of Moses and Aaron (Ex. vi. 18; Num. iii. 19; 1 patriarchs. Sarah died at Hebron; and Abraham Chr. vi. 2, 18, xxiii. 12). The immediate children then bought from Ephron the Hittite the field and of Hebron are not mentioned by name (comp. Ex. cave of Machpelah, to serve as a family tomb (Gen. vi. 21, 22), but he was the founder of a "family" xxiii. 2-20). The cave is still there; and the mas(Mishpachah) of Hebronites (Num. iii. 27, xxvi. sive walls of the Haram or mosque, within which it 58; 1 Chr. xxvi. 23, 30, 31) or Bene-Hebron (1 lies, form the most remarkable object in the whole Chr. xv. 9, xxiii. 19), who are often mentioned in city. [MACHPELAH. b [MACHPELAH.] Abraham is called by the enumerations of the Levites in the passages Mohammedans el-Khulil, "the Friend," i e. of above cited. JERIAH was the head of the family God, and this is the modern name of Hebron. in the time of David (1 Chr. xxiii. 19, xxvi. 31, When the Israelites entered Palestine Hebron was xxiv. 23: in the last of these passages the name of taken by Joshua from the descendants of Anak, Hebron does not now exist in the Hebrew, but has and given to Caleb (Josh. x. 36, xiv. 6-15, xv. 13, been supplied in the A. V. from the other lists). 14). It was assigned to the Levites, and made "a In the last year of David's reign we find them city of refuge " (Josh. xxi. 11-13). Here David settled at Jazer in Gilead (a place not elsewhere | first established the seat of his government, and named as a Levitical city), "mighty men of valor" dwelt during the seven years and a half he reigned after the Captivity; but it soon fell into the hands over Judah (2 Sam. v. 5). Hebron was rebuilt of the Edomites, from whom it was rescued by Judas Maccabæus (Neh. xi. 25; 1 Macc. v. 65; Joseph. Ant. xii. 8, § 6). A short time before the capture of Jerusalem Hebron was burned by an About the beginning of the 12th century it was officer of Vespasian (Joseph. B. J. iv. 9, § 9). captured by the Crusaders. It subsequently lay for a time in ruins (Albert Aq. vii. 15; Sæwulf in Early Travels in Pal., p. 45); but in A. D. 1167 it was made the seat of a Latin bishopric (Will. Tyr. xx. 3). In 1187 it reverted to the Muslems, and has ever since remained in their hands. 22), 2,700 in number, who were superintendents for the king over the two and a half tribes in regard to all matters sacred and secular (1 Chr. xxvi. 31, 32). At the same time 1700 of the family under Hashabiah held the same office on the west a of Jordan (ver. 30). 2. This name appears in the genealogical lists of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. ii. 42, 43), where Mareshah is said to have been the "father of Hebron," who again had four sons, one of whom was Tappuach. The three names just mentioned are those of places, as are also many others in the subsequent branches of this genealogy - Ziph, Maon, Beth-zur, etc. But it is impossible at present to say whether these names are intended to be those of the places themselves or of persons who founded them. G. HEBRON ( [see supra]: Xeẞpóμ Xeßpúμ and Xeßpúv: [Hebron; 1 Macc. v. 65, Chebron] الخليل .Arab. the friend), a city of Judah (Josh. xv. 54); situated among the mountains (Josh. xx. 7), 20 Roman miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beer-sheba (Onom. s. v. 'Apкú). Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the world still existing; and in this respect it is the rival of Damascus. It was built, says a sacred writer, seven years before Zoan in Egypt" (Num. xiii. 22). But when was Zoan built? It is well we can prove the high antiquity of Hebron independently of Egypt's mystic annals. It was a well-known town when Abraham entered Canaan 3780 years ago (Gen. xiii. 18). Its original name was Kirjath-Arba (?: LXX., Kipial-aρBокσeдép, Judg. i. 10), "the city of Arba; so called from Arba, the father of Anak, and progenitor of the giant Anakim (Josh. xxi. 11, xv. 13, 14). It was sometimes called Mamre, doubtless from Abraham's friend and ally, Mamre the Amorite (Gen. xxiii. 