Jos 15:1, 9; 18:11, 15) This spring is usually identified with the one at Lifta (ʽEn Neftoah), to the E of Kiriath-jearim and about 4 km (2.5 mi) WNW of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Although this identification would agree with Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:15, 16 appears to place “the spring of the waters of Nephtoah” W of Kiriath-jearim. Bible translators have variously handled this seeming discrepancy. Following the reading of the Greek Septuagint, The Jerusalem Bible replaces “westward” with “towards Gasin.” In the Revised Standard Version the text has been changed in harmony with Joshua 15:9 and reads “to Ephron” instead of “westward.” Ronald A. Knox translates the Hebrew word yamʹmah (westward) according to its literal meaning as “seaward” and, in a footnote, explains: “This ought to mean westwards, towards the Mediterranean, but it seems quite clear that at this point the boundary of Benjamin turned eastwards; and the sea is presumably the Dead Sea, its eastward limit.”

(Ne·phushʹe·sim), Nephusim (Ne·phuʹsim).

A family head of Nethinim, some of whose descendants returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel, 537 B.C.E. (Ne 7:6, 7, 46, 52; Ezr 2:43, 50) Possibly he was of Ishmaelite ancestry through the Naphish tribe.​—Ge 25:13-15; 1Ch 1:29-31; 5:19.

[Lamp].

A Benjamite, son of Abiel (Jeiel), father of Abner and Kish, and grandfather of King Saul.​—1Sa 14:50, 51; 1Ch 8:33; 9:39; see ABIEL No. 1.

(Neʹreus).

A brother who, with his sister, was included in Paul’s greetings to the Roman congregation. (Ro 16:15) The name is also found on Roman inscriptions listing some of the emperor’s household, as well as in legend.

(Nerʹgal).

A Babylonian deity especially worshiped at Cuthah, a city that history says was dedicated to Nergal. The people of Cuth (Cuthah), whom the king of Assyria settled in the territory of Samaria, continued worshiping this deity. (2Ki 17:24, 30, 33) Some scholars suggest that Nergal was originally associated with fire and the heat of the sun and that later he came to be regarded as a god of war and hunting as well as a bringer of pestilence. The appellatives applied to Nergal in religious texts indicate that he was basically viewed as a destroyer. He is called “the raging king,” “the violent one,” and “the one who burns.” Nergal also came to be regarded as the god of the underworld and the consort of Eresh-Kigal. The human-headed and winged lion is thought to have been the emblem of Nergal.

Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s princes, was evidently named after this god.​—Jer 39:3, 13.

(Nerʹgal-shar·eʹzer) [from Akkadian, meaning “May Nergal Protect the King”].

1. A Babylonian prince of Nebuchadnezzar’s time.​—Jer 39:3.

2. Another important prince in Nebuchadnezzar’s forces at the overthrow of Jerusalem, distinguished from No. 1 by the added title Rabmag. It was this Rabmag who assisted in the release of Jeremiah.​—Jer 39:3, 13, 14.

Because this name bears such a striking resemblance to that found in Babylonian inscriptions (Nergal-shar-usur), some scholars think this prince was Neriglissar (Greek form), believed to be the successor of King Evil-merodach (Awil-Marduk).​—Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. Pritchard, 1974, p. 308.

(Neʹri) [from Heb., a shortened form of Neriah].

A descendant of King David through Nathan in the royal lineage of Jesus. According to Luke, Shealtiel was the son of Neri, yet Matthew says Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel. (Mt 1:12; Lu 3:27) Perhaps Shealtiel married Neri’s daughter, thus becoming his son-in-law. It was not uncommon in Hebrew genealogical listings to speak of a son-in-law as a son. Hence, both accounts are correct.

(Ne·riʹah) [My Lamp Is Jehovah].

Son of Mahseiah, and father of both Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary, and Seraiah, the one who read the denunciation of Babylon to that city.​—Jer 32:12; 36:4, 8, 14, 32; 43:3, 6; 45:1; 51:59-64.

See CAESAR.

The place a bird or animal prepares for raising its young; also, a lodging, a retreat, or a snug, comfortable, cozy residence.​—Pr 27:8; Isa 10:14; 16:2.

