The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-25
BIBLICAL RESEARCH.

The latest definition of the god Ne
bo is given by Professor Schrader in Riehm' x
" HGndt0Orterbltch deS Bibischen Ahertu7as
and runs substantially as follows: 1t has long
been supposed by such men as Norberg Chwol-
sohn, that the deity Nebo, mentioned by the
prophet Isaiah (ch. XVII y, along with Bel, as
an idol of the Chaldeans was honored among the
Mendeans and the Sabeans of Harran-amonp
the latter under the title Nab1q, as a mytholo-
glcal equivalent to the Bermes- Mercury of the
Greeks and Romans, having Wednesday among
the days OF the week, as especially sacred TO
him And now this belief is confirmed as per
tectly accurate by Assyrian and Babylonian in
scrlptlons throughout. Under the form Nabiuv
written sometimes phonetically, sometimes as an
Telegraph, slgnlfying "Proclaimer" allied to the
Hebrew word Na5i Prophet" relatively NabG
he appears IN the old divinity lists of the Assvr
lans and Babylonians, along with the FIVE plan
etary deltles, and in one of these lists exactly AZ
the place where he still occurs as Mercury i'm
the succession of week days named after plane
tary deities. By the inscriptions he is described
as beng God of knowledge or of Science
as Author of Writing or OF written clay-tab
lets, as Tablet-writer of the Universe thus
as God of the Art of Writing; Furthermore. a.
Director of the World as " He who rules over
the Hosts of Heaven and of Earth" Perhaps
there is connection linking the latter to the
signlhcatlon OF his title AN. PA, as God of the
Sceptre, though some understand it in the sense
Of " God of the Writing style" Nebo was re
garded mythoogically Son of Merodach
Although he was known very early to the As
syrlans and venerated of them he was however
not so much an Assyrian as Babylonian deitv
ior' whlie only one or two Assyrian rulers bore
Titles associated with his name. large number
of Babylonian kings coupled their appellation7
directly with his-such as Nabonassar Nabopo
Iassar, Nebuchadnezzar Nabonadius and Others.
a. large and celebrated temple was dedicated TO
MN at Borslppa. In one of its inscriptions Ne
buchadnezzar styles himself as a worshiper Of
Nebo.' statue of this deity lin several copiasl
has been found at Nneveh. dating Grom the
reign OF King Binnirar III B. c. SIO-78I
upon which an inscription mentions Semiramis
In Assyrian Sammuramat, as consort of the lat
ter.-N. y. Independent
The South Country or Nepeb. of
Palestine and the regions adjoining the western
shores of the Dead Sea are inhabited bv rather
local yet nomadIC tribes of Bodwan Arabs
Along the borders of both these districts toward
the hlgh land OF Palestine proper, there is much
hne pasturage In spring time, to which the tc,t-
lohl'', or native peasant descend but. in order
10 share 1T peaceably with the Arabs they enter
INTO an arrangement with some one of the tribes
by which they are protected from the rapacitv
OF others or from losses by strangers In this
as 1T appears TO Lieutenant CondeT the old sv-z
tenn IS perpetuated under which Davids band
refrained from and protected the possessions OF
Naoal. (Cf. Sam. xxv T. l4).-Ib.
The investigations of late years be-
meath the surface Of the Haram area at Jerusa-
lem have revealed large number of wells
clsterns, reservoirs, and caverns of water or for
water, some OF them of sufficient size to be called
seas, IN the language Of the natives. Here
was the site of all the temples, incontestibYy
but OF the age Of each and all these treasures
OF water less may be affirmed Yet the fact
OF their existing now is quite enough for Dr.
Scbah to be reminded Of those prophetic visions
OF the pure waters Of life which shall flow from
the Temple Of God, to water the earth lFr
xlvn: ] 2 Iech. xiii !, xiv 8: Rev. xxi 1l
and OF The PsalmIsts perennial river. the streams
whereof make glad the City Of God psalm xiv.