Hebron

One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, located in the Judean hills about 20 miles south of Jerusalem. Hebron holds profound significance as the burial place of the patriarchs and matriarchs—Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah—in the Cave of Machpelah.

Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah and the surrounding field from Ephron the Hittite for 400 shekels of silver as a burial site for Sarah (Genesis 23:1-20). This was Abraham’s only legal landholding in Canaan during his lifetime—a down payment, as it were, on God’s promised inheritance. The transaction was conducted publicly “at the gate of his city” with proper witnesses, establishing clear title to the property. Abraham himself was later buried there alongside Sarah by his sons Isaac and Ishmael (Genesis 25:9).

Isaac and Rebekah were also interred at Machpelah, as was Jacob’s wife Leah. Jacob made his sons swear to carry his body from Egypt back to “the cave that is in the field at Machpelah” (Genesis 49:29-30), which they faithfully did after his death (Genesis 50:13). Only Rachel was buried elsewhere, having died giving birth to Benjamin near Bethlehem. The Cave of Machpelah thus became the family tomb of the patriarchs, a tangible connection to God’s covenant promises.

David was anointed king over Judah in Hebron and reigned there seven and a half years before conquering Jerusalem and uniting the kingdom (2 Samuel 2:1-4, 5:1-5). The city later became one of the six cities of refuge (Joshua 20:7) and a Levitical city (Joshua 21:13). Today, the massive Herodian structure over the cave, built in the 1st century BCE, serves as both synagogue and mosque—testifying to Hebron’s importance to Judaism and Islam, with the Arabic name “Al-Khalil” honoring Abraham as “the Friend of God.”