Difference between revisions of "Nebo"

<p> <strong> NEBO. </strong> The name of a [[Moabite]] town, a mountain in Moab, and (according to the [[Hebrew]] text) of a city of Judah. It is probable, though not quite certain, that these places were named after the [[Babylonian]] deity [[Nebo]] (see preced. art.), and thus point to the influence of the Babylonian cult at a remote period both E. and W. of the Jordan. </p> <p> <strong> 1 </strong> . Nebo, a city of <em> Judah </em> (&nbsp; Ezra 2:29; &nbsp; Ezra 10:43 [ 1Es 9:35 <strong> Noomias </strong> ], &nbsp; Nehemiah 7:29 ], identified by some with <em> Beit Nubâ </em> , 12 miles N.W. of Jerusalem. This Nebo is the <strong> [[Nobai]] </strong> (a signatory to the covenant) of &nbsp; Nehemiah 10:20 . Whether either form exactly corresponds to the original name is uncertain. </p> <p> <strong> 2 </strong> . The <em> Moabite </em> town called Nebo is mentioned in &nbsp; Numbers 32:3; &nbsp; Numbers 32:33; &nbsp; Numbers 33:47 , &nbsp; Isaiah 15:2 , &nbsp; Jeremiah 48:1; &nbsp; Jeremiah 48:22 , &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 5:8 , and also in the inscription of Mesha, who says: ‘And [[Chemosh]] said unto me, Go take Nebo against Israel.’ The exact site is unknown, but the town probably lay on, or near, Mt. Nebo. </p> <p> <strong> 3. Mount Nebo </strong> is the traditional site of Moses’ view of [[Canaan]] (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 34:1 f.) and of his death (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 32:50 ). It is described as being ‘in the land of [[Moab]] over against Jericho’ and as reached from the ‘steppes of Moah’ (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 34:1 ). There can be no question that this description implies some point on the edge of the great platean of Moab, which drops steeply some 4000 feet to the [[Jordan]] Valley or the [[Dead]] Sea. Two related problems call for solution: Which point in particular on this edge of the plateau is Mt. Nebo? How does the actual view thence agree with the terms of &nbsp; Deuteronomy 34:1 f.? There appears to be most reason for identifying Mt. Nebo with the point now called <em> Nebâ </em> , and the identification might be regarded as certain if we could feel sure that <em> Nebâ </em> is really an ancient name, and not merely (as it may be) the name attached to the summit after tradition had claimed it as the Nebo of the Bible. Nebâ lies about 12 miles almost due E. of the Jordan at the point where the river enters the Dead Sea, and is one of the summits most easily ascended from the steppes of Moah. In this respect it satisfies the description better than the other sites which have been proposed, (1) the somewhat loftier Mt. Attârus 10 miles farther south, and (2) Mt. Oshâ some 20 miles north of Mt. Nebâ and a finer point of view, but <em> outside Moab </em> . The view from each of these great points and from several others along the great mountain wall which encloses the Jordan Valley on the E. is extensive and impressive; but its limitations in some directions are also sharply defined. [[Northward]] (or, strictly, between N. and N.N.W.) the view extends far; from Mt. Nebâ, for example, it is possible to see Mt. Tabor, 70 miles away. Westwards, on the other hand, it is blocked at from 30 to 40 miles by the great wall formed by the sharp declivity of the Judæan plateau to the Jordan Valley. This western mountain wall is of approximately the same height as the Moabite wall on the E. Consequently <em> from no point in Moab </em> is it possible to see the ‘hinder sea,’ <em> i.e </em> . the Mediterranean; nor is it possible to see more than about one-third of the country between Jordan and the Mediterranean. It follows that the description in &nbsp; Deuteronomy 34:1 f. is inaccurate not only in mentioning specific features (the Mediterranean, Dan, probably Zoar) which are out of sight, but in giving the general impression that the view commanded the whole of Western Palestine, whereas it actually commands but a third. The difficulty could be in part overcome by considering &nbsp; Deuteronomy 34:2-3 (together with the words ‘of [[Gilead]] unto Dan’ in v. 1) an editor’s note explaining the phrase ‘all the land.’ It is significant that this detailed description is absent from the [[Samaritan]] text, which has, instead, a shorter description which defines the land of [[Israel]] but not the view. For a further discussion of the view from Nebâ, see <em> Expositor </em> , Nov. 1904, pp. 321 341. See also art. Pisgah. </p> <p> G. B. Gray. </p>

<p> '''Ne'bo.''' ''(Prophet).'' </p> <p> 1. A town of Reuben, on the east side of Jordan. &nbsp;Numbers 32:3; &nbsp;Numbers 32:38. In the remarkable prophecy adopted by Isaiah, &nbsp;Isaiah 15:2, and Jeremiah, &nbsp;Jeremiah 48:1; &nbsp;Jeremiah 48:26, concerning Moab, Nebo is mentioned in the same connection as before, but in the hands of Moab. </p> <p> [[Eusebius]] and [[Jerome]] identify it with [[Nobah]] or Kerrath, and place it eight miles south of Heshbon, where the ruins of ''El-Habis'' appear to stand at present. (Professor Paine identifies it with some ruins on Mount Nebo, a mile south of its summit, and Dr. Robinson seems to agree with this. - Editor). </p> <p> 2. The children of Nebo, returned from [[Babylon]] with Zerubbabel. &nbsp;Ezra 2:29; &nbsp;Ezra 10:43; &nbsp;Nehemiah 7:33. The name occurs between [[Bethel]] and [[Ai]] and Lydda, which implies that it was situated in the territory of Benjamin, to the northwest of Jerusalem. This is possibly the modern ''Beit-Nubah'' , about 12 miles northwest by west of Jerusalem, 8 miles from Lydda. </p> <p> 3. Nebo, which occurs both in Isaiah, &nbsp;Isaiah 46:11, and Jeremiah, &nbsp;Jeremiah 45:1, as the name of a [[Chaldean]] god, is a well known deity of the [[Babylonians]] and Assyrians. He was the god, who presided over learning and letters. His general character corresponds to that of the Egyptian, Thoth; the Greek, Hermes; and the Latin, Mercury. </p> <p> Astronomically, he is identified with the planet nearest the sun. In Babylonia, Nebo held a prominent place from an early time. The ancient town of Borsippa was especially under his protection, and the great temple here, the modern ''Birs-Nimrud'' , was dedicated to him, from a very remote age. He was the tutelar god of the most important Babylonian kings, in whose names the word, ''Nabu'' or Nebo, appears as an element. </p>

