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Hebron (Tell Rumeida)

Caleb's city, with Bronze Age walls and Late Bronze occupation

Conquest & Judges · city / site, fortification / gate · Accepted by scholars · found 1964

Massive ancient stone wall on a hillside
Photo: Itai · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

Found 1964 — Philip C. Hammond (American Expedition to Hebron, 1964–66); Avi Ofer (1984–86, halted by the First Intifada); Emanuel Eisenberg (Israel Antiquities Authority, 1999); IAA and Ariel University (2014)

Where Tell Rumeida (Tel Hebron), Hebron (West Bank (Palestinian Territories))

Dates from c. 1700–586 BCE · Middle Bronze II – Iron Age · Patriarchs; Conquest (Caleb); David's first capital

Now at Site (Tel Hebron Archaeological Park); finds with the Israel Antiquities Authority and Staff Officer for Archaeology

How Hebron (Tell Rumeida) was found

Hammond exposed a massive Middle Bronze cyclopean wall on the slope of Tell Rumeida, west of the modern city. Later work found Late Bronze pottery, Iron Age houses, and LMLK-stamped jar handles reading 'Hebron.'

What it is

A mound on a ridge above the Tomb of the Patriarchs, ringed by Middle Bronze walls built of huge stones, some 3 m long. The site was fortified again in the Iron Age. The scale of the Bronze Age wall gave rise to the memory of giants in the south.

Why it matters for the Bible

Hebron is where the spies saw the Anakim (Bemidbar 13:22) and where Calev (Caleb) drove them out (Yehoshua 15:13-14). The huge cyclopean wall matches the report that the cities were 'fortified and very large.' Late Bronze finds, though thinner than the Middle Bronze, show the city was occupied in the Conquest period. The site is also where David was crowned over Judah and reigned for seven years.

The Hebrew word: ah-nah-KEEM

עֲנָקִים

עֲנָקִים is pronounced ah-nah-KEEM and means Anakim, the giant clan of Hebron (Strong's H6062).

People this discovery connects to

Places

Events

The spies see the Anakim at Hebron (Numbers 13:22) · Caleb takes Hebron (Joshua 14:12-15; Judges 1:20) · David crowned at Hebron (2 Samuel 2:4)

Hebron (Tell Rumeida) in Scripture

Numbers 13:6 First mention of Caleb in Scripture.

Numbers 13:22 Hebron 'built seven years before Zoan'; the Middle Bronze city is indeed very old.

Joshua 14:12-14 Caleb asks for the hill country with its 'great fortified cities' and takes Hebron; the cyclopean wall shows what he faced.

Questions people ask

What is Hebron (Tell Rumeida)?
A mound on a ridge above the Tomb of the Patriarchs, ringed by Middle Bronze walls built of huge stones, some 3 m long. The site was fortified again in the Iron Age. The scale of the Bronze Age wall gave rise to the memory of giants in the south.

When was Hebron (Tell Rumeida) discovered?
It was found in 1964 by Philip C. Hammond (American Expedition to Hebron, 1964–66); Avi Ofer (1984–86, halted by the First Intifada); Emanuel Eisenberg (Israel Antiquities Authority, 1999); IAA and Ariel University (2014), at Tell Rumeida (Tel Hebron), Hebron.

Where is Hebron (Tell Rumeida) today?
Site (Tel Hebron Archaeological Park); finds with the Israel Antiquities Authority and Staff Officer for Archaeology.

Which Bible verses does Hebron (Tell Rumeida) relate to?
Numbers 13:6, Numbers 13:22, Joshua 14:12-14.

Related discoveries

Sources

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