Debir (Heb. Debir, Debîr and Debîrâh, perhaps “what is behind”, “oracle” or “sanctuary”). 1. King of Eglon who fought against Israel as an ally of Adonisedec, but was defeated, captured, killed, and hanged on a tree (Jos 10:3, 23, 26). 2. Ancient fortified city of the Canaanites in Shephelah. It was also known as Quiriat-sana* and Quiriat-sefer.* When it was taken by Joshua it was inhabited by the Anakim (10:38, 39; 11:21; 12:13), who seem to have recovered it, because later it was reconquered by Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother (Jos 15:15-17; Jdg 1:11, 12). It was assigned to the priests and chosen as one of the cities of refuge (Jos 21:13, 15; 1Ch 6:57, 58). The site where it was raised has not yet been identified with certainty. Albright proposed Tell Beit Mirsim, about 12 mi (19 km) southwest of Hebron, a view that has been widely accepted. This tell was excavated by MG Kyle and Albright in 4 campaigns (from 1926 to 1932), revealing 10 successive strata of city remains. Map VI, F-2. Bib.: WF Albright, “Debir”, Archeology and Old Testament Study (Oxford, 1967), pp 207-220; EAEHL I:171-178. A better proposal, originally made by Galling, and later supported by archaeological data, is the identification of Debir with Khirbet Rabud, about 12 km southwest of Hebron. Excavations carried out by Kochavi for Tel Aviv University in 1972 brought to light evidence for the subsequent reconstruction of the city’s history. After being occupied sporadically in previous centuries, the site was walled for the first time in the so-called Late Bronze Age (1600-1200 BC). This perimeter covered only 6 ha. After the destruction of the city, probably by the Israelites, it was rebuilt in the 9th century BC and surrounded by a new wall about 4 m wide, which protected an area of about 5 ha. 309 Sennacherib destroyed it in 701 BC, but it was reoccupied once more and rebuilt. Its final conquest and destruction were the work of Nebuchadnezzar, between 588 and 586 BC Map VI, F-3. Bip.: K. Galling, ZDPV 70 (1954):135-141; M. Kochavi, “Khirbet Rabud-Debir”, Tel Aviv 1 (1974):2-33. 154. Tell Beit Mirsim dyeing plant (regarded by WF Albright as ancient Debir). 3. Place in Transjordan near Mahanaim (Jos 13:26); unidentified. Some scholars take the Hebrew term in this text (lidbir) to mean “to Debir”, while others amend it and see in it the name Lodebar.* 4. A town on the northern border of Judah, near the valley of Achor (Jos 15:7); perhaps Toghret ed-Debr, about 12 km northeast of Jerusalem, on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
name of a man, of a city and of a part of the Temple. 1. D. Amorite king of Eglon, who was part of the coalition of kings formed by Adoni Sédek, king of Jerusalem, to fight against Gibeon, which they besieged, for having made peace with Joshua. This was called to the aid of the city, the coalition being defeated and the sovereigns dead, among them D., Jos 10, 3-27; 12, 13. 2. A city whose location was possibly between Hebron and Lachish, on the route to Egypt. It was conquered by Joshua, Jos 10, 38-39. The Calebites took this city and it was Otniel who beat it, so Caleb gave him his daughter Aksá as his wife, as he had promised to the one who carried out this action, Jos 15, 15-17; in this same passage it is said that formerly D. was called Quiryat Séfer, the same as in Jc 1, 11; and when the localities that touched the tribe of Judah are named, it receives the name of Quiryat Sanná, in Jos 15, 49. This city was given to the Levites, sons of Aaron, Jos 21, 15; 1 Cro 6, 43. 3. With this word is designated, in the Temple, the Sancta Sanctorum, Holy of Holies or Holy of Holies, that is, the inner and most sacred part of the sanctuary, Ex 26, 34; 1 R 6, 16; 1 Chr 3, 8-9; Ez 41, 3-4.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
1. A city in Judah, once the cultural center of the Canaanite people.
It probably took its name from the pagan temple in which the oracle occupied the holy place (compare 1Ki 6:5, where it is translated holy place). It was located southwest of Jerusalem, about 17 km. west of Hebron. It was occupied by the Anakites (Jos 11:21; Josh 15:14), captured by Joshua (Jos 10:38-39), and captured a second time under Caleb (Jos 15:13-17). It later became priestly territory (Jos 21:15; 1Ch 6:58).
2. A king of Eglon, who made an alliance with the king of Jerusalem against Joshua and was defeated at Gibeon (Josh 10:1-11).
3. A town on the border of Gad near Mahanaim (Jos 13:25-26).
4. A town on the border between Judah and Benjamin (Jos 15:7), on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho.
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(distant village). Name of person and places in the OT.
1. Canaanite city near Hebron. It was also called †¢Kiriat-sefer (Jos 15:15) and Quiriat-sana (Jos 15:49). When the Israelites entered Canaan, the Anakim dwelt in D. (Jos 11:21). Joshua † œtook her, and his king, and all his cities; and they struck them down with the edge of the sword† (Jos 10:38-39). Although some think that it was later recaptured by the Anakim and again by the Israelites, it is preferable to interpret the narrative in Jos 15:13-17 as referring to the way it was originally taken. Caleb offered her daughter in marriage to the one who conquered her, which Othniel, her younger brother’s son, did. D. was traditionally identified with Tell Beit Mirsim, but recently opinion has shifted in favor of Khirbet Rabûd, about 12 km SW of Hebron. †œD. with her commons † was assigned to the Levites (1Ch 6:58).
. King of a city called †¢Eglon, which was near Jerusalem, summoned by the king of the latter, †¢Adonizedek, to fight against †¢Gabaon when it made an alliance with the Israelites (Jos 10:1-5).
. City in Gilead, bordering the territory assigned to the tribe of Gad (Jos 13:26). = †¢Lodebar.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, REGI
sit, a1, 521, 395
vet, (a) Amorite king of Eglób, slain by Joshua (Josh. 10:3, 23, 26). (b) City in the highlands of Judah near Hebron. It was one of the cities of the Amorites that was destroyed and its king killed. Joshua is mentioned as the leader of Israel taking it, but in Judges (Judges 1: 11-15) we see that it was actually taken by Othniel, to whom Caleb gave his daughter Acsa as a wife for having taken the city. Finally, the city was given to the priests. Its former name had been Kiriat-sefer or Kiriatsana (Josh. 10:38, 39; 11:21; 12:13; 15:7, 15, 49; 21:15; Judg. 1:11, 12; 1 Chron. 6:58). Identified with edh Dhaheriyeh, 31° 25′ N, 34° 58″ E. (c) Place on the northern border of Judah, near the Valley of Achor (Josh. 15:7). Some identify it with Thoghret ed Debr, 31° 49′ N, 35° 21′ E. (d) Place on the border of Gad, mentioned after Mahanaim (Josh. 13:26). It can also be read as Lidebir, and can be the same as Lodebar (2 Sam. 9:4, see LODEBAR). Its identification with Ibdar, south of the Yarmuk River, has been suggested.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(Interior, or: Postrero).
1. King of Eglon, one of the four small kingdoms that allied themselves with the king of Jerusalem in order to attack the city of Gibeon for having made peace with Joshua. (Jos 10:1-5) The surrender of Gibeon frightened them, doubtless weakening any attempt to create a united front against Israel (Jos 9:1, 2), and apparently allowing Joshua greater mobility both towards the N. as towards the S. of the Promised Land and was conquering it in parts. The siege of Gibeon caused Joshua’s army to come to their aid and, aided by miraculous interventions, defeat the Canaanite armies, forcing Debir and the other kings to hide in a cave, where they were trapped and subsequently killed. executed. (Jos 10:6-27.)
2. Canaanite royal city (Jos 10:38, 39) also known as Quiryat-séfer and Quiryat-saná. (Jos 15:15, 49; Jg 1:11) It was in the inheritance of Judah, but it became a Levite city of the Qohatites. (Jos 21:9, 15; 1Ch 6:54, 58)
There appear to be two accounts of Israel’s first conquest of Debir in the course of Joshua’s military campaign. The first only records the annihilation of the population of Debir. (Jos 10:38, 39) The second—at Joshua 11:21-23—may be a repetition of the same conquest (since verse 18 refers to the “many days that Joshua made war against all these kings†™), while adding that Joshua “cut off the Anakim from Debir† and from other cities. It is possible that this information was included to show that even the High Anakim, who had struck such fear into the hearts of Israel’s spies more than forty years earlier (Nu 13:28, 31-33; Deut 9:2), were not They had been invulnerable.
However, it seems that the Anaquim, perhaps coming from the Philistine coast (Jos 11:22), settled again in the city of Debir while the Israelites were camping at Gilgal or fighting to the N. (Jos 10: 43–11:15.) Although Joshua’s initial campaigns had broken the unified resistance of the enemy forces in the land of Canaan, rapidly demolishing all the important strongholds, it seems that this type of strategy did not contemplate leaving garrisons to hold destroyed cities. So it is that Othniel carried out a second conquest or “cleansing” operation in Debir, and to distinguish himself in the conquest of the city, Caleb, an experienced warrior, gave him his daughter Achsah as his wife. (Jos 15:13-19; Jg 1:11-15)
It is not possible to specify at what point in Israel’s history this second conquest occurred. The book of Judges begins with the phrase: “After the death of Joshua”, and continues with the account of Caleb’s taking of Debir (1:11-15). According to some, Judah’s conquest of Debir followed Joshua’s death, and the similar account recorded in Joshua 15:13-19 was a later addition to this book. Others, however, feel that Judges 1:1 is just an introduction to link this book with Joshua’s, arguing that Caleb would hardly wait years until Joshua died to drive the Anakim out of promised possession of him. Consequently, they believe that the account in Judges is a repetition of the one recorded in Joshua.
Biblical scholars have located the ancient city of Debir at different locations in the mountainous region of Judah. In the past it was identified with Tell Beit Mirsim, about 20 km WSW. from Hebron, but now Khirbet Rabud, some 13 km SW, has been chosen. from Hebron.
The ancient name of Debir, Quiryat-séfer (Jos 15:15; Jue 1:11), whose meaning was “City of the Book”, has led to the conjecture that Debir must have been the seat of Canaanite religious and legal education and the place where records of the public administration were kept.
3. Place of †œthe lower plain of…