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Hoba

biblical_place_name theological_term standard

Variant spelling of Hobah, the place named in Genesis 14:15, described as north of Damascus.

At a Glance

A biblical place-name in Genesis 14:15, likely referring to the site called Hobah.

Key Points

Description

Hoba is best understood as a spelling variant of Hobah, the place mentioned in Genesis 14:15. In the narrative of Abram’s rescue of Lot, Abram pursued the victorious kings as far as Hobah, which the text locates north of Damascus. Scripture offers no further identification, and the site’s exact location remains uncertain. Because this is a geographic reference within a historical narrative, it should be treated as a place entry rather than as a theological term.

Biblical Context

Genesis 14 places Hobah within the account of Abram’s rescue of Lot after the battle of the kings. The location functions as a geographic marker for the extent of Abram’s pursuit.

Historical Context

The reference reflects the historical and military setting of Genesis 14, with place-names used to anchor the narrative in real geography, even when exact modern identification is uncertain.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient readers would have understood the name as a local place-reference in the patriarchal narrative. Later tradition does not supply a secure identification, so caution is appropriate.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

The Hebrew form appears only in Genesis 14:15. The spelling in English translations may vary slightly, but the reference is to the same place-name.

Theological Significance

Minimal and indirect: the place helps locate Abram’s victory and Lot’s deliverance within actual history and geography.

Philosophical Explanation

This entry illustrates how biblical narrative often grounds events in specific places, even when the precise modern site cannot be recovered with confidence.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the identification. The exact location is unknown, and Hoba/Hobah is a place-name, not a doctrinal category.

Major Views

Most discussion concerns geography and spelling rather than interpretation. The principal uncertainty is the exact site, not the meaning of the narrative.

Doctrinal Boundaries

This entry should not be used to construct doctrine. It is a geographic reference in a historical account.

Practical Significance

It reminds readers that Scripture presents salvation-history in real places and real events, even where later geography is uncertain.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Hoba

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