<p> [[Nebo]] ( ''Nç'Bo'' ), ''Proclaimer.'' 1. One of the [[Assyrian]] deities, who is represented, with Bel, as being unable to resist the destruction to which [[Cyrus]] subjected their idols. &nbsp;Isaiah 46:1. This god was called "he who possesses intelligence," and statues of him are still preserved. 2. A mountain of Moab "over against Jericho." &nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:49. "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah,... and the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead unto Dan." &nbsp;Deuteronomy 34:1. Nebo was a mountain in the range of mountains called Abarim. While the discussions respecting [[Pisgah]] have been sharp, the majority of explorers and scholars agree in identifying Nebo with the northem end of the [[Abarim]] range. See Pisgah. 3. A city east of the Jordan; rebuilt by the Gadites, &nbsp;Numbers 32:3; &nbsp;Numbers 32:38; &nbsp;Numbers 33:47; captured by the Moabites. &nbsp;Isaiah 15:2; &nbsp;Jeremiah 48:1; &nbsp;Jeremiah 48:22. It was eight miles south of Heshbon; perhaps el Hâbis. 4. A town in Benjamin, &nbsp;Nehemiah 7:33; possibly Nuba, 7 miles northwest of Hebron. </p>

<p> 1. A town in the vicinity of Bethel and Ai, &nbsp;Ezra 2:29 &nbsp; Nehemiah 7:33 . </p> <p> 2. A city of Reuben, &nbsp;Numbers 32:38 , taken by the Moabites, who held it in the time of Jeremiah, &nbsp;Isaiah 15:2 &nbsp; Jeremiah 48:1 . </p> <p> 3. A mountain of Moab, whence Moses had a view of the promised land, and where he died. It is a summit of the range Abarim, "over against Jericho." Seetzen, Burckhardy, etc., identify it with Mount Attarus, about ten miles north of the Arnon. Travelers do not observe any very prominent summit in the rage immediately opposite Jericho; but it has not yet fully explored, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:49 &nbsp; 34:1-12 . </p> <p> 4. An idol of the Babylonians, &nbsp;Isaiah 46:1 . In the astrological mythology of the Babylonians, this idol probably represented the planet Mercury. It was also worshipped by the ancient Arabians. The extensive prevalence of this worship among the [[Chaldeans]] and Assyrians, is evident from the many compound proper names occurring in the Scriptures, of which this word forms part; as Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan, Nebushasban, &nbsp;Jeremiah 39:9,13; and also in the classics, as Naboned, Nabonassar, Nabopolassar, etc. </p>

&nbsp;Isaiah 46:1 <p> 2. Moabite city located southwest of Heshbon. The tribes [[Reuben]] and [[Gad]] requested the area around Nebo for their flocks (&nbsp;Numbers 32:2-3 ). It was held by Israel until recaptured by King [[Mesha]] about 850 B.C. 3. Town reinhabited by exiles returning from Babylon (&nbsp;Ezra 2:29 ). The site has been identified with Nob. 4. [[Mountain]] about twelve miles east of the mouth of the Jordan River from which Moses viewed the [[Promised]] Land (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:49 ). It rises over 4000 feet above the Dead Sea and gives an excellent view of the southwest, west, and as far north as Mount Hermon. Israel captured the area around Mount Nebo as they marched toward Canaan. They camped in the area of Mount Nebo opposite [[Jericho]] when the [[Balaam]] incident occurred (&nbsp;Numbers 22-24 ). During the period of the judges it was the possession of [[Eglon]] of Moab. David recaptured the area (&nbsp;2 Samuel 8:2 ), and it remained a part of Israel until Mesha rebelled and took control about 850 B.C. </p>

<p> 1. City of Reuben, east of the Jordan. &nbsp;Numbers 32:3,38; &nbsp;Numbers 33:47; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 5:8 . It is denounced in the prophets as belonging to Moab. &nbsp;Isaiah 15:2; &nbsp;Jeremiah 48:1,22 . </p> <p> 2. City whose inhabitants or 'children' returned from exile. &nbsp; Ezra 2:29; &nbsp;Nehemiah 7:33 . </p> <p> 3. One whose descendants had married strange wives. &nbsp; Ezra 10:43 . </p> <p> 4. A Chaldean idol whose name as Nabo or Nebu is probably incorporated in some of the Chaldaic proper names. &nbsp; Isaiah 46:1 . </p>

<li> The "children of Nebo" (&nbsp;Ezra 2:29; &nbsp;Nehemiah 7:33 ) were of those who returned from Babylon. It was a town in Benjamin, probably the modern Beit Nubah, about 7 miles north-west of Hebron. <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton [[M.A., DD]] Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Nebo'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/n/nebo.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> Mount Nebo was a prominent peak in the hilly region of Abarim on the Moabite tableland, east of the Jordan River (&nbsp;Numbers 33:47). It was the place where the aged Moses went to view the promised land and where, a short time later, he died (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:49-50; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 34:1; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 34:5-6; see [[Abarim]] ). </p>