NETHINIM

Greeks had hierodouloi, 'temple slaves,' and the Mohammedans at Mecca similarly. It is not known at what date the practice arose in Israel; but there seem to have been three stages in the history of Temple servants. (1) They were slaves in the strict sense; (2) they were admitted to IsraeUte privileges, being circumcised, and treated as free men holding an official position in the Church; (3) they rose in standing and prestige so as to become practically equivalent to the Levites.

1. The name Nethinim is not used before the Exile. Ezr 8™ speaks of the Nethinim as those ' whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites,' which shows, at least, that common belief traced their origin back to David. A very similar class of persons, 'the children of Solomon's servants,' is mentioned in Ezr 255- 58^ Neh 7"- '° IP; their descent was evidently traced to the non-IsraeUte slaves employed by Solomon in connexion with his buildings, some of whom must have laboured in the new royal sanctuary (cf. 1 K 9"-"). This employment of foreign slaves in the Temple con-tinued till the beginning of the Exile (Ezk 44").

2. A change in the status of these men was brought about by the Exile. When the people were far from the land, every one who had held any sort of position in the 'Temple must have gained a certain prestige. The former 'Temple-slaves seemed to have formed them-selves into a guild. By the very fact of their exile, they were freed from their slavery to the Temple, and thus when they and their sons returned to Jerusalem, they returned as free men, who were recognized as part of the nation. As a guild, they acquired for them-selves the title Nethinim, owing to their traditional origin. In Ezr 2"-63- "i=Neh 7'=-"- ™ are given the names of the Nethinim who are reported to have returned with Zerubbabel; and they are mentioned together with priests, Levites, singers, and porters. Some of the names in the Ust are undoubtedly of foreign origin. Again, Ezra relates (,8^°) that on his return, 220 Nethinim from Casiphia accompanied him. After a time we find them so completely estabUshed as a sacred official class, that privileges are accorded to them. They shared with priests, Levites, singers, and porters, immunity from taxation (Ezr 7'*). They Uved in a special quarter of the city, named Ophel, i.e. the southern and eastern slope of the Temple hill, or more particularly that part of it which reached to the Water-gate on the east, and to the tower projecting from the royal palace (Neh 3^). They were thus near the Temple, and Bp. Ryle (Ezra, etc., p. Iviii) points out the appropriateness of assigning to 'drawers of water' the position by the Water-gate, which communicated with the Virgin's Spring. And v." mentions 'the house of the Nethinim,' which must have been an ofHcial building used by them during their periods of duty. They were under the command of two chiefs — of whom one, at least, was a member of their own body — Ziha and Gishpa (Neh ll^') ; the former is the first in the list, in Ezr 2"= Neh 7", and Gishpa may possibly be the same as Hasupha, the second name. Further, only a portion of them, like the priests, Levites, singers, and porters, dwelt in Jeru-salem; the others 'dwelt in their cities' (Ezr 2™=Neh 7", 1 Ch 9^). And so far were they from being re-garded as foreign slaves, that they joined, as full members of the community, in the oath that they would not (among other things) allow their sons and daughters to marry any but Israelites (Neh 10^*-'°).

3. From this point the Nethinim gradually rose in official position, until they were Indistinguishable from the Levites. In 1 Ch 23^' the Levites are spoken of in such a way as to suggest that the term included all Temple-servants. And conversely, since singers and doorkeepers (who are quite distinct from Levites in Ezr.-Neh.) were explicitly reckoned by the Chronicler as Levites (1 Ch 15'« 26'-"), it is probable that the same was the case with the Nethinim. Finally, in

NEW TESTAMENT

1 Es 1' the Levites, and in «^- " the Nethinim, are described by the same term, hierodouloi.

A. H. M'Neile. NETOPHAH.— Atown,the name of which first occurs in the Ust of the exiles who returned under Zerubbabel (Ezr 222=Neh 72« = 1 Es S" Netophas). Perhaps the name is preserved in the modern Beit Nettif at the entrance to the Wady es-Sunt or Vale of Elah. The gentilic name the Netophathite(s) occurs in 2 S 23'"-,

2 K 25^ Jer 40^.

NETOPHAS (1 Es S's) =Netophah of Ezr 2'^ || Neh 7».

NETS were used in taking wild animals (see Hunting), and birds (see Snares) ; but their main use has always been in fishing. The ancient Hebrews were not fisher- men, nor do they seem to have eaten much fish. There is no reference in OT to fishing in the inland waters of Palestine. The fishermen and the implements named are either Egyptian or Phoenician. The 'fisher-partners' of Job 41= are Phoenicians; the fishermen of Is 19' are Egyptians. Fish were taken along the Medi-terranean coast with 'line and hook' (Job 41', Is 19', Am 4^), and the 'fish-spear' or 'harpoon' (Job 41'). But sufficient quantities for commercial purposes could be obtained only by means of nets, (a) Heb. mikmar (Is 61") and makmUr (Ps 141'") and the fem. forms mikmSreth (Is 19') and mikmereth (Hab 1"- ") is probably =Gr. sagera (Mt 13"), the Arab, jarf, 'draw-net.' It is as much as 400 metres long, 20 ft. deep, and of fine mesh, so that it sweeps everything before it. From the stern of a boat it is paid out in a great semicircle, the lower edge carried down by lead sinkers, the upper sustained by cork floats. It is then drawn ashore, with its contents, by ropes attached to the ends. Fishermen swim behind, diving to ease it over stones and other obstructions. This accounts for Simon Peter's condition (Jn 21'). (6) Heb. cherem (Ezk 26', Hab 1" etc.), Gr. amphi-hUstron (Mt 14" etc.), the mod. shabakeh, 'cast-net.' It is circular, of close mesh, with a cord attached to the centre. The fisherman gathers it together, arranges it on his arm and shoulder, and moves, or wades, stealthily along the shore until he sees signs of fish within reach; then, with a skilful cast, the net flies out and drops full circle on the water; lead beads round the circumference carry it to the bottom, enclosing the fish, which are then secured at leisure, (c) A net used to-day, called m'batlen, consists of three nets strung on a single rope, the two outer being of wide, the inner of close, mesh. It is let down in fairly deep water, parallel with the shore. The fish pass through the outer net, pushing the inner before them through the wide meshes on the other side, thus being entangled. The net is pulled up and emptied into the boats, (d) Gr. diW!/om(Mt4™etc.)isatermused for nets in general. In the LXX amphiblesiron and sagene are used indiscriminately as tr. alike of chSrem and mikmdr, etc.

A tax is levied on all fish caught in the Sea of Galilee. The favourite fishing-grounds are near 'Ain et-Fullyeh, south of el-Mejdel; the bay at et-TObigha; and the waters of el-Bateihah in the N.E. The Upper Jordan and el-HUleh lie within the private lands of the Sultan, to whom payment is made for fishing rights. See an excellent account of 'The Fisheries of Galilee' in PEFSt, Jan. 1908, p. 40 fl., by Dr. Masterman of Jerusalem.

W. EWING.

NETTLE.— 1. cMrai (Job 30', Pr 24", Zeph 2»), more probably a generic name for thorn bushes growing in the wilderness, such as the Zisyphus and varieties of acacia. 2. qimmds (Is 34", Hos 9"), qimmesSnlm (Pr 24S1 EV 'thorns'). These words all refer probably to nettles, which are abundant in deserted places in Palestine. E. W. G. Mastebman.

NEW BIRTH.— See Regeneration.

NEW MOON.— See Feasts, § 2, and Moon.

NEW TESTAMENT.— See Bible, Canon of NT.Text OF NT.

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