19, xxxv. 27); but the "oak of Mamre," where the Patriarch so often pitched his tent, appears to have been not in, but near Hebron. [MAMRE.] The chief interest of this city arises from its having been the scene of some of the most remarkable events in the lives of the of whom some 50 families are Jews. of Eshcol," whence the Jewish spies got the great J. L. P. 2. (12, and 17: 'ExBúv, Alex. AXpav: Achran, later editions Abran). One of the towns in the territory of Asher (Josh. xix. 28), on the boundary of the tribe. It is named next to Zidon. By Eusebius and Jerome it is merely menRehob, and is apparently in the neighborhood of tioned (Onomast. Achran), and no one in modern times has discovered its site. It will be observed that the name in the original is quite different from that of Hebron, the well-known city of Judah (No. | (Davidson, Hebr. Text; Ges. Thes. p. 980), and 1), although in the A. V. they are the same, our translators having represented the ain by H, instead of by G, or by the vowel only, as is their usual custom. But, in addition, it is not certain whether the name should not rather be Ebdon or Abdon (717), since that form is found in many MSS. since an Abdon is named amongst the Levitical * Kirjath Arba does not appear to have been the The City of Hebron (1). The prickly pear, a species of cactus, so frequently original name of Hebron; but simply the name | yard (cf. Ecclus. xxviii. 24), and was composed of immediately prior to the Israelitish occupancy. For the thorny shrubs with which Palestine abounds. we are told that it was so called from Arba, the father of Anak (Josh. xv. 13, 14); and the children of Anak were the occupants when Caleb took it, as we learn from the saine passage. But in Abraham's time there was a different occupant, Mamre the ally of Abraham (Gen. xiv. 13, 24); and the place was then called by his name (Gen. xxiii. 19, xxxv. 27). This appellation, then, preceded that of Kirjath Arba. But as the place was a very ancient one (Num. xiii. 22), and as Mamre was Abraham's contemporary, it had some name older than either of these two. What was that previous name? The first mention of the place (Gen. xiii. 18) would obviously indicate Hebron as the previous and original name — subsequently displaced (in part at least) by Mamre, afterwards by Arba, but restored to its ancient and time-honored rights when Arba's descendants, the Anakim, were driven out by the descendants of Abraham. S. C. B. W. A. W. ה HEIFER HE'GAI [2 syl.] ([Persian name, Ges.]: Fat: Egeus), one of the eunuchs (A. V. "chamberlains" of the court of Ahasuerus, who had special charge of the women of the harem (Esth. ii. 8, 15). According to the Hebrew text he was a distinct person from the "keeper of the concubines " Shaashgaz (14), but the LXX. have the same HEBRONITES, THE (: Xe- name in 14 as in 8, while in 15 they omit it altoBpúv, ¿ Xeßpwví [Vat. -vei]: Hebroni, Hebronitee).gether. In verse 3 the name is given under the A family of Kohathite Levites, descendants of He- different form ofbron the son of Kohath (Num. iii. 27, xxvi. 58; HEGE (N: Egeus), probably a Persian 1 Chr. xxvi. 23). In the reign of David the chief of the family west of the Jordan was Hashabiah; name. Aja signifies eunuch in Sanskrit, in accordwhile on the east in the land of Gilead were Jerijah ance with which the LXX. have Teuvoúxw. and his brethren, “men of valor," over the Reuben- Hegias, 'Hyías, is mentioned by Ctesias as one of ites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh the people about Xerxes, Gesenius, Thes. Addenda, (1 Chr. xxvi. 30, 31, 32). p. 83 b. HEIFER (2,77: dáμarıs: vacca). δάμαλις: The Hebrew language has no expression that ex: ppayμós). The first three words thus actly corresponds to our heifer; for both eglah and rendered in the A. V., as well as their Greek equiv- parah are applied to cows that have calved (1 Sam. alent, denote simply that which surrounds or in-vi. 7-12; Job xxi. 10; Is. vii. 21): indeed eglah closes, whether it be a stone wall (, geder, Prov. xxiv. 31; Ez. xlii. 10), or a fence of other Prov. xxiv. 31; Ez. xlii. 10), or a fence of other materials., gâdêr, and 7, g'dêrâh, are used of the hedge of a vineyard (Num. xxii. 24; Ps. lxxxix. 40; 1 Chr. iv. 23), and the latter is employed to describe the wide walls of stone, or fences of thorn, which served as a shelter for sheep in winter and summer (Num. xxxii. 