But though the history of the tribe of Naphtali ends here, and the name is not mentioned again except io
NAPHTHAR
844
NAPHTUHIM
the well-known citation of Matthew (iv, 15), and the mystical references of Ezekiel (xlviii, 3, 4, 34) and of the writer of the Apocalypse (liev. vii, G), yet under the title of Galilee — apparently an ancient name, though not brought prominently forward until the Christian iEra — the district which they had formerly occupied was destined to become in every way far more impor- tant than it had ever before been. After the captivity the Israelites again settled largely in Xaphtali, and its southern section became the most densely populated district in Palestine. It became the principal scene also of our Lord's public labors. After his brethren at Nazareth' rejected and sought to kill hira, he "came down"' (Luke iv, 31) from the uplands and dwelt in " Capernaum, which is upon the sea-coast, in the bor- ders of Zabulon and Nephthalim" (Matt, iv, 13). The new capital of (Jalilce had recently been built by An- tipas, and called after the emperor, Tiberias. Other towns — Magdala, Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsai- da — dotted the shore, which teemed with life and industry. Vast multitudes followed Jesus wherever be went (Mark ii, 1-12; Matt, xiii, 1-23, etc.). The greater number of liis beautiful i)arablcs were spoken here ; and it was the scene of most of his miracles (Porter, Hand-book, p. 430, 431). Then the words of Isaiah were fulfilled as they are quoted and applied by Matthew (iv, 15, IG) : " The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, the region of the sea [that is, of the Sea of Galilee; the same district called "the sea" in Deut. xxxiii, 23], Perasa [the proper name of the coun- try beyond Jordan], Galilee of the Gentiles [called " Da- rom" in Deut. xxxiii, 23] — the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up." The details of this tribe's history, as well as the account of its sufferings and heroic resistance during the cam- paign of Titus and Vespasian prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, are given elsewhere. See Palestink.
Naphtali is now almost a desert. A mournful silence reigns along the shores of the Sea of (Jalilee. There are still a few populous villages among the mountains ; but Safet and Tiberias are the only places of any im- pDrtance within the boundaries of the tribe, and they are fast falling to ruin.
NAPH'TALI, Mount CbpiSS in, Sept. opoc Nt^- 5a\ti, Vulg. Mons Nephlali), the mountainous district which formed the main part of the inheritance of Naph- tali (Josh. XX, 7), answering to " Mount Ephraim" in the centre and " Jlount Judah" in the south of Pales- tine. Sec Naphtali.
Naphthar {vt(p^ap, Vulg. Nephthar), the name given l)y Nchemiah, according to the account in the Apocrypha, to the substance (not the place, as the Vulg.) which after the return from Habylon was dis- covered in the dry pit where at the destruction of the Temple the sacred lire of the altar had been hidden (2 Mace, i, 3G; comp. 19). The legend is a curious one; and it is plain, from the description of the substance— "thick water," which, being poured over the sacrifice and the wood, was kindled by the great heat of the sun, and then burned with an exceedingly bright and clear fiame (ver. 32) — that it was cither the same as or closely allied to the naphtha of modern commerce {petroleum). The narrative is not at all extravagant in its terms, and is very probably grounded on some actual occurrence. The only dilHculty it presents is the explanation given of the name: "Naphthar, which is, being interpreted, cleansing" (fca^apiff/tdi,')) and which has hitherto puz- zled all the interpreters. It is perhaps due to some mistake in copying. A list of conjectures will be found in (Jrimm {Kurr.tjef, J/andb. ad loc), and another in Kcland's Diss, dr ret. lAnfj. Pers. Ixviii. The writer adds, " But many men call it Xephi." The identity of the names with naphtha is obvious. The place from which this combustible water was taken was enclosed by tlie " king of Persia" (Artaxerxcs Longimanus), and
converted into a sanctuan.' (such seems to be the force of itpov iroitly, ver. 34). In modem times it has been identified with the large well called by the Arabs Bir- eyub, situated beneath Jerusalem, at the confluence of the valleys of Kidron and llinnom. This well, the Arab name of which may mean the well of Joab or of Job, and which is usually identified with En-rogel. is also known to the Frank Christians as the " Well of Nehe- miah." According to Dr. Robinson (Bib. Res. i. 332, note), the first trace of this name is in Quaresmius {Elu- cidatio, etc., ii, 270-4), who wrote in the earlv part of the 17th century (1G16-25). He calls it "the well of Nchemiah and of fire," in words which seem to imply that such was at that time its recognised name : " Cele- bris ille et nominatus puteus, Nchemi;u et ignis appella- tus." The valley which runs from it to the Dead Sea I is called Wady en-Nar, "Valley of the Eire;" but no stress can be laid on this, as the name may have orig- inated the tradition. A description of the Bir-evub is given by Williams {Holy City, ii, 489-<J5), Barclay {City, etc., p. 513-lG), and by the careful Tobler (Umgibunyen, etc., p. 50). At present it would be an equally unsuita- ble spot either to store fire or to seek for naphtha. One thing is plain, that it cannot have been En-rogel (which was a living spring of water from the days of Joshua downwards), and a iiaphtlia well also.— Smith. See