The nests of birds vary greatly in location, size, and construction, but each type suits better than any other the particular use for which it is designed. Locations of different varieties range from the earth or the sand (snakes are also said to have ‘nests’ on the ground or among rocks; Isa 34:15) to tufts of grass, bushes, rocks, trees, hollow tree trunks, seashore cliffs, mountains, crevices in man’s buildings, even suspended over water between reeds. Among building materials used are twigs, leaves, seaweed, wool, cotton, hay, straw, moss, fur, feathers, the down of plants, horsehair, pieces of cloth, and so forth. In general, nests serve as protection from predators, as shelter from storms, and as insulation from heat and cold.

To impress on Job the wisdom of the Creator, Jehovah called attention to the eagle, that “builds its nest high up, that on a crag . . . resides and stays during the night upon the tooth of a crag and an inaccessible place.” (Job 39:27, 28) And to illustrate God’s loving care for Israel, Moses referred to the eagle that “stirs up its nest,” evidently with reference to the manner in which an eagle urges and sometimes shoves the fledgling into the air to teach it to fly. Jehovah similarly brought Israel out of Egypt as a nation. He administered tender care to the young nation throughout the wilderness journey and while they were settling in the Promised Land, just as the eagle watches and cares for the young during their flying lessons.​—De 32:11; see EAGLE.

The rock dove also builds its nest high in rocky places. The towering rocks in the vicinity of the Dead Sea provide numerous clefts and caves for its nests. Jeremiah may have had these secluded nests in mind in pronouncing judgment on Moab, who dwelt in this area: “Leave the cities and reside on the crag, you inhabitants of Moab, and become like the dove that makes its nest in the regions of the mouth of the hollow.”​—Jer 48:28; compare Balaam’s utterance at Nu 24:21.

The thick foliage of the strong cedars of Lebanon served as an excellent nesting location for other birds; there was ample year-round shelter and concealment. The psalmist cited this as an example of God’s marvelous provisions for the welfare of his creatures.​—Ps 104:16, 17.

Under the Law, the Israelites were forbidden to take the eggs or the young from a nest and at the same time kill the mother. This prevented the cruelty of completely wiping out the family at one stroke. The mother was to be spared, to produce more young.​—De 22:6, 7.

When a certain one of the scribes said to Jesus: “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you are about to go,” Jesus replied: “Foxes have dens and birds of heaven have roosts [or, “nests”], but the Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head.” (Mt 8:19, 20; Lu 9:57, 58) Here Jesus pointed out that to be his follower the man would have to forsake the idea of having the comforts and conveniences commonly enjoyed, and must put his trust completely in Jehovah. This principle is reflected in the model prayer he taught his disciples: “Give us today our bread for this day,” and his statement: “Thus, you may be sure, none of you that does not say good-bye to all his belongings can be my disciple.”​—Mt 6:11; Lu 14:33.

Figurative Usage. In judgment messages against Edom, God used the eagle’s high nesting place as a symbol of Edom’s literally high location in the mountains, as well as of its haughtiness and presumptuousness.​—Jer 49:15-18; Ob 1-4; compare God’s declaration against Babylon, at Hab 1:6; 2:6-11.

In prophesying against Jerusalem, Jeremiah referred to the loftiness of Lebanon’s trees and the value of its cedarwood, used particularly by kings and rich men in construction of their houses. The palace of Judah’s king and the government buildings at Jerusalem had been constructed largely of cedar. Hence Jeremiah spoke of the inhabitants of Jerusalem as those “dwelling in Lebanon, being nested in the cedars.” But from this lofty position they were to be brought low.​—Jer 22:6, 23.

A ‘Compartment.’ At Genesis 6:14, the Hebrew word qin·nimʹ (“nests”) is translated “rooms” (KJ, RS), “cabins” (AT), and “compartments” (NW). Evidently these were relatively small compartments in the ark built by Noah and, similar to birds’ nests, served as a protection and shelter through a critical time when men and animals were otherwise helpless.

Generally, a fabric consisting of twine, thread, or rope, and woven into meshes. Nets were used for catching fish (Ec 9:12; Isa 19:8; Mt 4:18-21), birds (Pr 1:17), and other animals (Isa 51:20). Among the main materials used in their construction were flax, palm fiber, and papyrus.

