(Khirbet Yaʽnin?) and regard it as a city of Asher on the border of Zebulun.—Josh. 19:24, 27.

NEAPOLIS

(Ne·apʹo·lis) [new town].

A city of Greece at the northern end of the Aegean Sea that served as a seaport for Philippi. It is generally linked with modern Kavalla. This city occupies a rocky promontory at the head of the Gulf of Kavalla. Its harbor is situated on the western side, and Kavalla itself lies about ten miles (16 kilometers) SE of the ruins of Philippi. Latin inscriptions indicate the city’s dependence on Philippi in Roman times, and portions of an aqueduct there appear to be of Roman construction. The Roman-built Egnatian Way connected Neapolis and Philippi and ran westward all the way to Durazzo (Durrës) on the Adriatic Sea.

It was at Neapolis that the apostle Paul first entered Europe in response to the call to “step over into Macedonia.” From there he went to Philippi, this possibly taking him three or four hours as he crossed the mountain range between the two cities. (Acts 16:9-11) About six years later Paul doubtless passed through Neapolis again.—Acts 20:6.

NEARIAH

(Ne·a·riʹah) [servant of Jehovah].

1. A Simeonite, son of Ishi. Neariah and his three brothers headed a force of 500 men that defeated the Amalekites at Mount Seir and thereafter continued to dwell there.—1 Chron. 4:42, 43.

2. Son of Shemaiah, father of Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam, and descendant of David.—1 Chron. 3:1, 22, 23.

NEBAI

(Neʹbai) [fruitful].

One of the “heads of the people” whose descendant, if not himself, attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” of Nehemiah’s day. The Masoretic text reads “Nobai” in the text, whereas “Nebai” appears in the margin.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 19.

NEBAIOTH

(Ne·baʹioth) [possibly heights].

The firstborn of Ishmael’s twelve sons and founder of one of the prominent Arabian tribes. (Gen. 25:13-16; 1 Chron. 1:29-31) Nebaioth’s sister Mahalath (or possibly Basemath) married their cousin Esau. (Gen. 28:9; 36:2, 3) The descendants of Nebaioth are not identified as living in any definite locality; they were probably nomads, moving about as bedouins with their flocks. In the time of Isaiah the “flocks of Kedar” (Kedar was Nebaioth’s brother) and the “rams of Nebaioth” were associated together in a prophecy foretelling how such animals would serve as approved sacrifices on Jehovah’s altar.—Isa. 60:7.

Some scholars have attempted to equate the descendants of Nebaioth with the Nabataeans of later times, but the evidence in support of such a suggestion is inconclusive.

NEBALLAT

(Ne·balʹlat).

A place settled by Benjamites after the Babylonian exile. (Neh. 11:31, 34) Neballat is generally identified with Beit Nebala. Situated on a low hill about four miles (6 kilometers) NE of modern Lydda (Lod), Beit Nebala overlooks the SE end of the Plain of Sharon.

NEBAT

(Neʹbat) [he (God) has regarded].

An Ephraimite and father of King Jeroboam I, the first ruler of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel.—1 Ki. 11:26; 2 Ki. 14:23, 24.

NEBO

(Neʹbo).

1. A Moabite city that came under the control of Amorite King Sihon sometime before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. (Compare Numbers 21:26; 32:3; Isaiah 15:2.) Subsequent to Israel’s defeating Sihon, the Reubenites rebuilt Nebo. (Num. 32:37, 38) In the latter part of the tenth century B.C.E., however, it appears that the Reubenites (1 Chron. 5:1, 8) lost the city, for, on the Moabite Stone, King Mesha boasted about having taken it from Israel at the direction of his god Chemosh. Later, both Isaiah (in the eighth century B.C.E.) and Jeremiah (in the seventh century B.C.E.) mentioned Nebo in prophecies directed against Moab.—Isa. 15:2; Jer. 48:1, 22.

Nebo is commonly identified with Khirbet Mekhayyet, situated about five miles (8 kilometers) SW of Heshbon. There are ruins of an ancient fortress at this site. Also, large quantities of pottery fragments (thought to date from the twelfth to the beginning of the sixth century B.C.E.) have been found.

2. A city, representatives of which returned from Babylonian exile. (Ezra 2:1, 29) In the time of Ezra some of the “sons [probably, inhabitants] of Nebo” dismissed their foreign wives. (Ezra 10:43, 44) Apparently to distinguish this Nebo from No. 1 above it is designated as the “other Nebo.” (Neh. 7:33) Modern Nuba, located about seven miles (12 kilometers) NW of Hebron, has been presented as a possible identification.

