Bible Locations

Hebron is a city in the Judean hills, about 19 miles south of Jerusalem, at about 3,000 feet, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Its older name was Kiriath Arba. Numbers 13:22 says it was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. Abraham lived by the oaks of Mamre near Hebron and bought the cave of Machpelah, where he, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah and Jacob were buried. The spies saw the Anakites there. Caleb received Hebron as his inheritance, and it became a city of refuge and a Levitical town. David was anointed king in Hebron and reigned there seven and a half years, and some of his sons were born there. Absalom launched his rebellion from Hebron. The ancient mound, Tel Rumeida, has remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages, including city walls. Herod the Great built the massive enclosure over the cave of Machpelah, which still stands today.