Location and Significance
Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the biblical narrative, located approximately 20 miles south of Jerusalem in the hill country of Judah. It holds a significant place in biblical history and theology, serving as a backdrop for key events and figures in the Old Testament. The city is situated in a fertile region, making it an ideal location for settlement and agriculture.

Historical Background
Hebron is first mentioned in the Bible in connection with Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites. It was in Hebron that Abraham settled after parting ways with Lot (Genesis 13:18). The city is also notable as the site where Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Genesis 23:17-20). This cave became the family tomb, where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their wives were later buried.

Hebron and the Anakim
The city was originally known as Kiriath Arba, named after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim (Joshua 14:15). The Anakim were a race of giants, and their presence in Hebron made it a formidable city. Caleb, one of the faithful spies sent by Moses, was granted Hebron as his inheritance because of his unwavering faith in God (Joshua 14:13-14). Caleb drove out the Anakim from the region, fulfilling God's promise to him.

Role in the Kingdom of Israel
Hebron played a crucial role during the reign of King David. After the death of Saul, David was anointed king over the house of Judah in Hebron (2 Samuel 2:1-4). He reigned there for seven and a half years before moving his capital to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:4-5). Hebron thus served as the initial center of David's kingdom and was a strategic and spiritual stronghold.

Levitical City and City of Refuge
In addition to its historical and royal significance, Hebron was designated as a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Joshua 21:11-13). This status underscored its importance as a place of sanctuary and religious instruction, providing refuge for those who accidentally committed manslaughter.

Modern-Day Hebron
Today, Hebron remains a city of great historical and religious significance. It is a site of pilgrimage for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, who revere the patriarchs buried in the Cave of Machpelah. The city's rich biblical heritage continues to be a focal point for understanding the ancient narratives of faith and God's covenant with His people.Genesis 35:27
And Jacob came to Isaac his father to Mamre, to the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
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Joshua 15:13
And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
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In Judaea
... Bethlehem, and still farther the priest-city Hebron, with its ... not reckoned to belong
to any tribe in particular ... of the priests' trumpets wakened the city with a ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 5 in judaea.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... in spite of all this three hundred men of the tribe of Benjamin ... And rising up from
thence she went up to Hebron, that is Kirjath-Arba, or the City of the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... isolated districts, and by thus restricting each tribe to a ... may conclude that the
centre and south were colonized ... boast of more than one such city, and their ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

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