NOBAH
557
called el-sadr, the breast, there are remains of ancient cisterns and rock-tombs.
ΕἸ Isawiye, a village 1 mile S.W. of ‘Anata, which has been proposed as the site of Nob, seems to be excluded by the fact that it lies in a valley, and that Jerusalem is not visible from it. Shaphat, 2 miles due N. of Jerusalem, which has also been suggested, is not probable, as it isin just the same latitude as “Anata, and does not lie between "Anata and Jerusalem, as re- quired by Is 1030.82, Nett Shamwtl ‘and Bir Nebala’ (Conder), 4} miles N.W. of Jerusalem, lie in a wrong direction altogether.
The same place is also pretty clearly meant in Neh 11"; it is ἐπ σραδη there, together with other towns in the same neighbourhood, in close ae παι μοι and Ramah (24 miles N.E. and 5 miles N. of Jerus. respectively) just as in Is (see νν.39. 8), 2, An ancient ‘city of the priests’ (1S 2219), where David, fleeing from Saul, found refuge with Ahimelech (1S 21): Doeg, the Edomite, was present at the time; and afterwards, when Saul’s other servants dreaded to fall upon the priests of J”, at the king’s instigation attacked the city, and massacred the entire population (in- cluding 85 priests), Abiathar alone escaping, 1S 229. 11. 18-22, Unless a settlement of priests in im- mediate proximity to the Jebusite stronghold of Jerusalem should be deemed improbable, there is no valid reason why this Nob should not be identical with 1: the situation is suitable; to judge from the narrative of 1S 21, Nob was not far from Gibeah (of Saul), v.‘, which was only a little N. of the Nob of Is 10® (see v.%); and (as H. P. Smith, on 1 S 21%, points out) David, making his wey, from Gibeah (the probable scene of 1 S 9015.) to Bethlehem (1 S 20°), would pass Nob, and might naturally stop there, if he knew he had friends in it. Jerome, however (Ep. ad Eustochium, No. 86 ed. Bened., No. 108 ed. Migne, § 8 [p. 696]), speaks of ‘Nobe, urbem quondam sacerdotum,’ as in the neighbourhood of Lydda (Diospolis): this is no doubt the modern Set Niuiba, about 10 m. 8.E. of Lydda, and 13 m. W.N.W. from Jerusalem, very near to =e (go (cf. Robinson, BR iii. 145, and ii. 254; Buhl, p. 198); but there does not seem to be any sufficient ground for going so far to the W. to find the Nob of 1S 21. 22.
5. R. DRIVER.
NOBAH (n33, Ndfav, Νάβεθ), as a personal name, oceurs only once (Nu 32%), in the older version which relates the settlement of the country on the E. of Jordan by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh. According to this, the clan of that name belonged to the last-mentioned tribe, and formed a settlement in Kenath (wh. see), on which they succeeded in impressing for a time their own clan name (1 Ch 2%), See next article.
A. C. WELCH.
NOBAH (n33) is mentioned along with Jogbehah (wh. see) as lying on the route which Gideon followed (Jg 8") in his pursuit of the routed Midianites. This would place the site about mid- way between Amman and es-Salt. It is again mentioned (Nu 32") as the name which a clan of Machir gave to Kenath after they had con- quered it.
The connexion between these two passages de- nends entirely upon the place where we agree to took for Kenath (wh. see). If Kenath be identified (Merrill, Εἰ. of rake SS 36 tf. ; Euseb. OS 269. 15) with Kanawit on the W. edge of the Hauran range, then we shall consider (Dillm, Nu-Dt-Jos, ᾿ 201 f.) that the Nobah of Judges was the origina] settle- ment of the clan, which, when it took possession of the new abode, for a time at least (1 Ch 2%) succeeded in stamping itsown name uponit. If, on the other hand (Bertheau and Moore on Judges), this identification be given up, we shall hold that Nu 32" gives the account of how this clan came into possession of its tirst and only settlement, the town which lies near Jogbehah.
NOBAI
658
It is possible that the name can be found also in Nu 21” ‘ Nobah, which lies on the desert,’ accord- ing to the Peshitta; but the text is too corrupt to otler any sure help. A. C. WELCH.
NOBAI (9.5 Kethibh, ‘3 Keré, and so AV and RVm Nebai, B Βωναί, A NwSat).—One of those who sealed the covenant, Neh 10” (Heb.”]. See, further, art. ΝΈΒΟ (Town).
NOBLEMAN.—This title (βασιλικός, ‘royal’ or ΠΩΣ toa king’; so Ac 193. 3.18. 25) is given (Jn 4% Ὁ AVm ‘ courtier’ or ‘ ruler’; RVm ‘king’s officer,’ ef. Vulg. regulus) to the man who besought Jesus in Cana to heal his son who was sick at Caper- naum. Opinions have always differed as to the meaning of the title (see Chryst. Hom. 35 on Joh.). It has been taken to mean that he was of the royal (Herodian) family (L. Bos, Exercit. Philolog. p. 41, and others) ; or that he was of the Herodian party (Lightfoot, Hor. Heb., Exercit. on St. J.); or that he was attached to the service of Antipas, who was popularly called king, either in a military or civil capacity (Meyer, Weiss, Godet, and most). The term was used both of royal persons themselves and of those attached to them as officers, courtiers, or soldiers (see exx. in Wetstein); but the usage of Josephus (see Krebs, Observat. in NT e Flav. Jos. p. 144) supports ery the latter application of it here. atian also (Diatessaron) translates ‘officer of the king.’ This man therefore was probably an officer of rank and wealth connected with the court or service of Antipas. He has been identified with Chuza, Herod’s steward (Lk 88), and with Manaen, Herod’s foster- brother (Ac 13%). These, of course, are mere conjectures. He was ῬΈΠΕΙ a Jew, and is certainly not to be identi-