Editing Hebron (section)

===Bronze and Iron Age===
Archaeological excavations reveal traces of strong fortifications dated to the Early [[Bronze Age]], covering some 24–30 [[dunam]]s centered around [[Tel Rumeida]]. The city flourished in the 17th–18th centuries BCE before being destroyed by fire, and was resettled in the late Middle Bronze Age.<ref>{{harvnb|Negev|Gibson|2001|pp=225–5<!--?range of pages-->}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Na'aman|2005|p=180}}</ref> This older Hebron was originally a [[Canaan]]ite royal city.<ref>{{harvnb|Towner|2001|pp=144–45}}: "[T]he city was a Canaanite royal center long before it became Israelite".</ref> [[Abraham|Abrahamic legend]] associates the city with the [[Biblical Hittites|Hittites]].{{Clarify|reason=The Hittite identity of Efron doesn't mean that the whole city is associated with the Hittites.|date=July 2023}} It has been conjectured that Hebron might have been the capital of [[Šuwardata|Shuwardata]] of [[Gath (city)|Gath]], an [[Proto-Indo-Europeans|Indo-European]] contemporary of Jerusalem's regent, [[Abdi-Heba|Abdi-Ḫeba]],<ref>{{harvnb|Albright|2000|p=110}}</ref> although the Hebron hills were almost devoid of settlements in the Late Bronze Age.<ref>{{harvnb|Na'aman|2005|pp=77–78}}</ref> The [[Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic traditions]] associated with Hebron are nomadic. This may also reflect a [[Kenite]] element, since the nomadic Kenites are said to have long occupied the city,<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1903|p=200}}.</ref> and ''Heber'' is the name for a Kenite clan.<ref>{{harvnb|Kraeling|1925|p=179}}.</ref> In the narrative of the later Hebrew conquest, Hebron was one of two centers under Canaanite control. They were ruled by the three sons of [[Anak]] (''b<sup>e</sup>nê/y<sup>e</sup>lîdê hāʿănaq'').<ref>{{harvnb|Na'aman|2005|p=361}} These non-Semitic names perhaps echo either a tradition of a group of elite professional troops (Philistines, Hittites), formed in Canaan whose ascendancy was overthrown by the West-Semitic clan of Caleb. They would have migrated from the Negev,</ref> or may reflect some Kenite and [[Kenizzite]] migration from the Negev to Hebron, since terms related to the Kenizzites appear to be close to [[Hurrian language|Hurrian]]. This suggests that behind the [[Anakim]] legend lies some early Hurrian population.<ref>{{cite book|author=Joseph Blenkinsopp|author-link=Joseph Blenkinsopp|title=Gibeon and Israel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uxg9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA114|year=1972|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-08368-3|page=18}}</ref> In Biblical lore they are represented as descendants of the [[Nephilim]].<ref>[[Joshua]] 10:3, 5, 3–39; 12:10, 13. {{harvnb|Na'aman|2005|p=177}} doubts this tradition. "The book of Joshua is not a reliable source for either a historical or a territorial discussion of the Late Bronze Age, and its evidence must be disregarded".</ref> The [[Book of Genesis]] mentions that it was formerly called [[Kiryat Arba|Kirjath-arba]], or "city of four", possibly referring to the four pairs or couples who were buried there, or four tribes, or four quarters,<ref>{{harvnb|Mulder|2004|p=165}}</ref> four hills,<ref>{{harvnb|Alter|1996|p=108}}.</ref> or a confederated settlement of four families.<ref>{{harvnb|Hamilton|1995|p=126}}.</ref>

