(a sanctuary), the name of three places of Palestine
- A town in the mountains of Judah (Joshua 15:49), one of a group of eleven cities to the west of Hebron. The earlier name of Debir was Kirjath-sepher, “city of book” (Joshua 15:15; Judges 1:11), and Kirjath-sannah, “city of palm” (Joshua 15:49). It was one of the cities given with their “suburbs” to the priests (Joshua 21:15; 1 Chronicles 6:58). Debir has not been discovered with certainty in modern times, but about three miles to the west of Hebron is a deep and secluded valley called the Wady Nunkur, enclosed on the north by hills, of which one bears a name certainly suggestive of Debir—Dewir-ban.
- A place on the north boundary of Judah, near the “valley of Achor” (Joshua 15:7). A Wady Dabor is marked in Van Deuteronomy Velde’s map as close to the south of Neby Musa, at the northwest corner of the Dead Sea.
- The “border of Debir” is named as forming part of the boundary of Gad (Joshua 13:26) and as apparently not far from Mahanaim.