וַיֹּ֤רֶשׁ מִשָּׁם֙ כָּלֵ֔ב אֶת־שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י הָעֲנָ֑ק אֶת־שֵׁשַׁ֤י וְאֶת־אֲחִימַן֙ וְאֶת־תַּלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָעֲנָֽק׃
און כָּלֵבֿ האָט פֿאַרטריבן פֿון דאָרטן די דרײַ זין פֿון עַנָק, שֵשַי, און אַחימָן, און תַּלמַי, די קינדער פֿון עַנָק.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan; Abraham came to lament for Sarah, and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2).
“Sarah died in Kiryat Arba” – it was called by four names: Eshkol,9See Numbers 13:22–24. Mamre,10See Genesis 13:18. Kiryat Arba, Hebron.
Why does it [the Torah] call it Kiryat Arba? It is because four [arba’a] righteous men resided there: Aner, Eshkol and Mamre, and Abraham, and four righteous men were circumcised there: Abraham, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. Alternatively, it is because four righteous men, patriarchs of the world, were buried there: Adam the first man, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Alternatively, it is because four matriarchs are buried there: Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. And [it is called this also] after its lords, who numbered four, the giant and his three sons.11See Joshua 15:14.
Rabbi Azarya said: It is [so named] because it was from there that our patriarch Abraham departed when he pursued [the armies of] the four kingdoms, who were world leaders.12See Genesis chapter 14. It is [so named also] because it fell by lottery to four parties: Initially to Judah, then to Caleb, then to the Levites, and then to the priests.13See Joshua 15:13, 21:10–11, 21:13.
Also, it is one of the four undesirable places in the Land of Israel. What were they? Rabbi Yitzḥak and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Dor, the Dor District, Timnat Seraḥ, and Hebron. The Rabbis say: Dana, Kiryat Sana, Timnat Seraḥ, and Hebron.
“Sarah died in Kiryat Arba” – it was called by four names: Eshkol,9See Numbers 13:22–24. Mamre,10See Genesis 13:18. Kiryat Arba, Hebron.
Why does it [the Torah] call it Kiryat Arba? It is because four [arba’a] righteous men resided there: Aner, Eshkol and Mamre, and Abraham, and four righteous men were circumcised there: Abraham, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. Alternatively, it is because four righteous men, patriarchs of the world, were buried there: Adam the first man, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Alternatively, it is because four matriarchs are buried there: Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. And [it is called this also] after its lords, who numbered four, the giant and his three sons.11See Joshua 15:14.
Rabbi Azarya said: It is [so named] because it was from there that our patriarch Abraham departed when he pursued [the armies of] the four kingdoms, who were world leaders.12See Genesis chapter 14. It is [so named also] because it fell by lottery to four parties: Initially to Judah, then to Caleb, then to the Levites, and then to the priests.13See Joshua 15:13, 21:10–11, 21:13.
Also, it is one of the four undesirable places in the Land of Israel. What were they? Rabbi Yitzḥak and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Dor, the Dor District, Timnat Seraḥ, and Hebron. The Rabbis say: Dana, Kiryat Sana, Timnat Seraḥ, and Hebron.