Arba

Arba was a great man among the Anakim—'the greatest man among the Anakim' (Joshua 14:15)—and the namesake of Kiriath-arba, 'the city of Arba,' the earlier name of Hebron. He is also called the father of Anak, making him the patriarch of the giant Anakim clans who terrified the Israelite scouts (Joshua 15:13; 21:11). Hebron's ancient name—'city of Arba'—attests his foundational importance to that region, which later became the burial place of the patriarchs and David's first capital. Caleb drove out Arba's Anakim descendants—Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai—during the conquest of the hill country (Joshua 15:14).