Debir in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
1. In the highlands of Judah, near Hebron. First taken by
Joshua (Joshua 10:38-39; Joshua 11:21; Joshua 12:13; Joshua
15:49). Formerly Kirjath Sepher (city of the book), or K.
Sannah (palm). There is still a Dewirban three miles W. of
Hebron. But Debir was S. of Hebron (Joshua 15:49); so Van de
Velde identifies it with Dilbeh, S.W. of Hebron. Conder
(Israel Exploration) identifies it better with El hoheriyeh,
a corruption of the old name Deberah, meaning in Arabic "the
village on the ridge." Exactly at 3,000 (16-inch) cubits on
the main S. road a large stone still there marked the bounds
assigned outside to Debir as a Levitical city (which also
may be the limit of a sabbath day's journey); and another
stone on the W.
At 6 1/2 miles northward are the "upper and lower
springs," which Caleb's daughter begged for, in the valley
Seil el Dilbeh, in all 14 springs divided into three groups;
no other such are found in the Judah "south country," or
Negeb; a brook flows through the small gardens for four or
five miles (Judges 1:15; Joshua 15:19). Conder states the
important discovery that "the list in Joshua 12, which
precedes all the other topographical lists, forms the key of
the whole system." They are the 31 royal cities; these
divide the country into districts which have natural
boundaries, and contain severally one or more of the royal
cities. Debir stood, according to Joshua 15:19, in "a dry
and" ("south land"), therefore Dilbeh near fine springs
cannot be the site. Dhoheriyeh is remarkable for its broad
rolling downs and fruitful soil; it is truly "a dry land"
without a spring.
"Joshua returned to (made a detour to attack) Debir"
(Joshua 10:38-40.) His direct march after Eglon and Lachish
would have been northwards from Hebron to Gilgal, therefore
it was probably S.W. of Hebron. The Negeb or "south land"
consists of soft, porous, chalky limestone extending from
the desert on the E. (the Jeshimon) to 'Anab and the plain
on the W., and from Dilbeh and Yutta on the N. to Beersheba
on the S. The dwellings of Dhoheriyeh are mostly caves in
the rock, with rude arches carved over doorways; rock
excavation is a mark of great antiquity, and is a relic of
the troglodyte or primitive Canaanite way of living. It was
originally the seat of a king of the Anakim. This people
reoccupied it when the Israelite army withdrew and was
engaged with the northern Canaanites. Othniel, son of Kenaz,
for love of Achsah, Caleb's daughter, took it again. It was
allotted to the priests (Joshua 21:15; 1 Chronicles 6:58).
2. A place on the northern bound of Judah, near the
valley of Achor (Joshua 15:7), between Jericho and Jerusalem
3. Part of the boundary of Gad (Joshua 13:26); in
the high pastures E. of Jordan, and possibly akin to dabar,
Hebrew for a wilderness pasture, Reland identifies it with
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