NEGHEBH. - In the Hebrew language (from an ancient Semitic root ngb, “to be dry, arid”) it means an arid region and, as a general term of orientation, denotes the south.
As a geographical term, in opposition to the “mountain” har, the “low plain” sēphēlāh, and the “depression” 'ārabhāh, it designates the region, now flat and now mountainous, monotonous, traversed by broad beds of watercourses that are almost always dry, from Hebron to Cadesbarne, today 'Ajn Qudeis (cf. Gen. 18, 1; Num. 13, 20). Subsequently, it came to mean the south of Palestine (Gen. 12, 9; 13, 1; Ios. 15, 8; 18, 5).
In the Greek version of the Septuagint it is rendered by Ναγέβ or by ἔρημος, in remembrance of the first etymology (Vulgate terra arens, Iudc. 1, 15), but more often by νότος (= south) or λίψ (= south-west).
In the distribution of the Promised Land, the N. fell by lot to the tribes of Judah and Simeon (Ios. 10, 40; 12, 8); but its boundaries, especially in the southern part, do not appear clearly defined. The principal cities of the N. are listed in Ios. 15, 21-32, and among the chief ones are mentioned Cadesbarne (Gen. 20, 1), Bersabee (Ios. 15, 28), Siceleg (ibid. 15, 31), and Arad (Num. 21, 1).
According to the clans, there were distinguished the N. of the Cerethei (I Sam. 30, 14), of Caleb (ibid.), of Judah (ibid. 27, 10; 30, 14), of the Ierameelites (ibid. 27, 10), and of the Cenites (ibid.).