Hebron
חֶבְרוֹן · chev.ron · H2275Aקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע · qir.yat ar.ba · H7153“society; friendship” Hitchcock's 186957 mentions in 10 books, most in 2 Samuel (21)
Where it is
31.54° N, 35.09° E
Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles
Mentioned most in
Counted from 57 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
About this place
Hebron, also known as Kiriath-arba, was an important city located in the hill country of Judah. It is first mentioned in Genesis 13:18, where Abraham pitched his tent and built an altar to the Lord. It was possibly renamed Hebron by Mareshah the "father [abi] of Hebron", which narmally refers to a founder, though he also had a son named Hebron (1Ch.2.42-43). The city was originally named Kiriath-arba, which means "the city of Arba," who was the greatest man among the Anakim (Joshua 14:15).
Hebron played a significant role in the lives of the patriarchs. Sarah, Abraham's wife, died in Kiriath-arba, and Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for her (Genesis 23:2, 19). Later, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (or 'Jacob') were also buried there (Genesis 35:27; 49:29-32).
During the conquest of Canaan, Hebron was taken by Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 10:36-37). The city was given to Caleb as his inheritance (Joshua 14:13-14), and later became a city of the Levites and a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7; 21:11-13).
Hebron served as the capital of Judah during the reign of David. He was anointed king over the house of Judah in Hebron and reigned there for seven and a half years (2Sa.2.1-4, 11; 5:5). Several of David's sons were born in Hebron, including Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah (2Sa.3.2-5).
The city remained significant throughout Israel's history. It was fortified by Rehoboam (2Ch.11.10) and was inhabited by Jews after the Babylonian exile (Nehemiah 11:25).
Hebron is also notable for its association with the Anakim, a group of giants who inhabited the area (Numbers 13:22, 33). Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai (Joshua 15:13-14; Judges 1:10, 20).
Today, Hebron is still an important city, known for the Tomb of the Patriarchs, which is believed to be the burial site of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The city has a rich history and holds great significance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
57 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis4 mentions
Genesis 13:18Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahweh.Genesis 23:2Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.Genesis 23:19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.Genesis 35:27Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.
Joshua15 mentions
Joshua 10:3Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,Joshua 10:5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went…Joshua 10:23They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.Joshua 10:36Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.Joshua 10:39He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to…Joshua 11:21Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel.…Joshua 12:10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;Joshua 14:13Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.Joshua 14:14Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed Yahweh, the God of Israel wholeheartedly.Joshua 14:15Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.Joshua 15:13He gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also…Joshua 15:54Humtah, Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.Joshua 20:7They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.Joshua 21:11They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its pasture lands around it.Joshua 21:13To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Libnah with its pasture lands,
Judges3 mentions
Judges 1:10Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron. (The name of Hebron before that was Kiriath Arba.) They struck Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.Judges 1:20They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove the three sons of Anak out of there.Judges 16:3Samson lay until midnight, then arose at midnight and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, with the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders…
1 Samuel1 mention
2 Samuel21 mentions
2 Samuel 2:1After this, David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.”2 Samuel 2:3David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.2 Samuel 2:11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.2 Samuel 2:32They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.2 Samuel 3:2Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;2 Samuel 3:5and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.2 Samuel 3:19Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.2 Samuel 3:20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.2 Samuel 3:22Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.2 Samuel 3:27When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his…2 Samuel 3:32They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept.2 Samuel 4:1When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.2 Samuel 4:8They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! Yahweh has avenged my lord…2 Samuel 4:12David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in…2 Samuel 5:1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.2 Samuel 5:3So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; and they anointed David king over Israel.2 Samuel 5:5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.2 Samuel 5:13David took more concubines and wives for himself out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.2 Samuel 15:7At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.2 Samuel 15:9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.2 Samuel 15:10But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”
1 Chronicles9 mentions
1 Chronicles 3:1Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;1 Chronicles 3:4six were born to him in Hebron; and he reigned there seven years and six months. He reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem;1 Chronicles 6:55to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its pasture lands around it;1 Chronicles 6:57To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,1 Chronicles 11:1Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.1 Chronicles 11:3So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel, according to Yahweh’s word by…1 Chronicles 12:23These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to Yahweh’s word.1 Chronicles 12:38All these were men of war who could order the battle array, and came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to…1 Chronicles 29:27The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles1 mention
What the dictionary says
A community; alliance.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain