Lexical Summary Shekem: Shechem, Shechem's Original Word: שְׁכֶם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shechem The same as shkem; ridge; Shekem, a place in Palestine -- Shechem. see HEBREW shkem NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as shekem Definition "ridge," a district in N. Pal., also a son of Hamor NASB Translation Shechem (61), Shechem's (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. שְׁכֶם proper name, of a location49 and masculine14 (Συξεμ; ᵐ5L often Σίκιμα Lag BN 57): 1 district in Northern Palestine (probably shoulder (saddle ?) of mountain); — ׳מְקוֺם שׁ Genesis 12:6, שְׁכֶ֑מָךְ Genesis 37:14; = city (שְׁכֶ֑מָה שְֶׁכֶם, Hosea 6:9 שֶׁ֑כְמָךְ) Joshua 24:1; ׳עִיר שׁ Genesis 33:18 20t. Judges 9 (׳בַּעֲלֵי שׁ Genesis 33:2 12t., ׳מִגְדַּלשֿׁ ׳ב Genesis 33:46; Genesis 33:47), Hosea 6:9 21t. (׳עִיר שׁ Genesis 33:18); city of refuge Joshua 20:7; Joshua 21:21; 1 Chronicles 6:52. — WMMAs.u.Eur.394, compare Egyptian Sa-ka-ma; (compare JenZA x (1895) 356); modern Nablûs (from Roman name Neapolis); see BuhlG 200 f. GASmG 332 ff. 345 WilsonsHast. DB SHECHEM. 2. proper name, masculine (on connection with 1 compare Judges 9:28), 'son' of Hamor, also Genesis 33:19; Genesis 34:2 10t. 34, Joshua 24:3. Topical Lexicon Location and Topography Shechem lay in the hill country of Ephraim, nestled in the fertile valley between Mount Gerizim to the south and Mount Ebal to the north, astride the main north–south road through Canaan. The abundant springs at the foot of Gerizim supplied the city with water, while its position on the crossroads of trade routes gave it commercial and strategic importance throughout Old Testament history. Patriarchal Foundations • Genesis 12:6 records Shechem as the first place Abraham entered in Canaan: “Abram passed through the land to the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem.” The location thus becomes the initial foothold of the Abrahamic promise in the land. The Dinah Incident and Its Aftermath Genesis 34 centers on Shechem son of Hamor, whose violation of Dinah provoked Simeon and Levi to destroy the city. The narrative underscores both the depravity of Canaanite culture and the danger of covenant compromise. The lingering fear of reprisal (Genesis 35:5) and Jacob’s later condemnation of Simeon and Levi (Genesis 49:5–7) demonstrate lasting consequences for unsanctioned violence. Covenantal Landmarks under Joshua • Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim framed the covenant ceremony in Deuteronomy 27 and Joshua 8:30-35, where blessings and curses were pronounced. Period of the Judges: Abimelech and Civil Strife Judges 9 chronicles the bloody reign of Abimelech, Gideon’s son by a Shechemite concubine. He murdered his brothers at Ophrah but relied on Shechem’s citizens for support, only to be destroyed in a revolt that climaxed with the collapse of Thebez’s tower and his own ignominious death. The episode illustrates the perils of self-made kingship and the cyclical apostasy that marred the era. United and Divided Monarchy • At Shechem the elders of Israel convened to crown Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1). His refusal to lighten Solomon’s yoke prompted the ten northern tribes to rebel. Poetic and Prophetic Allusions Psalms 60:6 and 108:7 declare, “I will parcel out Shechem,” portraying the Lord as sovereign over the territories He apportions. In these victory hymns Shechem is a metonym for the heartland of Israel, emblematic of God’s unassailable claim to the land. Shechem as Personal Name 1. Shechem son of Hamor (Genesis 34). The repetition of the name within Israelite genealogies suggests that, despite the disgrace attached to Hamor’s son, the name regained respectability among God’s people. Archaeological Corroboration Tell Balata, generally identified as ancient Shechem, reveals Middle Bronze ramparts, Late Bronze destruction layers, and Iron Age occupation corresponding to the biblical timeline. The massive “Migdal-temple” unearthed there plausibly fits the temple of Baal-berith that Abimelech and the Shechemites used (Judges 9:4, 46). Nearby Bir Ya‘qub (“Jacob’s well”) and the Samaritan town of Sychar (John 4) connect New Testament ministry to this Old Testament site. Spiritual and Ministry Themes • Covenant Commitment: From Abraham to Joshua, Shechem repeatedly hosts decisive recommitments to the Lord’s covenant. Key References (Representative) Genesis 12:6; 33:18-19; 34:2-31; 35:4; 37:12-14 Joshua 8:30-35; 20:7; 21:21; 24:1-32 Psalms 60:6; 108:7 Numbers 26:31; Joshua 17:2; 1 Chronicles 7:19; 1 Chronicles 6:67 The approximately sixty-three Old Testament occurrences thus trace Shechem’s path from patriarchal altar to capital of rebellion, from city of refuge to poetic symbol of God’s dominion—each phase underscoring the immutable faithfulness of the God who calls His people to choose life and blessing in covenant obedience. Forms and Transliterations בִּשְׁכֶ֑ם בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ בִשְׁכֶם֒ בשכם בשכם׃ וּשְׁכֶ֣ם וּשְׁכֶ֥ם ושכם מִשְּׁכֶ֞ם משכם שְׁכֶ֑ם שְׁכֶ֑מָה שְׁכֶ֔ם שְׁכֶ֔מָה שְׁכֶ֖ם שְׁכֶ֗ם שְׁכֶ֛ם שְׁכֶ֜ם שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁכֶ֥ם שְׁכֶ֧ם שְׁכֶ֨ם שְׁכֶֽם׃ שְׁכֶֽמָה׃ שְׁכֶם֙ שְׁכֶם֮ שֶׁ֑כְמָה שכם שכם׃ שכמה שכמה׃ biš·ḵem ḇiš·ḵem bishChem bišḵem ḇišḵem miš·šə·ḵem mishsheChem miššəḵem šə·ḵe·māh šə·ḵem šeḵ·māh šəḵem šəḵemāh šeḵmāh sheChem sheChemah Shechmah ū·šə·ḵem ūšəḵem usheChem vishChemLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 12:6 HEB: עַ֚ד מְק֣וֹם שְׁכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד אֵל֣וֹן NAS: as the site of Shechem, to the oak KJV: unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain INT: far as the site of Shechem far to the oak Genesis 33:18 Genesis 33:19 Genesis 34:2 Genesis 34:4 Genesis 34:6 Genesis 34:8 Genesis 34:11 Genesis 34:13 Genesis 34:18 Genesis 34:20 Genesis 34:24 Genesis 34:26 Genesis 34:26 Genesis 35:4 Genesis 37:12 Genesis 37:13 Genesis 37:14 Joshua 17:7 Joshua 20:7 Joshua 21:21 Joshua 24:1 Joshua 24:25 Joshua 24:32 Joshua 24:32 63 Occurrences |
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