Nob

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

A sacerdotal city in Benjamin, on a height near Jerusalem; the last stage of Sennacherib's march from the north on Jerusalem, from whence he could see and "shake his hand against Zion" (Isaiah 10:28-32). The high priest Ahimelech's residence in Saul's time, near Anathoth and Gibeah of Saul. (See AHIMELECH; DOEG; DAVID.) The scene of Saul's murder of the priests and smiting of the townspeople, on Doeg's information that Ahimelech had given David shewbread (1 Samuel 20:1-19; 1 Samuel 21:1-9; 1 Samuel 22:9-19). Inhabited again on the return from Babylon (Nehemiah 11:31-35). E. of the north road, opposite Shafat, is a tell with cisterns hewn in the rock and traces of a town (Courier, Palestine Exploration Quarterly Statement).

From the hill-top is a full view of Zion, though Moriah and Olivet are hid by an intervening ridge. "The hill of God" (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 10:10), where the Spirit came on Saul on his way from Bethlehem after Samuel's anointing, was probably Nob, the seat then of the tabernacle, and meaning "prophecy." Shafat is Arabic for "view," answering to Josephus' Greek name Scopus. Nob may be related to Nabat, "to view." namely, the point from whence the full view of Zion breaks on the traveler from the N. Mizpeh is mentioned in Joshua (Joshua 18:26) and in Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:7) in connection with Gibeon. At Mizpeh probably the tabernacle was erected on its removal from Shiloh. Μizpeh , "watchtower," corresponds to Νob "a high place commanding a view."

They never are named in the same passage as distinct. They both are mentioned in connection with the royal town Gibeon. Gilgal was the first temporary abode of the tabernacle, then Shiloh for more than three centuries and a half, then the Nob or high place of Gibeon, finally Jerusalem. Warren (Palestine Exploration Quarterly Statement) objects to Nob's being identified with Nebi Samwil that the latter is four miles and a half from Jerusalem, and separated from it by the deep ravine, wady Beit Hanina; the Assyrian king marching (Isaiah 10) from Geba to Jerusalem would be more likely to find Nob on his way, at that Scopus (near the city) from whence Titus looked down upon Jerusalem, rather than turning away four miles and a half to Nebi Samwil. Warren makes Nob distinct from Gibeon (el Jib), from which latter Nebi Samwil is one mile and a quarter distant. (See MIZPEH.)

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

NOB. A place of this name is mentioned in three passages 1 Samuel 21:1-15; 1 Samuel 22:1-23 , Nehemiah 11:33 , Isaiah 10:32 (text not quite certain). The context in the two latter passages points to a place near Jerusalem. In 1Samam., David passes Nob, which has become ‘the city of priests’ after the destruction of Shiloh, on his way from Saul (in Gibeah, wh. see) to Gath; this would suit a site near Jerusalem, though it does not demand such a position, unless, indeed, we infer (cf. 1 Samuel 20:6 ) that David went to Nob with the intention of proceeding to Bethlehem (5 miles S. of Jerusalem). There is no strong reason against assuming that in all three passages the same place is referred to. In Nehemiah 11:33 and Isaiah 10:32 Nob is closely connected with Anathoth, 2 1 / 2 miles N. of Jerusalem. Since in Isaiah 10:32 Nob is the last point reached by the Assyrian army and the place from which it threatens Jerusalem, the site is best sought for on an eminence a little N. of the city, perhaps in particular (with Driver) on ‘the Ras el-Meshârif . about 1 1 /2 miles S.W. of Anathoth, the ridge from the brow of which the pilgrim along the north road still catches his first view of the holy city.’ The name has not survived; and the identification suggested stands or falls with the correctness of the Hebrew text in Isaiah 10:32 .

G. B. Gray.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

1 Samuel 21:1Ahimelech Isaiah 10:28-32 Isaiah 10:28-32 2 Samuel 15:32Judges 20:1Joshua 18:261 Samuel 7:16

After being supplied with the sacred loaves of showbread, and girding on the sword of Goliath, which was brought forth from behind the ephod, David fled from Nob and sought refuge at the court of Achish, the king of Gath, where he was cast into prison. (Compare titles of Psalm 34,56 .)

