Shechem
A city in the pass between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Abraham built his first altar in Canaan here, Jacob bought land here, Joshua renewed the covenant here, and the kingdom of Israel was divided here.
Shechem stood in the pass between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim; its mound, Tell Balata, is on the eastern edge of modern Nablus. It is Abram’s first stopping place in Canaan, where he builds an altar (Genesis 12:6–7). Jacob buys a piece of ground outside the city and sets up an altar there (Genesis 33:18–20), and the bones of Joseph are later buried in that plot (Joshua 24:32). Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem to renew the covenant (Joshua 24:1) (Joshua 24:25). Rehoboam comes here to be made king, the northern tribes break away, and Jeroboam makes it his first residence (1 Kings 12:1) (1 Kings 12:16–25). In John’s Gospel Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, near the ground Jacob gave to Joseph (John 4:5–6).
What happened here
- about 2091 BC, traditional dateThe Call of Abraham
Genesis tells how God calls Abram to leave his country and his father’s house for a land he will be shown, promising to make him a great nation through whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. Abram leaves Haran for Canaan.
- c. 1380 or c. 1195 BC, traditional dateCovenant Renewal at Shechem
Near the end of his life Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem, recounts their history from Abraham to the conquest and calls on them to choose whom they will serve. The people pledge themselves, and he sets up a stone as witness.
- about 930 BC, estimated dateThe Kingdom Divides
After Solomon’s death the northern tribes reject his son Rehoboam at Shechem and make Jeroboam their king. Israel in the north and Judah in the south become separate kingdoms, and Jeroboam sets up his own sanctuaries at Bethel and Dan.