Hebron

HE'BRON (friendship), an ancient town of Palestine, about 20 miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beer-sheba; first called Kirjatharba, or "city of Arba," the father of Anak. Josh 21:11; Josh 15:13-14; Jud 1:10. Some interpret the name to mean "a city of four," or as having four distinct quarters. It lies about 3OOO feet above the level of the sea, and is one of the oldest towns in the world and mentioned before Damascus, Gen 13:18; Gen 15:2, and was built 7 years before Zoan, or Tanis, in Egypt, Num 13:22. History. — Hebron is named about 40 times in the 0.T., but nowhere in the New. Abraham pitched his tent under the oaks of Mamre, near Hebron, Gen 13:18, and he bought the cave of Machpelah, as a burial-place. Gen 23:17-20. See Machpelah. Hebron was taken by Joshua, Josh 10:36-37; Neh 12:10, and the region given to Caleb, Josh 14:13; was rebuilt and made a Levitical city and a city of refuge, Josh 20:7; Rev 21:11; was the royal residence of David, 2 Sam 2:1-14; 1 Kgs 2:11; became the headquarters of the rebellious Absalom, 2 Sam 15:10; was fortified by Rehoboam and re-peopled after the Captivity. 2 Chr 11:10; Neh 11:25. Judas Maccabaeus re-captured it from the Edomites; it was destroyed by the Romans; for about 20 years it was the seat of a Latin bishopric, a.d. 1167-1187, but at the latter date it fell into the hands of Saladin, and has since been held by the Moslems. A pool is still shown over which tradition says that David hung the murderers of Ishbosheth, and the tomb of Abner and Ishbosheth is also pointed out within an Arab house. Present Condition. — Hebron is in a narrow part of a valley and surrounded by fertile lands, vineyards, olive-groves, and almond and fig trees. The town has many spacious houses, built of stone, and numbers about 10,000 souls, including 500 Jews; but there is not a single Christian family there. The city is divided into several quarters, in one of which is the great mosque, a massive structure, about 200 by 150 feet on the ground and nearly 50 feet high, with two minarets. This mosque is known to conceal the noted cave of Machpelah, the burial-place of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their wives, except Rachel, The mosque is closed against visitors and guarded with the strictest care by the Moslems. Only three times have Europeans been permitted to enter it — the Prince of Wales in 1862, the marquis of Bute in 1866, and the crown-prince of Prussia in 1869. These visitors were accompanied by Dean Stanley, Fergusson, Rosen, and others, Hebron is a hotbed of Moslem fanaticism. About two miles west of the city, on the road toward Gaza, is the famous oak of Abraham, a majestic and venerable tree whose trunk measures 32 feet in circumference,

and at the height of 19 feet it divides into four huge branches, forming a crown upwards of 275 feet in circumference. The tree is surrounded by a wall, and on the hill above it the Russians have built a fine hospice. A large terebinth or oak was shown there in the days of Josephus which, tradition says, "has continued since the creation of the world." — Jewish War, iv. 9,7. For view of "Abraham's Oak," see under Abraham. The town carries on a brisk trade with the Bedouins, and manufactures waterskins from goats' hides, and pretty glass ornaments. Glass was made there early in the Middle Ages.