Ancient Hebron, home of Abraham

excavations at Tel Hebron

Hebron: one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the world, and the oldest Jewish community.

Over 3,000 feet above sea level, this city lies on the Way of the Patriarchs, the main highway connecting Jerusalem and parts farther north with Egypt.

Genesis 23 tells us that Abraham purchased a plot of ground in Hebron for a burial cave for his wife Sarah. He paid an outrageous sum of four hundred shekels of silver to Ephron the Hittite. In time, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah would all be buried here.

Originally a Canaanite royal city, archaeological excavations reveal the city was strongly fortified in the Early Bronze Age. Numbers 13, in the story of the spies, says Hebron was founded “seven years before Zoan in Egypt.” Zoan has been dated to 1720 BC, but excavations have proven that the history of the city can be traced back to earlier than the year 3500 B.C. 4000-year-old clay jugs have been discovered.

The Hebron of Old Testament history lies to the west of the present town, known as Jebel Rumeida. Massive walls measuring ten to thirteen feet wide have been unearthed, along with a staircase and jewelry from the Canaanite period, not to mention over 1500 signet rings from the period of Israelite rule.

Before the Israelites renamed it Hebron, the Anakim called it Kiriath Arba, or City of Arba, in honor of their forefather, Arba. In time, Arba’s overgrown children grew so numerous that they were able to possess much of southern Canaan, including Hebron. More about them next week.

Hebron was taken by Joshua and given to Caleb. It became a Levitical city and a city of refuge. When David became king of Judah this was his royal residence, he resided here for seven and a half years; and here he was anointed as king over all Israel. It became the residence also of the rebellious Absalom , who probably expected to find his chief support in the tribe of Judah.

One of the largest oaks in Palestine is found in the valley of Eschol, 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.”

Hebron is one of the three cities that were purchased on behalf of the Jewish people by Biblical figures (Abraham bought Hebron from the Hittites, King David bought Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and Jacob bought Nablus from the Shechemites). Historically, it is the first capital of King David. And as the burial place of the Jewish patriarchs—Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob and Leah (more on this later as well)—Hebron is the second holiest city to Jews.

Hebron: the home of Abraham, friend of God.