Hebron

society; friendship

Hebron

(alliance).

1. The third son of Kohath, who was the second son of Levi. (Exodus 6:18; Numbers 3:19; 1 Chronicles 6:2,18; 23:12) He was the founder of a family of Hebronites, (Numbers 3:27; 26:58; 1 Chronicles 26:23,30,31), or Bene-Hebron. (1 Chronicles 15:9; 23:19)
2. A city of Judah, (Joshua 15:54) situated among the mountains, (Joshua 20:7) 20 Roman miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beersheba. Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the world still existing; and in this respect it is the rival of Damascus. It was a well-known town when Abraham entered Canaan, 3800 years ago. (Genesis 13:18) Its original name was Kirjath-arba, (Judges 1:10) "the city of Arba;" so called from Arba the father of Anak. (Joshua 15:13,14; 21:13) Sarah died at Hebron; and Abraham then bought from Ephron the Hittite the field and cave of Machpelah, to serve as a family tomb (Genesis 23:2-20) The cave is still there, and the massive walls of the Haram or mosque, within which it lies, form the most remarkable object in the whole city. Abraham is called by Mohammedans el-Khulil , "the Friend," i.e. of God, and this is the modern name of Hebron. Hebron now contains about 5000 inhabitants, of whom some fifty families are Jews. It is picturesquely situated in a narrow valley, surrounded by rocky hills. The valley runs from north to south; and the main quarter of the town, surmounted by the lofty walls of the venerable Haram , lies partly on the eastern slope. (Genesis 37:14) comp. Genesis23:19 About a mile from the town, up the valley, is one of the largest oak trees in Palestine. This, say some, is the very tree beneath which Abraham pitched his tent, and it still bears the name of the patriarch.
3. One of the towns in the territory of Asher, (Joshua 19:28) probably Ebdon or Abdom.

Hebron

One of the most ancient cities of Canaan, being built seven years before Tanis, the capital of Lower Egypt, Numbers 13:22. It was anciently called Kirjath-arba, (see ARBA,) and Mamre, and was a favorite residence of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here too they were buried, Genesis 14:13-24 23:2-19 35:27. Under Joshua and Caleb the Israelites conquered it from the Canaanites and Anakim, and it was afterwards made a Levitical city of refuge, Joshua 14:13-15 15:13 21:11,13 Jude 1:10,20. It was David's seat of government during the seven years when he reigned over Judah only, 2 Samuel 2:3 5:5. Here Absalom raised the standard of revolt, 2 Samuel 15:9,10. It was fortified by Rehoboam, and is mentioned after the captivity, but not in the New Testament, Nehemiah 11:25. At present Hebron is an unwalled city of about 8,000 inhabitants, of whom some 600 are Jews, and the remainder Turks and Arabs. It lies in a deep valley and on the adjacent hillside, in the ancient hill-country of Judea, about 2,600 feet above the sea. Its modern name, El-khulil, the friend, is the same which the Moslems give to Abraham, "the friend of God;" and they profess to hold in their keeping the burial-place of the patriarchs, the "cave of Machpelah." It is covered by a small mosque, surrounded by a stone structure 60 feet high, 150 feet wide, and 200 feet long. Within this no Christian is permitted to enter; but it is evidently of very high antiquity, and may well be regarded as inclosing the true site of the ancient tomb. Other relics of antiquity exist in two stone reservoirs, the larger 133 feet square, and 21 feet deep. They are still in daily use; and one of them was probably the "pool in Hebron," above which David hung up the assassins of Ish-bosheth, 2 Samuel 4:12. The city contains nine mosques and two synagogues. Its streets are narrow; the houses of stone, with flat roofs surmounted by small domes. Large quantities of glass lamps and colored rings are here manufactured; also leathern bottles, raisins, and dibs, or grape-syrup. The environs of the city are very fertile, furnishing the finest vineyards in Palestine, numerous plantations of olive and other fruit trees, and excellent pasturage. See ESHCOL, MAMRE.

HEBRON (1)

he'-brun (chebhron, "league" or "confederacy"; Chebron): One of the most ancient and important cities in Southern Palestine, now known to the Moslems as el Khalil (i.e. Khalil er Rahman, "the friend of the Merciful," i.e. of God, a favorite name for Abraham; compare James 2:23). The city is some 20 miles South of Jerusalem, situated in an open valley, 3,040 ft. above sea-level.

I. History of the City.

Hebron is said to have been rounded before Zoan (i.e. Tanis) in Egypt (Numbers 13:22); its ancient name was Kiriath-arba, probably meaning the "Four Cities," perhaps because divided at one time into four quarters, but according to Jewish writers so called because four patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Adam were buried there. According to Joshua 15:13 it was so called after Arba, the father of Anak.

1. Patriarchal Period:

Abram came and dwelt by the oaks of MAMRE (which see), "which are in Hebron" Genesis (13:18); from here he went to the rescue of Lot and brought him back after the defeat of Chedorlaomer (14:13); here his name was changed to Abraham (17:5); to this place came the three angels with the promise of a son (18:1); Sarah died here (23:2), and for her sepulcher Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah (23:17); here Isaac and Jacob spent much of their lives (35:27; 37:14); from here Jacob sent Joseph to seek his brethren (37:14), and hence, Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt (46:1). In the cave of Machpelah all the patriarchs and their wives, except Rachel, were buried (49:30; 50:13).

2. Times of Joshua and Judges:

The spies visited Hebron and near there cut the cluster of grapes (Numbers 13:22 f). HOHAM (which see), king of Hebron, was one of the five kings defeated by Joshua at Beth-horon and slain at Makkedah (Joshua 10:3 f). Caleb drove out from Hebron the "three sons of Anak" (Joshua 14:12; Joshua 15:14); it became one of the cities of Judah (Joshua 15:54), but was set apart for the Kohathite Levites (Joshua 21:10 f), and became a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7). One of Samson's exploits was the carrying of the gate of Gaza "to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron" (Judges 16:3).

3. The Days of the Monarchy:

David, when a fugitive, received kindness from the people of this city (1 Samuel 30:31); here Abner was treacherously slain by Joab at the gate (2 Samuel 3:27), and the sons of Rimmon, after their hands and feet had been cut off, were hanged "beside the pool" (2 Samuel 4:12). After the death of Saul, David was here anointed king (2 Samuel 5:3) and reigned here 7 1/2 years, until he captured Jerusalem and made that his capital (2 Samuel 5:5); while here, six sons were born to him (2 Samuel 3:2). In this city Absalom found a center for his disaffection, and repairing there under pretense of performing a vow to Yahweh, he raised the standard of revolt (2 Samuel 15:7 f). Josephus mistakenly places here the dream of Solomon (Ant., VIII, ii, 1) which occurred at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4). Hebron was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:10).

4. Later History:

Probably during the captivity Hebron came into the hands of Edom, though it appears to have been colonized by returning Jews (Nehemiah 11:25); it was recovered from Edom by Simon Maccabeus (1 Maccabees 5:65; Josephus, Ant, XII, viii, 6). In the first great revolt against Rome, Simon bar-Gioras captured the city (BJ, IV, ix, 7), but it was retaken, for Vespasian, by his general Cerealis who carried it by storm, slaughtered the inhabitants and burnt it (ibid., 9).

During the Muslim period Hebron has retained its importance on account of veneration to the patriarchs, especially Abraham; for the same reason it was respected by the Crusaders who called it Castellum ad Sanctum Abraham. In 1165 it became the see of a Latin bishop, but 20 years later it fell to the victorious arms of Saladin, and it has ever since remained a fanatic Moslem center, although regarded as a holy city, alike by Moslem, Jew and Christian.

II. The Ancient Site.

Modern Hebron is a straggling town clustered round the Haram or sacred enclosure built above the traditional cave of MACHPELAH (which see); it is this sacred spot which has determined the present position of the town all through the Christian era, but it is quite evident that an exposed and indefensible situation, running along a valley, like this, could not have been that of earlier and less settled times. From many of the pilgrim narratives, we can gather that for long there had been a tradition that the original site was some distance from the modern town, and, as analogy might suggest, upon a hill. There can be little doubt that the site of the Hebron of Old Testament history is a lofty, olive-covered hill, lying to the West of the present town, known as er Rumeidy. Upon its summit are cyclopian walls and other traces of ancient occupation. In the midst are the ruins of a medieval building known as Der el-Arba`in, the "monastery of the forty" (martyrs) about whom the Hebronites have an interesting folklore tale. In the building are shown the so-called tombs of Jesse and Ruth. Near the foot of the hill are several fine old tombs, while to the North is a large and very ancient Jewish cemetery, the graves of which are each covered with a massive monolith, 5 and 6 ft. long. At the eastern foot of the hill is a perennial spring, `Ain el Judeideh; the water rises in a vault, roofed by masonry and reached by steps. The environs of this hill are full of folklore associations; the summit would well repay a thorough excavation.

A mile or more to the Northwest of Hebron is the famous oak of MAMRE (which see), or "Abraham's oak," near which the Russians have erected a hospice. It is a fine specimen of the Holm oak (Quercus coccifera), but is gradually dying. The present site appears to have been pointed out as that of Abraham's tent since the 12th century; the earlier traditional site was at Ramet el Khalil.

See MAMRE.

III. Modern Hebron.

Modern Hebron is a city of some 20,000 inhabitants, 85 percent of whom are Moslems and the remainder mostly Jews. The city is divided into seven quarters, one of which is known as that of the "glass blowers" and another as that of the "water-skin makers." These industries, with the manufacture of pottery, are the main sources of trade. The most conspicuous building is the Haram (see MACHPELAH). In the town are two large open reservoirs the Birket el Qassasin, the "pool of the glass blowers" and Birket es Sultan, "the pool of the Sultan." This latter, which is the larger, is by tradition the site of the execution of the murderers of Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 4:12). The Moslem inhabitants are noted for their fanatical exclusiveness and conservatism, but this has been greatly modified in recent years through the patient and beneficent work of Dr. Paterson, of the U. F. Ch. of S. Med. Mission. The Jews, who number about 1,500, are mostly confined to a special ghetto; they have four synagogues, two Sephardic and two Ashkenazic; they are a poor and unprogressive community.

For Hebron (Joshua 19:28) see EBRON.

E. W. G. Masterman

HEBRON (2)

(chebhron, "league," "association"):

(1) The third son of Kohath, son of Levi (Exodus 6:18 Numbers 3:19, 27 1 Chronicles 6:2, 18; 1 Chronicles 23:12, 19).

(2) A son of Mareshah and descendant of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:42, 43).

See also KORAH.

A community; alliance.

(1.) A city in the south end of the valley of Eshcol, about midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, from which it is distant about 20 miles in a straight line. It was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt" (Genesis 13:18; Numbers 13:22). It still exists under the same name, and is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Its earlier name was Kirjath-arba (Genesis 23:2; Joshua 14:15; 15:3). But "Hebron would appear to have been the original name of the city, and it was not till after Abraham's stay there that it received the name Kirjath-arba, who [i.e., Arba] was not the founder but the conqueror of the city, having led thither the tribe of the Anakim, to which he belonged. It retained this name till it came into the possession of Caleb, when the Israelites restored the original name Hebron" (Keil, Com.). The name of this city does not occur in any of the prophets or in the New Testament. It is found about forty times in the Old. It was the favorite home of Abraham. Here he pitched his tent under the oaks of Mamre, by which name it came afterwards to be known; and here Sarah died, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23:17-20), which he bought from Ephron the Hittite. From this place the patriarch departed for Egypt by way of Beersheba (37:14; 46:1). It was taken by Joshua and given to Caleb (Joshua 10:36, 37; 12:10; 14:13). It became a Levitical city and a city of refuge (20:7; 21:11). When David became king of Judah this was his royal residence, and he resided here for seven and a half years (2 Samuel 5:5); and here he was anointed as king over all Israel (2 Samuel 2:1-4, 11; 1 Kings 2:11). It became the residence also of the rebellious Absalom (2 Samuel 15:10), who probably expected to find his chief support in the tribe of Judah, now called el-Khulil.

