History
Why was the city of Shechem an important archaeological
find? The ancient city of Shechem plays a prominent
role in the Bible. The Lord spoke to Abraham
near Shechem after commanding him to leave
his home in Haran (Genesis 12:1-7). Jacob later
settled near Shechem after leaving his father-in-law
Laban in Padan Aram (Genesis 33:18). Simeon
and Levi killed all the males of Shechem after
the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34).
Shechem was allotted to the tribe of Ephraim
following the Israelite conquest of the Promised
Land (Joshua 20:7). Joseph was buried in Shechem
after his body was exhumed and brought from
Egypt (Joshua 24:32). Rehoboam was crowned
in Shechem following the death of Solomon (1
Kings 12:1). Shechem briefly served as Jeroboam's
capital following the division of the Kingdom
into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms (1
Kings 12:25). And although the city no longer
existed in Jesus' day, it was the original
site of Jacob's Well where Jesus spoke with
the woman of Samaria (John 4:1-42).
The city of Shechem is mentioned by name
in Genesis, Joshua, Judges, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles,
2 Chronicles, Psalms, Jeremiah, and Hosea.
When the city of Shechem was discovered it
was thus a great source of vindication for
the biblical record. Shechem is mentioned
by other historical sources outside of the
Bible including an
Egyptian Stele and the writings of Josephus.
Joseph's Tomb in Shechem
Joshua 24:32 And the bones
of Joseph, which
the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt,
buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground
which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the
father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of
silver: and it became the inheritance of the
children of Joseph.
The palestinians destroyed Joseph's Tomb and
immediately rebuilt it as a mosque and now
claim that it
was never Joseph's Tomb at all but rather the
grave of a Muslim clergyman of note. They now
claim that it is a Muslim holy place and assert
exclusive rights to it.
Following the 1967 War, Israel gained control
of the site and a small settlement citation
needed, including a Jewish seminary and military
outpost, was built there in the 1980s. The
settlement was handed over to the Palestinian
Authority in 1995, but the Israeli Defence
Forces retained control over the site since
the Oslo accords granted it free Israeli access.
For Israelis, the destruction of a Jewish
shrine raised serious doubts as to whether
the Palestinian Authority would protect religious
sites belonging to Jews and Christians and
guarantee access to them as agreed in the
Oslo accords.
Since the October 7th, 2000 retreat, Israelis
have been forbidden to visit the site. Only
in the last couple of years, due to very
high demand, has the Israeli Army infrequently
allowed pilgrims to visit the site under
armoured army escort.
Scriptures
Joshua 24:32 And
the bones of Joseph,
which the children of Israel brought up out
of Egypt, buried they in
Shechem, in a parcel of ground which
Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father
of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver:
and it became the inheritance of the children
of Joseph.
Judges 9:6 And all
the men of Shechem gathered
together, and all the house of Millo, and
went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain
of the pillar that was in Shechem.
1 Kings 12:1 And
Rehoboam went to Shechem:
for all Israel were come to Shechem to make
him
king.
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