Hebron

From BibleEncyclopedia.Net

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” (Gen_13:18; Num_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 (Gen_23:2; Jos_14:15; Jos_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 favourite 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 (Gen_23:17-20), which he bought from Ephron the Hittite. From this place the patriarch departed for Egypt by way of Beersheba (Gen_37:14; Gen_46:1). It was taken by Joshua and given to Caleb (Jos_10:36, Jos_10:37; Jos_12:10; Jos_14:13). It became a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Jos_20:7; Jos_21:11). When David became king of Judah this was his royal residence, and he resided here for seven and a half years (2Sa_5:5); and here he was anointed as king over all Israel (2Sa_2:1-4, 2Sa_2:11; 1Ki_2:11). It became the residence also of the rebellious Absalom (2Sa_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 (Exo_6:18; 1Ch_6:2, 1Ch_6:18).

(3) 1Ch_2:42, 1Ch_2:43.

(4) A town in the north border of Asher (Jos_19:28).

Hebron (1)

hē´brun (חברון, ḥebhrōn, “league” or “confederacy”; Χεβρών, Chebrō̇n):

One of the most ancient and important cities in Southern Palestine, now known to the Moslems as el Khalîl (i.e. Khalîl er Rahmān, “the friend of the Merciful,” i.e. of God, a favorite name for Abraham; compare Jam_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 (Num_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 Jos_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” Gen (Gen_13:18); from here he went to the rescue of Lot and brought him back after the defeat of Chedorlaomer (Gen_14:13 f); here his name was changed to Abraham (Gen_17:5); to this place came the three angels with the promise of a son (Gen_18:1 f); Sarah died here (Gen_23:2), and for her sepulcher Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah (Gen_23:17); here Isaac and Jacob spent much of their lives (Gen_35:27; Gen_37:14); from here Jacob sent Joseph to seek his brethren (Gen_37:14), and hence, Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt (Gen_46:1). In the cave of Machpelah all the patriarchs and their wives, except Rachel, were buried (Gen_49:30 f; Gen_50:13).

2. Times of Joshua and Judges

The spies visited Hebron and near there cut the cluster of grapes (Num_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 (Jos_10:3 f). Caleb drove out from Hebron the “Three sons of Anak” (Jos_14:12; Jos_15:14); it became one of the cities of Judah (Jos_15:54), but was set apart for the Kohathite Levites (Jos_21:10 f), and became a city of refuge (Jos_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” (Jdg_16:3).

3. The Days of the Monarchy

David, when a fugitive, received kindness from the people of this city (1Sa_30:31); here Abner was treacherously slain by Joab at the gate (2Sa_3:27), and the sons of Rimmon, after their hands and feet had been cut off, were hanged “beside the pool” (2Sa_4:12). After the death of Saul, David was here anointed king (2Sa_5:3) and reigned here 7 1/2 years, until he captured Jerusalem and made that his capital (2Sa_5:5); while here, six sons were born to him (2Sa_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 (2Sa_15:7 f). Josephus mistakenly places here the dream of Solomon (Ant., VIII, ii, 1) which occurred at Gibeon (1Ki_3:4). Hebron was fortified by Rehoboam (2Ch_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 (Neh_11:25); it was recovered from Edom by Simon Maccabeus (1 Macc 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 Dêr 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 Rāmet el Khalîl.

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 Ḳassasin, 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 (2Sa_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 (Jos_19:28) see Ebron.

Hebron (2)

(חברון, ḥebhrōn, “league,” “association”):

(1) The third son of Kohath, son of Levi (Exo_6:18; Num_3:19, Num_3:27; 1Ch_6:2, 1Ch_6:18; 1Ch_23:12, 1Ch_23:19).

(2) A son of Mareshah and descendant of Caleb (1Ch_2:42, 1Ch_2:43). See also Korah.