Original Word: מַמְרֵא
Part of Speech: proper name, masculine; proper name, masculine; proper name, of a location
Transliteration: Mamre'
Pronunciation: mam-ray'
Phonetic Spelling: (mam-ray')
KJV: Mamre
NASB: Mamre
Word Origin: [from H4754 (מָרָא - lifts)(in the sense of vigor)]

1. lusty
2. Mamre, an Amorite

Mamre

From mara' (in the sense of vigor); lusty; Mamre, an Amorite -- Mamre.

see HEBREW mara'

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a place in Pal., also an ally of Abraham
NASB Translation
Mamre (10).

מַמְרֵא proper name, masculine and

of a location Mamre, only in Genesis:

1 in J only אֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא terebinths of Mamre (proper name, masculine?), Genesis 13:18 (defined by אֲשֶׁר בְּחֶבְרוֺן), Genesis 18:1 (in both the dwelling-place of Abraham).

2. proper name, masculine in Genesis 14:13 (הָאֱמֹרִי ׳אֵלֹנֵי מ), compare Genesis 14:24 (where ally of Abraham)

3. proper name, of a location in P: near Abraham's place of burial Genesis 23:17; Genesis 25:9; Genesis 49:30; Genesis 50:3; apparently identified with Hebron Genesis 23:19; Genesis 35:27, compare Di. — ᵐ5 Μαμβρη.

מִמְשַׁח see משׁח.

מִמְשָׁל, מֶמְשָׁלָה, מֶמְשֶׁ֫לֶת see משׁל

[מִמְשָׁק] see משׁק. מַמְתַֿקִּים see מתק.

Geographical Setting

Mamre designates the elevated oak-grove or terebinth region near Hebron in the Judean hill country. The site commands the central north–south route through the hill country, giving it both strategic and pastoral value for the patriarchs who grazed large flocks. Genesis links Mamre so tightly with Hebron that the two names are often paired (Genesis 23:19; Genesis 35:27). In later periods Jews and early Christians located Mamre slightly northwest of modern Hebron at Rāmet el-Ḥalīl, where ancient cisterns, wall foundations, and a perennial spring suggest long-standing settlement.

Relationship to Abram and Covenant History

Mamre first enters Scripture as the dwelling place Abram chose after separating from Lot. “Abram moved his tent and settled near the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD” (Genesis 13:18). The verse establishes three enduring themes:

1. Worship: The first altar Abraham erected in southern Canaan stood at Mamre, marking it as a place of communion with God.
2. Permanence: Whereas Lot migrated toward the doomed Jordan plain, Abram settled among the oaks, foreshadowing the promised possession of the land.
3. Fellowship: The tree-covered plateau provided space for large encampments that became staging grounds for covenant activity.

When the four Mesopotamian kings raided the region, Abram’s three Amorite allies—Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner—“were bound by treaty with Abram” (Genesis 14:13). Their loyalty in Genesis 14:24 underlines Mamre’s reputation for honorable alliances and prefigures Israel’s later covenant fellowship with faithful Gentiles.

Theophany and Promise

Genesis 18 situates the pivotal theophany “by the oaks of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1). Here the LORD, accompanied by two angels, confirmed Sarah’s impending conception and revealed His plan to judge Sodom. The narrative highlights several pastoral lessons:

• Hospitality—Abraham’s eager ministry to the visitors models the New Testament call to “show hospitality to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2).
• Intercession—Abraham’s plea for Sodom flows directly from the intimate encounter at Mamre, illustrating how revelation fuels prayer.
• Expectant faith—The promised son, Isaac, is conceived within the time frame announced at Mamre, linking the location to the birth of the covenant line.

Patriarchal Tomb and Family Continuity

The field and cave of Machpelah, purchased from Ephron the Hittite, lie “before Mamre (that is, Hebron)” (Genesis 23:17). Scripture repeatedly revisits this purchase to underscore the patriarchs’ legal claim to the land:

• Genesis 23:19 – Sarah buried.
• Genesis 25:9 – Abraham buried by Isaac and Ishmael.
• Genesis 49:30; Genesis 50:13 – Jacob’s dying instructions and burial.

By anchoring the burial site to Mamre, the text testifies that God’s promises outlast individual lifespans; covenant heirs rest in the very soil pledged to them.

Later Patriarchal Residence

Genesis 35:27 records Jacob’s return to Isaac “at Mamre, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron).” After decades of exile, the prodigal patriarch re-enters covenant space, signaling restoration. Isaac’s presence there also means that every patriarch—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—spent formative seasons at Mamre, making it a multi-generational faith center.

Archaeological and Extrabiblical Witness

Early Jewish sources refer to an immense oak at Mamre celebrated for its antiquity. Church Fathers such as Jerome note Christian pilgrimages to the site, while Constantine the Great ordered a basilica built nearby in the fourth century. Though not determinative, such traditions corroborate the biblical portrait of Mamre as a landmark revered across centuries.

Ministry Implications

1. God meets His servants where they dwell. The ordinary setting of a grazing camp became the venue for divine revelation.
2. Faith lays hold of tangible assurances. Abraham’s altar and burial cave embodied future inheritance, encouraging believers to act on God’s promises even when fulfillment seems distant.
3. Spiritual legacy flourishes in places consecrated to the Lord. The repeated return of patriarchs to Mamre illustrates the value of establishing households upon sites and practices of worship.

Thus Mamre stands as more than a geographic marker; it is a testimony to covenant fidelity, intercessory privilege, and the enduring hope of resurrection in the land God swore to give His people.

וּמַמְרֵ֔א וממרא מַמְרֵ֑א מַמְרֵ֖א מַמְרֵ֣א מַמְרֵֽא׃ ממרא ממרא׃ mam·rê mamRe mamrê ū·mam·rê umamRe ūmamrêInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts