Halhul
| Halhul | ||
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| Other transcription(s) | ||
| • Arabic | حلحول | |
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 Halhul
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| Coordinates: 31°34′44″N 35°05′57″E / 31.57889°N 35.09917°ECoordinates: 31°34′44″N 35°05′57″E / 31.57889°N 35.09917°E | ||
| Palestine grid | 160/109 | |
| Governorate | Hebron | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | City | |
| • Head of Municipality | Wajdi Melhem | |
| Area | ||
| • Jurisdiction | 37,335 dunams (37.3 km2 or 14.4 sq mi) | |
| Population (2007) | ||
| • Jurisdiction | 22,128 | |
| Name meaning | from "Hulhul", a personal name | |
| Website | www.halhul-city.ps | |
Halhul Arabic: حلحول, transliteration: Ḥalḥūl, is a Palestinian city located in the southern West Bank, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate. The town, bordered by Sa'ir and Ash-Shuyukh to the east, Beit Ummar and Al-Arroub refugee camp to the north, and Kharas and Nuba westwards, is located 916 m above sea level, and is the highest inhabited place in Palestine. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the city had a population of 22,108 mostly Muslim inhabitants in 2007.
According to Jewish, Christian and Muslim medieval traditions, the graves of the biblical prophets Gad and Nathan are located in Halhul. Another Muslim tradition places Jonah's grave in the town. The burial sites, formerly designated in the list of Holy Places under Israeli rule, are now under the Palestinian Authority.
The Israeli settlement Karmei Tzur lies on the outskirts of Halhul. Halhul is surrounded by ancient burial caves.
The Arabic name conserves the biblical toponym for the site, (Hebrew:חַלְחוּל; Greek: Αἰλουά/Άλοόλ; Latin Alula,) which is believed to reflect a Canaanite word meaning "to tremble (from the cold)". According to the Bible, Halhul was a city in the tribal territory of Judah, located in the hill country near Beth-zur.Biblical scholar Edward Robinson identified the modern town with the "Halhul" mentioned in the Book of Joshua.John Kitto noted that the modern name is identical with the Hebrew given in the Bible, hence "the name has remained unchanged for more than 3,300 years."
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