Bible Questions and Answer

Hebron is in the Judean hills about 19 miles (30 km) south of Jerusalem. At about 3,050 feet (930 meters) above sea level, it's one of the highest cities in the region. Its older name was Kiriath Arba, meaning "the town of Arba," named after a great man among the Anakim. Just outside it were the great trees of Mamre, where Abraham camped. The most important landmark in Hebron is a massive stone enclosure built by Herod the Great over the Cave of Machpelah, where tradition says Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah are buried. Jews call it the Tomb of the Patriarchs, and Muslims call it the Ibrahimi Mosque. Its walls are some of the best-preserved Herodian stonework anywhere. Today Hebron is the largest city in the West Bank. It's divided into areas under Palestinian and Israeli control, and it remains one of the most tense places in the region.