Hamath and Zobah

† חֲמָת, חֲמַת n.pr.loc. (√ dub.; Thes MV al. der. from חָמָה, חֲמָת = fortress, or (v. RSSem i, 140), sacred enclosure, temenos, ḥimā, cf. HalJAS 7 ème Sér. x, 392 LagBN 82, 156; but no certainty that name is Shemitic; Arabic حَمَاة, Assyrian Amattu, DlPA 275 ff. Pr 174);—mod. Ḥamâ, on el-ʿÂṣi (Orontes), 38 h. (c. 115 m.) N. of Damascus, v. BdPal. 398 f. It had a king, תֹּעִי, in David’s time 2 S 8:9 = 1 Ch 18:9, and in 8th cent. b.c. 2 K 19:13 = Is 37:13; gods of its own 2 K 17:30; 18:34 = Is 36:19; gave its name to land (limits unknown) רִבְלָה בְּאֶרֶץ ח׳ 2 K 23:33; 25:21 Je 39:5; 52:9, 27, cf. 2 Ch 8:4; contained Isr. exiles Is 11:11; furnished colonists for Samaria 2 K 17:24 (cf. v 30 supr.) after being conquered by Sargon, (COT 2 K 17:24; 18:34 cf. Is 10:9). It is called great Hamath by Am 6:2 (חֲמַת רַבָּה,—חֲמַת only here). ח׳ is mentioned with דַּמֶּשֶׂק, צֹר, צִידוֹן in prophecy against land Hadrach (חַדְרָךְ) Zc 9:2, cf. Je 49:23. Often in phr. לְבֹא ח׳ (עַד־) = the entrance to H., i.e. the approach to H., as territorial limit Ju 3:3; usually as denoting (ideal) northern limit of Isr. territory Jos 13:5; Nu 13:21; 24:8; Am 6:14; 1 K 8:65 = 2 Ch 7:8, 2 K 14:25 1 Ch 13:5; חֲמָ֑תָה 1 Ch 18:3; ח׳ צובָה 2 Ch 8:3, and הֵשִׁיב אֶת־דַּמֶּשֶׂק וְאֶת־ח׳ לִיחוּדָה 2 K 14:28; so also Ez 47, 48: גְּבוּל ח׳ Ez 47:17, cf. v 16b + v 16a (del. Co); לְבוֹא ח׳ 48:1, cf. 47:20; אֶל־יַד ח׳ 48:1.

† צוֹבָא, צוֹבָה n.pr.terr. Σουβα, rarely Σωβα(λ): an Aramaean kingdom, time of (Saul and) David אֲרַם צוֹבָא 2 S 10:6, 8 (elsewhere צוֹבָה), אֲרַם צוֹבָה ψ 60:2 (title); הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ צ׳ 2 S 8:3, 5, 12 = 1 Ch 18:3, 5; 1 K 11:23; 1 Ch 18:9; צ׳ also 19:6; חֲמַת צ׳ 2 Ch 8:3; orig. home of one of David’s heroes 2 S 23:36 (perhaps read also for n.pr.m. מִבְחָר ‖ 1 Ch 11:38, cf. Dr); מַלְכֵי צ׳ 1 S 14:47 (only here in Saul’s time); NöAram., in Ency. Bib., cf. ZMG xxv (1871), 113 ff. places between Hamath and Damascus (about Ḥums, Emesa), and so DlPa 279 f., who cp. Assyrian city Ṣubitu, cf. SchrCOT. 2 S 8:3.

† צוֹבָא, צוֹבָה n.pr.terr. Σουβα, rarely Σωβα(λ): an Aramaean kingdom, time of (Saul and) David אֲרַם צוֹבָא 2 S 10:6, 8 (elsewhere צוֹבָה), אֲרַם צוֹבָה ψ 60:2 (title); הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ צ׳ 2 S 8:3, 5, 12 = 1 Ch 18:3, 5; 1 K 11:23; 1 Ch 18:9; צ׳ also 19:6; חֲמַת צ׳ 2 Ch 8:3; orig. home of one of David’s heroes 2 S 23:36 (perhaps read also for n.pr.m. מִבְחָר ‖ 1 Ch 11:38, cf. Dr); מַלְכֵי צ׳ 1 S 14:47 (only here in Saul’s time); NöAram., in Ency. Bib., cf. ZMG xxv (1871), 113 ff. places between Hamath and Damascus (about Ḥums, Emesa), and so DlPa 279 f., who cp. Assyrian city Ṣubitu, cf. SchrCOT. 2 S 8:3.

† II. חַמַּת n.pr.m. father of the house of Rechab 1 Ch 2:55.