Zobah

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Zobah or Aram-Zobah was the capital of an early Aramean state in southern Syria, at one time of considerable importance. In I Samuel xiv. 47, its king is supposed to have fought with Saul, has hitherto been unconfirmed.

Its king Hadadezer bar Rehob allied with Ammon against David, who defeated Zobah and made the kingdom tributary to Israel (II Samuel x.). In this war Hadadezer brought to his aid Arameans from beyond the Euphrates (II Sam. x. 16). Upon the accession of Solomon, Zobah became independent of Israel (compare I Kings xi. 23 et seq.). Berothai, a city belonging to Hadadezer (II Sam. viii. 8) is identified by many with Berothah (Ezekiel xlvii. 16), which was between Hamath and Damascus. Zobah was probably located near this city, though Halévy claims to have identified Zobah with Chalkis.

After the tenth century BCE, Zobah is not mentioned in the Bible, but the city of Subiti, which is mentioned in the annals of Assurbanipal as having been conquered by him in the seventh century BCE, is probably identical with it (compare Schrader, "K. B." ii. 217). The same city is mentioned in some broken cuneiform lists of towns in connection with Hamath and Damascus.