Genesis 13:18

18. Plain of Mamre Rather, oaks of Mamre . Abram now pitches his tent among the oaks (or in the oak-grove) of Mamre, as formerly at the oak of Moreh . Genesis 12:6, note . About a mile from Hebron is one of the largest oaks of Palestine, and bears the name of “Abram’s Oak . ” Mamre is not to be identified with Hebron, but seems to have been the name of the oak-grove or plain in Hebron, that is, at or near Hebron; perhaps so called from Mamre the Amorite, the friend and confederate of Abram.

Genesis 14:18. Hebron is celebrated as the most ancient city of Canaan, “built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.” Numbers 13:22. Its more ancient name was Kirjath-arba. Genesis 23:2; Joshua 14:15. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob spent much of their lives in the vicinity of this city, and here was Machpelah, the tomb of these patriarchs . Chap . 23 . Hebron is now called El-khalil, “the friend . ”

Built there an altar The third altar he had built in Canaan, (comp . Genesis 12:7-8,) and thus is he careful to “keep the way of the Lord . ” Genesis 18:19. “This remarkable narrative,” says Bunsen, “bears upon its face every evidence of historic truth, and is most fitly assigned to a time soon after 2900 years before Christ . ” Notable concession from such a source .