And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night, and defeated them: and pursued them as far as Hoba, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וֽ͏ַיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 7 commentaries
The Almighty's powerful hand supported him, enabling victory without the requirement for arms or tactical strategy. Upon his arrival with his followers, he struck down some foes and drove others away, achieving total success without any opposition.
Abram gathered three hundred eighteen of his servants, along with Anerah and his allies, to chase after the king of Elam. They defeated him, recovered the captives along with their belongings, and also rescued Lot, his relative, along with all his possessions.
Even a number possesses life, as it embodies existence when we endure hardships for the sake of the Lord Jesus. This reflects the meaning of the name Hobah, which signifies ‘life.’ It is fittingly noted that it is located on the right side of Damascus, for the sheep are positioned on the right and the goats on the left. The seasoned intellect understands whom to invoke to secure victory, what tools to arm with, and under which standards to rally. Instead of displaying symbols like eagles or dragons before the army, he approaches the fight bearing the cross of Christ and invoking the name of Jesus; through this emblem, he finds courage and through this flag, he remains steadfast. Hence, one’s mind is rightly adept, having obtained the genuine wisdom of a just steward. Justice possesses the ability to admonish, calling wayward souls back and holding back the tide of desires.
He remained unafraid when his nephew was captured, undeterred by the overwhelming forces of the king's army; he pressed on in battle and, upon achieving triumph, relinquished the spoils that were rightfully his. Notice the harmony in his actions: there was an impulse, yet it was kept in check; his spirit, aligned with his mission, discerned the significance of both the great and the small without confusion; he exhibited moderation in all his dealings; his actions were consistent; he acted with timely decisiveness; and his speech was measured. He stood firm in his faith, distinguished in righteousness, valiant in conflict, not greedy in conquest, welcoming at home, and a loving partner.
Abraham assembled his household, numbering 318 (Gen. 14:14). It is not the size of the army that secures victory, but rather the combination of faith accompanied by righteous actions and prayer grounded in unwavering belief in God. Hodollohomor, alongside the other three kings who challenged the rulers of Sodom, commanded a vastly superior military force compared to Abraham's small band. Yet, they faced defeat at the hands of Abraham’s few who were empowered by their faith, having God as their helper, whom Abraham called upon fervently for assistance. Thus, any king who relies solely on the might of his forces does so in vain; if he is estranged from God, he shall find his support withdrawn.
Conversely, one who possesses a compassionate God and places his trust in Him will not be dismayed, regardless of the size of his army: "It is not in the strength of the horses, nor in the baldness of men, that our Lord favors, but in those who fear Him, and in those who trust in His mercy" (Psalm 146:10-11). Saint Abraham, who triumphed over Hodollohomor with his 318 men, symbolically represents (in the view of Saint Ambrosius) the 318 holy fathers who convened at Nicea to confront the heretical Arius, prevailing in their disputes through their teachings and miracles.
To the north of Damascus, as indicated by Onkelos' translation. This distinction arises from the Jewish perspective, where the east is viewed as the forefront of the world and the west as its rear. Consequently, noon is referred to as the right side (Psalms 88:13), while the north is considered the left.
Due to the small size of his forces compared to the vast hostile army, Abram could only achieve victory through strategic tactics. He launched his assault under the cover of night, catching them off guard while they lay unsuspecting in sleep. The Hebrew text notes that he attacked ‘dividing himself,’ indicating that he likely split his forces into smaller groups, much like Gideon did in his confrontation with the Midianites. Abram surrounded the enemy from all angles, and at a predetermined signal, he boldly seized the moment. With battle cries echoing in the night, he entered their camp, creating chaos and fear among them.
To prevent the enemy from regrouping or regaining their composure after such a fright, he relentlessly pursued them all the way to Havilah, which is located near Damascus. This area is north of Damascus, keeping in mind that those from the East consider the east as the forefront of the world and thus regard the north as their left side. Damascus lies approximately 100 versts from Dan, whereas the specific involvement of Abram’s allies in the enemy's defeat remains unclear, perhaps because they were merely maintaining a watch during the night raid.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS