Original Word: עֶבְרֹן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: `Ebron
Pronunciation: ehv-ROHN
Phonetic Spelling: (eb-rone')
KJV: Hebron Perhaps a clerical error for H5658
NASB: Ebron
Word Origin: [from H5676 (עֵבֶר - beyond)]

1. transitional
2. Ebron, a place in Israel

Hebron

From eber; transitional; Ebron, a place in Palestine -- Hebron. Perhaps a clerical error for Abdown.

see HEBREW eber

see HEBREW Abdown

Word Origin
from abar
Definition
a place in Asher
NASB Translation
Ebron (1).

עֶבְרֹן proper name, of a location Joshua 19:38 (ᵐ5 Ελβων, A ᵐ5^L Αχραν); read probably עַבְדֹּן q. v.

Geographic Setting

Ebron is listed among the northern towns assigned to the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:28). Situated between the coastal plain and the hills of Upper Galilee, it lay on the approach to “Great Sidon,” linking Israelite territory with the great Phoenician port cities. Suggested modern identifications point to the vicinity of Ibrin or Abirin, several kilometers east-southeast of today’s Nahariya. Although its exact site remains debated, its location inside fertile Asher explains its agricultural importance.

Biblical Context

Joshua 19:28 records: “It included Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon”. The verse appears in the catalog of settlements Yahweh allotted to Asher after the conquest. Even a single-verse mention secures Ebron a permanent place in Scripture, demonstrating that no detail of Israel’s inheritance escaped the Spirit’s notice.

Tribal Allotment and Covenant Fulfillment

Ebron’s inclusion confirms God’s faithfulness to the promise first given to Abraham (Genesis 17:8). The boundaries detailed in Joshua show that every tribe received a defined inheritance; none was overlooked. Asher’s territory, praised for its abundance—“Asher’s food will be rich, and he shall provide royal delicacies” (Genesis 49:20)—would have included Ebron’s fields and olive groves, thus fulfilling Moses’ blessing: “Let him bathe his feet in oil” (Deuteronomy 33:24).

Historical Significance

1. Border Outpost toward Phoenicia: Because the list in Joshua ends “as far as Great Sidon,” Ebron probably functioned as an inland station on the trade route to Sidon, supporting commerce between Israel and Phoenicia.
2. Agricultural Contribution: Asher’s renowned oil and produce imply that Ebron joined neighboring Rehob and Hammon in supplying olives, grain, and wine to the wider region.
3. Later Biblical Resonance: Centuries after the conquest, the broader Galilean area—including Asher’s coast—became known as “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 9:1-2). Jesus Himself traveled through nearby Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24-31), highlighting how even minor towns like Ebron were part of the landscape later visited by the Messiah.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

• God Values the Small and Obscure: Though Ebron is cited only once, its name is permanently preserved. This underlines the truth that every believer and every place has significance before God (1 Corinthians 12:22).
• Boundaries Are Gifts, Not Restrictions: Ebron’s fixed position within Asher illustrates that divine boundaries protect inheritance and foster fruitfulness (Psalm 16:5-6).
• Foreshadowing Gospel Reach: The proximity of Ebron to Sidon anticipates the eventual grafting-in of Gentiles (Romans 11:17-24). The same coastline that once marked tribal limits later witnessed Jesus extending grace beyond Israel’s borders.

Practical Lessons for Believers

1. Steward assigned territory faithfully; God notices both the great city and the smallest village.
2. Celebrate God’s detailed faithfulness—He fulfills promises down to specific towns and borders.
3. View one’s personal “allotment” (calling, gifts, opportunities) as a platform for blessing others, just as Ebron’s produce enriched its neighbors.

Summary

Ebron stands as a modest but meaningful witness to the Lord’s covenant precision, the richness of Asher’s blessing, and the unfolding plan that would one day bring the light of the Messiah to the nations living along that same northern seacoast.

וְעֶבְרֹ֥ן ועברן veevRon wə‘eḇrōn wə·‘eḇ·rōnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts