seven stars are the angels of the seven churches." So Rev. xvii. 5, "And upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great," that is, Babylon in a spiritual sense, "the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth;" and, verse 7, "I will tell thee the mystery," or spiritual signification, "of the woman.' Compare Matt. xiii. 11; Mark iv. 11; Luke viii. 10; Eph. v. 32; and their respective contexts.

N

NAAMAH, pleasant. 1. The daughter of Lamech and Zillah, and sister of Tubal-Cain. Gen. iv. 22. The rabbins, assuming that the family were all gifted, have assigned to Naamah the invention of cloth-making. This is mere conjecture. 2. One of Solomon's wives, an Ammonitess, and the mother of Rehoboam. 1 Kings xiv. 21.

NAAMAN, pleasantness. 2 Kings v. 6. A Syrian general of valour and distinction, who, through the humble instrumentality of a little captive Hebrew girl, was induced to apply to the prophet Elisha to relieve him of the leprosy with which he was afflicted. The circumstances are recorded 2 Kings v. The points of difficulty in the narrative are the requests made to Elisha, and which the prophet seems not to have refused. The request for two mules' load of earth appears to have arisen from the notion that the soil of the land was proper for the purpose of building an altar to the true God in Damascus. His request to bow in the house of Rimmon seems to have amounted to this: he had acknowledged Rimmon to be no god, yet, as a great officer of state, his duty required him to attend the king to the temple of this idol, and, as the king leaned on his arm, to bow when he bowed. To refuse this would bring disgrace upon him, and require him to relinquish his place; and for this he was not prepared. As to Elisha's consent, it is not clear that his language, "Go in peace," necessarily conveys his approval of all that Naaman had asked. We have no

further account of Naaman. Some suppose that he was dismissed by Benhadad; for in the wars which took place subsequently to this miraculous cure between Syria and Israel, Benhadad appears to have commanded in person. 2 Kings vi. 24. He may have resigned or died.

NABAL, fool. 1 Sam. xxv. 3. A wealthy person residing at Maon, and having large possessions at Carmel, west of the Dead Sea. David sent some of his young men to ask some provisions, of which his troop was greatly in need. A refusal was returned, and couched in most offensive and insulting terms. David, on hearing it, ordered his men to set out and avenge the affront. He was turned aside from his purpose by the discretion of the beautiful wife of this churl Nabal. Without the knowledge of her husband, she set out to meet David, presented him with a sumptuous present and supply of provisions, and, by her fine temper and tact, so softened David that, in the end, he felt thankful that he had been withheld from shedding blood. When she returned, she found her husband at the feast connected with his sheep-shearing: after he had recovered from his intemperance, she informed him of the danger to which he had been exposed, and which by her skill had been averted. This intelligence seems to have been the cause of a severe illness with which he was instantly seized, and which issued in his death in ten days. After a suitable time, David evinced the estimation in which he held Abigail, by making her his wife. See ABIGAIL.

NABOTH, fruit. An Israelite, of the city of Jezreel, and who had a vineyard near to Ahab's palace. Ahab coveted this property, and intended to make it a garden of herbs, but found that Naboth could not be induced on any consideration to part with it. See Lev. xxv. 23, 24. It was a disgrace for a Hebrew to alienate the property of his ancestors. Ahab laid the refusal to heart, became sick, and refused to eat. His wife Jezebel understood the cause of his sadness, and bid him be of good cheer, assuring him that she would procure him

the vineyard. She wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with the royal seal, had Naboth accused by false witnesses of blasphemy, and stoned outside the town. The property was then seized for the use of Ahab. The severest maledictions fell upon Ahab and Jezebel as the result of this murder. 1 Kings xxi. See AHAB and JEZEBEL.

NADAB, liberal. 1. The oldest son of Aaron, slain by the Lord, because he offered strange fire on the altar of burnt-offerings. Lev. x. 1, et seq. See ABIHU. 2. The son of Jeroboam, and second king of Israel. He reigned two years, and was slain as the result of a conspiracy formed against him by one of his own officers, who ascended the throne in his stead. 1 Kings xiv. 20; xv. 25-28.

NAHASH, a serpent. 1. Supposed by some to be another name for Jesse. 2 Sam. xvii. 25. See margin. He seems to be described as the father of Abigail and Zeruiah, who were David's sisters. Others suppose a female is meant, and presume the wife of Jesse, and mother of David. 2. A king of the Ammonites, noted for the barbarous terms of capitulation which he offered to the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, and for his subsequent defeat by Saul. He rendered to David some acts of kindness during his persecutions. 1 Sam. xi.; 1 Chron. xix. 2.

