Hobah
Hobah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Syria in modern-day Lebanon. Known today as Hoba. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hobah is a place mentioned in one of the earliest battle narratives of Scripture — the account of Abram's rescue of Lot in Genesis 14. When a coalition of four eastern kings defeated the kings of the plain and carried away Lot along with his possessions from Sodom, Abram (later Abraham) gathered 318 trained men from his household and pursued the victors. Scripture records that Abram pursued them as far as Hobah, "which is north of Damascus" (Genesis 14:15), routing the enemy forces and recovering Lot, the captives, and all their goods. This episode reveals Abram not merely as a patriarch of faith but as a formidable military leader. Hobah serves as the northernmost point of Abram's pursuit, marking the geographical extent of his campaign into Syrian territory. The account also introduces Melchizedek, king of Salem, who blessed Abram upon his return — a theologically significant encounter that foreshadows the priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 7). Though Hobah appears only in this single narrative, it is embedded in one of the most historically and theologically rich passages of the entire Pentateuch.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Hobah is described in Genesis 14:15 as lying north of Damascus, and has traditionally been identified with Hoba or Hobah, a location in the Anti-Lebanon region north or northeast of Damascus in modern Syria or Lebanon. Some scholars identify it with a village north of Damascus preserving a cognate name. No definitive archaeological identification has been made, and the site has not been excavated. The broader region north of Damascus was traversed by important ancient trade and military routes connecting Mesopotamia with the Levantine coast. Genesis 14 itself has attracted significant scholarly debate regarding its historical setting, with some viewing the account as reflecting authentic ancient Near Eastern political and military conditions.
Verse Appearances (1)
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