16). The stone walls which surround the sheepfolds of modern Palestine are frequently crowned with sharp thorns (Thomson, Land and Book, i. 299), a custom at least as ancient as the time of Homer (Od. xiv. 10), when a kind of prickly pear (άxépdos) was used for that purpose, as well as for the fences of cornfields at a later period (Arist. Eccl. 355). In order to protect the vineyards from the ravages of wild beasts (Ps. lxxx. 12) it was customary to surround them with a wall of loose stones or mud (Matt. xxi. 33; Mark xii. 1), which was a favorite haunt of serpents (Eccl. x. 8), and a retreat for locusts from the cold (Nah. iii. 17). Such walls are described by Maundrell as surrounding the gardens of Damascus. They are built of great pieces of earth, made in the fashion of brick and hardened in the sun. In their dimensions they are each two yards long and somewhat more than one broad, and half a Two rows of these, placed one upon yard thick. another, make a cheap, expeditious, and, in this dry country, a durable wall" (Early Trav. in Pal. p. 487). A wall or fence of this kind is clearly distinguished in Is. v. 5 from the tangled hedge, แ П‡vo, m'sûcâh (ПD, Mic. vii. 4), which nşairi, was planted as an additional safeguard to the vine The sense of means a young animal of any species, the full ex- μόσχος ἐκ HEIR. The Hebrew institutions relative to inheritance were of a very simple character. Under the patriarchal system the property was divided among the sons of the legitimate wives (Gen. xxi. | often forcible possession (Deut. ii. 12; Judg. i. 29, 10, xxiv. 36, xxv. 5), a larger portion being assigned xi. 24), and a similar idea lies at the root of the to one, generally the eldest, on whom devolved the words and 2, generally translated duty of maintaining the females of the family. [BIRTHRIGHT.] "inheritance." Testamentary dispositions were of The sons of concubines were portioned off with presents (Gen. xxv. 6): occacourse superfluous: the nearest approach to the sionally they were placed on a par with the legiti- idea is the blessing, which in early times conveyed mate sons (Gen. xlix. 1 ff.), but this may have been temporal as well as spiritual benefits (Gen. xxvii. restricted to cases where the children had been 19, 37; Josh. xv. 19). The references to wills in adopted by the legitimate wife (Gen. xxx. 3). At St. Paul's writings are borrowed from the usages a later period the exclusion of the sons of concuof Greece and Rome (Heb. ix. 17), whence the bines was rigidly enforced (Judg. xi. 1 ff.). Daugh- custom was introduced into Judæa: a several wills ters had no share in the patrimony (Gen. xxxi. 14), are noticed by Josephus in connection with the but received a marriage portion, consisting of a Herods (Ant. xiii. 16, § 1, xvii. 3, § 2; B. J. ii. 2, maid-servant (Gen. xxix. 24, 29), or some other § 3). property. As a matter of special favor they someWith regard to personal property, it may be pretimes took part with the sons (Job xlii. 15). The sumed that the owner had some authority over it, Mosaic law regulated the succession to real prop-of a slave to a portion of the inheritance with the at all events during his lifetime. The admission erty thus: it was to be divided among the sons, the eldest receiving a double portion (Deut. xxi. 17), the others equal shares: if there were no sons, it went to the daughters (Num. xxvii. 8), on the condition that they did not marry out of their own tribe (Num. xxxvi. 6 ff.; Tob. vi. 12, vii. 13), otherwise the patrimony was forfeited (Joseph. Ant. iv. 7, § 5). If there were no daughters, it went to the brother of the deceased; if no brother, to the paternal uncle; and, failing these, to the next of kin (Num. xxvii. 9-11). In the case of a widow being left without children, the nearest of kin on her husband's side had the right of marrying her, and in the event of his refusal the next of kin (Ruth iii. 12, 13): with him rested the obligation of redeeming the property of the widow (Ruth iv. 1 ff.), if it had been either sold or mortgaged: this obligation was termed (the right of inheritance"), and was exercised in other cases besides that of marriage (Jer. xxxii. 7 ff.). If none stepped forward to marry the widow, the inheritance remained with her until her death, and then reverted to the next of kin. The object of these regulations evidently was to prevent the alienation of the land, and to retain it in the same family: the Mosaic law enforced, in short, a strict entail. Even the assignment of the double portion, which under the patriarchal regime had been at the disposal of the father (Gen. xlviii. 