NAAS (Hebrew: Nāḥāš «Serpent»). - Name of two Ammonites, of an Israelite and of a city.

1. King of the "children of Ammon" who, shortly after the election of Saul, besieged Jabesh-gilead. In the face of the outrageous condition imposed by N. for surrender, the besieged asked for a pause of 7 days and sent to ask help from the other Israelites. Saul hastened up and defeated the Ammonites (I Sam. 11:1-11; 12:12). N.'s relations with David were on the other hand cordial (II Sam. 10:2; I Chron. 19:1).

2. Another Ammonite, father of Shobi of Rabbath, who brought provisions to David in flight, at Mahanaim (II Sam. 17:27). He could be identified with the preceding one.

3. Father of Abigail and of Zeruiah, mother of Joab (ibid. 17:25). He is ordinarily identified with Jesse, father of David; cf. I Chron. 2:16.

4. A city mentioned in the list of Judah (I Chron. 4:12). It is probably the present-day Dejr Naḥḥās.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: M. Sales, La S. Bibbia, Vecchio Testamento, II, Turin 1924, pp. 217 ff., 310, 337; L. Desnoyers, Histoire du peuple hébreu, II, Paris 1930, pp. 41 ff., 205 f., 296; F.-M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, II, 2nd ed., ibid. 1938, p. 351.

Francesco Spadafora

@incollection{ec8_naas_ebr_nahas_serpente, author = {Spadafora, Francesco}, title = {Naas (Ebr. NĀḤĀS « Serpente »)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {1586}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/naas-ebr-nahas-serpente} }

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