The court in which the mosque stands is surrounded by an extensive and lofty wall, formed of large stones, and strengthened by square buttresses. This wall is the greatest antiquity in Hebron, and even Dr. Robinson supposes that it may be substantially the same which is mentioned by Josephus {Ant. i, 14; Wcu; iv, 9, 7), and by Eusebius and Jerome (Ommast. s. v. Arboch), as the sepulchre of Abraham. A common Moslem tomb in the neighborhood of Hebron passes as the tomb of Abner. He was certainly interred in this city (2 Sam. iii, 32) ; and the head of Ishbosheth, after his assassination, was deposited in the same sepulchre (2 Sam. iv. 12); but there is slight evidence in favor of the tradition which professes to point out this locality to the modern travel- ler. Besides this venerable Avail, there is nothing at Hebron bearing the stamp of antiquity save two reser- voirs for rain-water outside the to^vn. One of these is just without the southern gate, in the bottom of the val- ley. It is a large basin 133 feet square, and 21 feet 8 inches deep. It is built of hewn limestone of very solid workmanship, and obviously of ancient date. The depth of water of course varies at different times of the year : in May it is 14 feet. The descent is by flights of steps at the four corners, by which the water is brought up in vessels and skins, and poured out into troughs for the flocks, or carried away for domestic uses. Just at the north end of the main part of the town is another and smaller pool, also occupying the bed of the vallej', and measuring 85 feet bj' 55, with a depth of 18i feet, con- taining (in May) 7 feet of water. These cistems, which are connected with no perennial springs, and which are filled only by the rains, seem (at least in summer) to be the main dependence of the inhabitants for water, al- though that of the larger pool is neither clear nor clean. As these pools are doubtless of high antiquitj', one of them is in all likelihood the "pool of Hebron" over which David hanged up the assassins of Ishbosheth (2 Sam. iv, 12).
The present popidation of Hebron has not been clear- ly ascertained, but is probably about 5000. Most of the inhabitants are IMoslems, of fierce and intolerant char- acter. There arc no resident Christians. The Jews amount to about 50 families, mostly natives of different countries of Europe, who have emigrated to this place for the purpose of having their bones laid near the sep- idchres of their illustrious ancestors. They have two sj'nagogues and several schools. As usual, they have a quarter of the city to themselves, where the streets are narrow and filthy, and the houses mean. In a few in- stances, however, they are in tolerable repair, and white- washed.
The environs of Hebron are very fertile. Vineyards and plantations of fruit-trees, chiefly olive-trees, cover the vallej^s and arable grounds ; while the tops and sides of the hills, although stony, are covered with rich pas- tures, which support a great number of cattle, sheep, and goats, constitutmg an important branch of the in- dustry and wealth of Hebron. Tlie hill-coimtrj' of Ju- dah, of which it is the capital, is indeed highly produc- tive, and under a paternal government would l)e capa- ble of sustaining a large population. That it did so
once is manifest from the great number and extent of ridned terraces and dilapidated towns. It is at present abandoned, and cidtivation ceases at the distance of two miles north of the town. The hiUs then become cov- ered with prickly and other stunted trees, which furnish Bethlehem and other villages with wood. About a mile from the town, up the valley, is one of the largest oak- trees in Palestine. It stands quite alone in the midst of the vineyards. It is 23 feet in girth, and its branches cover a space 90 feet in diameter. This, say some, is the very tree beneath which Abraham pitched his tent ; but, hoAvever this may be, it still bears the name of the patriarch (Porter's Handbook, p. G7 sq.).— Kitto ; Smith ; Fairbairn.
2. The third son of Kohath the Levite, and hence the uncle of Moses (Exod. vi, 18 ; 1 Chron. vi, 2, 18 ; xv, 9; xxiii, 12, 19). B.C. ante 1738. His descendants are called Hebronites (Numb, iii, 27, etc.).
3. A son of INIareshah, and apparently grandson of Caleb of Judah (1 Chron. ii, 42, 43). B.C. post 1612.
4. (Heb. Ehron', "iia", prob. for 'ii:;?, Ahdon, as many IMSS. read ; Sept. 'E)?po>r , Vulg. A bran.) A town on the northern border of Asher (Josh, xix, 28) ; pos- sibly the same (Keil, Comment, in loc.) elsewhere (Josh. xxi, 30) called Abdon (q.v.).
He'bronite (Ileb. Chebroni', ''ai^^H, Sept. Xf/3pwj/ and \f/-}pw)/, Yulg. Ifchronito'^, a designation of the de- scendants of Hebron, the third son of Kohath, who was the second son of Levi, the younger brother of Amram, father of Moses and Aaron (Exod. vi, 18 ; Numb, iii, 19 ; 1 Chron. vi, 2, 18 ; xxiii, 12). The immediate children of Hebron are not mentioned by name (comp. Exod. vi, 21, 22), but he was the founder of a "family" {mishpa- chali) of Hebronites (Numb, iii, 27 ; xxvi, 58; 1 Chron. xxvi, 23, 30, 31) or Bene-Hebron (1 Chron. xv, 9; xxiii, 19), who are often mentioned in the enumerations of the Levites in the passages above cited. Jeriah was the head of the family in the time of David (I Chron. xxiii, 19; xxvi, 81 ; xxiv, 23 : in the last of these passages the name of Hebron does not now exist in the IIcItcw, but has been supplied in the A. V. from the other lists). In the last year of David's reign we find them settled at Jazer, in Gilead (a jjlace not elsewhere named as a Le- vitical city), " mighty men of valor" (b'^'n "^rS), 2700 in number, who were superintendents for the king over the two and a half tribes in regard to all matters sacred and secular (1 Chron. xxvi, 31,32). At the same time 1700 of the family under Hashabiah held the same oifice on the west of Jordan (vcr. 30). — Smith.