Hebron

About Hebron

Hebron, also known as Kiriath-arba, was an important city located in the hill country of Judah. It is first mentioned in Genesis 13:18, where Abraham pitched his tent and built an altar to the Lord. It was possibly renamed Hebron by Mareshah the "father [abi] of Hebron", which narmally refers to a founder, though he also had a son named Hebron (1Ch.2.42-43). The city was originally named Kiriath-arba, which means "the city of Arba," who was the greatest man among the Anakim (Joshua 14:15).

Hebron played a significant role in the lives of the patriarchs. Sarah, Abraham's wife, died in Kiriath-arba, and Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for her (Genesis 23:2, 19). Later, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (or 'Jacob') were also buried there (Genesis 35:27; 49:29-32).

During the conquest of Canaan, Hebron was taken by Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 10:36-37). The city was given to Caleb as his inheritance (Joshua 14:13-14), and later became a city of the Levites and a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7; 21:11-13).

Hebron served as the capital of Judah during the reign of David. He was anointed king over the house of Judah in Hebron and reigned there for seven and a half years (2Sa.2.1-4, 11; 5:5). Several of David's sons were born in Hebron, including Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah (2Sa.3.2-5).

The city remained significant throughout Israel's history. It was fortified by Rehoboam (2Ch.11.10) and was inhabited by Jews after the Babylonian exile (Nehemiah 11:25).

Hebron is also notable for its association with the Anakim, a group of giants who inhabited the area (Numbers 13:22, 33). Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai (Joshua 15:13-14; Judges 1:10, 20).

Today, Hebron is still an important city, known for the Tomb of the Patriarchs, which is believed to be the burial site of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The city has a rich history and holds great significance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.

Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.