In one part of the modern city is a great mosque, which is built over the grave of Machpelah. The first European who was permitted to enter this mosque was the Prince of Wales in 1862. It was also visited by the Marquis of Bute in 1866, and by the late Emperor Frederick of Germany (then Crown-Prince of Prussia) in 1869.

One of the largest oaks in Palestine is found in the valley of Eshcol, about 3 miles north of the town. It is supposed by some to be the tree under which Abraham pitched his tent, and is called "Abraham's oak." (see OAK.)

(2.) The third son of Kohath the Levite (Exodus 6:18; 1 Chronicles 6:2, 18).

(3.) 1 Chronicles 2:42, 43.

(4.) A town in the north border of Asher (Joshua 19:28).

1944. Hoham -- an Amorite king of Hebron
... << 1943, 1944. Hoham. 1945 >>. an Amorite king of Hebron. Transliteration:
Hoham Phonetic Spelling: (ho-hawm') Short Definition: Hoham. ...
/hebrew/1944.htm - 5k

8600b. Tappuach -- a son of Hebron
... a son of Hebron. Transliteration: Tappuach Short Definition: Tappuah. Word Origin
from naphach Definition a son of Hebron NASB Word Usage Tappuah (1). ...
/hebrew/8600b.htm - 5k

6730. Tsior -- a place near Hebron
... << 6729, 6730. Tsior. 6731 >>. a place near Hebron. Transliteration: Tsior
Phonetic Spelling: (tsee-ore') Short Definition: Zior. Word ...
/hebrew/6730.htm - 6k

6062. Anaq -- "neck," a giant people around Hebron and in ...
... << 6061, 6062. Anaq. 6063 >>. "neck," a giant people around Hebron and in Philistia.
Transliteration: Anaq Phonetic Spelling: (an-aw-kee') Short Definition: Anakim ...
/hebrew/6062.htm - 6k

812. Eshkol -- an Amorite, also a region of Hebron
... << 811, 812. Eshkol. 813 >>. an Amorite, also a region of Hebron. Transliteration:
Eshkol Phonetic Spelling: (esh-kole') Short Definition: Eshcol. ...
/hebrew/812.htm - 6k

2276. Chebroni -- inhab. of Hebron
... inhab. of Hebron. Transliteration: Chebroni or Chebroni Phonetic Spelling:
(kheb-ro-nee') Short Definition: Hebronites. ... of Hebron NASB Word Usage Hebronites ( ...
/hebrew/2276.htm - 6k

7153. Qiryath Arba -- "city of the four," an older name of Hebron
Qiryath Arba or Qiryath Haarba. << 7152, 7153. Qiryath Arba or Qiryath Haarba. 7154 >>.
"city of the four," an older name of Hebron. Transliteration: Qiryath Arba ...
/hebrew/7153.htm - 6k

2128. Ziph -- a son of Judah, also a city Southeast of Hebron and ...
... Ziph. 2129 >>. a son of Judah, also a city Southeast of Hebron and a city in S.
Judah. Transliteration: Ziph Phonetic Spelling: (zeef) Short Definition: Ziph. ...
/hebrew/2128.htm - 6k

3760. Karmel -- a mountain promontory on the Mediterranean, also a ...
... a mountain promontory on the Mediterranean, also a city near Hebron. Transliteration:
Karmel Phonetic Spelling: (kar-mel') Short Definition: Carmel. ...
/hebrew/3760.htm - 6k

4375. Makpelah -- a place near Hebron
... << 4374, 4375. Makpelah. 4376 >>. a place near Hebron. Transliteration: Makpelah
Phonetic Spelling: (mak-pay-law') Short Definition: Machpelah. ...
/hebrew/4375.htm - 6k