Metal nets, however, served completely different purposes. Nets made from copper were used as ornamentation for the capitals of the temple pillars Jachin and Boaz (see CAPITAL), and a copper net, or network, served as a grating for the altar of sacrifice.​—Ex 27:4, 5; 38:4; 1Ki 7:16-18, 41, 42; Jer 52:22, 23.

Figurative Use. “Net” is often used figuratively in the Bible to represent means for ensnaring others​—encircling them and taking them captive or bringing calamity upon them. (Job 18:8; 19:6; Ps 66:11; La 1:13; Eze 12:13; 17:20; 19:8; 32:3; Ho 5:1; 7:12; Mic 7:2) The means used by the Chaldeans to conquer nations as they extended their dominion over a wide area is likened to a dragnet. (Hab 1:6, 15-17) Also, flattery and the scheming heart of an immoral woman are compared to nets. (Pr 29:5; Ec 7:26) The psalmist expressed the confidence that Jehovah would deliver him from entangling nets (Ps 25:15; 31:4; 140:5, 12) and that those spreading out such nets would themselves be ensnared thereby.​—Ps 9:15; 35:7, 8; 57:6; 141:10.

Concerning the construction and use of various nets, see BIRDCATCHER; DRAGNET; HUNTING AND FISHING.

(Ne·taʹim).

A Judean site inhabited by some potters who were in the king’s service. (1Ch 4:21-23) Today the location of Netaim is unknown.

(Ne·thanʹel) [God Has Given].

1. Chieftain of the tribe of Issachar; son of Zuar. (Nu 1:8, 16) In this office, he supervised the wilderness census for Issachar, presented his gift when the tabernacle altar was inaugurated, and led an army of 54,400.​—Nu 2:5, 6; 7:11, 18-23; 10:15.

2. Fourth-named son of Jesse and older brother of King David.​—1Ch 2:13-15.

3. A Levite whose son Shemaiah was a secretary during David’s reign.​—1Ch 24:6.

4. A priest who played a trumpet before the ark of the covenant in the procession that accompanied it to Jerusalem.​—1Ch 15:24.

5. A Levite gatekeeper assigned in David’s time to the S of the sanctuary where the storehouses were located; fifth son of Obed-edom.​—1Ch 26:4, 8, 15.

6. A prince sent by King Jehoshaphat to teach Jehovah’s law in the cities of Judah.​—2Ch 17:7-9.

7. A chief Levite who contributed animals for sacrifice at Josiah’s great Passover celebration.​—2Ch 35:9, 18, 19.

8. Head of the priestly paternal house of Jedaiah in the days of Jeshua’s successor Joiakim.​—Ne 12:12, 21.

9. A priest among those sons of Pashhur who had taken foreign wives but who sent them away at Ezra’s urging. (Ezr 10:22, 44) Possibly the same as No. 10.

10. A musician in one of the processions that celebrated the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day. (Ne 12:31, 35, 36) Possibly identical with No. 9.

(Neth·a·niʹah) [Jehovah Has Given].

1. Third named of Asaph’s four sons chosen by David for musical service at the sanctuary. Of the 24 divisions, Nethaniah headed the fifth.​—1Ch 25:1, 2, 12.

2. A Levite of the corps composed of priests, Levites, and princes who were sent out by King Jehoshaphat in the third year of his reign to teach Jehovah’s law in the cities of Judah.​—2Ch 17:7-9.

3. Son of Shelemiah and father of Jehudi, who read Jeremiah’s roll to King Jehoiakim in 625 B.C.E.​—Jer 36:14, 21, 23.

4. The son of Elishama and father of Ishmael the murderer of Governor Gedaliah.​—2Ki 25:23, 25; Jer 40:8, 14, 15; 41:1-18.

(Nethʹi·nim) [Given Ones].

Non-Israelite temple servants or ministers. (1Ch 9:2; Ezr 8:17) Representatives of 35 Nethinim families were among those returning from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. (Ezr 2:1, 2, 43-54, 58; Ne 7:46-56, 60; the sons of Akkub, Hagab, and Asnah, listed by Ezra, are not mentioned by Nehemiah. They may have been combined under other family names.) Also, in 468 B.C.E., some of the Nethinim accompanied Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem. (Ezr 7:1-7) Thereafter certain Nethinim shared in repairing Jerusalem’s wall. (Ne 3:26) They also joined with the Israelites in a covenant to keep themselves free from marriage alliances with foreigners.​—Ne 10:28-30.

