Hebron
A city in the hill country of Judah. Abraham lived beside it at Mamre and bought the cave of Machpelah here as a family tomb. David was first made king here.
Hebron lies in the Judean hills, about thirty kilometres south of Jerusalem. Genesis also calls it Kiriath Arba (Genesis 23:2). Abram settled by the oaks of Mamre at Hebron and built an altar there (Genesis 13:18). When Sarah died he bought the field and cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place (Genesis 23:17–20); Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah and Jacob were buried there after her (Genesis 49:29–32) (Genesis 50:13). After the conquest the city was given to Caleb (Joshua 14:13–15), and David reigned here for seven and a half years before he took Jerusalem (2 Samuel 2:1–4) (2 Samuel 5:1–5). Josephus, in the first century AD, says that the tombs of Abraham’s descendants, built of fine marble, were still shown in the town (Josephus, Jewish War 4.530–532). A large walled enclosure stands today over the traditional site of the cave.
What happened here
- about 2080 BC to 2067 BC, traditional dateGod’s Covenant with Abraham
In Genesis God binds himself by covenant to give Abraham descendants and the land of Canaan. Abraham believes, and it is counted to him as righteousness. Years later God renames him and gives circumcision as the sign of the covenant.
- about 1010 BC to 1003 BC, estimated dateDavid Becomes King
After Saul dies in battle on Mount Gilboa, the men of Judah anoint David king at Hebron. Seven and a half years later, when the war with Saul’s house is over, the elders of all Israel anoint him king over the whole nation.