Abraham in Hebron – Parshat Lech Lecha

 

Parshat Lech Lecha, the weekly Torah portion beginning in Genesis chapter 12 is the first mention of the city of Hebron, arguably the first Jewish community in the world. Abraham and Sarah, then known as Abram and Sarai, settled in the city and developed a community of like-minded monotheists as it states in Genesis 13:18 “And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the terebinths of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.”

 

Today, Mamre cans still be visited and the ruins of where Abraham may have lived can be viewed.

 

It is also in a certain sense where the first “Israeli army” was created. When Abraham’s nephew Lot is kidnapped by the Northern Kingdoms, Abraham rushes to his rescue. As it states in Genesis 14:14 “he led forth his trained men.” Other translations read, “he armed his disciples.”

 

The Midrash explains that the confederation of the four kings against the five kings purposely took Lot because they thought they could illicit a steep random from his prominent uncle Abraham. They were sorely mistaken however, as Abraham not only freed his nephew, but the rest of the captives. Then Abraham magnanimously refused to partake of the spoils of war, making sure all the looted property was returned to its rightful owners.

 

Below is the portion of the Torah reading which discusses the Battle of Siddim, from which Abram deployed his Hebron-based forces.

 

 

And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew–now he dwelt by the terebinths of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.

 

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

 

And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh–the same is the King’s Vale.

 

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High. And he blessed him, and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.’ And he gave him a tenth of all.

 

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram: ‘Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.’ And Abram said to the king of Sodom: ‘I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say: I have made Abram rich; save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, let them take their portion.’

 

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