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See a tour of 4,000 years of amazing history marking the burial place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah. The Caves of Machpelah mark the beginning place and roots of the nation of Israel. God's promises and covenants with Abraham and his descendants happened in Hebron or nearby.
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Location
1. The city of Hebron is set in the Judean Mountains, about 20 miles (32 km.) south of Jerusalem.
2. Hebron stands 3,000 feet (914 m.) above sea level, making it the highest city in Israel.
3. While there have been tensions in the past between Israelis and Arabs, the Cave of the Patriarchs and Tel Hebron (Tel Rumeida) is protected by Israeli forces, and around 250,000 tourists visit Hebron annually.
Places of Interest
1. Cave of the Patriarchs (Machpelah)
Jewish Synagogue
Mosque
Tombs of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs
2. Tel Hebron (Tel Rumeida)
Abraham’s Well
Ancient Stairs
Tomb of Jesse and Ruth (King David’s father and great-grandmother)
Old Olive Trees
Ancient Canaanite City Walls
The Canaanite wall overlaid by a glacis from the Israelite period
Walls and stone road from the time of Abraham
Likely place of King David's Palace
Four-room structure from the time of King Hezekiah
Ancient Synagogue
Stepped street from the Early Roman period
Pottery workshop from the Early Roman period
Eastern ritual bath from the Early Roman period
Western ritual bath from the Early Roman period
New Excavations
Hebron Observatory
3. Oaks of Mamre (located within Hebron 1 mile or 1.5 km. north of the Cave of Machpelah)
Historical Background
1. The Caves of Machpelah marks the beginning place and roots of the nation of Israel. God's promises and covenants with Abraham and his descendants happened in Hebron or nearby. These promises would also have wide-reaching implications and include all the nations of the earth.
2. The property of the Caves of Machepelah is the first legal land acquisition in the Promised Land. This fulfilled part of the Abrahamic covenant God gave Abraham in Genesis chapters 12 and 13.
3. It began to be venerated during the time the Patriarchs were buried here. Then, King David preserved it so it could be remembered and venerated as well. This can be verified by the fact that he built protection walls around Abraham's Altar at the Oaks of Mamre that can still be seen today.
4. So, all throughout the Old Testament period, it would be venerated. This can be verified as there have been found in the caves, pottery, and artifacts dating back to King David's time and 700 BC.
5. Then Herod the Great, between 31 and 4 BC, built massive walls around the caves, including a floor about halfway up the walls covering the caves. It had access from this floor down to the caves. Later, during the Muslim Period, the access would be closed off. Herod built the walls around the caves using the same building stone style as the Temple Mount Platform and the structure he built just a short distance to the north of here at the Oaks of Mamre, where Abraham built an altar.
6. After the time of Herod, during the Byzantine Period, in around 325 AD, Christians built a Basilica Church on top of the floor inside the walls of the structure Herod built.
7. During the Muslim Period, in around 650 AD, the basilica church and site were converted into a Mosque. During the 10th century, an entrance was pierced through the north-eastern wall, some way above the external ground level, and steps from the north and from the east were built up to it.
8. In 1100 AD, after the area was captured by the Crusaders, the enclosure once again became a church. During this period, the Byzantine church and other buildings were remodeled and given new gabled and vaulted roofs with elegant windows. Most of the internal buildings that can be seen today are from the Crusader period.
9. In 1188 AD, the Muslims once again conquered the area. At this time, they reconverted and remodeled the enclosure into a mosque, allowing Christians to continue worshipping there.
10. In around 1320, during the Muslim Mamluk period, cenotaphs were made to each of the Patriarchs and their wives. There are two caves side by side where all the Patriarchs and their wives are buried. However, the tomb marker of Abraham is directly over the caves.
11. From 1267 to 1967, Jews were not allowed any access inside the structure. They were only allowed to approach as far as the seventh step of the southern steps of the stairway.
12. In 1967, the southern stair access was removed by Israelis. However, you can still see evidence of it today.