NAHOR, NACHOR. 1. The father of Terah, and consequently grandfather of Abraham. Gen. xi. 22-25. 2. Also a brother of Abraham. He married Milcah his niece, daughter of his eldest brother Haran. Gen. xi. 27, 29. He did not leave his native place at the time that the rest of the family did.

NAHSHON, NAASSON, enchanter. Numb. i. 7; Matt. i. 4. The son of Amminadab, and prince of the tribe of Judah, at the time of the exodus. The heads of tribes were men of importance in conducting the affairs of the Israelites.

NAHUM, consolation. One of the minor prophets, and a native of Elkosh, a village of Galilee. There is considerable diversity of opinion as to the precise time in which he de

livered his prophecies. It was probably about the middle of Hezekiah's reign, B.C. 713. The prophecy relates chiefly to the destruction of Nineveh, an event which had been previously foretold by Jonah. Nahum's predictions were fulfilled about a century after they were uttered; and so complete was its overthrow, that for many centuries the site on which it stood was mere conjecture. Some of his descriptions of the Deity are inimitably sublime. See chap. i. 2, 4, 5. The third chapter contains a graphic description of a siege. The beauty of the style has been universally admitted. Lowth says, that none of the minor prophets equal him in sublimity and boldness. Another critic says, his style classic in all respects. It is marked by clearness, by its finished elegance, as well as by its fire, richness, and originality.

NAIL. This word usually denotes a peg or pin fast in the wall, on which garments, &c., were hung. It was not generally driven in, but inserted in the process of building. Ezra ix. 8. Also a tent-pin, driven into the earth to fasten the tent. Exod. xxvii. 19. It was with such a nail that Jael took away the life of Sisera. Judges iv. 21, 22. plied metaphorically to a prince on whom the care or welfare of the state depends. Isai. xxii. 23; Zech. x. 4. Another term is occasionally employed in Scripture which ordinarily means an ornamental nail: the golden nails of the temple are denoted by it. 2 Chron. iii. 9.

The word is ap

NAIN, beauty. The place where Jesus Christ raised the widow's son. Luke vii. 11-15. It was in Galilee, south of Mount Tabor, and only a short distance from Capernaum. It is now a small village called Nein, inhabited by Jews, Turks, and Mohammedans.

ΝΑΙΟΤΗ. Probably a town in or near Ramah, where Samuel abode with his disciples. 1 Sam. xix. 18, 19, 22, 23. Jewish commentators say that Ramah was the name of a hill, and Naioth of a place upon it.

NAKED. Gen. ii. 25. In addition to the ordinary meaning of this word, it sometimes signifies to be partially

clothed. In 1 Sam. xix. 24, Saul lying prostrate without his tunic, is said to be naked. See Isai. xx. 2; John xxi. 2: in both these cases, the meaning is, "without the outer garment." It is used also as the Greek yuuvos, to signify one poorly clad "I was naked, and ye clothed me." Sometimes it is used metaphorically. After the Israelites had worshipped the golden calf, they found themselves naked in the midst of their enemies. Nakedness of feet was a token of respect. It means also discovered, known, manifest. "Hell is naked before him." "All things are naked," &c. Job xxvi. 6; Heb. iv. 13. NAME. The Jews did not affix names to their children by caprice: the child was named in many instances from the circumstances of its birth, or from some peculiarities in the family to which it belonged. See Gen. xvi. 11; xix. 37; xxv. 25, 26; Exod. ii. 10; xviii. 3, 4. The names were often compounded. A great number of these owe their origin to the relations of the house, as the meaning of the first part of the compound shows. In many instances this is ABI, gradually shortened to AB, a father; as Abital, Abiezer, Abihud, Abner, &c. Sometimes AM, a people, is prefixed, at other times affixed; just as dñuos, in Greek,Demosthenes, Aristodemos. But, as most of the compound names convey a religious sense, they contain the name of God, and often form a proposition; the name of God being sometimes the subject, and at other times the predicate:-Nathanael, God gave, or given by God; El-nathan; Samuel, and Adonijah. The practice of thus forming names seems to have been common in various nations, as Louis de Dieu; Herrgott, &c. The name frequently had a prophetic meaning. Isai. vii. 3; viii. 3. SHEAR-JASHUB, a remnant shall return. MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ, he hastes to the spoil, he speeds to the prey. The names selected for women, the oldest as well as the simplest which are found, are only suited to women:-RACHEL, a ewe; DEBORAH, a bee; HANNAH, favour; TAMAR, palm-tree. In the later times, names were selected from those of the pro

