NETOPHAH

(Ne·toʹphah) [from a root meaning “drip; drop”], Netophathites (Ne·tophʹa·thites).

A small village of Judah probably located at Khirbet Bedd Faluh, about 4 km (2.5 mi) SSE of Bethlehem, and its inhabitants. The Bible concerns itself primarily with the inhabitants, who, at first, were apparently related to those who settled in Bethlehem.​—1Ch 2:54.

Among the Netophathites were David’s mighty men Maharai and Heleb (Heled; Heldai), both of whom became heads of army divisions. (2Sa 23:8, 28, 29; 1Ch 11:26, 30; 27:13, 15) Some Netophathites were left in Judah after the general deportation to Babylon, and they supported Governor Gedaliah. (2Ki 25:23; Jer 40:8) A number of Netophathite descendants of those carried off to Babylon returned with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. (Ezr 2:1, 2, 22; Ne 7:26) Some Levites who lived among the settlements of the Netophathites came to Jerusalem for the inauguration of the rebuilt wall.​—1Ch 9:14, 16; Ne 12:27, 28.