Likely many of the Nethinim were descendants of the Gibeonites whom Joshua had constituted “gatherers of wood and drawers of water for the assembly and for Jehovah’s altar.” (Jos 9:23, 27) Apparently other Nethinim sprang from captives taken by King David and his princes. (Ezr 8:20; compare Ps 68:18.) The Nethinim belonging to the family of Meunim may have been descendants of captives taken by Judean King Uzziah. (2Ch 26:7; Ezr 2:50; Ne 7:52) Still another group, “the sons of Nephusim” (Nephushesim), may have been descendants of Ishmael through Naphish.​—Ge 25:13-15; Ezr 2:50; Ne 7:52.

In postexilic times, the Nethinim resided in Ophel, apparently near the temple area, as well as in other cities. (Ezr 2:70; Ne 3:26, 31; 7:73; 11:3, 21) On account of their temple work, Persian King Artaxerxes exempted them from paying tax, tribute, and toll.​—Ezr 7:24.

(Ne·toʹphah) [from a root meaning “drip; drop”], Netophathites (Ne·tophʹa·thites).

A small village of Judah probably located at Khirbet Bedd Faluh, about 4 km (2.5 mi) SSE of Bethlehem, and its inhabitants. The Bible concerns itself primarily with the inhabitants, who, at first, were apparently related to those who settled in Bethlehem.​—1Ch 2:54.

Among the Netophathites were David’s mighty men Maharai and Heleb (Heled; Heldai), both of whom became heads of army divisions. (2Sa 23:8, 28, 29; 1Ch 11:26, 30; 27:13, 15) Some Netophathites were left in Judah after the general deportation to Babylon, and they supported Governor Gedaliah. (2Ki 25:23; Jer 40:8) A number of Netophathite descendants of those carried off to Babylon returned with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. (Ezr 2:1, 2, 22; Ne 7:26) Some Levites who lived among the settlements of the Netophathites came to Jerusalem for the inauguration of the rebuilt wall.​—1Ch 9:14, 16; Ne 12:27, 28.

Any of a variety of plants with saw-edged leaves that are usually thickly covered with stinging hairs containing an irritating liquid. When touched, the tips of the hairs break off, and the sharp broken ends penetrate the skin, causing the liquid to enter the wound. At least four varieties of nettles are known to exist in Palestine, the most common being the Roman nettle (Urtica pilulifera), which can attain a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) and is especially found amid ruins.

The Hebrew terms cha·rulʹ (Pr 24:31; Zep 2:9) and qim·mohsʹ (Isa 34:13; Ho 9:6) are applied to plants that take over neglected fields and ruins. At Job 30:7, the reference to cha·rulʹ suggests tall plants. Another Hebrew word sir·padhʹ (“brier,” KJ; “nettle,” Ro; “stinging nettle,” NW) is contrasted with myrtle.​—Isa 55:13.

At Proverbs 24:31 a form of the word qim·mohsʹ (“thistles,” AT; “thorns,” KJ; “weeds,” NW) is viewed by some as being in parallel with cha·rulʹ. Therefore some scholars think qim·mohsʹ denotes weeds generally; others believe that cha·rulʹ may be a generic term applying to brush. The translating of cha·rulʹ as “nettles” in Job 30:7 has also been questioned by some on the basis that people would not voluntarily seek shelter under nettles. In a waterless region, though, people might well avail themselves of the shade of tall nettles or, because of hunger, be found gathering these plants for food. So the rendering is appropriate.

See COVENANT.

An expression that occurs two times, and only in the highly symbolic book of Revelation. (Re 3:12; 21:2) Near the end of that series of visions, and after seeing Babylon the Great destroyed, the apostle John says: “I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”​—Re 21:2.

The Bride of the Lamb. In the light of other scriptures, the identity of New Jerusalem is made certain. She is “as a bride.” Farther along, John writes: “One of the seven angels . . . spoke with me and said: ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ So he carried me away in the power of the spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God and having the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious stone, as a jasper stone shining crystal-clear.”​—Re 21:9-11.

