At Hebron, about four centuries later, the men of Judah anointed David as king. He ruled from there for seven and a half years, meanwhile becoming father to six sons, Amnon, Chileab (Daniel), Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah and Ithream. (2 Sam. 2:1-4, 11; 3:2-5; 1 Chron. 3:1-4) Earlier the inhabitants of Hebron evidently helped David when he was outlawed by King Saul. (1 Sam. 30:26, 31) Toward the close of David’s reign at Hebron, Abner, the main supporter of the rival kingship of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth (2 Sam. 2:8, 9), defected to David. Upon returning from a raid and learning that David had sent Abner away in peace, Joab directed messengers to bring Abner back and then personally killed him at Hebron, where Abner was afterward buried. (2 Sam. 3:12-27, 32) Later, Rechab and Baanah murdered Ish-bosheth and, expecting a reward, brought his head to David at Hebron, but he had them executed for their vile deed. (2 Sam. 4:5-12) Subsequently, David was anointed king over all Israel and he transferred his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem.—2 Sam. 5:1-9.

Some years later David’s son Absalom returned to Hebron and there initiated his unsuccessful usurpation of his father’s kingship. (2 Sam. 15:7-10) It was likely because of Hebron’s historical importance as onetime capital of Judah, as well as because of its being his native city, that Absalom chose this city as the starting point of his drive for the throne. Later, David’s grandson, King Rehoboam, rebuilt Hebron. (2 Chron. 11:5-10) After the desolation of Judah by the Babylonians and the return of the Jewish exiles, some of the repatriated Jews settled at Hebron (Kiriath-arba).—Neh. 11:25.

HEBRONITES

(Heʹbron·ites).

A Levite family descended from Kohath’s son Hebron. (Ex. 6:16, 18; Num. 3:27; 26:58; 1 Chron. 26:23, 24) King David assigned 1,700 capable Hebronites to serve in administrative capacities over the region W of the Jordan and 2,700 over the territory E of the Jordan.—1 Chron. 26:30-32.

HEDGE

Orchards and vineyards were commonly surrounded by hedges composed of thorny plants to safeguard them from thieves and the depredations of animals. (Isa. 5:5) The Scriptures employ the expression “put up a hedge” in a figurative sense to denote the giving of protection. (Job 1:10) On the other hand, ‘hedging in’ is used to represent the rearing up of obstacles or barriers, placing an individual, or even a nation, in a helpless and forsaken situation with no way out. (Job 3:23; Hos. 2:6; compare Job 19:8; Lamentations 3:7-9.) With reference to the moral corruption existing among the Israelites of his day, Micah wrote that “their most upright one is worse than a thorn hedge,” that is, prickly, hurtful and injurious.—Mic. 7:4; see BRIERS, BRIER HEDGE.

HEEL

This part of the human body was often referred to in a figurative way in the Bible. To hold or injure one’s heel would retard or hinder him. Jacob grabbed the heel of his twin brother Esau as they came out of their mother’s womb. (Gen. 25:26) For this he was named Jacob, meaning “taking hold of the heel; supplanter,” which had prophetic meaning. (Gen. 27:36; Hos. 12:2, 3) The family head Jacob, in blessing his fifth son Dan, foretold, favorably for Dan, that he would be like a serpent that lies in wait by the roadside and bites the heels of the horse, throwing off its rider. (Gen. 49:17; see VIPER, HORNED.) The tribe of Dan was at the “heel” of things as the rear guard of Israel during their wilderness journey, inflicting damage on Israel’s enemies.—Num. 10:25.

Unfaithful Jerusalem was likened in prophecy to a disreputable woman, to be punished by having her heels “treated violently,” that is, to be forced to walk over rough terrain, painful to her heels, as she was taken into exile to Babylon in 607 B.C.E.—Jer. 13:22.

King David spoke figuratively of his traitorous companion Ahithophel, saying: “[He] has magnified his heel against me.” (Ps. 41:9) This had a prophetic fulfillment in Judas Iscariot, to whom Jesus applied the text, saying: “He that used to feed on my bread has lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18) Thus the expression indicates a treacherous action, one threatening harm to the person against whom the heel is ‘magnified’ or ‘lifted up.’

The first recorded prophecy, at Genesis 3:15, foretold that the “serpent” would bruise the ‘seed of the woman’ in the heel. Though painful, a heel bruise is not permanently disabling. Jesus, the “seed” (Gal. 3:16), was put to death by the earthly agents of the great “Serpent” Satan the Devil (Rev. 12:9), but on the third day was recovered from this ‘heel bruise’ when his Father Jehovah resurrected him.—Acts 2:22-24; 10:40.

HEGAI

(Hegʹa·i) [perhaps, the sprinkler].

A eunuch of King Ahasuerus’ court; the guardian of the women who prepared Esther with special beauty treatments before she was taken to the king.—Esther 2:3, 8, 9, 15.

HEIFER

A young cow that has not produced a calf. A heifer was among the animals that Abraham cut into two parts, and he then saw “a smoking furnace and a fiery torch that passed in between these pieces.” This was in connection with God’s concluding of a covenant with him.—Gen. 15:9-18.

In Israel one who touched a human corpse, a human bone or grave, or who came into a tent in which lay a corpse, was unclean. He was required to undergo a specified cleansing procedure on pain of being “cut off from the midst of the congregation.” In this procedure the ashes of a sound red cow on which no yoke had come were used. Water in which some of these ashes had been mixed was sprinkled on the unclean one. Paul makes reference to this procedure, showing that it only had the effect of sanctifying to the extent of cleanness of the flesh, but that it typified the real cleansing of conscience through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—Num. 19:1-22; Heb. 9:13, 14.

