Where Abram settles after Lot's departure, among the oaks of Mamre, and builds his third altar (13:18); also called KIRIATH-ARBA, 'town of Arba' (a giant of the Anakim) or 'town of the four.' It becomes central: Sarah dies here and Abraham buys the cave of Machpelah for her tomb (ch. 23), the patriarchs' burial place; and it is David's FIRST royal capital, where he reigns seven years before taking Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:5). One of the oldest continuously-inhabited towns on earth.