Terebinthus

C13 on the Map

(Mamre): Ramat el-Khalil. Greek and Roman name of Mamre, where grew the `oaks' (Greek 'terebinths') of Abraham (Gen. 13:18).

Mamre was the name of Abraham's dwelling place near Hebron (Gen 23:17,19; 35:27). Here Abraham entertained three angels and was promised a son (18:1,10,14). The cave of Machpelah lay "before (probably to the E of the grove of) Mamre" (23:17,19; 25:9; 49:30; 50:13). Mamre is now located two miles N of Hebron. There Herod the Great built a wall around the well of Abraham, enclosing an area 150 by 200 feet. It was destroyed by Vespasian in A.D. 68, and the enclosure was rebuilt by Hadrian in the 2nd century AD and made the center of a pagan cult dedicated to Hermes-Mercury. Constantine removed Hadrian's pagan altar from the supposed site of Abraham's altar and erected a church. Within Hadrian's enclosure today are the ruins of this church and Abraham's well.