the church a false freedom or licentiousness, thus abusing Paul’s doctrine
of grace (comp. 2 Peter 2:15, 16, 19), and were probably identical with
those who held the doctrine of Baalam (q.v.), Revelation 2:14.
- NICOLAS the victory of the people, a proselyte of Antioch, one of the
seven deacons (Acts 6:5). - NICOPOLIS city of victory, where Paul intended to winter (Titus 3:12).
There were several cities of this name. The one here referred to was most
probably that in Epirus, which was built by Augustus Caesar to
commemorate his victory at the battle of Actium (B.C. 31). It is the
modern Paleoprevesa, i.e., “Old Prevesa.” The subscription to the epistle
to Titus calls it “Nicopolis of Macedonia”, i.e., of Thrace. This is,
however, probably incorrect. - NIGER black, a surname of Simeon (Acts 13:1). He was probably so
called from his dark complexion. - NIGHT-HAWK (Hebrews tahmas) occurs only in the list of unclean birds
(Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15). This was supposed to be the
night-jar (Caprimulgus), allied to the swifts. The Hebrew word is derived
from a root meaning “to scratch or tear the face,” and may be best
rendered, in accordance with the ancient versions, “an owl” (Strix
flammea). The Revised Version renders “night-hawk.” - NILE dark; blue, not found in Scripture, but frequently referred to in the
Old Testament under the name of Sihor, i.e., “the black stream” (Isaiah
23:3; Jeremiah 2:18) or simply “the river” (Genesis 41:1; Exodus 1:22,
etc.) and the “flood of Egypt” (Amos 8:8). It consists of two rivers, the
White Nile, which takes its rise in the Victoria Nyanza, and the Blue Nile,
which rises in the Abyssinian Mountains. These unite at the town of
Khartoum, whence it pursues its course for 1,800 miles, and falls into the
Mediterranean through its two branches, into which it is divided a few
miles north of Cairo, the Rosetta and the Damietta branch. (See EGYPT.) - NIMRAH pure, a city on the east of Jordan (Numbers 32:3); probably the
same as Beth-nimrah (Joshua 13:27). It has been identified with the Nahr
Nimrin, at one of the fords of Jordan, not far from Jericho. - NIMRIM, WATERS OF the stream of the leopards, a stream in Moab
(Isaiah 15:6; Jeremiah 48:34); probably the modern Wady en-Nemeirah, a
rich, verdant spot at the south-eastern end of the Dead Sea.