Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Distillation; dropping, a town in Judah, in the neighbourhood, probably, of Bethlehem (Neh. 7:26; 1 Chr. 2:54). Two of David’s guards were Netophathites (1 Chr. 27:13, 15). It has been identified with the ruins of Metoba, or Um Toba, to the north-east of Bethlehem.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(distillation), a town the name of which occurs only in the catalogue of those who returned with Zerubbabel from the captivity. (Ezra 2:22; Nehemiah 7:26) 1 Esdr. 5:18. But, though not directly mentioned till so late a period, Netophah was really a much older place. Two of David’s guard, (1 Chronicles 17:13,15) were Netophathites. The “villages of the Neophathites” were the residence of the Levites. (1 Chronicles 9:16) From another notice we learn that the particular Levites who inhabited these villages were singers.
(Nehemiah 12:28) To judge from (Nehemiah 7:26) the town was in the neighborhood of, or closely connected with, Bethlehem.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
NETO'PHAH (dropping), a town, apparently in Judah, the name of which occurs only in the catalogue of those who returned with Zerubbabel from the Captivity. 1 Esd. 5:18??. Netophah was really an old place. Two of David's guard, 1 Chr 27:13, 1 Chr 27:15, were Netophathites. The "villages of the Netophathites" were the residence of the Levites. 1 Chr 9:16. Levites who inhabited these villages were singers. Neh 12:28. From Neh 7:26, the town seems to have been in the neighborhood of, or closely connected with, Bethlehem.
Van de Velde suggests Antubeh, 2 miles north-east of Bethlehem, as the site of Netophah, The Palestine Memoirs note ruins north-east of Bethlehem that were called Metoba or Usum Toba, probably the same as Antubeh of Van de Velde, and Conder identifies them as ancient Netophah.