Hebron

Hebron is a hill town in Judah that keeps turning up whenever a promise needs keeping. Spies visit it in Numbers 13. Caleb, still strong at eighty-five, asks for it in Joshua 14: “Give me this mountain,” he says, trusting that the LORD will be with him. Its older name was Kirjatharba, after a man called Arba. Centuries later David asks the LORD where to go and goes up to Hebron, where the men of Judah anoint him king and where he reigns seven years and six months. A man named Hebron also appears among the sons of Kohath. Joshua 14:6 to 15 is a good place to start.

30 verses

Genesis

Genesis 35:27

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

Exodus

Exodus 6:18

And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.

Numbers

Numbers 3:19

And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Numbers 13:22

And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were.(Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Joshua

Joshua 14:6

Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

Joshua 14:7

Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

Joshua 14:8

Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

Joshua 14:9

And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

Joshua 14:10

And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

Joshua 14:11

As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

Joshua 14:12

Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

Joshua 14:13

And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Joshua 14:14

Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

Joshua 14:15

And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

Joshua 20:7

And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 2:1

And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

2 Samuel 2:2

So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

2 Samuel 2:3

And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

2 Samuel 2:4

And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

2 Samuel 2:5

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

2 Samuel 2:6

And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

2 Samuel 2:7

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

2 Samuel 2:8

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

2 Samuel 2:9

And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

2 Samuel 2:10

Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

2 Samuel 2:11

And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 6:2

And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

1 Chronicles 6:18

And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

1 Chronicles 23:12

The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

1 Chronicles 23:19

Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

A community; alliance. (1.) A city in the south end of the valley of Eshcol, about midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, from which it is distant about 20 miles in a straight line. It was built “seven years before Zoan in Egypt” (Gen. 13:18; Num. 13:22). It still exists under the same name, and is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Its earlier name was Kirjath-arba (Gen. 23:2; Josh. 14:15; 15:3). But “Hebron would appear to have been the original name of the city, and it was not till after Abraham’s stay there that it received the name Kirjath-arba, who [i.e., Arba] was not the founder but the conqueror of the city, having led thither the tribe of the Anakim, to which he belonged. It retained this name till it came into the possession of Caleb, when the Israelites restored the original name Hebron” (Keil, Com.). The name of this city does not occur in any of the prophets or in the New Testament. It is found about forty times in the Old. It was the favorite home of Abraham. Here he pitched his tent under the oaks of Mamre, by which name it came afterwards to be known; and here Sarah died, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Gen. 23:17-20), which he bought from Ephron the Hittite. From this place the patriarch departed for Egypt by way of Beersheba (37:14; 46:1). It was taken by Joshua and given to Caleb (Josh. 10:36, 37; 12:10; 14:13). It became a Levitical city and a city of refuge (20:7; 21:11). When David became king of Judah this was his royal residence, and he resided here for seven and a half years (2 Sam. 5:5); and here he was anointed as king over all Israel (2 Sam. 2:1-4, 11; 1 Kings 2:11). It became the residence also of the rebellious Absalom (2 Sam. 15:10), who probably expected to find his chief support in the tribe of Judah, now called el-Khulil.

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In one part of the modern city is a great mosque, which is built over the grave of Machpelah. The first European who was permitted to enter this mosque was the Prince of Wales in 1862. It was also visited by the Marquis of Bute in 1866, and by the late Emperor Frederick of Germany (then Crown-Prince of Prussia) in 1869.

One of the largest oaks in Palestine is found in the valley of Eshcol, about 3 miles north of the town. It is supposed by some to be the tree under which Abraham pitched his tent, and is called “Abraham’s oak.” (See OAK.)

(2.) The third son of Kohath the Levite (Ex. 6:18; 1 Chr. 6:2, 18).

(3.) 1 Chr. 2:42, 43.

(4.) A town in the north border of Asher (Josh. 19:28).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(alliance).

(1.) The third son of Kohath, who was the second son of Levi. (Exodus 6:18; Numbers 3:19; 1 Chronicles 6:2,18; 23:12) He was the founder of a family of Hebronites, (Numbers 3:27; 26:58; 1 Chronicles 26:23,30,31), or Bene-Hebron. (1 Chronicles 15:9; 23:19)

(2.) A city of Judah, (Joshua 15:54) situated among the mountains, (Joshua 20:7) 20 Roman miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beersheba. Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the world still existing; and in this respect it is the rival of Damascus. It was a well-known town when Abraham entered Canaan, 3800 years ago. (Genesis 13:18) Its original name was Kirjath-arba, (Judges 1:10) "the city of Arba;" so called from Arba the father of Anak. (Joshua 15:13,14; 21:13) Sarah died at Hebron; and Abraham then bought from Ephron the Hittite the field and cave of Machpelah, to serve as a family tomb (Genesis 23:2-20) The cave is still there, and the massive walls of the Haram or mosque, within which it lies, form the most remarkable object in the whole city. Abraham is called by Mohammedans el-Khulil , "the Friend," i.e. of God, and this is the modern name of Hebron. Hebron now contains about 5000 inhabitants, of whom some fifty families are Jews. It is picturesquely situated in a narrow valley, surrounded by rocky hills. The valley runs from north to south; and the main quarter of the town, surmounted by the lofty walls of the venerable Haram , lies partly on the eastern slope. (Genesis 37:14) comp. Genesis23:19 About a mile from the town, up the valley, is one of the largest oak trees in Palestine. This, say some, is the very tree beneath which Abraham pitched his tent, and it still bears the name of the patriarch.

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(3.) One of the towns in the territory of Asher, (Joshua 19:28) probably Ebdon or Abdom.