NAAM
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NAAMAN
the enlargement of philosophical survey. In the most recent times, by uniting the excursive method of Creu- zer with the correction supplied by the more critical method of O. Miiller and his successors, the science of comparative mythology has been launched into exist- ence ; and specially the comparison of the earliest Greek mj-thology with the sacred legends of the Hindus has been ably advocated by Max Miiller in the Oxford Es- says (1856). In France, the views of Euemerus were propounded by Banier (1739) ; and generally the French scholars, such as Raoul Rochette and Petit Radel, show a distinct national tendency to recognise as much of the historical element as possible in mythology. By the British scholars mythology is a field that has been very scantily cultivated. Besides those already named, Bulfinch and Gould have done something in gathering material, but Payne Knight, Mackay, Grote in the first volumes of his history, Keightley, and Freeman are the
only names of any note, and their works can in nowise compete in originality, extent of research, in discrimi- nating criticism, or in largeness of view, with the pro- ductions of the German school. The best for common purposes is Keightley ; the most original, Payne Knight. In this couutrj' some service has been rendered to this department of recent study by Profs. Hadley and Whit- ney, and by the Rev. James Freeman Clarke.
The charm wliich mythology threw over polytheism, its fascinations for the imaginative faculty, its connec- tion with idolatry and with worship, its appeals to the senses, the vantage-ground which it had in a life-strug- gle with a severe holy monotheism in more ways than one — these topics will be duly considered in the article on Polytheism, to which we must refer the reader for a list of some of the best books on the heathen religions and mythologies likely to be of special interest to tlie theo- logical student. See Nokse Mythology. (T. D. W.)
N.
Na'am (Heb. «d &?3, in pause QV^, pleasantness ; Sept. Naa/i v. r. Noo/i), the last named of the three sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh (1 Chron. iv, 15). B.C. cir. 1618.
Na'amah (Heb. Naamah', fl^y, pleasant), the name of two women and also of a place.
1. (Sept. Nofjuci; Josephus, Noo^ac, A7it. i, 2, 2.) The daughter of the Cainite Lamech and Zillah, and the sister of Tubal-cain (Gen. iv, 22). B.C. cir. 3549. The family was one of inventors; and as few women are named, the Jewish commentators ascribe suitable inventions to each of them. Naamah is affirmed by them to have invented the spinning of wool and mak- ing of cloth. In the Targum of pseudo-Jonathan, Naa- luah is commemorated as the "mistress of lamenters and singers;" and in the Samaritan Version her name is given as Zalkipha. According to others she was dis- tinguished merely by her beauty (see Kalisch, Genesis, p. 14!) ). Hence some have unduly pressed the coin- cidence with Venus the consort of Vulcan, or with cer- tain Svrian mythologies (Bunsen, Ae(jyptens Stelle [(ioth. and Hamb. 1845-57], i, 344 sq.).
2. (Sept. 'Haaj.id, Nooyu«, v. r. Maxtafi, 'Naavdv, etc. ; Josephus, Nooju«e, Ant. viii, 8, 9.) An Ammo- nitess, the only one of the numerous wives of Solomon that appears to have borne him a son. She was the mother of Rehoboam (q. v.), and probably queen dow- ager (1 Kings xiv, 21, 31 ; 2 Chron. xii, 13). B.C. 973. She must consequently have been one of those foreign women whom Solomon took for wives and concubines, and among whom Ammonites are expressly mentioned (1 Kings xi, 1). The Vatican copy of the Septuagint calls her " the daughter of Ana, the son of Nahash ;" but this, besides being wanting in the Hebrew, is part of a long passage which is not found either in the He- brew or in the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint, and is therefore of no authority.
3. (Sept. Na«|ua v. r. 'Sw/idv'), a city in the plain of Judah, mentioned between I3eth-dagon and Makkedah (Josh. XV, 41). The associated names indicate a local- ity much west of Hebron. See Judah, Tkibe of. The requirements correspond tolerably well with that of a modern village marked by Van de Velde on his J\fap as Naamah, two miles S.E. of Ascalon (2d. ed. N'aliafi, three miles) ; but Capt. Warren (in the Quar. State- ment of the " Pal. Explor. Fund," April, 1871, p. 91) sug- gests Naameh, six miles N.E. of Yebna (Van de Velde, Naamy, six miles N. by E.). See Naamathite.
Na'aman (Heb. Nadman', '''2"3, jjleasantness, as in Isa. xvii, 10), the name of two men.
1. (Sept. Nof^tHi' ; but in 1 Chron. Noa/ia and Noo/<a, V. r. Maapav.) The second of the sons of Bela the son of Benjamin (Gen. xlvi, 21), apparently exiled by his
father (1 Chron. viii, 4, 7), and the head of the family of the Naamites (Numb, xxvi, 40) ; possibly the same elsewhere (1 Chron. vii, 7) called Uzzi. B.C. post 1856. See Jacob.
2. (Sept. 'Saipdv, and so the best MSS. of the K T., but Rec. Text 'Ntipdv; Josephus, "Afiavoc, Ant. viii, 15, 5.) The commander of the armies of Benhadad II, king of Damascene Syria, in the time of Joram, king of Israel. B.C. cir. 885. Through his valor and abilities Naaman held a high place in the esteem of his king; and although he was afflicted with leprosy, it would seem that this did not, as among the Hebrews, operate as a disqualification for public employment. Never- theless the condition of a leper could not but have been in his high place both afflicting and painful ; and when it was heard that a little Hebrew slave-girl, who waited upon Naaman's wife, had spoken of a prophet in Sa- maria who could cure her master of his leprosy, Ben- hadad furnished him with a letter to his traditionary enemy king Joram ; but as this letter merel.v stated that Naaman had been sent for him to cure, the king of Israel rent his clothes, suspecting an intention to fix a quarrel on him. Elisha, hearing of the affair, sent for Naaman, who came to the door of his house, but, as a leper, could not be admitted ; nor did Elisha come out to him, but sent him word by a servant to go and dip himself seven times in the Jordan, and that his leprosy would then pass from him. He was, however, by this time so much chafed and disgusted by the apparent neglect and incivility with which he had been treated, that if his attendants had not prevailed upon him to obey the directions of the prophet, he would have re- turned home still a leper. But he went to the Jordan, and having bent himself seven times beneath its waters, rose from them clear from all leprous stain. He now returned to Elisha, full of gratitude, avowing to him his conviction that the God of Israel, through whom this marvellous deed had been wrought, was great beyond all gods ; and declaring that henceforth he would wor- ship him only. He asked permission to take with him two mules' burden of earth. His purpose in this has been disputed, but it was probably to set up in Damas- cus an altar to Jehovah. He might have heard that an altar of earth was necessary (Exod. xx, 24). The natural explanation is that, with a feeling akin to that which prompted the Pisan invaders to take away the earth of Aceldama for the Carapo Santo at Pisa, and in obedience to which the pilgrims to Mecca are said to bring back stones from that sacred territory, the grate- fid convert to Jehovah wished to take a;vay some of the earth of his country, to form an altar for the burnt-offer- ing and sacrifice which henceforth he intended to dedi- cate to Jehovah only, and which would be inappropriate if offered on the profane earth of the country of Rimmon