1715. 'And he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus' means to that particular extent. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus'. Where Hobah was nobody knows, for it is not mentioned again in the Word. Damascus however was the capital city of Syria, as is clear in 2 Samuel 8:5-6; Isaiah 7:8, which has almost the same meaning as Syria, dealt with already at Chapter 10:22. The furthest boundary of the land of Canaan, but beyond Dan, is described as being Damascus, as in Amos,

You have taken up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyun your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves And I will cause you to go away beyond Damascus. Amos 5:26-27.

The northern boundary of the holy land or the Lord's kingdom is also called the boundary of Damascus in Ezekiel 47:16 18; 48:1. When it is said in the present verse that 'they were smitten and driven away as far as Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus', the extent to which apparent goods and truths were purified is meant. But unless the nature of those apparent goods and truths is known and by what means they were purified to make them genuine, no proper explanation of the meaning here of 'Hobah on the left of Damascus' is possible, apart from the general observation that they were purified.

Title: Salt in Scripture: Is It Good or Bad?

Topic: Word

Summary: A study of salt in both its positive and negative meanings; includes an exploration of Swedenborg's concept of "correspondences."

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Genesis 19:23
Exodus 30:35
Leviticus 2:12-13
Numbers 18:18-19
Deuteronomy 29:21-23
Joshua 3:14-end
Judges 9:44-45
2 Kings 2:19-22
2 Chronicles 13:4-5
Ezra 6:9; 7:22
Jeremiah 17:5-7
Ezekiel 16:1-4; 43:24; 47:11-12
Zephaniah 2:9
Matthew 5:13
Mark 9:49-50
Luke 14:34-35
Colossians 4:5-6