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בְּקִרְיַת־אַרְבַּע Qiryat-Arba’ (H7153) literally means “City of Arba” (H7151 + H704) where אַרְבַּע Arba’ (H704) is the name of the father of Anaq (cf. Joshua 15:13). The descendants of Anaq were very tall giants (cf. Deuteronomy 2:21) of the Rephaim (cf. Deuteronomy 2:11). This city is the same as Hebron which is South of Jerusalem and was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt (cf. Numbers 13:22) where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the sons of Anaq, lived (cf. Numbers 13:22).

אַרְבַּע arba’ (H704) has to do with the number four (H702), thus, בְּקִרְיַת־אַרְבַּע Qiryat-Arba’ is sometimes translated as “City of Four” or “Fourfold City.” אַרְבַּע arba’ is derived from the root רבע raba’ which means “to square on all fours” (H7250) and identical with רִבְעָהּ rive’ah (H7251) meaning to stretch out or lie down, mostly in a sexual sense (cf. Leviticus 18:23; Leviticus 19:19; Leviticus 20:16), where a woman or animal will square themselves on hands and knees for copulation.

 

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