NIMROD’S REBELLION

Noah was the first patriarch of the post-Flood society. (Gen. 10:1-32) Nevertheless, during his lifetime false religion again rose up among those under the leadership of Nimrod, as seen in their rebellious attempt to build a “tower with its top in the heavens” for fear that they might be scattered “over all the surface of the earth.” This was in direct opposition to God’s command to “fill the earth,” and a rebellion also against Noah’s position as God’s prophet. Noah lived 350 years after the flood, dying about two years before the birth of Abraham. He therefore got to see Jehovah’s judgment on the builders of the tower of Babel, and the scattering of those rebellious ones over the face of the earth. Noah, and apparently Shem, were not involved in the tower building and consequently would not suffer confusion of their language, but would continue to speak man’s original language, which God gave to Adam.—Gen. 9:28, 29; 11:1-9.

A PROPHETIC PATTERN

The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jesus Christ and the apostles Peter and Paul all spoke of God’s servant Noah. Noah’s days are shown by Jesus and Peter to be prophetic of the “presence of the Son of man” and a future “day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” Jehovah, in sparing Noah and his family when he destroyed that wicked world, was “setting a pattern for ungodly persons of things to come.”—2 Pet. 3:5-7; 2:5, 6; Isa. 54:9; Ezek. 14:14, 20; Matt. 24:37-39; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20, 21.

2. [Heb., No·ʽahʹ, meaning movement, from the root “to waver”]. One of Zelophehad’s five daughters, of the tribe of Manasseh. Because Zelophehad died without sons Jehovah decreed that the daughters should receive their father’s tribal possession as an inheritance. This established a legal precedent. Later it was established also that daughters who inherit should become wives of men of their own tribe in order to hold the inheritance, so that it would not circulate from tribe to tribe.—Num. 26:28-33; 27:1-11; 36:6-12; Josh. 17:3, 4.

NOB

A city evidently in the territory of Benjamin and close to Jerusalem. While there is some question as to the precise location of Nob, Nehemiah 11:31, 32 and Isaiah 10:28-32 indicate that it was near Anathoth and possibly close to a hill from which one could see Jerusalem. A number of geographical authorities believe that Nob was at modern Ras Umm et-Tala, on the E slope of Mount Scopus, about one mile (1.6 kilometers) N-NE of where the temple was located in Jerusalem. That would place it just N of the Mount of Olives.

When David fled from Saul, he went to High Priest Ahimelech, who was at Nob, “the city of the priests,” and received from Ahimelech some showbread as food for his men, and Goliath’s sword, which was being kept there. Perhaps the tabernacle had been moved to Nob when Shiloh experienced God’s adverse judgment. (Compare 1 Samuel 14:3; Psalm 78:60; Jeremiah 7:12-14.) Later, Saul accused Ahimelech of conspiracy, in that he gave assistance to David. At Saul’s command, Doeg the Edomite put to death the high priest and eighty-four other priests. Then Doeg slaughtered the men, women, children and animals of Nob. Only Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, escaped.—1 Sam. 21:1-9; 22:6-23.

Nob was one of the places mentioned in connection with the Assyrians’ move toward Jerusalem. (Isa. 10:24, 32) Benjamites resettled it after the return from Babylonian exile.—Neh. 11:31, 32.

NOBAH

(Noʹbah) [barking].

1. An Israelite, probably of the tribe of Manasseh, who captured Kenath and its dependent towns. Thereafter he named the city after himself.—Num. 32:42.

2. A city E of the Jordan, captured by Nobah. (Num. 32:39, 42) The ruins at Qanawat (about fifty miles [80 kilometers] SE of Damascus) are commonly associated with the ancient site.

3. A place situated E of the Jordan and near Jogbehah in Gad. (Num. 32:34, 35; Judg. 8:11) Its precise location is not known today.

NODAB

(Noʹdab) [probably, generosity, nobility].

One of the confederated groups overwhelmingly defeated with Jehovah’s help by the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. (1 Chron. 5:18-22) Nothing more is known of this tribe, except the possible preservation of the name in that of the village of Nudebe, in the desert E of Palestine.

NOGAH

(Noʹgah) [splendor, brilliance].

Son of King David, born to him in Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 3:5-7; 14:3-6.

NOHAH

(Noʹhah) [rest; quietude].

The fourth-listed son of Benjamin. (1 Chron. 8:1, 2) Since he is not named among those listed in Genesis chapter 46, he was probably born in Egypt. Some suppose that Nohah was another name for Shephupham or was his descendant.—Num. 26:39.

NOPH

The usual Hebrew Scripture name for Memphis, an important city of ancient Egypt.—Isa. 19:13; Jer. 2:16; 44:1; 46:14, 19; Ezek. 30:13, 16; see MEMPHIS.

NOPHAH

(Noʹphah) [possibly, a breeze].

According to the Masoretic text, apparently a place in Moab. (Num. 21:29, 30) But such a site is today unknown, and the Hebrew text itself is uncertain, as indicated by the marks of the Sopherim.

NORTH

In Scriptural usage “north” may denote a section of the earth (Ps. 107:3; Isa. 43:6; Luke 13:29), a northerly direction (Ex. 26:20; 1 Ki. 7:25; Rev. 21:13), the northern sky (Job 26:7) and various lands or kingdoms (including Assyria [Zeph. 2:13] and Chaldea or Babylonia [Jer. 46:10]) that were situated somewhat N and E of the land inhabited by the Israelites. Though Babylon on the Euphrates River actually lay E of Tyre, Ezekiel 26:7 speaks of the king of Babylon as coming against Tyre from the N. Likewise, the calamity that Judah and Jerusalem were to experience from the Babylonians is referred to as coming “out of the north.” (Jer. 1:14, 15) The reason for this appears to be that, when marching westward, the Babylonian armies took a northerly route and thus avoided passing through the desert. This was, in fact, the customary way, as Babylonian records show.

Since various lands and kingdoms are assigned a northern location, the context and other related scriptures are often helpful in determining what is meant by “north” or “land of the north.” For example, Isaiah 21:2, 9 and Daniel 5:28 show that the nations from the “land of the north” mentioned at Jeremiah 50:9 include the Medes, Persians and Elamites. Apparently the nations attacking Babylon are viewed as a united army or common foe of Babylon, “a congregation.” Many of the nations involved were far N of Babylon (Jer. 51:27, 28), and much of Media was at least NE of Babylon. The attack, too, evidently came from a northern direction, since Cyrus stopped the flow of the river N of the city.

“THE KING OF THE NORTH”

Facts of history provide still another basis for determining how “north” is to be understood in some texts. A case in point is the “king of the north” mentioned in Daniel chapter 11. Historical evidence indicates that the “mighty king” of Daniel 11:3 was Alexander the Great. After Alexander’s death, the empire was eventually divided among his four generals. One of these generals, Seleucus Nicator, took Mesopotamia and Syria, this making him the ruler of territory situated N of Palestine. Another general,