Who and what is…
Nebo

Hebrew: נְבוֹ —transliteration: Nbow or Nebo —occurrences: 13 in Scripture

also known as: Nabu, Nabû, and Noba

This is the name of a false god and 3 biblical places.

  1. Nebo, a Chaldean and Babylonian false god whose worship was introduced into Assyria by Pul (Isaiah 46:1; Jeremiah 48:1)

    There was a Temple of Nebu (Nabu) at the city of Nabu (Nebo) at Nimrud in Mesopotamia. The ruins of this great temple can still be seen in at Birs Nimrud. A statue of Nebo (Nabu) found at Nimrod’s city Calah, where it was set up by King Pul of Assyria is on display in the British Museum.

  2. Mount Nebo, in the land of Moab

    This is where Moses looked for the first and the last time on the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 32:49; 34:1).

    It has been identified with Mount Nebo (aka Jabal Nebo or Jebel Nebah), east of the Dead Sea, near its northern end, in modern Jordan.

    It was the summit of the ridge of Pisgah, which was a part of the range of the “mountains of Abarim.” It is about 2,643 feet in height, but from its position it commands a view of Western Israel. Close below it are the plains of Moab, where Balaam, and afterwards Moses, saw the tents of Israel spread along.

    Mount Nebo, Jordan—map

  3. Nebo, a town east of Jordan which was taken possession of and rebuilt by the Tribe of Reuben (Numbers 32:3, 38; 1 Chronicles 5:8)

    It was about 8 miles southwest of ancient Heshbon (Hisban).

  4. Nebo, a town in Benjamin

    This town in the tribal land of Benjamin is probably the modern Beit Nuba (aka Beit Noba), about 7 miles northwest of Hebron.

    The “children of Nebo” (Ezra 2:29; Neh. 7:33) were of those who returned from Babylon.

    Location of ancient Nebo in Benjamin (now Bait Noba, aka Beit Nuba)—map

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Article Version: June 10, 2024