Hiel

Hiel (meaning God lives; the life of God) was a man of Bethel who rebuilt and refortified Jericho during the reign of Ahab king of Israel (1 Kings 16:34). Joshua had pronounced a curse on anyone who rebuilt Jericho (Josh. 6:26): "Cursed be the man before the LORD that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it." This curse was fulfilled in Hiel: when he laid the foundation, his firstborn Abiram died; when he set up the gates, his youngest son Segub died. The incident is presented as a sobering confirmation that Joshua's word, inspired by God, remained in force across the centuries.