📖 Biblical Definition
Small town in Galilee, about six miles southeast of Nazareth, on the north slope of the hill called the Little Hermon (modern Jebel ed-Dahi). Nain is the site of one of the three explicit raisings of the dead recorded in the Lord Jesus's earthly ministry (the others being Jairus's daughter at Capernaum, Matthew 9:18-26 and parallels, and Lazarus at Bethany, John 11). Luke alone records the Nain miracle: And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother (Luke 7:11-15). The compassionate raising of the widow's only son at Nain is theologically rich: it consciously echoes the OT raisings by Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24, the widow of Zarephath's son) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:32-37, the Shunammite woman's son); it demonstrates Christ's authority over death; it shows His specific compassion for the widow whose son's death threatened her social and economic survival; and it provokes the response: And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people (Luke 7:16). The patriarchal-Reformed reader receives Nain as the place where Christ demonstrated His authority over death and His specific care for the widow.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Small Galilean town six miles southeast of Nazareth; site of Jesus's raising of the widow's only son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17); one of three explicit raisings in Christ's earthly ministry.
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NAIN, proper n. (NT place) Small town in Galilee, about six miles southeast of Nazareth, on the north slope of the Little Hermon. Site of Jesus's raising of the widow's only son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17). One of three explicit raisings of the dead in Christ's earthly ministry (with Jairus's daughter at Capernaum and Lazarus at Bethany). Luke alone records the Nain miracle. Jesus had compassion on the widow, touched the bier, said Young man, I say unto thee, Arise; delivered the raised son to his mother. Consciously echoes the OT raisings by Elijah and Elisha. Provoked the response: a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
📖 Key Scripture
Luke 7:11-12 — "And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow."
Luke 7:13-15 — "And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother."
Luke 7:16 — "And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people."
James 1:27 — "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
No major postmodern redefinition. The principal recovery is Nain as the place where Christ demonstrated His authority over death and His specific care for the widow.
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Nain as a place name does not undergo lexical corruption. The principal pastoral recovery is the integrated significance of the Nain miracle: Christ's authority over death (the same authority later definitively displayed in His own resurrection); His specific compassion for the widow (one of the OT-NT categories of vulnerable persons under the LORD's particular care, Deuteronomy 10:18; James 1:27); His deliberate echo of the OT prophetic raisings (Elijah and Elisha), provoking the crowd's confession that a great prophet had arisen and that God hath visited his people; and His tender pastoral specificity (touching the bier, addressing the dead young man directly, delivering him to his mother). The patriarchal-Reformed reader receives Nain as the type of Christ's authoritative-yet-tender care for those whom death has bereaved.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Small Galilean town near Little Hermon; raising of widow's son (Luke 7:11-17); echoes Elijah and Elisha.
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['Greek', 'G3484', 'Nain', 'transliteration']
['Hebrew', 'H5277', "Na'im", 'pleasant (possible etymology)']
['Greek', 'G5503', 'chera', 'widow']
Usage
"Nain: small Galilean town six miles southeast of Nazareth."
"Christ's raising of the widow's only son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17)."
"Echoes Elijah and Elisha; provokes confession God hath visited his people."