Hobah

Hobah was a place located north of Damascus, mentioned in Genesis 14:15 as the location to which Abraham pursued the defeated army of Chedorlaomer. After rescuing his nephew Lot, who had been taken captive by Chedorlaomer and his allies, Abraham chased them as far as Hobah. The exact location of Hobah is uncertain, but it is thought to be in the vicinity of modern-day Choba, about 60 miles north of Damascus. Some Jewish traditions identify Hobah with the village of Jobar, near Damascus, where there is a synagogue dedicated to Elijah. The name "Hobah" may be derived from the Hebrew word meaning "hiding place" or the Akkadian word meaning "land of reeds."