3. Evidently one of the mountains of Abarim. It was from Mount Nebo or from the top of Pisgah (which may have been a part of Nebo or Nebo may have been a part of Pisgah) that Moses viewed the Promised Land, and then he died there. (Deut. 32:48-52; 34:1-4) Mount Nebo is generally identified with Jebel en-Neba. This mountain has an elevation of more than 2,700 feet (823 meters) above sea level and is located about twelve miles (19 kilometers) E of where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea. It is believed that Pisgah may be Ras es-Siyaghah, an eminence just NW of and slightly lower than the peak of Jebel en-Neba. On a clear day the top of Ras es-Siyaghah provides a splendid view, including Mount Hermon, Tabor, Ebal and Gerizim, the central mountain ridge on which Bethlehem and Hebron, are situated, the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.

4. A deity whose humiliation at the fall of Babylon was foretold by the prophet Isaiah. (Isa. 46:1, 2) The name of this god is thought to mean “speaker, announcer, prophet.” Nebo was worshiped both in Babylonia and Assyria. He was identified with the planet Mercury and was regarded as the son of Marduk and Sarpanitu and the consort of Tashmitum. To his worshipers Nebo was a god of wisdom and learning, “the god who possesses intelligence,” “he who hears from afar,” “he who teaches,” and “lord of the tablet stylus.”

The prominence of this deity is illustrated by the Babylonian king Nabonidus’ referring to Nebo as “the administrator of all the upper and nether world, who lengthens the span of my life” and also as the one “who extends (the length of) my rule.” Nabonidus credited Nebo with placing into his hands “the correct scepter, the lawful staff, which (alone) ensures the aggrandizement of the country.” Another indication of the importance of Nebo in Babylonian religion is the fact that a form of the name appears in the names of the Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar, Nabopolassar and Nabonidus; also in Nebuzaradan (2 Ki. 25:8) and perhaps Abednego.—Dan. 1:7.

Nebo is prominently associated with the ancient city of Borsippa (modern Birs or Birs-Nimrud) near Babylon. In the spring, every New Year’s Day, the image of Nebo was taken in sacred procession from Borsippa to Babylon. Thereafter, when the image was returned to its sanctuary at Borsippa, the image of Marduk (also called by his title “Bel” [Lord]) was carried part way along with that of Nebo. It was most appropriate, therefore, that the prophecy of Isaiah specifically mentioned the coming disgrace of Bel and Nebo at Babylon’s fall.—Isa. 46:1, 2; see BEL.

[Picture on page 1211]

The Assyrian god Nebo

NEBUCHADNEZZAR, NEBUCHADREZZAR

(Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar, Neb·u·chad·rezʹzar) [Nebo, defend the boundary].

Second ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire; son of Nabopolassar and father of Evil-merodach (Amel-Marduk), who succeeded him to the throne. Nebuchadnezzar ruled as king for forty-three years (624-581 B.C.E.), this period including the “seven times” during which he ate vegetation like a bull. (Dan. 4:31-33) To distinguish this monarch from the Babylonian ruler by the same name but of a much earlier period (the Isin dynasty) historians refer to him as Nebuchadnezzar II.

Historical notices in cuneiform inscriptions presently available about Nebuchadnezzar somewhat supplement the Bible record. They state that it was the nineteenth year of his reign that Nabopolassar assembled his army, as did his son Nebuchadnezzar, then crown prince. Both armies evidently functioned independently and, after Nabopolassar went back to Babylon within less than a month’s time, Nebuchadnezzar successfully warred in mountainous territory, later returning to Babylon with much spoil. During the twenty-first year of Nabopolassar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar marched with the Babylonian army to Carchemish, there to fight against the Egyptians. He led his forces to victory and then swept over “Hatti-country” (considered to be Syria and Palestine). This took place in the fourth year of Judean King Jehoiakim (625 B.C.E.).—Jer. 46:2.

The inscriptions further show that news of his father’s death brought Nebuchadnezzar back to Babylon and, on the first of Elul (August-September), he ascended the throne. In this his accession year he returned to Hatti-land and received tribute. About 624 B.C.E., in the first official year of his kingship, Nebuchadnezzar again led his forces through Hatti-land and captured the Philistine city of Ashkelon. (See ASHKELON.) During his second, third and fourth years as king he conducted additional campaigns in Hatti-land, and it may be that in the fourth year he made Judean King Jehoiakim his vassal. (2 Ki 24:1) Also, in the fourth year Nebuchadnezzar led his forces to Egypt and in the ensuing conflict both sides sustained heavy losses.

