Hoham הוֹהָם
King of Hebron, defeated by Joshua.
Who is Hoham in the Bible?
Hoham was an Amorite king of Hebron who played a significant role in the conquest narratives of Joshua (Joshua 10:3). When the Gibeonites made peace with Israel, Hoham formed a military alliance with four other Amorite kings, Adoni-Zedek, Piram, Japhia, and Debir, to attack Gibeon and punish the Gibeonites for their treaty. Joshua responded by marching his army through the night to defend Gibeon, and with divine intervention through hailstones and a prolonged daylight, the Israelites defeated the allied Amorite forces. Hoham and the other kings fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah, where they were eventually captured and executed by Joshua's forces. His defeat demonstrates God's power in Israel's conquest of Canaan and the futility of resisting the Lord's purposes.
Biography
Hoham was the Amorite king of Hebron during the time of Joshua's conquest of Canaan, as mentioned in Jos.10.3. When the Gibeonites made a peace treaty with Israel, Hoham formed an alliance with four other Amorite kings—Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon—to attack Gibeon (Jos.10.1-5).
In response to the Gibeonites' request for help, Joshua and the Israelite army marched through the night and launched a surprise attack on the Amorite forces. With the help of God, who sent large hailstones and caused the sun to stand still, the Israelites defeated the Amorite kings and their armies (Jos.10.6-11).
The five Amorite kings, including Hoham, fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua ordered the cave to be sealed until the battle was finished. After the victory, the kings were brought out of the cave, and Joshua instructed his commanders to put their feet on the kings' necks, symbolizing their complete defeat. The kings were then executed and hanged on trees until evening (Jos.10.16-27).
Hoham's story illustrates the power and faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promise to give the Israelites the land of Canaan. It also demonstrates the consequences of opposing God's people and the ultimate victory of those who trust in Him.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentJoshua 1 verse
- Joshua 10:3
"Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,"
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | הוֹהָם |
Hoham
the decisive battle of Beth-horon, shut up in the cave at Makkedah in which they had taken refuge, and after the battle were slain, hanged and cast into the cave (Jos 10:1-27).
hoiz: The older form of "hoist" (Old English, hoise), to raise, to lift, and is the translation of epairo, "to lift up": "they .... hoised up the mainsail to the wind" (Ac 27:40). t