genitors of the family: hence in the New Testament we find scarcely any other than ancient names. Matt. i. 12; Luke i. 61; iii. 23, &c. The inhabitants of the East often change their names, and sometimes do it for very slight reasons. This accounts for the fact that so many persons in Scripture have two names. Ruth i. 20, 21; Judges vi. 32; vii. 1; 2 Sam. xxiii. 8. Kings and princes very often changed the names of those who held offices under them, particularly when they were first elevated to some new station. Gen. xli. 45; Dan. i. 6, 7; Mark iii. 17; John i. 42. Hence a new name figuratively means, a token or proof of distinction and honour. Phil. ii. 9; Heb. i. 4; Rev. ii. 17. In the New Testament name signifies person. The name of God means his attributes and perfections ; sometimes his authority and power. Of the Messiah it is said, "He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords." Rev. xix. 16. It was an ancient custom among some eastern nations to adorn the images of their gods, and the persons of their princes and heroes, with inscriptions expressive of their character, titles, &c. They were made on the garment, or on one of the thighs; and several ancient statues have been discovered, with inscriptions written in one or two lines, sometimes horizontally, sometimes perpendicularly, both on the inside and outside of the thigh, and sometimes on both thighs.

NAOMI, my pleasantness. The wife of Elimelech, and mother of Mahlon and Chilion. This family was driven by famine from Bethlehem to Moab. Elimelech died, and also both the sons, each leaving a widow. Ruth, to whom one of the sons had been married, attached herself to her husband's mother, and her husband's God. When Naomi returned home, the inhabitants of the place expressed their surprise at her altered appearance, and said, "Is this Naomi ?" She replied, "Call me not Naomi," (my pleasant one,) "call me Mara:" (bitter :) "for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." RUTH.

See

the words of the evangelist. It is above the Maronite church, and probably the precise spot alluded to by the text."

NAZARITE. The term is from the Hebrew, and signifies to separate. The Nazarite law is found in Numb. vi. Male and female might assume the vow: on doing so, the person was separated to the Lord; the separation consisted in abstinence from wine and all intoxicating liquors, and from everything made therefrom. Not a razor was to come on the head all the time of this vow: the person was to be holy, and to suffer the locks of the hair of his head to grow. Special care was to be taken to avoid contact with any dead body. Should the person happen to touch the dead, the head must be shaved, and a sin-offering and a burnt-offering be presented. A lamb of the first year was to be offered as a trespass-offering. The days before the defilement were all lost, and not to be reckoned as a part of the separation. At the end of the period of the vow, the Nazarite himself was brought to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, there to offer a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, a peace-offering, and a meat and a drink offering. The Nazarite also shaved his head at the door of the tabernacle, and put the hair, grown during the time of separation, into the fire which was under the sacri

fice of the peace-offering. The priest then put into the hands of the Nazarite the shoulder of the ram roasted, with a loaf and a cake, which the Nazarite returned into the hands of the priest, who offered them to the Lord, lifting them up, or waving them, as a wave-offering. After this, the Nazarite might drink wine. Samson and John the Baptist were perpetual Nazarites. Those who made the vow out of Palestine, and could not come to the temple when their vow was expired, contented themselves by observing the abstinence required by the law, and cutting off their hair in the place where they were: the offerings required were deferred till a favourable opportunity. See the case of Paul. Acts xviii. 18; xxi. 23, 24. The institution of the vow of Nazariteship is involved in considerable mystery, and no satisfactory reasons have been given for it. It afforded an example of self-denial, in order to be given up to the study of the law, and the practice of righteousness.

NEAPOLIS, new town. A town of Macedonia, near the borders of Thrace, on the coast of the Egean sea. Paul visited it on his way to Philippi. Acts xvi. 11. Its modern name is Napoli.

NEBAIOTH. Isai. lx. 7. NEBAJOTH. Gen. xxv. 13. The son of Ishmael, whose descendants are supposed to have settled in Arabia, and to have