Mamre: Manliness.1. An Amoritish chief in alliance with Abraham
(Genesis 14:24)
2. The name of the place in the neighbourhood of Hebron (q.v.)
where Abraham dwelt
(Genesis 23:17,19; 35:27) called also in Authorized
Version
(Genesis 13:18) the "plain of Mamre," but in Revised Version
more correctly "the oaks [marg., 'terebinths'] of Mamre." The
name probably denotes the "oak grove" or the "wood of Mamre,"
thus designated after Abraham's ally. This "grove" must have
been within sight of or "facing" Machpelah (q.v.). The site of
Mamre has been identified with Ballatet Selta, i.e., "the oak of
rest", where there is a tree called "Abraham's oak," about a
mile and a half west of Hebron. Others identify it with
er-Rameh, 2 miles north of Hebron.