ABRAHAM'S EARLY LIFE. A later king of Israel, Omri, chose Samaria as his capital because it was easy to defend. During the civil war with Benjamin the tribes took the ark thither to consult God (compare 1 Samuel 10:3). The name of this city does not occur in any of the prophets or in the New Testament. At the oak of Moreh in the vicinity he reared his first altar to the Lord in Palestine (Genesis 12:6 f). In his dream, the LORD renewed his covenant promise to give the land of . "Summer and winter houses" too, and "great houses" and "houses of ivory." In old times the slopes of Ebal were covered with vineyards; but these formed a source of temptation to the "faithful." The city lies close to the foot of Gerizim. The Sanctuary: The town was originally called Luz (Gen 28:19, etc.). After the overthrow of Israel, the king of Assyria sent one of the Israelite priests to settle at Bethel, and teach the new settlers from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, "the manner of the god of the land," and "how they should fear Jehovah" (2 Kings 17:27- 28). Jacob and his mother deceived his father Isaac into blessing Jacob and he fled eastward. In the same neighborhood He vouchsafed a vision to Abram (Genesis 14; Genesis 15:1) after Melchizedek had met him in the valley near Salem and Abram paid tithe of the spoils of Chedorlaomer. God would later tell King David: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be ruler over My people Israel (2 Sam. 2 Kings 23:8 - And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that [were] in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.2 Samuel 24:2 - For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which [was] with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.Amos 5:5 - But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.Nehemiah 11:30 - Zanoah, Adullam, and [in] their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and [in] the villages thereof. Filmed on location at the very place Jesus met with the Samaritan woman in Sychar (Shechem). (See Joshua 21:11; Judges 1:10.) Abraham From Haran to Canaan. History of the City. 2. 101. It required cisterns for water supply, which was a major drawback in times of siege. Matthew 1:15 - And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;Genesis 47:9 - And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage [are] an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.Leviticus 26:42 - Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.Deuteronomy 30:20 - That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.Genesis 31:43 - And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, [These] daughters [are] my daughters, and [these] children [are] my children, and [these] cattle [are] my cattle, and all that thou seest [is] mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?Genesis 35:20 - And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that [is] the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.Isaiah 44:21 - Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou [art] my servant: I have formed thee; thou [art] my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.Malachi 1:2 - I have loved you, saith the LORD. A considerable trade is done in cotton and wool. with angels going up and down. Though Noah was an obedient man to God, it seems Ham wasn't always a nice guy, and his typical teenager shenanigans sealed the fate of millions of people for centuries. Abram arrived in the land, heard from the Lord at Shechem and worshipped at Bethel (Genesis 12:6-8). The mile based measurement distance is 249.8 miles. A city of the territory of the tribe of Asher Jos 19:28 -2. It was a favourite place of abode of both of these patriarchs (21:33-22:1, 19; 26:33; 28:10). Judges 9:25 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. Now El Khalil, the house of "the friend" of God. It is traversed by the carriage road leading to Jaffa and the sea. Rousseau, John J. and Rami Arav. Josephus mistakenly places here the dream of Solomon (Ant., VIII, ii, 1) which occurred at Gibeon (1 Ki 3:4). One of Samson's exploits was the carrying of the gate of Gaza "to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron" (Jdg 16:3). What made the difference? Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the world still existing; and in this respect it is the rival of Damascus. It is mentioned among the "cities" given to the tribe of Simeon (Josh. Abimelech, whose mother was a native of the city, persuaded the men of Shechem to make him king (Judges 9:1-6), evidently seeking a certain consecration from association with "the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem." Another account is given (Gen 26:23-33), where Isaac takes an oath and just afterward, "the same day Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged (dug), and said unto him, We have found water. Jacob and his sons were offered a home in the land of Goshen (Gen. 46:1-5). Knowing that this was the land God had promised him, he built an altar. Abram traveled from Ur to Haran with his father Terah and settled there (Genesis 11:31). And he bought an allotment of the field where he had spread his tent, at the hands of Hamor's sons, father of Shechem, for a hundred kesitahs (lambs). And now all connection of the Israelites with Mesopotamia is at an endJacob in Hitchcock's Bible Names that supplantsJacob in Naves Topical Bible -Son of Isaac, and the twin brother of Esau Ge 25:24-26; Jos 24:4; 1Ch 1:34; Ac 7:8 -Ancestor of Jesus Mt 1:2 -Given in answer to prayer Ge 25:21 -Obtains Esau's birthright for just one bowl of stew Ge 25:29-34; Heb 12:16 -Fradulently obtains his father's blessing Ge 27:1-29; Heb 11:20 -Esau seeks to kill, escapes to Padan-aram Ge 27:41-46; 28:1-5; Ho 12:12 -His vision of the ladder Ge 28:10-22 -God confirms the covenant of Abraham to Ge 28:13-22; 35:9-15; 1Ch 16:13-18 -Sojourns in Haran with his uncle, Laban Ge 29:30; Ho 12:12 -Serves fourteen years for Leah and Rachel Ge 29:15-30; Ho 12:12 -Sharp practice of, with the flocks and herds of Laban Ge 30:32-43 -Dissatisfied with Laban's treatment and returns to the land of Canaan Ge 31 -Meets angels of God on the journey, and calls the place "Mahanaim," Ge 32:1,2 -Dreads to meet Esau; sends him presents; wrestles with an angel Ge 32Jacob in Smiths Bible Dictionary (supplanter), the second son of Isaac and Rebekah. The wadi formed a natural and political boundary between the southern territory governed by the city-state of Jerusalem and the central territory governed by the city-state of Shechem. Shechem was the place where Joseph's remains were buried (Joshua 24:32). Jacob arose and returned to Bethel where he . Bimson, John J., ed. . The distance is straight path from one place to another place. Here Jacob, on his way from Beersheba to Haran, had a vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on the ladder whose top reached unto heaven (28:10, 19); and on his return he again visited this place, "where God talked with him" (35:1-15), and there he "built an altar, and called the place El- beth-el" (q.v.). Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1995. Jacobs two sons, Levi and Simeon, made a deceptive pact with the males of the city and slaughtered them all in revenge of Dinah. Bethel nevertheless remains a sacred place in the collective memory of both Jews and Christians. Some 50 years later Hadrian reportedly restored the Samaritan temple of . As a result of a severe drought in Canaan, Jacob moved to Egypt at the time when his son Joseph was viceroy. Then he says: or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. You can choose to follow the culture you live in and be loyal to their priorities. Judges 9:23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: Judges 9:24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. Tanis) in Egypt (Nu 13:22); its ancient name was Kiriath-arba, probably meaning the "Four Cities," perhaps because divided at one time into four quarters, but according to Jewish writers so called because four patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Adam were buried there. 8:30-35). It was afterwards known as Mamre. Still farther to the East and near the base of Ebal is the traditional tomb of Joseph, a little white-domed building beside a luxuriant orchard. Haran. Under the oak in the neighboring sanctuary he set up the stone of witness (24:26). Its Position: Geographically Beersheba marked the southern limit of Judah, though theoretically this extended to the "river of Egypt" (Gen 15:18)--the modern Wady el`Avish--60 miles farther south. We've studied the first three verses of Genesis 12 (Read: Abraham - A Story of Relationship ). Apart from the trip distance, refer Directions from hebron israel to shechem Israel for road driving directions! When the land of Canaan was conquered and divided among the Israelites, Shechem was allotted to Ephraim, and finally . Jacob names this altar El-Elohe-Israel, which means "the mighty God is the God of Israel." This is the first record in which an . 