New Jerusalem is the bride of whom? The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who shed his blood sacrificially for mankind. (Joh 1:29; Re 5:6, 12; 7:14; 12:11; 21:14) What is her identity? She is composed of the members of the glorified Christian congregation. The congregation on earth was likened to “a chaste virgin” to be presented to the Christ. (2Co 11:2) Again, the apostle Paul likens the Christian congregation to a wife, with Christ as her Husband and Head.​—Eph 5:23-25, 32.

Furthermore, Christ himself addresses the congregation at Revelation 3:12, promising the faithful conqueror that he would have written upon him “the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine.” A wife takes her husband’s name. Therefore those seen standing with the Lamb upon Mount Zion, numbering 144,000, having the Lamb’s name and that of his Father written in their foreheads, are evidently the same group, the bride.​—Re 14:1.

Why could “New Jerusalem” not be a city in the Middle East?

New Jerusalem is heavenly, not earthly, for it comes down “out of heaven from God.” (Re 21:10) So this city is not one erected by men and consisting of literal streets and buildings constructed in the Middle East on the site of the ancient city of Jerusalem, which was destroyed in 70 C.E. The members of the bride class when on earth are told that their “citizenship exists in the heavens” and that their hope is to receive “an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance.” “It is reserved in the heavens for you,” says the apostle Peter.​—Php 3:20; 1Pe 1:4.

In 537 B.C.E., Jehovah created “new heavens and a new earth” when the Jewish remnant was restored to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile. (Isa 65:17) Evidently the governorship of Zerubbabel (a descendant of David) aided by High Priest Joshua, at the city of Jerusalem, constituted the “new heavens” then. (Hag 1:1, 14; see HEAVEN [New heavens and new earth].) The New Jerusalem, together with Christ on his throne in this symbolic city, constitutes the “new heavens” that rule over the “new earth,” which is human society on earth.

That the New Jerusalem is indeed a heavenly city is further supported by the vision of her that John beheld. Only a symbolic city could have the dimensions and splendor of New Jerusalem. Its base was foursquare, about 555 km (345 mi) on each side, or about 2,220 km (1,379 mi) completely around, that is, 12,000 furlongs. Being a cube, the city was also as high as it was long and wide. No man-made city could ever reach that far into “outer space.” Round about was a wall 144 cubits (64 m; 210 ft) high. The wall, itself constructed of jasper, in turn rested on 12 foundation stones, precious stones of great beauty​—jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, hyacinth, and amethyst. On these 12 foundation stones were engraved the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. The city proper within these beautiful walls was no less glorious, for it was described as “pure gold like clear glass,” having a broad way of “pure gold, as transparent glass.”​—Re 21:12-21.

A Pure, Beneficial Rule. Entrance into the New Jerusalem through its magnificent walls was by means of 12 gates, three on a side, each made of a huge pearl. Although these gates were never closed, “anything not sacred and anyone that carries on a disgusting thing and a lie will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life will.” A holy and sacred city indeed, yet there was no visible temple of worship, for “Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb is.” And there was “no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God lighted it up, and its lamp was the Lamb.” Its rulership over the nations will be beneficial to them, for “the nations will walk by means of its light.”​—Re 21:22-27.

[Heb., leta·ʼahʹ].

A small salamander or tailed amphibian, resembling a lizard but scaleless and covered with a soft, moist, thin skin. It is related to the frog and is listed among the unclean creatures of the Mosaic Law. (Le 11:29, 30) The banded newt (Triturus vittatus) of Asia Minor and Syria is distinguished by a black band along each side of its body. Bred in the water, it lives on land for two or three years after losing its gills, then returns to the water to live out the remainder of its life.

(Ne·ziʹah) [from a root meaning “oversee; excel; endure”].

Forefather of a group of Nethinim who returned with Zerubbabel after the Babylonian exile, 537 B.C.E.​—Ezr 2:1, 2, 43, 54; Ne 7:46, 56.

(Neʹzib) [from a root meaning “set up; station; erect”].

A Judean site in the Shephelah. (Jos 15:20, 33, 43) It is usually identified with Khirbet Beit Nesib (Horvat Neziv), about 11 km (7 mi) NW of Hebron.

(Nibʹhaz).

A deity worshiped by the Avvites, whom the king of Assyria settled in the territory of Samaria following the deportation of the Israelites after the fall of the ten-tribe kingdom. (2Ki 17:24-31) Aside from the brief Scriptural reference to Nibhaz, nothing can be said with certainty about the nature or form of this god.