A young cow was also used when bloodguilt rested on a city due to a murder in which the murderer was unknown. The older men of the city nearest the one found slain, accompanied by some of the priests the sons of Levi, were required to take the young unworked cow and break its neck in an uncultivated torrent valley in which there was running water. Then the older men of that city were to wash their hands over the young cow and to appeal to God not to put bloodguilt on the city. God would hear the plea and relieve the city of the guilt of shedding innocent blood. Evidently the fact that the cow’s neck was broken, instead of the cow’s being slaughtered as a sin-offering, indicated that, in symbol, the cow suffered the punishment that should have been borne by the unknown murderer, and this procedure did not serve in any way to benefit the murderer as expiation for his crime. To Jehovah God, who sees all, was left the judgment of the actual murderer. Of course, if the murderer should later be discovered, he would be put to death for murder, as the Law required. The ceremony involving the young cow would make the matter publicly known and would tend to assist in the uncovering of the murderer.—Deut. 21:1-9; Num. 35:30-33.

The prophet Jeremiah speaks figuratively of the nation of Egypt, when settled prosperously and well fed in her land, as “a very pretty heifer,” but foretells that her defeat is to come. (Jer. 46:20, 21) The same prophet also likens the Babylonian conquerors of God’s people to a heifer pawing in the tender grass, because of their exultation over their capture of Israel. (Jer. 50:11) Hosea speaks of Ephraim, the ten-tribe kingdom, as having at one time been like a trained heifer, under God’s instruction and blessing, having plenty, as a threshing animal was allowed to eat of the fruitage of its work, which was comparatively light.—Hos. 10:11; Deut. 25:4.

HEIR

See INHERITANCE.

HELAH

(Heʹlah) [necklace].

One of Ashhur’s two wives. Three of her sons are listed in the genealogies of Judah.—1 Chron. 4:1, 5, 7.

HELAM

(Heʹlam).

The site where David’s army defeated the military forces of Syrian King Hadadezer under his army chief Shobach. (2 Sam. 10:15-19) Some scholars link it with “Alema” mentioned in the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees (5:26, JB). It may thus be the same as modern ʽAlma, about thirty-four miles (54.7 kilometers) due E of the Sea of Galilee.

HELBAH

(Helʹbah) [fatness, a fertile region].

A city in the territory of the tribe of Asher. It is mentioned as being one of the towns from which the tribe of Asher did not drive out the Canaanite inhabitants. (Judg. 1:31, 32) Its exact location is not certain.

HELBON

(Helʹbon).

A place noted for its fine wine, which was highly valued by the city of Tyre. (Ezek. 27:18) Helbon is generally identified with the modern village of Helbun, about ten miles (16.1 kilometers) N-NW of Damascus. The village lies in a narrow valley with terraced vineyards located far up the mountain slopes. In ancient times, not only Tyre but also Assyria, Babylonia and Persia obtained the wine of Helbon.

HELDAI

(Helʹdai) [possibly, mole rat].

1. The head of the twelfth monthly service group that David organized; a descendant of Othniel. (1 Chron. 27:1, 15) Being a Netophathite, he is likely the mighty man called Heleb and Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite.—2 Sam. 23:8, 29; 1 Chron. 11:26, 30.

2. A man who returned from Babylon and whose silver and gold went into the making of a crown for High Priest Joshua. (Zech. 6:10, 11) This Heldai is called Helem in verse 14.

HELEB

(Heʹleb) [fatness].

One of David’s mighty men. (2 Sam. 23:8, 29) A son of Baanah the Netophathite, he is also called Heled in the Chronicles listing, and likely is the same as Heldai.—1 Chron. 11:30; 27:15.

HELED

(Heʹled) [duration, world].

A mighty man in David’s army. He was a son of Baanah the Netophathite. (1 Chron. 11:26, 30) He is also called Heleb in the parallel list and likely is the same as Heldai.—2 Sam. 23:29; 1 Chron. 27:15.

HELEK

(Heʹlek) [portion], Helekites (Helʹek·ites)

The second-listed son of Gilead, and great-grandson of Manasseh. He founded the family of the Helekites that was numbered in the census at the end of the Israelites’ wilderness trek and that received an inheritance in Manasseh’s territory.—Num. 26:3, 4, 29, 30; Josh. 17:2.

HELEM

(Heʹlem).

Two names translated “Helem” in English are slightly different in Hebrew, giving them different meanings.

1. [Heb., Heʹlem, a stroke]. A descendant of Asher whose family is listed in the genealogy of the tribe. (1 Chron. 7:35, 40) He is likely the same as Hotham of verse 32.

2. [Heb., Hheʹlem, strength]. Also called Heldai, he was one who contributed gold and silver for High Priest Joshua’s crown after the remnant’s return from Babylon.—Zech. 6:10, 11, 14; see HELDAI No. 2.

HELEPH

(Heʹleph).

A site in Naphtali’s inheritance. (Josh. 19:32, 33) Its exact location is uncertain. However, some geographers tentatively place it at Khirbet ʽArbathah, about nine miles (14.5 kilometers) W of the southern end of the Sea of Galilee.

HELEZ

(Heʹlez) [vigor].

1. One of David’s mighty men, a Paltite or Pelonite. (2 Sam. 23:8, 26; 1 Chron. 11:26, 27) When David