Original Word: נֹא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: No'
Pronunciation: nah
Phonetic Spelling: (no)
KJV: No
NASB: Thebes
Word Origin: [of Egyptian origin]

1. No (i.e. Thebes), the capital of Upper Egypt

No

Of Egyptian origin; No (i.e. Thebes), the capital of Upper Egypt -- No. Compare 'Amown.

see HEBREW 'Amown

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
an Eg. city
NASB Translation
No-amon* (1), Thebes (4).

נֹא proper name, of a location No = Thebes (Egyptian nt, city, i.e. probably n¢(t), see Steind^{BAS i. 596 f.}; Assyrian Ni-°u, Ni-i° Dl^{Par 318} Steind^l.c. Schr^{COT gloss}.; Tel Amarna Nî (Ni-i) Wkl^{Tel Am. 39 *} Bez^{Tel Am. in BM 153}); — הִנְנִי פוֺקֵד אֶלאָֿמוֺן מִנּאֹ Jeremiah 46:25 Amon from (of, ᵐ5 ἐν = בְּ) No; נאֹ אָמוֺן Nahum 3:8 No of Amon (= city of god Ammon, = ᵐ5 Διόσπολις Ezekiel 30:14,16 Steind^l.c.; see also Jerem. and Billerbeck^{BAS iii.104 f.}); Ezekiel 30:14 ("" מַּתְרוֺס, צֹ֫עַן), וְהִכְרַתִּי אֶתהֲֿמוֺן נאֹ Ezekiel 30:15 ("" סִין; but ᵐ5 Co Berthol נֹף q. v. for נֹא) Ezekiel 30:16 ("" סִין, Co סון). It lay on the right bank of the Nile, approximately 400 miles (by the river) south of Memphis.

Geographical Profile

No (Thebes, later called Diospolis Magna) was the principal city of Upper Egypt, located on both banks of the Nile about 400 miles south of modern Cairo. Flanked by the eastern desert and the Libyan hills, it controlled the caravan routes linking Sudan, Libya, and the Red Sea. Its vast wealth derived from trade, agriculture sustained by the annual inundation, and political favor when pharaohs adopted it as capital. Monumental temples dedicated to Amon-Re dominated the skyline, especially the sprawling complexes at Karnak and Luxor, visible reminders of the city’s religious prestige.

Historical and Political Significance

From the Middle Kingdom through the early first millennium B.C., Thebes was the seat of Egypt’s eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties. Political fortunes waned when Libyan dynasts shifted the capital northward, yet its priestly élite remained influential well into the Saite period. Military interventions by Assyria (ca. 663 B.C.) and subsequent sackings by Nubians and Persians exposed the city’s vulnerability despite its imposing natural defenses—an irony the prophets exploited when addressing nations whose security rested on earthly might rather than on the LORD of hosts.

Biblical References

1. Jeremiah 46:25
2. Ezekiel 30:14
3. Ezekiel 30:15
4. Ezekiel 30:16
5. Nahum 3:8

All five passages appear in judgment oracles against Egypt or, in Nahum’s case, as a comparison for Nineveh. The Berean Standard Bible renders Jeremiah 46:25: “The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will punish Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings—Pharaoh and those who trust in him.’” The other texts echo the same theme—divine retribution upon a proud, idolatrous metropolis and all who look to it for refuge.

Prophetic Judgment Oracles

Jeremiah speaks from Judah, foretelling Egypt’s downfall shortly before Nebuchadnezzar’s incursion (circa 568 B.C.). Ezekiel, prophesying from exile in Babylon, broadens the scope: “I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes” (Ezekiel 30:14). The triple repetition in verses 14-16 underscores the certainty of the decree. Nahum’s oracle (Nahum 3:8-10) recalls the earlier fall of Thebes under Assyria to warn Nineveh: if a city “situated on the Nile, surrounded by water… whose rampart was the sea” could be demolished, so will Assyria’s proud capital. The prophets therefore treat No as both object lesson and legal precedent in the courtroom of divine justice.

Theological Themes

1. Sovereign Judgment: No exemplifies that national strength, natural barriers, and sophisticated religion cannot shield from the LORD’s righteous verdict.
2. Idolatry Exposed: The repeated pairing of Amon with Thebes links civic identity to false worship; judgment dismantles both shrine and society.
3. Trust Misplaced: Egyptians and regional allies leaned on Thebes’ supposed impregnability, just as Judah was tempted to form alliances with Egypt (cf. Isaiah 30:1-5). Scripture warns that human alliances cannot replace covenant faithfulness.
4. Memory as Moral Warning: Nahum invokes collective memory—“Are you better than Thebes?”—to awaken repentance. Historical judgments become prophetic tools for future generations.

Archaeological Corroboration

Excavations at Thebes reveal fire damage and cultural layers matching the seventh-century Assyrian sack, lending credibility to the biblical chronology. Reliefs of Ashurbanipal’s campaign depict bound Egyptian captives, paralleling Nahum 3:10: “Yet she was taken captive and went into exile…”. Such data affirm that the prophetic texts accurately reflect international events, reinforcing confidence in Scripture’s reliability.

Homiletical and Ministry Uses

• Call to Repentance: Preachers may contrast Thebes’ grandeur with its desolation to illustrate Jesus’ question, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
• Warning against Idolatry: As Thebes centered on Amon-Re, modern culture erects its own idols—materialism, nationalism, self. The prophets’ words shatter these illusions.
• Assurance of Divine Justice: Believers facing oppressive powers can take heart that the same LORD who overturned Thebes will vindicate His people in His timing.
• Mission Emphasis: The fall of a leading religious center anticipates the Gospel’s triumph over every stronghold, fulfilling Philippians 2:10-11 that every knee shall bow to Christ.

Summary

No, the illustrious Thebes of Egypt, stands in Scripture as a signpost of judgment and a summons to trust the living God rather than human might. Its ruins testify that “the nations rage… but He lifts His voice, the earth melts” (Psalm 46:6). The prophets’ treatment of No therefore advances the biblical narrative of God’s holiness, the folly of idolatry, and the ultimate hope of redemption for all who heed His word.

בְּנֹֽא׃ בנא׃ וְנֹ֖א ונא מִנֹּ֔א מִנֹּ֣א מנא נֹֽא׃ נא׃ bə·nō beNo bənō min·nō minNo minnō No nō veNo wə·nō wənōInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts