Soba (Heb. Ṣābhāh, Ṣābhā', LXX Σοφά,-᾿Αλ)

SOBA (Hebr. Ṣābhāh, Ṣābhāʾ, Septuagint Σοφά,-ἀλ). — Aramaic kingdom (more precisely Aram [v.] of S.) northwest of Damascus, in the valley of the Nahr el-Litānī, between Mount Hermon and Lebanon, perhaps mentioned in the names Subat, Subut, Subit of the Akkadian inscriptions.

Saul (I Sam. 14:47), David (II Sam. 8:3; 10:6 ff.), and Solomon, who subjugated it (II Par. 8:3; cf. I Reg. 11:23–25), had to defend themselves against the Kingdom of S., mostly because it was involved in small anti-Israelite coalitions. After the time of Solomon it is no longer mentioned: it was probably absorbed by Damascus and shared its fortunes until the Assyrian conquest.

Giovanni Rinaldi

Cite this article

“SOBA (EBR. ṢĀBHĀH, ṢĀBHĀ', SETTANTA ΣΟΦΆ,-ἈΛ).” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. XI (1953), p. 496. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/soba-ebr-sabhah-sabha-settanta-sopha-al.