HEBRONCITY OF THE PATRIARCHSTRAVEL JOURNEL by Jim Pitts

HEBRON, ONE OF THE OLDEST AND HIGHEST TOWNS IN THE HOLY LAND,stands on a high Judean hill with an elevation over 3,000 feet.With abundant water supplied by springs and wells, the area is

known for grape and olive cultivation. During theExodus, spies were sent to this area by Moses. Theyreturned with pomegranates and figs to show theland was rich in resources.

Hebron is 18 miles south of Jerusalem. Referencedover 60 times in the Old Testament, BiblicalHebron is cited primarily from three different periods: the time of the founding Ancestors(the Patriarch); the time of the Israelite conquest of

Canaan; and the time of King David. Here several ofDavid’s sons were born (2 Sam 3:2, 5). At Hebron,

David was made King of “all Israel.” (2 Sam 5:3-5)

Hebron in Arabic—“el-Khalil”—means “friend of God.”The name underscores its association with Abraham,

who was known as the friend of God (2 Chron.20:7). At Hebron, Abraham received God’s promisethat he would be the father of a great nation.

Here Abraham and Sarah sojourned. Traditionidentifies the nearby Plain of Mamre as the place

where angelic visitors told Abraham he was to have ason by his elderly wife Sarah (Gen. 18). Listening out-side the tent to their masculine pronouncement, Sarah

laughed! The birth of Isaac fleshed out her “little laughter.”

A place of hospitality and sacrifice in the Patriarchal sojourns, Hebron wasdestined to be revered. Upon the death of Sarah, Abraham bought the cavesof Macpelah from Eprhon the Hittite (Gen. 23) for her burial. Over time,the caves became the traditional burial place of Abraham, his son Isaac andhis wife Rebekah, and Isaac’s son Jacob and his wife Leah. Some speculatethat also resting in the burial chambers are the bones of other biblical notables including Jacob, Joseph, and even Adam and Eve!According to the Kabbalah, the caves lead to the Garden of Eden.

Hebron glassware

The Machpelah - “The Enclosure of Abraham”

The caves became a Holy site venerated byJews, Christians and Moslems. Over the yearsa series of monumental structures have beenbuilt here, notably by King Herod (37 BC – 4AD). The Machpelah—“The Enclosure ofAbraham”—buildings over the burial caveshave served as a synagogue, church andmosque.

David was crowned King of Judah at Hebron,which served as his royal capital for sevenyears until he moved the capital to Jerusalemto create a United Kingdom. Here Absalomwas declared King and launched his rebellionagainst his father (2 Sam 5:10). Fortified byRehoboam (2 Chron 11:5), Hebron was occupied by the Edomites after theExile and then re-conquered by Judas Maccabeus in 164 BC.

A medieval Christian tradition identifies Hebron as the home of Mary’scousin, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist and possibly his

Hebron circa 1840s watercolor by David Roberts

birthplace. The surrounding areaabounds with legendary sites suchas The “Village of the Virgin,” whichis supposed to have been one ofthe resting places of the HolyFamily in their flight into Egypt.

Despite the role Hebron plays inbiblical stories and two archeologi-cal excavations in the 1960s and1980s, there is little archeologicalevidence that can be correlatedwith biblical material. Both archeo-logical digs indicate the area wasoccupied as early as the fifth tofourth millennium before the birthof Christ (Chalcolithic Period).

Over the years, the surroundingregion has been known for its olive

groves, vineyards, pottery and glass blowing workshops. The old city ofHebron is characterized by narrow, winding streets, flat-roofed stonehouses, and old bazaars.

Once a place of pilgrimage, today Hebron mirrors the tensions of theMiddle East conflict between Jewish settlers and the Palestinians. Located inthe West Bank, it is home to 166,000 Palestinians. 500 Israelis live in andaround the Jewish Quarter.

Extended curfews, strict restrictions on movement with numerous check-points, closure of commercial activities and settler harassment, have notprevented numerous acts of violence from both sides.

Until recently, much of this has been monitored by a small reconciling presence of Christians, who comprise a Christian Peace Making Team(www.cpt.org). Despite years of negotiations between the Israeli govern-ment and the Palestinian Authority, progress towards peace remains elusive.With the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada (uprising), violence in Hebron hasincreased. Once a vibrant community, especially at night, the streets ofHebron are deserted and dangerous.

Israeli military checkpoint in Hebron