22), was by the Mosaic law limited to the eldest son (Deut. xxi. 15-17). The case of Achsah, to whom Caleb presented a field (Josh. xv. 18, 19; Judg. i. 15), is an exception: but perhaps even in that instance the land reverted to Caleb's descendants either at the death of Achsah or in the year of Jubilee. The land being thus so strictly tied up, the notion of heirship, as we understand it, was hardly known to the Jews: succession was a matter of right, and not of favor a state of things which is embodied in the Hebrew language itself, for the word (A. V. "to inherit ") implies possession, and very a *It has been suggested that in Gal. iv. 2 Paul may have referred to a peculiar testamentary law among the Galatians (see Gaius, Institutiones, i. § 55) conferring on the father a right to determine the time of the son's majority, instead of its being fixed by statute. In that case we should have an instance of the facility with which Paul could avail himself of his knowledge of minute local regulations in the lands which he visited. (See Baumg.-Crusius, Comm. über den Brief an die Galater, p. 91.) But that passage in Gaius, when more closely examined, proves not to be sons (Prov. xvii. 2) probably applies only to the personalty. A presentation of half the personalty formed the marriage portion of Tobit's wife (Tob. viii. 21). A distribution of goods during the father's life-time is implied in Luke xv. 11-13: a distinction may be noted between ovoía, a general terni applicable to personalty, and Kλnpovoμíu, the landed property, which could only be divided after the father's death (Luke xii. 13). There is a striking resemblance between the Hebrew and Athenian customs of heirship, particularly as regards heiresses (èπíкλnρoi), who were, in both nations, bound to marry their nearest relation: the property did not vest in the husband even for his lifetime, but devolved upon the son of the heiress as soon as he was of age, who also bore the name, not of his father, but of his maternal grandfather. The object in both countries was the same, namely, to preserve the name and property of every family (Dict. of Ant. art. 'Eπíkλnpos). W. L. B. HELAH ( [rust]: 'Awòá; Alex. Aaa: Halaa), one of the two wives of Ashur, father of Tekoa (1 Chr. iv. 5). Her three children are enumerated in ver. 7. In the LXX. the passage is very much confused, the sons being ascribed to different wives from what they are in the Hebrew text. HELAM [perh. power of the people, Ges.]: Aixáu: Helam), a place east of the Jordan, but west of the Euphrates ("the river "), at which the Syrians were collected by Hadarezer, and at which David met and defeated them (2 Sam. x. 16, 17). In the latter verse the name appears as Chelamah (7), but the final syllable is probably only the particle of motion. This longer form, Xaλaμák, the present text of the LXX. inserts in ver. 16 as if the name of the river [but places it has Aixáu, corresponding to the Hebrew Alex. and Comp. omit it]; while in the two other text. By Josephus (Ant. vii. 6, § 3) the name is but decisive as to the existence of such a right among the b This is probably a late addition, since in the LXX. text as it stood in Origen's Hexapla, Xaλaμák was Χαλαμάκ omitted after отaμоû (se Bahrdt, ad loc.). given as Xaλauá, and as being that of the king of | Mr. Porter, who writes the article above, was forthe Syrians beyond Euphrates -рòs Xaλaμàν merly connected with the mission at Damascus. πρὸς Χαλαμὰν τὸν τῶν πέραν Εὐφράτου Σύρων βασιλέα. Dr. Robinson accepts the proposed identification is their חֵילָם In the Vulgate no name is inserted after fluvium; as unquestionably correct. The name alone is but in ver. 16, for "came to Helam," we find ad- not decisive, for Haleb (Aleppo) may answer to Helbon; but Aleppo "produces no wine of any duxit exercitum eorum, reading "their reputation; nor is Damascus the natural chanarmy." This too is the rendering of the old trans-nel of commerce between Aleppo and Tyre" (Later lator Aquila v dvváμeι avтŵv-of whose ver- Res. iii. 472). Fairbairn (Ezekiel and the Book δυνάμει sion ver. 16 has survived. In 17 the Vulgate of his Prophecy, p. 301, 2d ed.) follows the old opinion. Rüetschi (Herzog's Real.-Encyk. v. 698) makes Ezekiel's Helbon and this one near Damascus the same, but thinks Ptolemy's Chalybon (see above) too far north to be identical with them. agrees with the A. V. Many conjectures have been made as to the locality of Helam; but to none of them does any certainty attach. The most feasible perhaps is that it is identical with Alamatha, a town named by Ptolemy, and located by him on the west of the Euphrates near Nicephorium. G. HEL'BAH (7?? [fat]: Xeßdá; [Alex. Σxediav (acc.); Comp. Exßá:] Helba), a town of Asher, probably on the plain of Phoenicia, not far from Sidon (Judg. i. 31). J. L. P. חֶלְבּוֹן) HELBON HEL BON [fat, i. e. fruitful]: Χελβών; Χεβρων]), Xeλßúv; [Alex. Xeßpwv]), a place only mentioned once in Scripture. Ezekiel, in describing the wealth and commerce of Tyre, says, "Damascus was thy merchant in the wine of Helbon [xxvii. 