DOMINATION OF JERUSALEM

Later, the rebellion of Judean King Jehoiakim against Nebuchadnezzar evidently resulted in a siege being laid against Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It appears that during this siege Jehoiakim died and his son Jehoiachin ascended the throne of Judah. But a mere three months and ten days thereafter the reign of the new king ended when Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar (in the month of Adar [February-March] during Nebuchadnezzar’s seventh regnal year [ending in Nisan 617 B.C.E.], according to the Babylonian Chronicles). Nebuchadnezzar then took Jehoiachin, other members of the royal household, court officials, craftsmen and warriors into Babylonian exile. He also made Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah king of Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah.—2 Ki. 24:11-17; 2 Chron. 36:5-10; see CHRONOLOGY, pages 326, 347; JEHOIACHIN; JEHOIAKIM.

Sometime later Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, allying himself with Egypt for military protection. (Ezek. 17:15; compare Jeremiah 27:11-14.) This brought the Babylonians back to Jerusalem and, on Tebeth (December-January) 10 in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. (2 Ki. 24:20; 25:1; 2 Chron. 36:13) However, news that Pharaoh (probably Hophra; compare Jeremiah 44:30) was coming with a military force from Egypt caused the Babylonians to lift the siege temporarily. (Jer. 37:5) Subsequently Pharaoh’s troops were forced to go back to Egypt and the Babylonians resumed the siege against Jerusalem. (Jer. 37:7-10) Finally, in 607 B.C.E., on Tammuz 9 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign (Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth regnal year), a breach was made in Jerusalem’s wall. Zedekiah and his men fled but were overtaken in the desert plains of Jericho. Since Nebuchadnezzar had retired to Riblah “in the land of Hamath,” Zedekiah was brought before him there. Nebuchadnezzar had all of Zedekiah’s sons slaughtered, and then blinded and bound Zedekiah in order to take him as a prisoner to Babylon. The post-conquest details, including the burning of the temple and the houses of Jerusalem, the disposition of temple utensils, and the taking of captives, were handled by Nebuzaradan the chief of the bodyguard. Over those not taken captive Gedaliah, an appointee of Nebuchadnezzar, served as governor.—2 Ki. 25:1-22; 2 Chron. 36:17-20; Jer. 52:1-27.

HIS DREAM OF AN IMMENSE IMAGE

The book of Daniel states that it was in the “second year” of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingship (probably counting from the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. and therefore actually referring to his twentieth regnal year) that Nebuchadnezzar had the dream about the golden-headed image. Although the magic-practicing priests, conjurers and Chaldeans were unable to interpret this dream, the Jewish prophet Daniel did so. This moved Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge Daniel’s God as “a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a Revealer of secrets.” He then constituted Daniel “ruler over all the jurisdictional district of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” Nebuchadnezzar also appointed Daniel’s three companions, Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, to administrative posts.—Dan. chap. 2.

LATER EXILES OF JEWS

About three years later, in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, more Jews were taken into exile. (Jer. 52:30) This exile probably involved Jews who had fled to lands that were later conquered by the Babylonians. Lending support to this conclusion is the statement of the historian Josephus: “On the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was the twenty-third of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he made an expedition against Celesyria [Coele-syria]; and when he had possessed himself of it, he made war against the Ammonites and Moabites; and when he had brought all these nations under subjection, he fell upon Egypt, in order to overthrow it.”—Antiquities of the Jews, Book X, chap. IX, par. 7.

TAKES TYRE

It was also sometime after the fall of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. that Nebuchadnezzar began the siege against Tyre. During this siege the heads of his soldiers were “made bald” from the chafing of the helmets and their shoulders were “rubbed bare” from carrying materials used in the construction of siegeworks. As Nebuchadnezzar received no “wages” for serving as His instrument in executing judgment upon Tyre, Jehovah promised to give him the wealth of Egypt. (Ezek. 26:7-11; 29:17-20; see TYRE.) One fragmentary Babylonian text, dated to Nebuchadnezzar’s thirty-seventh year (588/587 B.C.E.), does, in fact, mention a campaign against Egypt. But it cannot be established whether it relates to the original conquest or a later military action.