The story of Abraham's purchase of the [[Cave of the Patriarchs]] from the [[Biblical Hittites|Hittites]] constitutes a seminal element in what was to become the Jewish attachment to the land<ref>{{harvnb|Finkelstein|Silberman|2001|p=45}}.</ref> in that it signified the first "real estate" of Israel long before the conquest under Joshua.<ref>{{harvnb|Lied|2008|pp=154–62, 162}}</ref> In settling here, Abraham is described as making his first [[wiktionary:covenant|covenant]], an alliance with two local [[Amorite]] clans who became his ''ba'alei brit'' or ''masters of the covenant''.<ref>{{harvnb|Elazar|1998|p=128}}: ([[Book of Genesis|Genesis]].ch. 23)</ref>[[File:Hebron136.JPG|thumb|Excavations at [[Tel Rumeida]]|left]]
[[File:Samson Fenster aus Alpirsbach.jpg|thumb|[[Samson]] removes gates of Gaza (left) and brings them to Mount Hebron (right). Strassburg (1160–1170), [[Landesmuseum Württemberg|Württemberg State Museum]] in Stuttgart|left|220x220px]]The Hebron of the Israelites was centered on what is now known as Tel Rumeida, while its ritual center was located at [[Mamre|Elonei Mamre]].<ref>{{harvnb|Magen|2007|p=185}}.</ref> Hebrew Bible narrative also describes the city.

It is said to have been wrested from the Canaanites by either [[Joshua]], who is said to have wiped out all of its previous inhabitants, "destroying everything that drew breath, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded",<ref>{{harvnb|Glick|1994|p=46}}, citing {{bibleverse|Joshua|10:36–42}} and the influence this has had on certain settlers in the West Bank.</ref> or the [[Tribe of Judah]] as a whole, or specifically [[Caleb]] the Judahite.<ref>{{harvnb|Gottwald|1999|p=153}}: "certain conquests claimed for Joshua are elsewhere attributed to single tribes or clans, for example, in the case of Hebron (in {{bibleverse|Joshua|10:36–37}}, Hebron's capture is attributed to Joshua; in {{bibleverse|Judges|1:10}} to Judah; in Judges 1:20 and Joshua 14:13–14; 15:13–14" to Caleb.</ref> The town itself, with some contiguous pasture land, is then said to have been granted to the [[Levites]] of the clan of [[Kohathites|Kohath]], while the fields of the city, as well as its surrounding villages were assigned to Caleb ({{bibleverse|Joshua 21:3–12; 1 Chronicles 6:54–56|multi=yes}}),<ref>{{harvnb|Bratcher|Newman|1983|p=262}}.</ref> who expels the three giants, [[Sheshai]], [[Ahiman]], and [[Talmai]], who ruled the city. Later, the biblical narrative has [[King David]] called by God to relocate to Hebron and reign from there for some seven years ({{bibleverse|2 Samuel|2:1–3}}).<ref name="FritzDavies19962">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=etRoNida3RgC|title=The Origins of the Ancient Israelite States|author=Schafer-Lichtenberger|date=September 1, 1996|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|others=Philip R. Davies|isbn=978-0-567-60296-1|editor=Volkmar Fritz|chapter=Sociological views}}</ref> It is there that the elders of Israel come to him to make a covenant before Elohim and anoint him [[Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy)|king of Israel]].<ref>{{harvnb|Gottwald|1999|p=173}}, citing {{bibleverse|2 Samuel, 5:3|multi=yes}}.</ref> It was in Hebron again that [[Absalom]] has himself declared king and then raises a revolt against his father David ({{bibleverse|2 Samuel|15:7–10}}). It became one of the principal centers of the Tribe of Judah and was classified as one of the six traditional [[Cities of Refuge]].<ref>{{harvnb|Japhet|1993|p=148}}. See {{bibleverse|Joshua 20, 1–7|multi=yes}}.</ref>

As is shown by the discovery at [[Lachish]], the second most important city in the [[Kingdom of Judah]] after Jerusalem,<ref>{{harvnb|Hasson|2016}}</ref> of seals with the inscription [[LMLK seal|''lmlk Hebron'']] (to the king Hebron),<ref name="Sharon 2007 104"/> Hebron continued to constitute an important local economic center, given its strategic position on the crossroads between the [[Dead Sea]] to the east, Jerusalem to the north, the Negev and Egypt to the south, and the [[Shfela|Shepelah]] and the [[Israeli coastal plain|coastal plain]] to the west.<ref>{{harvnb|Jericke|2003|p=17}}</ref> Lying along [[Way of the Patriarchs|trading routes]], it remained administratively and politically dependent on Jerusalem for this period.<ref>{{harvnb|Jericke|2003|pp=26ff., 31}}.</ref>