Kirjath Arba
“City of Arba (or city of four)”
Summary
The ancient Canaanite name of Hebron, meaning 'city of Arba,' named after a great man among the Anakim who founded it.
☩Identity with Hebron
Kirjath-arba was the original Canaanite name of the city later known as Hebron. The name means "city of Arba" and refers to Arba, described as the greatest man among the Anakim (giants). When Abraham came to Canaan, Sarah died there and was buried in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham purchased from the Hittites. A Jewish tradition, first mentioned by Jerome, interprets "arba" (Hebrew for "four") as referring to the four great patriarchs buried there—Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—though this is considered a later gloss. After the conquest under Joshua, the name Hebron supplanted Kirjath-arba, though both names continued in use.
☩Later History
The city was assigned to Caleb as his inheritance because of his faithfulness in the spy mission. After the exile, Jews returning from Babylon resettled in the city, which Nehemiah refers to by its ancient name Kirjath-arba. Medieval travelers reported that the name was still known to the local inhabitants in various forms centuries later.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Kirjath-Arba," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Kirjatharba," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Kirjatharba," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Kirjath Arba," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).