Bible Places A to Z

Lesson 7

Hebron – Early Years

•First mentioned in Genesis 13:18

•Abram moved there; built altar there

•Semetic name refers to “colleague”, “unite”, or “friend” ; original – “alliance”?

•Num. 13:22 – “built 7 years before Zoan in Egypt”

•Originally called Kirjath-arba [Gen 23:2]

•“City of four” – ruled by 3 sons of Anak - giants

Home of the Patriarchs

•Abraham & Sarah lived there

•Sarah died there; buried in Machpelah

•First land purchased by Abraham [Gen 23]

•Isaac grew up and lived there

•Jacob and Esau returned there to bury their father [Gen 35:27-29]

•Jacob sent Joseph “out of the vale” [Gen 37:14]

Hebron - Conquest

•Considered an Amorite city in Joshua 10:3-5

•Conquered by Joshua [Josh 10:36-37]

•Given to Caleb [Joshua 14:12-15]

•Was listed among Levitical cities and the six cities of refuge [Joshua 20:7; 21:11]• Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth,

Golan

•King David used Hebron as his royal residence [2 Sam 5:5]

Final Mentions

•Jg 16:3 – Samson carried city gates from Gaza to the hills of Hebron!

•Israeli elders anointed David as King of Israel

•David had Ishbosheth’s assassins hung over the pool in Hebron [2 Sam 4:12]

•Absalom rebelled and declared himself king

•Soldiers gathered to fight for David [1 Chron 13:23ff]

•Rehoboam fortified the city [2 Chron 11:10]

Modern-day Hebron

Cave of Machpelah

Palestinian – Israeli tensions