Hamath-zobah

Hamath-zobah was a place in ancient Aramea, related to the Aramean state of Zobah which extended from the Beqaa Valley along the eastern side of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains reaching Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.[1] According to 2 Chronicles, it was conquered by Solomon and thus figured in his only military engagement alluded to in the biblical Books of Chronicles (2 Chr 8:3).

Hamath and Zobah were likely adjoining kingdoms, whence the compound name "Hamath-Zobah", an idea supported by mention of wars between Hadadezer of Zobah and Toi of Hamath in 2 Samuel 8:9-10. According to Martin J. Selman, the existence of a joint name "Hamath-Zobah" indicated that by the time of Solomon the two kingdoms had joined into a single polity.[2]

Location

Its exact location is still uncertain.[3] Some studies indicate that the city of Hamath-zobah might be the same city of modern Homs. The name is a combination of Hamath (Hebrew: חֲמָת‎‎ Ḥamāth; Syriac: ܚܡܬ‎ Ḥmṭ, "fortress") and Zobah (Hebrew: צוֹבָא‎; Syriac: ܨܘܒܐ‎ Ṣwba, "nearness").[4] Thus, the name collectively means "The fortress surrounding" which refers to the Citadel of Homs and the encircling plains.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Doctrine of Aram (Syria)". kukis.org. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  2. ↑ Martin J. Selman (2 April 2016). 2 Chronicles. InterVarsity Press. p. 362. ISBN 978-0-8308-9382-9.
  3. ↑ http://bibleatlas.org/hamath-zobah.htm Hamath-zobah.
  4. ↑ ܨܘܒܐ in English glosbe.com.
  5. ↑ Khoury Issa Ahmed (1983). History of Homs - Chapter One, 2300 BCE - 622 AD (PDF) (in Arabic). Al-Sayih Library. p. 38.


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