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NeckAid to Bible Understanding
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his neck. Therefore, to ‘have one’s hand on the back of the neck’ of his enemies was to conquer or subdue them. (Gen. 49:8; 2 Sam. 22:41; Ps. 18:40) With similar significance, it was the ancient custom to place one’s foot upon the neck of a conquered foe. On monuments of Egypt and Assyria, monarchs are represented in battle scenes as treading on the necks of their enemies. Likewise, Joshua ordered his army commanders: “Come forward. Place your feet on the back of the necks of these kings.”—Josh. 10:24.
A yoke upon the neck indicated servitude, submission or bondage. (Gen. 27:40; Jer. 30:8; Acts 15:10) The frequent expressions “stiff-necked” and ‘hardened neck’ represent a rebellious and obstinate spirit. “A man repeatedly reproved but making his neck hard will suddenly be broken, and that without healing,” say the Scriptures, as a warning to us.—Prov. 29:1; Deut. 9:6, 13; 31:27; 2 Ki. 17:14; Ps. 75:5; Isa. 48:4.
THROAT
The importance of the discipline and authority of one’s parents (and, by implication, the eminent value of God’s commandments and laws) is emphasized by the admonition to ‘bind them upon the throat,’ where beautiful and precious ornaments were worn. (Prov. 1:8, 9; 3:1-3; 6:20, 21) Walking with one’s throat stretched forth can evidence haughtiness. (Isa. 3:16) Of wicked men of lies and bloodshed, the Bible says: “Their throat is an opened burial place.”—Ps. 5:9; Rom. 3:13.
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NecklaceAid to Bible Understanding
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NECKLACE
An ornamental chain or string of beads, gold, silver, coral, jewels, and the like, worn around the neck. Necklaces were anciently worn by women (Song of Sol. 1:10; 4:9; compare Ezekiel 16:11) and even by men, especially those of high station. (Gen. 41:41, 42; Dan. 5:7, 16, 17, 29) The Midianites of Gideon’s day put necklaces on the necks of their camels, and from these necklaces, apparently, moon-shaped ornaments hung as pendants. (Judg. 8:21, 26) Necklace-style chains were at times used for ornamentation, as for the temple pillars Jachin and Boaz.—2 Chron. 3:15-17.
Of boastful, wicked people it is said that “haughtiness has served as a necklace to them.” (Ps. 73:3, 6) On the other hand, the discipline of a father and the law of a mother are as a fine necklace to a son’s throat.—Prov. 1:8, 9.
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NedabiahAid to Bible Understanding
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NEDABIAH
(Ned·a·biʹah) [Jehovah has been generous].
Last-named son of King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), born during Jeconiah’s exile in Babylon. (1 Chron. 3:17, 18; 2 Ki. 24:15; Jer. 29:1, 2, 4, 6) Nedabiah was a descendant of David of the tribe of Judah and an uncle of Zerubbabel, the postexilic governor.—1 Chron. 3:1, 17-19; Hag. 1:1.
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NeedleAid to Bible Understanding
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NEEDLE
Since early times this slender tool with a sharp point at one end and a hole or “eye” at the other has been used for sewing with thread (or sometimes with leather strips) and for embroidering. (Ex. 28:6; 35:34, 35; Eccl. 3:7; Luke 5:36) While bone needles have been discovered at ancient sites, including some later ones made of ivory, bronze needles were generally used. They are very similar to present-day needles. Bronze needles varying in length from approximately one and a half to five and a half inches (c. 3.8 to 14 centimeters) have been found in Palestine. Some Egyptian bronze needles were from three to three and a half inches (c. 7.6 to 8.9 centimeters) long.
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Needle’s EyeAid to Bible Understanding
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NEEDLE’S EYE
In an illustration pertaining to entry into the Kingdom, Jesus Christ said: “It is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 19:24; Mark 10:25) Some have held the needle’s eye to be a small gate through which a camel, if relieved of its load, could pass with difficulty. However, the Greek word (hra·phisʹ) for “needle” found at Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25 is drawn from a verb meaning “to sew.” Also, the Greek word (be·loʹne) appearing in the parallel passage of Luke 18:25 is used to refer to a literal needle. Regarding these Greek terms An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W. E. Vine (Vol. III, p. 106) notes: “The idea of applying ‘the needle’s eye’ to small gates seems to be a modern one; there is no ancient trace of it. The Lord’s object in the statement is to express human impossibility and there is no need to endeavour to soften the difficulty by taking the needle to mean anything more than the ordinary instrument.”
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NegebAid to Bible Understanding
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NEGEB
(Negʹeb).
The Hebrew word neʹgev is thought to be derived from a root meaning “to be parched,” and often denotes the semiarid area S of the mountains of Judah. From the circumstance that this region lay S of Judah, neʹgev also came to mean “south,” and is used with reference to a southern side (Num. 35:5), a southern boundary (Josh. 15:4) and a southern gate. (Ezek. 46:9) In some translations a distinction between the geographical designation and the compass direction is not maintained, resulting in confusing renderings. An example of this is Genesis 13:1, where translating neʹgev as “south” (AS, AV, Le) makes it appear that Abraham went southward out of Egypt, when actually his direction was northward through the Negeb to Bethel. But this difficulty has been eliminated in many modern translations.—AT, JB, NW, RS.
TOPOGRAPHY
The Negeb of ancient times seems to have embraced an area extending from the district of Beer-sheba in the N to Kadesh-barnea in the S. (Gen. 21:14; Num. 13:17, 22; 32:8) The prophet Isaiah described this region as a land of hard conditions, a haunt of lions, leopards and snakes. (Isa. 30:6) In the northern section, occasional springs, wells and pools are found, and the tamarisk is one of the few trees that thrives there. (Gen. 21:33) To the SW of Beer-sheba lie two small areas and one relatively large area of sand dunes. Much of the Negeb is a plateau between 1,500 and 2,000 feet (457 and 610 meters) above sea level, with peaks up to 3,500 feet (1,067 meters) in elevation. To the S and E of Beer-sheba there are rugged ridges, generally running from E to W.
HISTORY
However, the cisterns, terrace walls and ruins of many towns that have been found in the Negeb indicate that the area anciently supported a considerable population. Here the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob found pasturage for their large flocks. (Gen. 13:1, 2; 20:1; 24:62; 46:5) And in Abraham’s time the Elamite king Chedorlaomer, with his three allies, defeated the inhabitants of the Negeb.—Gen. 14:1-7.
Centuries afterward, the Israelite spies sent by Moses entered the Promised Land from the Negeb, which at that time was inhabited by the Amalekites. (Num. 13:17, 22, 29) Under the leadership of Joshua, all the inhabitants of the Negeb were defeated (Josh. 10:40; 11:16) and cities in this region became part of the territory of the tribe of Simeon. (Josh. 19:1-6) Also, the nomadic Kenites, who were related to Moses through marriage, took up residence in the Negeb. (Judg. 1:16; compare 1 Samuel 15:6, 7.) The Israelites evidently did not maintain control over the area. Over the years there were repeated clashes with the Canaanites of the Negeb, particularly the Amalekites. (Judg. 1:9; 6:3; 1 Sam. 15:1-9; 30:1-20) From the city of Ziklag, given to him by the Philistine king Achish, David made raids upon the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites of the Negeb. (1 Sam. 27:5-8) Apparently not until David’s reign as king, after the defeat of the Edomites, did Israel gain complete control of the Negeb. (2 Sam. 8:13, 14) The
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