In the fou,teenth century pilgrims passed from Sinai to Jerusalem direct through the desert by Beersheba and Hebron, and it continued to be occasionally visited by European travelers down to the latter part of the seventeenth century; but from that time till the present century it appears to have been little frequented by them.
(5) Present Condition. 0) The town of Hebron lies low down on the sloping sides of a narrow valley (of Mamre), chiefly on the eastern side, but in the southern part stretches across also to the western side. The houses are all of stone, high and well built, with windows and flat roofs, and on these roofs are small domes, sometimes two or three to each house.
(2) The shops are well furnished. better indeed than those of towns of the same class in Egypt, and the commodities are of a very similar descrip tion. The only display of local manufactures is the produce of the glass-works, for which the place has long been celebrated in these parts. The articles manufactured consist almost exclusively of glass lamps, many of which are exported to Egypt, and rings of colored glass worn by females on the arms. Gates are placed not only at the entrance of the city. but in different parts of the interior, and are closed at night for the better preservation of order, as well as to prevent com munication between the different quarters.
(3) There are nine mosques in Hebron, none of which possess any architectural or other interest. with the exception of the massive structure which is built over the tombs of the patriarchs. This is esteemed by the Moslems one of their holiest places, and Christians are rigorously excluded from it. At an earlier period. however, when the Holy Land was in the power of the Christians. ac cess was not denied; and Benjamin of Tudela says that the sarcophagi above ground were shown to the generality of pilgrims as what they desired to see; but if a rich Jew offered an additional fee, 'an iron door is opened. which dates from the time of our forefathers who rest in peace. and with a burning taper in his hands the visitor descends into a first cave, which is empty, traverses a second in the same state, and at last reaches a third, which contains six sepulchers, those of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah, one opposite the other. All these sepulchers bear insuiptions, the letters being engraved; thus upon that of Abraham: "This is the sepulcher of our father Abraham, upon whom be peace;" even so upon that of Isaac and all the other se pulchers' (Itinerary, i :77 ; ed. Asher, Berlin,184o). The identity of this place with the cave of Mach pelah is one of the few local traditions in Pales tine which even Dr. Robinson suffers to pass without dispute, and may therefore be taken for granted.
The court in which the mosque stands is sur rounded by an extensive and lofty wall, formed of large stones, and strengthened by square but tresses. 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 (Antiq. i:14; De Bell. Ind. iv:9, 7),
and by Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s. v. Ar boch ) as the sepulcher 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 depos ited in the same sepulcher (2 Sam. iv :12) ; but there is slight evidence in favor of the tradition which professes to point out this locality to the modern traveler.
Besides this venerable wall, there is notbing at Hebron. bearing the stamp of antiquity, save two reservoirs for rain water outside the town. As these pools are doubtless of high antiquity, one of them is in all likelihood the 'pool of Hebron' over which David nung the assassins of Ishbosheth (2 Sant INT :12).
(4) The present population of Hebron is about 5000. Most of the inhabitants are Moslems, of fierce and intolerant character. There are no resi dent-Christians. The Jews amount to about one hundred families, mostly natives of different coun tries of Europe, who have emigrated to this place for the purpose of having their bones laid near the sepulchers of their illustrious ancestors. They have two synagogues and several schools.
(5) The environs of Hebron are very fertile. Vineyards and• plantations of fruit trees. chiefly olive trees, cover the valleys and arable grounds; while the tops and sides of the hills, although stony, are covered with rich pastures, which sup port a great number of cattle, sheep, and goats, constituting an important branch of the industry and wealth of Hebron. The hill country of Judah, of which it is the capital, is indeed highly produc tive, and under a paternal government would be capable of sustaining a large population. That it did so once, is manifest from the great number and extent of ruined terraces and dilapidated towns. It is at present abandoned, and cultivation ceases at the distance of two miles north of the town. The hills then become covered with prickly and other stunted trees. which furnish Bethlehem and other villages with wood. (See Dr. Robinson, Dr. Olin, Rev. V. Monro, and Schubert ; Sayce Patriarchal Palestine; Thomson, The Land and the Book, vol. : pp. 4o8 sq.)• 2. A town in the territory of Asher (Josh. xix: 28) on the boundary of the tribe, named next to Hebron, as above. In the original the names are quite different. Kirjath Arba seems to have been the name of this place prior to the Israelitish oc cupancy (Josh. xv :13, 14). In the time of Abra ham it was honored with another name (Gen. xxiii :19; xxxv :27) ; but its earliest as well as later name was undoubtedly Hebron.
3. The third son of Kohath, and a grandson of Levi: a younger brother of Amram, father of Moses and Aaron (Exod. vi :18; Num. in :to; .! Chron. vi :2, 18; xxiii:12), B. C. before 129o. His descendants are called Hebronites (Num. iii:27, etc.). (See HEBRONITES.) 4. The son of Mareshall, and apparently, grand son of Caleb, of the posterity of Judah (1 Chron. it:42. 43), B. C. after 117o.