Morrish Bible Dictionary

City in the tribe of Benjamin, in which Ahimelech the priest dwelt with the tabernacle of the Lord. It was visited by David when he fled from Saul, and he and his followers ate the hallowed bread. David said it "is in a manner common": cf. Matthew 12:3,4 . The priest also gave him the sword of Goliath. Through the treachery of Doeg, this led to the death of Ahimelech, his fathers house, and all the inhabitants of the city of Nob. 1 Samuel 21:1-9; 1 Samuel 22:9-19; Nehemiah 11:32; Isaiah 10:32 . Not identified.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Nob (nŏb), height, hill. A city in Benjamin, on the great road from the north to Jerusalem, in the immediate neighborhood of which it must have been; perhaps on the ridge of Olivet. The tabernacle seems to have been here in the time of Saul, who, for the alleged favor shown by the high priest Abimelech to David, destroyed the city, which was, however, afterwards rebuilt. 1 Samuel 21:1; 1 Samuel 22:9-19; Nehemiah 11:32; Isaiah 10:32.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Nob. (high place). 1 Samuel 22:19; Nehemiah 11:32. A sacerdotal city in the tribe of Benjamin and situated on some eminence near Jerusalem. It was one of the places, where the Ark of Jehovah was kept for a time, during the days of its wanderings. 2 Samuel 6:1; etc. But the event for which Nob was most noted in the Scripture annals was a frightful massacre which occurred there in the reign of Saul. 1 Samuel 22:17-19.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city of priests, in Benjamin, near Jerusalem; its inhabitants were once put to the sword by command of Saul, for their hospitality to David, 1 Samuel 21:2; 22:9-23; Nehemiah 11:32; Isaiah 10:32 . Its site is unknown.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Nehemiah 11:31-32Isaiah 10:32Jeremiah 7:141 Samuel 21:1-91 Samuel 22:9-23Ahimelech

Webster's Dictionary

(1):

(n.) The head.

(2):

(n.) A person in a superior position in life; a nobleman.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A city of priests, so called, 1 Samuel 21:1. uom Nabach, talk.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. id. נֹב, prob. an elevation; Sept. Νόβ, Νόβα, Νομβά, v. r. Νόμμα, Νοβάθ, etc.; Josephus Νωβᾶ, Ant. 6:12, 1), a sacerdotal city in the tribe of Benjamin, situated on some eminence near Jerusalem. When David fled from the court of Saul at Gibeah, we are told that "he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest" (1 Samuel 21:1). It appears from the narrative that the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant were then located in that city, for David got part of the showbread which was kept before the Lord (1 Samuel 21:4; comp. Exodus 25:30; Luke 24:5-9). David's visit was fatal to Nob. Doeg the Edomite, Saul's shepherd, had seen him there, and informed his master. Ahimelech was summoned before the mad king, and sentence pronounced upon him. "Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father's house." Not an Israelite, however, would raise a. hand against the priests of the Lord; and Doeg, the stranger spy, became the tyrant's executioner. He "slew on that day fourscore and five persons who did wear a linen ephod; and Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep" (1 Samuel 22:9-19). The position of Nob is incidentally indicated in this narrative. It lay south of Gibeah, for David was on his way to Philistia when he called at Nob (1 Samuel 21:10); the narrative shows, too, that it was close to Gibeah. It would be a long time naturally before the doomed city could recover from such a blow. It appears, in fact, never to have regained its ancient importance. That it was on one of the roads which led from the north to the capital, and within sight of it,. is certain from the illustrative passage in which Isaiah (Isaiah 10:28-32) describes the approach of the Assyrian army:

"He comes to Ai, passes through Migron, At Michmash deposits his baggage; They cross the pass, Geba is our night-station; Terrified is Ramah, Gibeath of Saul flees. Shriek with thy voice, daughter of Gallim; Listen, O Laishi Ah, poor Anathoth Madmenah escapes, dwellers in Gebim take flight. Yet this day he halts at Nob: He shakes his hand against the mount, daughter of Zion, The hill of Jerusalem."

In this spirited sketch the poet sees the enemy pouring down from the north; they reach at length the neighborhood of the devoted city; they take possession of one village after another; while the inhabitants flee at their approach, and fill the country with cries of terror and distress. It is implied here clearly that Nob was the last station in their line of march, whence the invaders could see Jerusalem, and whence they. could be seen, as they "shook-the hand" in proud derision of their enemies. Lightfoot also mentions a Jewish tradition (Opp. 2:203) that Jerusalem and Nob stood within sight of each other. It was occupied after the captivity by Benjamin, and is grouped with Anathoth (Nehemiah 11:32).