18]." The Vulgate translates these words in vino pingui; and some other ancient versions also make the word descriptive of the quality of the wine. There can be no doubt, however, that Helbon is a proper name. Strabo speaks of the wine of Chalybon (oivov ẻk Συρίας τὸν Χαλυβώνιον) from Syria as among the luxuries in which the kings of Persia indulged (xv. p. 735); and Athenæus assigns it to Damascus (i. 22). Geographers have hitherto represented Helbon as identical with the city of Aleppo, called Haleb () by the Arabs; but there are strong reasons against this. The whole force and beauty of the description in Ezekiel consists in this, that in the great market of Tyre every kingdom and city found ample demand for its own staple products. Why, therefore, should the Damascenes supply wine of Aleppo, conveying it a long and difficult journey overland? If strange merchants had engaged in this trade, we should naturally expect them to be some maritime people who could carry it cheaply along the coast from the port of Aleppo. A few years ago the writer directed attention to a village and district within a few miles of Damascus, still bearing the ancient name Helbon (the Arabic حَلْبُون corresponds exactly to the He H. €1-.] Hel HELCHI'AΗ (Χελκίας; [Vat. -κειcias), 1 Esdr. viii. 1. [HILKIAH.] HELCHI'AS (Helcias) the same person as the preceding, 2 Esdr. i. 1. [HILKIAH.] HEL'DAI [2 syl.] ([worllly, transient]: Xoxdía; [Vat. Xoλdeia:] Alex. Xoλdaï: Χολδεια;] Holdai). 1. The twelfth captain of the monthly courses for the temple service (1 Chr. xxvii. 15). descendant of Othniel. He is specified as the Netophathite," and as a .. 2. An Israelite who seems to have returned from the Captivity; for whom. with others, Zechariah was commanded to make certain crowns as memorials (Zech. vi. 10). In ver. 14 the name appears to be changed to HELEM. The LXX. translate παρὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων. HE’LEB ( [milk]: Vat. omits; Alex. Aλap; [Comp. 'Exáß:] Heled), son of Baanah, the Netophathite, one of the heroes of king David's guard (2 Sam. xxiii. 29). In the parallel list the name is given as — HE'LED (: Xeaód; [FA. Xoaod;] Alex. Exad: Heled), 1 Chr. xi. 30 [where he is mentioned as one of the valiant men" of David's army]. HELEK ([part, portion]: Xexéy, Alex. XeλEK; [in Josh., Keλé, Alex. Þeλek:] Χελεκ; Κελές, Φελεκ:] Helec), one of the descendants of Manasseh, the second son of Gilead (Num. xxvi. 30), and founder The Beneof the family of the HELEKITES. Chelek [sons of C.] are mentioned in Josh. xvii. 2 as of much importance in their tribe. The name has not however survived, at least it has not yet been met with. HE’LEKITES, THE (??, i. e. the Chelkite: ὁ Χελεγί [Vat. -γει], Alex. Χελεκι: familia Helecitarum), the family descended from the foregoing (Num. xxvi. 30). brew), and still celebrated as producing HE’LEM (➡ [hammer or blow]: [Rom. the finest grapes in the country. (See Journal of Sac. Lit. July 1853, p. 260; Five Years in Da-Bavneλáu; Vat. Baλaau; Alex.] Exaμ: Helem). mascus, ii. 330 ff.). There cannot be a doubt that A man named among the descendants of Asher, in this village, and not Aleppo, is the Helbon of Eze-a passage evidently much disordered (1 Chr. vii. kiel and Strabo. The village is situated in a wild 35). If it be intended that he was the brother of glen, high up in Antilebanon. The remains of some large and beautiful structures are strewn around it. The bottom and sides of the glen are covered with terraced vineyards; and the whole surrounding country is rich in vines and fig-trees (Handb. for Syr. and Pal., pp. 495-6). J. L. P. Shamer, then he may be identical with Hotham, in ver. 32, the name having been altered in copying; but this is mere conjecture. Burrington (i. 265) quotes two Hebrew MSS., in which the name is written, Cheles. 2. [LΧΧ. τοῖς ὑπομένουσι.] A man mentioned only in Zech. vi. 14. Apparently the same * The discovery of this Helbon is one of the re- who is given as HELDAI in ver. 10 (Ewald, Prophsults of missionary labor in that part of the East. | eten. ii. 536, note). |