City
Shechem
SHEH-kem · Modern Tell Balata, near Nablus, West Bank · Also called Sichem, Sychar (NT-era)
Shechem is a city of the biblical world, known today as Tell Balata, near Nablus, West Bank.
What is known
- Abraham built his first altar in Canaan near Shechem, at the 'oak of Moreh' (Genesis 12:6-7)
- Jacob purchased land here, dug a well (later 'Jacob's Well'), and his sons Simeon and Levi massacred the men of the city after the assault on Dinah (Genesis 33-34)
- Joseph's bones, carried out of Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the plot Jacob had purchased (Joshua 24:32)
- Joshua assembled all Israel here to renew the covenant between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim (Joshua 8:30-35; 24:1-27)
- Abimelech, son of Gideon, was made king at Shechem and later destroyed the city and sowed it with salt (Judges 9)
- Rehoboam went to Shechem to be crowned, where the ten northern tribes revolted, splitting the kingdom (1 Kings 12)
History
- Founded
- Occupied since at least the Chalcolithic period (4th millennium BC); a fortified Middle Bronze Age city by c. 1900-1550 BC
- Population
- Estimated several thousand at its Middle Bronze Age peak, a major fortified regional center
- Industry
- Agricultural trade hub controlling the pass between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim; later a religious and administrative center
- Coordinates
- 32.2214° N, 35.2819° E
Rulers and powers
- Canaanite city-state kings (e.g., Lab'ayu, known from the Amarna letters) — c. 14th century BC
- Israelite/Ephraimite control — from the Conquest period onward
Archaeology
Excavations at Tell Balata since the early 20th century (German expeditions in the 1910s-30s, then Drew-McCormick expeditions in the 1950s-60s) uncovered a massive Middle Bronze Age city wall, the Northwest Gate, and a large migdal-style temple/fortress identified by some scholars with the 'tower of Shechem' in Judges 9. The site is now the Tell Balata Archaeological Park.
Scripture references
- Genesis 12:6-7
- Genesis 33:18-20
- Genesis 34
- Genesis 37:12-14
- Joshua 8:30-35
- Joshua 24:1-32
- Judges 9
- 1 Kings 12:1-19
On a modern map
Further reading
Reflect
At Shechem, Joshua told the people, 'Choose this day whom you will serve' — what choice have you been postponing?
Capstone Bible is a free interactive study app — a map of every place in this library, a zoomable timeline of biblical and church history, the Bible text with every name in it linked to its article, reading plans and personal notes.
Open Capstone Bible