The name Nobah means "barking" or "howling." It refers both to a man from the tribe of Manasseh and to the city he conquered and renamed in the territory of Gilead east of the Jordan River. The city was originally called Kenath before Nobah captured it and gave it his name.
Nobah appears in the context of Israel's conquest of the Transjordan territories. His capture and renaming of Kenath illustrates the biblical practice of naming places after conquerors, establishing ownership and identity. The city also appears in Judges 8:11 in connection with Gideon's pursuit of the Midianite kings, placing it on an important military route east of the Jordan.