JU1-6: The Preservation Of The Records Of The Hebrews Is Sure-fire Evidence That God Is Real

“Y’hudah also attacked the Kena‘ani living in Hevron (formerly called Kiryat-Arba), and they overpowered Sheshai, Achiman and Talmai.  From there they attacked the inhabitants of D’vir (D’vir was formerly called Kiryat-Sefer).”-Judges 1:10-11

Verse 10 tells us Judah and Simeon launched an attack against Hebron.

Interestingly, Hebron also went by the name KIRYAT-ARBA.

In those days, a city having double or even triple names was a common thing.

This happened because whenever a city was conquered by a new power, the victors would rename the city they had just defeated.

In this case, KIRYAT means cities and ARBA means the number 4.

So literally, KIRYAT-ARBA means a “City of Four”.

The Hebrew name for the city “Hebron” also has a similar meaning.

“Hebron” means an “alliance” or a “confederation”.

We’re told the lords over 3 of the 4 city-states were Sheshai, Achiman and Talmai.

These men all descended from Anak.

The Anakim (as they were called in the plural) should sound familiar to you because it was from this race of men the hulk Goliath sprang.

 Next we’re told Judah and Simeon attacked a city called KIRYAT-SEFER.

This one should be easy to understand.

KIRYAT means city and SEFER means book.

So literally KIRYAT-SEFER means “City of the Book”.

However, in this case, SEFER is not referring to book like a novel or a textbook or something like that.

Rather, it’s referring to a city’s official records like birth records and accounting records.

Official records you’d expect to find stored in an official government administration office.

What normally happened is when a territory occupied by a ruling power got big enough, they would choose one city to be the administrative center where all official records were to be kept.

Now herein lies a very important takeaway.

God has proven Himself to be real via the preservation of not only His chosen people Israel, but also via the preservation of their records as kept and stored in His Word.

God promises the heavens and the earth may pass away but that His Word will NEVER pass away.

The records of the various Canaanite peoples are now long gone.

They have passed away with the sands of time.

However, not so with the records of the ancient Israelites as preserved in the Scriptures.

To this very day, they are studied, read and cherished by people all over the world.

Heck, for the past 6 years, I myself have been getting up every morning around 6am to literally blog through the SEFER or “records” dealing with God’s interactions with the Hebrew people.