Eusebius and Jerome strangely confound Nob with Nobah, a city in the east of Bashan (Onomast. s.v. Nabbe); though Jerome in another place (Epitaph. Paulae, Opera, 1:696, ed. Migne) locates the town on the plain of Sharon, somewhere between Antipatris and Nicopolis, a theory which is almost as wild as the former. He doubtless refers to the present Noba (see Von Raumer's Paldstina, p. 196). No allusion is made to this latter place in the Bible. The Jews, after recovering the ark of Jehovah from the Philistines, would be likely to keep it beyond the reach of a similar disaster; and the Nob which was the seat of the sanctuary in the time of Saul must have been among the mountains. The name of Nob has long since disappeared, and its site has been unknown for perhaps two thousand years. Kiepert and others would identify Nob with the little village of Isawiyeh, situated to the right of the road which leads from Jerusalem to Anathoth. Tobler (Topographie von Jerus. ii, § 719) describes this village as beautifully situated, and occupying unquestionably an ancient site. But Isawiyeh is in a deep glen, hidden from the Holy city by the ridge of Olivet, whereas Nob was in sight of Jerusalem (Van de Velde, Memoir, p. 337). Robinson thought Nob must have stood somewhere on the ridge of Olivet or Scopus, and there he searched, but in vain, for any trace of an ancientsite (Bib. Res. 1:464). Less than a mile south of Tuleil el-Fil, the site of Gibeah, is a conical rocky tell, called es-Sumah (Warren, in Quar. Statement of the "Pal. ‘ Explor. Fund," Oct. 1867), separated from the former by a valley. On the summit and sides of this tell are traces of a small but very ancient town-cisterns cut in the rock; large hewn stones; portions of the rocky sides leveled and hewn away; and on the south-east the remains of a small tower. From the summit there is a wide view. Mount Zion is distinctly seen, though Moriah is hid by an intervening ridge. The position, south of Gibeah, and not far from Anathoth; the elevation, commanding a view of Zion, against which Isaiah represents the Assyrian as "shaking his hand;" the ancient remains — all seem to indicate that this is the site of the long-lost Nob (Porter, Hand-book, p. 324). Lieutenant Conder ingeniously argues (Quadi. Statement of the ‘ Palestine Explor. Fund," Jan. 1875, p. 34 sq.) that Nob is identical with MIZPEH, and both with the modern Neby Sanwil.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nob ( נב , nōbh  ; Codex Vaticanus Νομβά , Nombá  ; Codex Alexandrinus Νοβά , Nobá , and other forms): An ancient priestly town to which David came on his way South when he fled from Saul at Gibeah ( 1 Samuel 21:1 ). Here he found refuge and succor with Ahimelech. This was observed by Doeg the Edomite, who informed the king, and afterward became the instrument of Saul's savage vengeance on the priests, and on all the inhabitants of the city (1 Sam 22). The name occurs in Nehemiah 11:32 in a list of cities, immediately after Anathoth. In Isaiah's ideal account of the Assyrians' march against Jerusalem, Nob is clearly placed South of Anathoth. Here, says the prophet, the Assyrian shall shake his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. It was a place, therefore, from which the Holy City and the temple were clearly visible.

The district in which the site must be sought is thus very definitely indicated; but within this district no name at all resembling Nob has been discovered, and so no sure identification is yet possible. ‛Anāta (Anathoth) Isaiah 2 1/2 miles Northeast of Jerusalem. Nob therefore lay between that and the city, at a point where the city could be seen, apparently on the great road from the Nob. Rather more than a mile North of Jerusalem rises the ridge Rās el - Meshārif (2,665 ft.), over which the road from the Nob passes; and here the traveler approaching from that direction obtains his first sight of the city. It is fittingly named "the look-out." Col. Conder states the case for identifying this height with Mt. Scopus where Titus established his camp at the siege of Jerusalem ( Pefs , 1874,111 ff). Immediately South of the ridge, to the East of the road, there is a small plateau, South of which there is a lower ridge, whence the slopes dip into Wâdy el - Jōz . This plateau, on which Titus may have sat, is a very probable site for Nob. It quite suits the requirements of Isaiah's narrative, and not less those of David's flight. Gibeah lay not far to the North, and this lay in the most likely path to the South.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Nob, a city of Benjamin, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, belonging to the priests, and where the tabernacle was stationed in the time of Saul (;;;;; ). From the last of these texts it would appear that Jerusalem was visible from Nob, which, therefore, must have been situated somewhere upon the ridge of the Mount of Olives, north-east of the city.