A visit to Hebron's Old City, where King David established his first capital and reigned for 7 years
Published 2024-05-23
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Tel Hebron is a biblical archaeological mound containing remains of Jewish settlement from the Canaanite, Israelite, Early Roman, Late Roman and Byzantine periods. Tel Hebron is a biblical archaeological mound containing remains of Jewish settlement from the Canaanite, Israelite, Early Roman, Late Roman and Byzantine periods.
At the foot of the mound on the east is a spring now known as Abraham’s Spring. In earlier times it was also called Habra Spring and in Arabic, Ain Jeyda. In antiquity the spring was the city’s main water source. At the top of the mound is a structure known today as the tomb of Ruth and Yishai, and in Arabic as Deir al-Arba‘in. The building features remains from the Ottoman, Late Islamic, Crusader and Byzantine periods.
According to biblical tradition Hebron was Abraham’s permanent home: “And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the terebinths of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord” (Genesis 13:18).
After the Exodus from Egypt, Moses sent spies to tour the land: “And they went up into the South, and came unto Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt” (Numbers 13:22).
During the conquest of the land by Joshua son of Nun, Hebron was also conquered, and its inhabitants were slain. After the conquest Hebron became part of the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah. It was given to Caleb son of Jephunneh, and after the lots were cast, it became one of the 13 priestly cities and a city of refuge (Joshua 11:21; 14:13–14; Joshua 20:7).
King David made Hebron his first capital and reigned there for seven years. After David moved the capital to Jerusalem, Absalom revolted against him, beginning in Hebron (2 Sam. 15:10). Archaeological findings at the site bear out the story in the Bible.
A building was built over the Cave of the Patriarchs during the Herodian period. During the First Revolt of the Jews against the Romans (66–71 CE) the city was taken by Simon Bar-Giora, leader of the Sicarii, and later it was vanquished and burned by Vespasian’s army.
During the Byzantine period a monastery or church was built on top of the mound; this structure was subsequently refurbished in the Crusader period. In the twelfth century Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela visited Hebron and remarked that the city on top of the tell was in ruins and had moved to the area of the Tombs of the Patriarchs. The tell had become agricultural land.
According to a sixteenth-century Christian tradition the church on top of the mound was known as the Church of the Forty Martyrs. Descriptions by Christian pilgrims note that the Muslims had built a mosque on the site called the Mosque of the Forty.
The place is mentioned for the first time as the burial place of Yishai, David’s father, only in the early seventeenth century by an Italian Franciscan monk, Francisco Qaresmi. Later the site was identified as the burial place of both Yishai and Ruth the Moabite.
Archaeological evidence indicates that the city was built in the Early Bronze Age and was the most important city in the mountaintop region. Finds show that a fortified city some 50 dunams (5 hectares) in size occupied the top of the tell. That city was apparently destroyed in the Egyptian campaign of 1550 BCE. No remains were discovered at the site from the Late Bronze Age. Remnants of another wall and a glacis date from the Israelite period, the eighth–seventh centuries BCE.
All Comments (21)
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Zahi, what an Amazing Tour of Hebron, one of the 4 most Holy✴and Historical ancient cities of Our Patriarchs⚜ Loved the Big Mikvehs! Thank You for bringing us here Zahi💙💙💙💚💚💚Bless You🙏🕊🙌Shalom my friend💜
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Very beautiful.. what a great destination. The biblical city of Hebron.. Thanks Zahi for walking with scriptures information... fantastic nature of Israel...I love watching this amazing video. God bless you and Israel.. Greetings from Fiji Islands 🇫🇯
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Dear Zahi: Amazing historical video of Hebron. E.J. and i went to Hebron twice both times we made Holy Pilgrimages to Israel. We had 2 men guides take us when we went and we paid for security guard. It was definitely very ancient. I remember the drive to Hebron there were like giant fields of marble. Thank you for explaining details of This Holy City of The Patriarchs. Thank you for taking us along on this ancient amazing tour!!! May God Always Bless you my dear brother and Beloved Nation of Israel 💙🇮🇱💙🙏🏽 💚💚💚💚💚🕊
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Hello Zahi! Looks like beautiful day in Israel. It's raining in Tennessee. Thank you for sharing this wonderful video of Hebron. Have a blessed night. ❤
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Greetings from 🇺🇸❤️🇮🇱 ALWAYS ✝️🙏🏾🙌🏾
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Beautiful biblical places 🕊️ 🌾
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Shalom Zahi
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Greetings from Texas. Love your channel.
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We're here, thanks for posting!
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Hi from NZ
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Those plants are called Scottish Thistles here; they grow quite crazily here on the California Central Coast. Very sharp thistles too! Thanks so much.
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Thank you Zahi for such a most comprehensive tour. Enjoyed it very much!
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Thank you Zahi 🌺🌸🇮🇱❤️🇮🇱🌸🌺
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Amazing!!
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Morning Zahi ( 👋
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Zahi, the purple/lavender flower is in English called "thistle." GREAT video! Thanks. Jay from Texas.
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Thank You.
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Thank you so much !!!
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Shalom zahi,greetings from England
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In Britain we call that flower a thistle
