At Hebron, about four centuries later, the men of Judah anointed David as king. He ruled from there for seven and a half years, meanwhile becoming father to six sons, Amnon, Chileab (Daniel), Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah and Ithream. (2 Sam. 2:1-4, 11; 3:2-5; 1 Chron. 3:1-4) Earlier the inhabitants of Hebron evidently helped David when he was outlawed by King Saul. (1 Sam. 30:26, 31) Toward the close of David’s reign at Hebron, Abner, the main supporter of the rival kingship of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth (2 Sam. 2:8, 9), defected to David. Upon returning from a raid and learning that David had sent Abner away in peace, Joab directed messengers to bring Abner back and then personally killed him at Hebron, where Abner was afterward buried. (2 Sam. 3:12-27, 32) Later, Rechab and Baanah murdered Ish-bosheth and, expecting a reward, brought his head to David at Hebron, but he had them executed for their vile deed. (2 Sam. 4:5-12) Subsequently, David was anointed king over all Israel and he transferred his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem.—2 Sam. 5:1-9.

Some years later David’s son Absalom returned to Hebron and there initiated his unsuccessful usurpation of his father’s kingship. (2 Sam. 15:7-10) It was likely because of Hebron’s historical importance as onetime capital of Judah, as well as because of its being his native city, that Absalom chose this city as the starting point of his drive for the throne. Later, David’s grandson, King Rehoboam, rebuilt Hebron. (2 Chron. 11:5-10) After the desolation of Judah by the Babylonians and the return of the Jewish exiles, some of the repatriated Jews settled at Hebron (Kiriath-arba).—Neh. 11:25.

HEBRONITES

(Heʹbron·ites).

A Levite family descended from Kohath’s son Hebron. (Ex. 6:16, 18; Num. 3:27; 26:58; 1 Chron. 26:23, 24) King David assigned 1,700 capable Hebronites to serve in administrative capacities over the region W of the Jordan and 2,700 over the territory E of the Jordan.—1 Chron. 26:30-32.

HEDGE

Orchards and vineyards were commonly surrounded by hedges composed of thorny plants to safeguard them from thieves and the depredations of animals. (Isa. 5:5) The Scriptures employ the expression “put up a hedge” in a figurative sense to denote the giving of protection. (Job 1:10) On the other hand, ‘hedging in’ is used to represent the rearing up of obstacles or barriers, placing an individual, or even a nation, in a helpless and forsaken situation with no way out. (Job 3:23; Hos. 2:6; compare Job 19:8; Lamentations 3:7-9.) With reference to the moral corruption existing among the Israelites of his day, Micah wrote that “their most upright one is worse than a thorn hedge,” that is, prickly, hurtful and injurious.—Mic. 7:4; see BRIERS, BRIER HEDGE.

HEEL

This part of the human body was often referred to in a figurative way in the Bible. To hold or injure one’s heel would retard or hinder him. Jacob grabbed the heel of his twin brother Esau as they came out of their mother’s womb. (Gen. 25:26) For this he was named Jacob, meaning “taking hold of the heel; supplanter,” which had prophetic meaning. (Gen. 27:36; Hos. 12:2, 3) The family head Jacob, in blessing his fifth son Dan, foretold, favorably for Dan, that he would be like a serpent that lies in wait by the roadside and bites the heels of the horse, throwing off its rider. (Gen. 49:17; see VIPER, HORNED.) The tribe of Dan was at the “heel” of things as the rear guard of Israel during their wilderness journey, inflicting damage on Israel’s enemies.—Num. 10:25.

Unfaithful Jerusalem was likened in prophecy to a disreputable woman, to be punished by having her heels “treated violently,” that is, to be forced to walk over rough terrain, painful to her heels, as she was taken into exile to Babylon in 607 B.C.E.—Jer. 13:22.

King David spoke figuratively of his traitorous companion Ahithophel, saying: “[He] has magnified his heel against me.” (Ps. 41:9) This had a prophetic fulfillment in Judas Iscariot, to whom Jesus applied the text, saying: “He that used to feed on my bread has lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18) Thus the expression indicates a treacherous action, one threatening harm to the person against whom the heel is ‘magnified’ or ‘lifted up.’