Shechem

E80189

Shechem was an important ancient city in the central highlands of Canaan, serving as a significant political and religious center in biblical times.

Aliases (1)

Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient city
biblical city
appearsInText Amarna letters
archaeologicalSiteName Tell Balata
associatedRuler Labayu
associatedWithPatriarch Abraham
Jacob
Joseph
countryToday State of Palestine
culturalContext Canaanite
Israelite
Samaritan
event Abraham built an altar there
Dinah incident involving the sons of Jacob
Jacob buried foreign gods under the oak near Shechem
Jacob purchased land there
Joshua set up a stone of witness there
assembly of Israel to make Rehoboam king
division of the united monarchy of Israel
renewal of the covenant under Joshua
firstBiblicalMention Book of Genesis
fortificationType walled city
hasArchaeologicalExcavationsBy American expeditions
German expeditions
hasNearbyLandmark Mount Ebal
Mount Gerizim
languageOfName Hebrew
locatedIn Canaan
ancient Near East
central highlands of Canaan
region of Samaria
meaningOfName shoulder
mentionedIn Hebrew Bible
Old Testament
modernSiteNear Nablus
nameInHebrewScript שְׁכֶם
nearbyFeature fertile valley
important north–south trade route
periodOfOccupation Iron Age
Late Bronze Age
Middle Bronze Age
politicalSignificance capital of the Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam I for a time
early Israelite political center
religiousGroupAssociation Samaritans
religiousSignificance early Israelite worship center
site of covenant ceremonies
religiousStructure temple or fortress-temple complex
tribalTerritory tribe of Ephraim
tribe of Manasseh

Referenced by (5)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Nablus
hasOldName
Ancient Israel
keyCity
Canaan
majorCity
Sebaste ("city of Samaria")
predecessor
Book of Joshua
setting

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