Shobach (Hastings' Dictionary)

A general in the army of Hadadezcr, king of Syria, at the time of the war with Amnion (2 S 10'"). Ho is not mentioned as taking part in the battle near Habbah, where Joab and Abishai routed the combined forces of Ammon and Syria, and we may infer that he did not become ' captain of the host of Hadadezcr' until after that event. The victory of Joab docs not seem to have been fol- lowed up (see KAUliAH), and before long the Syrians aj^ain prepared to attack the newly- founded king<loni of Israel.

For this purpose Hadadezcr gathered all the forces at his com- mand, even the distant tribes from 'beyond the river': the latter were led by Shobach, who was apparently placed in command of the whole Syrian arm}'. In the engagement that ensued at Helam on the east of Jordan, David commanded the Israelite army in person, and utterly defeated the Syrians. Shobach was mortally wounded in the battle, and his fall doubtless contributed to tlie rout of the Syrians(2 S lO'"'").

In the parallel narrative (1 Ch ly"-'") his name is given as Shophach (■51=' ; B Zaxpdp and :^a<txi8, A Zui^ix and -u,idx, N 'Eauipdp, N<^' 'Eaoxpdx). J. F. SteNNING. SHOBAI Cjy).— A family of gatekeepers, Ezr 2* (B 'AjSooi), A Luc. 2(.>^oi) = Neh 7" (B 2o/Sfi, A 2a;3ai, Luc. Zufiai) 508 SHOBAL SHOPHACH