In the desert adjoining this district, David, seeking refuge from Saul, arrived. Living in the wilderness of Maon (so read with LXX for Paran, v.1), he and his men subsisted by levying blackmail from the sheepmasters of the richer plateau above them. From these they exacted a certain tribute in return for their services in protecting the grazing
NABARIAS
flocks against the wandering Bedawin of the desert. Accordingly, at one of the shearing-feasts 10 men appeared trom David’s camp to require this tribute. But Nabal was ‘flown with insolence and wine,’ and sent back an insulting taunt about the increase of masterless men in the district. His servants, knowing their master’s intractable character too well to interfere directly, appealed to his wife, who had woman’s wit enough to see and instantly to set about averting the danger. Abigail, having loaded several asses with (probably) something more than the expected tribute, set off to seek David. She met him already on the way to execute signal vengeance. Her subtle flattery (which suggested that one so ‘senseless’ [n@bda/, see Driver, Par. Psalt. 457] was not worth his anger), her gifts, perhaps herself, softened the leader, and he returned to his camp gratefully acknowledging that she had saved him from a crime. In the morning the shock of discovering what peril he had run, following on his over-night debauch, frightened Nabal into some kind of fit, from which after a few days he died. Thereupon Abigail became wife to David. A. C. WELCH.
NABARIAS (B Nafapelas, A -ρί-), 1 Es 9*, appears to correspond to Hashbaddanah in Neh 8* (a 23 for anava),
NABATHZANS (οἱ Ναβαταῖοι, 1 Mac 5% 9*).—See NEBAIOTH.
NABOTH (ni33, Nafoval).—A native of Jezreel, who in the time of Ahab owned land near that town. At that period Jezreel was the residence of the kings of Israel (1 Καὶ 18“, 2 K 8”), having prob- ably risen into importance through Ahab’s polic of allying himself with Phenicia. Naboth’s land,
which he cultivated as a vineyard, lay close to the nies palace (1 Καὶ 91}, Heb.) or threshing-floor (id. LXX)
The statements are compatible, since the valace at Jezreel was near the city wall (2 K 9%).
n this piece of ground Ahab cast covetous eyes, since it lay convenient to his own _ property. Accordingly, he approached Naboth with the offer either to purchase his vineyard or to exchange it for ground of similar value. But, whether he was attached by sentimental ties to his family property, or whether he was governed by an unwritten custom that land should descend in the same tribe and house (cf. Nu 36), Naboth declined the proposal (1 K 218). Ahab, himself a Hebrew who understood his beepiae temper, was about to desist, however unwi lingly (v.*); but Jezebel, a foreigner with Pheenician ideas of royal authority, overruled him to grasp with the strong hand. She used his authority to have Naboth falsely accused of speaking evil of God and the king, and stoned to death by the local authori- ties (v. Si), The deed made a lasting impression upon the popular mind. Elijah pronounced doom upon the tyrant (v.”-); and the deaths of Joram and Jezebel, which took place at the hands of Jehu near this very spot, were regarded as Divine retribution upon the guilty house (2 K 9535. ὅδ, In 1 Καὶ 22% (R) and by Jos. (Anté. VI. xv. 6) it is even stated that, when Ahab’s body was brought home from Ramoth-gilead, his blood was washed from the chariot by the pool of Jezreel.
This incident has many points of interest. It gives a tantalizingly inadequate glimpse into the existence of local tribunals in Israel at that period. It serves to prove the power of local customs, which none but the strongest kings dared override (con- trast Josiah’s conduct, 2 K 23). It shows how the opposition against Ahab’s house arose from social as well as religious feelings, and that Ay apa like Elijah were influenced by such eelings. It gives, too, one of the sources from
NADAB 471
which sprang such condemnations of the kingdom as 1S 8108.
LireRaTuRE.—Kittel, Hist. of Heb. ti. 269; W. R. Smith, Proph. of Isr. 77, 87; Cornill, Isr. Prophetismus, 89 1. ; Well- hausen, Comp. ἃ. Hez. 287. A. C. WELCH.
NABUCHODONOSOR (Nafovyodovocdp).—The Gr. form of the name Nebuchadrezzar (which see). This form is retained by RV in the following nassages in the Apocrypha: 1 Es 1, Ad. Est 114,
ar 158... In To 14% and throughout the Bk. of Jth the name is given as N ebuchadnezzar.
NACON.—The threshing-floor of Nacon (}}3; 18 ; Β ἅλω Nwid8; ΒΡ ἁλῶν (sic) Ὧδαβ; A ἁλωμένος Ναχών ; Vulg. area Nachon) is mentioned as the
lace where Uzzah the priest was slain for laying
old of the ark, when it was being brought from Kiriath-jearim to the ‘city of David’: owing to this mishap, the spot was re-named Perez-uzzah by David (2 § 6°). lostermann, however, comparing the use of the word Nacon (j\2}-x RVm? ‘to a set place’) in 1S 23%, treats it as an appellative, and renders ‘to a fixed threshing-floor’; but this is very improbable. On the analogy of other place- names (see Wellh. and Driver on 2 S 65), the second word should be a proper name; possibly, the parallel passage (1 Ch 13°) has preserved the more original torm, viz. CHIDON (713 [73]; B τῆς ἅλωνος ; A adds Χειλών). See CHIDON.