Hebron
HEBRON(Χεβρών, LXX., Joseph.), a very ancient city of Palestine, situated in a mountainous district, 22 Roman miles south of Jerusalem. (Euseb. s. v. Ἀρκώ.) Its original name was Kirjath-Arba, or the city of Arba, so called from Arba, a chief of the Anakim, who dwelt in this neighbourhood. ( Gen. 23.2; Josh. 14.15; Judg. 1.10; J. AJ.) It was frequently the residence of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were buried here in the cave of Macpelah, which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth. ( Gen. 23.2, seq.) Upon the conquest of Palestine by the Israelites, Hebron was given by Joshua to Caleb, who expelled the Anakim from the district. ( Josh. 14.13--15, 15.13, 14; Judg. 1.20.) It was afterwards appointed one of the cities of refuge. ( Josh. 20.7.) Hebron was the residence of David, as king of Judah, for seven years and a half. (2 Sam. 2.1, 5.5.) It was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chron. 11.10); and was occupied by the Jews after their return from captivity ( Nehem. 11.25). It afterwards fell into the hands of the Idumaeans, from whom it was recovered by Judas Maccabaeus. (1 Macc. 5.65; J. AJ, B. J. 4.9.7.) It was taken and burnt by the Romans in the great Jewish War. (Joseph. B. J. 4.9.9.) The modern town is called El Khulil, the friendof God, the name given by the Moslems to Abraham. Here are shown the tombs of the patriarchs, of which an account is given by modern travellers. Outside the town are two reservoirs for rain-water, evidently of great antiquity, one of which is probably the pool in Hebronmentioned in the history of David. (2 Sam. 4.12.)
(Χεβρών and Ἐβρών). A city in the south of Iudaea, the first capital of the kingdom of David , who reigned there for seven and a half years as king of Judah only.
One of the oldest cities in the mountains of Judea, on the main road from Jerusalem to Beersheba. Possibly it was called Kiryat Arbah because it consisted of four quarters, one of which was Mamreh (Gen. 23:17). It was here that Abraham bought the Cave of Machpelah in which Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their wives were buried, and David was anointed king at Hebron. The city was resettled in the Persian period, when Hebron was in Idumaea. The city was later conquered by the Hasmonaeans, and since then has formed part of Judea. After the destruction of the Second Temple it was given to the Roman Legio X Fretensis, who made it a military base in the rear of limes Palestinae. In the late Roman period Hebron had a Jewish community and a synagogue.
The enclosure built over the Cave of Machpelah by Herod survives to its original height: the walls, built of large ashlar blocks, some of which are 1.5 by 6.3 by 1.5 m, enclose an area of 46.8 by 27 m. Flat pilasters decorated the exterior.
BIBLIOGRAPHYF. M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine II (1938) 345-46; M. Avi-Yonah, The Holy Land (1966) 53, 163.
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