MACHPELAH (14tZC ; rb StirXoriv ; duplex), the celebrated burial-place of the patriarchs at Hebron. It is interesting to note the several ways in which the word Machpelah is used in Genesis— the only book of Scripture in which it occurs. In two passages (Gen. xxiii. 9 ; xxv. 9), the his torian mentions 'the cave of the Machpelah' 16r=n ; rb arOaiov rb berAoiip), which the Sep tuagint and Vulgate translate the double cave.' In another passage (xxiii. try) he describes the field of Ephron' as in Machpelah,' from which it seems that Machpelah was the name of a dis trict. In another (ver. 19), he says Abraham buried Sarah in the cave of the field of the Mach pelah' (cf. 1. 13) ; and in another (xlix. 30), he states that Jacob when dying charged his sons : Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the H:'ttite; in the cave that is in the field of the Machpelah.' It would seem that, ori ginally, Machpelah was the name of the cave,' which was probably so called from being double' (from to double ;' but Gesenius renders it portio, pars,' in which sense the name would apply more properly to the district—Thesaurus, p. 7o4) ; and gradually the name was extended to the field' (M(, cultivated field') around the cave, and then to the district.* Abraham bought the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about,' being unwilling to bury his dead in the tomb of heathen strangers ; and being anxious to secure, not only the tomb itself, but the land round it, as his own property, in order to prevent dispute afterwards, and to preserve his family sepulchre free from all pollution or intrusion. In a moun tainous country like Palestine, the caves which abound in the limestone strata form the most natural and secure places of sepulture. Mamre was one of Abraham's favourite camping-grounds. This particular cave had doubtless often attracted his attention. The situation of the field is de scribed as 'Wore Mamre' (Winn irpbo-torop Mauppf); respieiens Mambre) ; that is, in the face of Mamre'—in front of the town, and visible from it. • It is a remarkable fact, that none of the sacred writers refer to this celebrated tomb after the burial of Jacob, though it was unquestionably held in reverence by the Jews in all ages. Josephus, in his short notice of the burial of Sarah, says that both Abraham and his descendants built them selves sepulchres at' Hebron (A7169., 1. 14) ; and in another passage he states that the monuments of the patriarchs are to this very time shown in Hebron, the structure of which is of beautiful marble, wrought after the most elegant manner' (Bell. bird., iv. 9. 7). Jerome mentions the mau soleum of Abraham at Hebron as standing in his clay (Onomast., s. v. Arboch); and in the 7eru salem Itinerary, a work of the 4th century, it is described as a quadrangular structure built of stones of wonderful beauty (Itin. Hieros., ed. \Vessel. p. 599). It is also mentioned by Anto ninus Martyr, in the beginning of the 7th century (Itin., 30) • by Arculf towards its close (Early Travels in Pal., Bohn, p. 7) by Willibald in the 8th (Id., p. 20) ; by gaewuli in the 12th p. 45); and by numerous others (see Ritter, Pal. und Syr., iii. 237, seq.) From these notices, it ap pears to be certain that the venerable building which still stands is the same which Josephus describes.
Hebron lies in a narrow valley which runs from north to south between low ridges of rocky hills. The modern town is built partly in the bottom of the vale and partly along the lower slope of the eastern ridge. On the hill-side, above the latter section of the town, rise the massive walls of the Haram, forming the one distinguishing feature of Hebron, conspicuous from all points. The build ing is rectangular, about 200 feet long by 115 wide, and 5o high. The walls are constructed of massive stones varying from 12 to 20 feet in length, and from 4 to 5 in depth. Dr. Wilson mentions one stone 3S feet long and 3 feet 4 inches in depth; but the writer did not see it (Lands of the Bible, i. 366). The edges of the stones are grooved to the depth of about two inches, so that the whole wall has the appearance of being formed of raised panels, like the temple-wall at Jerusalem. The exterior is further ornamented with pilasters, sup porting without capitals a plain moulded cornice. The building is thus unique ; there is nothing like it in Syria. The style of its architecture, inde pendent even of the historical notices above given, proves it to be of Jewish origin; and it cannot be much, if at all, later than the days of Solomon. The interior of this massive and most interesting building was described about fifty years ago by a Spaniard, who conformed to Islamism and assumed the name of All Bey (Travels, i. 232). A new in terest has been attached to the place by the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1862, who appears to have been the first Christian, since the time of the Crusades, permitted openly to enter its sacred precincts. An account of the visit, and a descrip tion of the interior, has been written by the graphic pen of Dean Stanley, who accompanied His Royal Highness (Sermons in the East, pp. 141, seq. ; cf. Lectures on the 7ewish church, The entrance is gained by a long flight of steps outside the wall. Within is an elevated platform, partly artificial and partly composed of a crown of natural rock. At the south end is a mosque, originally a Byzantine church, having in front a double portico supported on square pillars. I now proceed to describe the Tombs of the Patriarchs, premising always that these tombs . . do not profess to be the actual places of sepulture, but are merely monu ments or cenotaphs in honour of the dead who lie beneath. Each is enclosed within a separate chapel or shrine, closed with gates or railings similar to those which surround or enclose the private chapels or royal tombs in Westminster Abbey. The two first of these shrines are contained in the inner portico. In the recess on the right is the shrine of Abraham, in the recess on the left that of Sarah, each guarded by silver gates. The chamber (of Abraham) is cased in marble. The so-called tomb consists of a coffin-like structure about six feet high, built up of plastered stone or marble, and hung with three carpets, green embroidered with gold. Within the area of the mosque were shown the tombs of Isaac and Rebekah. They are placed under separate chapels. . . . The shrines of Jacob and Leah were shown in recesses corre sponding to those of Abraham and Sarah, but in a separate cloister, opposite the entrance of the mosque' (Sermons in the East, 154-55).