Debir (2)

Debir in the mountains of Judah. Lieut. Conder gives an extended argument (Quar. Statement of the "Pal. Explor. Fund," January 1875, page 49 sq.) in favor of logating this place at the modern ed-Dhoheriyeh, which may be summed up thus:

(1) Both names signify the back, i.e., ridge, of the mountains, on which this place is conspicuous;

(2) it has ancient remains, consisting of cave dwellings, wells, and cisterns; five old roads lead from it, and large stones, at the distance of about three thousand cubits around it, seem to mark the limits of a Levitical city;

(3) there are fine springs in the neighborhood, namely, those of Seil Dilbeh, six miles west of Juttah, which feed a brook that runs several miles. To this identification Tristram (Bible Places, page 61) and Trelawney Saunders (Map of the O.T.) accede.

The argument, however, is rather specious than strong:

(1) The names do not agree in etymology, and the resemblance in meaning is very doubtful;

(2) 'the ruins show, indeed, an ancient site, but not necessarily the one in question, and the Levitical bounds are particularly dubious;-

(3) the springs are too distant to indicate any special connection with this locality, which, moreover, is farther from Hebron than we should expect.