67, 113, 98 and 4). The series of events recalls to Isaac's mind the original name and that which gave rise to the name; so he restores both the well itself and the name. Shechem, a son of Hamor the Hivite. He escaped from the angry pursuit of Laban, from a meeting with Esau, and from the vengeance of the Canaanites provoked by the murder of Shechem; and in each of these three emergencies he was aided and strengthened by the interposition of God, and in sign of the grace won by a night of wrestling with God his name was changed at Jabbok into Israel. . --The elevation on which Solomon built the temple, where God appeared to David "in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." And David said, Whither shall I go up? 2Ch 13:19 Elijah visited Bethel, and we hear of "sons of the prophets" as resident there. The total straight line distance between Ur and Canaan is 5570 KM (kilometers) and 217.72 meters. 8:17-19); and (4) the promise of the Seed in which all nations of the earth were to be blessed (Gen. 22:18). Judges 9:39 Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. Frank, Harry Thomas, Ed. 1. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. This study will discuss the significance of Shechem, a city in central Israel. What Jehovah has made one see (this hophal mowreh occurs four times in the Pentateuch, nowhere in later books) "the vision of Jehovah". Joseph started his journey from Hebron, where Jacob and his family lived (see Genesis 37:14 . Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God (Josh. 21:2; 2 Sam. Here in Succoth Jacob built a house for himself and booths for his cattle to rest from their long journey (Gen. 33:17). Here also Jacob dug a well for his many herds. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you. )-bu(-u), like Aq-bi-ili alongside of A-qa- bi-ili; all of which may be associated with the same root `aqabh, as appears in Jacob (see H. Ranke, Early Babylonian Personal Names, 1905, with annotations by Professor Hilprecht as editor, especially pp. Judges 9:31 He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and behold, they constrain the city to take part against you. At length all traces of the idolatries were extirpated by Josiah, king of Judah (2 Kings 23:15-18); and the place was still in existence after the Captivity (Ezra 2:28; Neh. 1 Chronicles 2:42-43. In the morning Jacob set up "for a pillar" the stone which had served as his pillow (Gen 28:18; see PILLAR, matstsebhah), poured oil upon it and called the name of the place Bethel, "house of God"; that is, of God whose epiphany was for him associated with the pillar. Abram doubtless built the altar, and afterwards stood with Lot when giving him his choice of the land (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:10). The houses are stone, solidly built, flat-roofed, and have each one or two little cupolas, such as are seen in several parts of Israel. Genesis 37. Joshua says to serve the Lord in sincerity, not in hypocrisy. (c) In the Jewish tractate Pirqe Abhoth, iii.l, we read of a Jew named 'Aqabhyah, which is a name composed of the same verbal root as that in Jacob, together with the Divine name Yahu (i.e. Hither the ark was brought from Gilgal (Jdg 2:1, Septuagint). When Abram entered Canaan he formed his second encampment between Bethel and Hai (Gen. 12:8); and on his return from Egypt he came back to it, and again "called upon the name of the Lord" (13:4). It must have been a place of strength from antiquity. After Moses brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt, God commanded Israel to enter the Promised land and go to Shechem to pronounce the blessings and the curses of the Mosaic Covenant on the nation (Deut. This geographical information is inaccurate. This was fulfilled at the time of the conquest of Canaan under Joshua (Joshua 8:34). It was evidently the center, especially for the northern tribes; and hither Rehoboam came in the hope of getting his succession to the throne confirmed (1 Kings 12:1 2 Chronicles 10:1). Here the name is ascribed to the Hebrew root shabha`, "to swear," but this same root is connected with the idea of seven, seven victims being offered and to take an oath, meaning "to come under the influence of seven." 1. There might be slight difference . History: Bethel was a royal city of the Canaanites (Josh 12:16). Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldees when his father, Terah, was 130 years old. Come, and I will send you to them." 27:4). It became a Levitical city and a city of refuge (20:7; 21:11). The actual trip should have taken 11 days. On some low hills north of the large wells are scattered the foundations and ruins of a town of moderate size.Beersheba in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE be-er-she'-ba (be'er shebha`; Bersabee): Allotted originally to Simeon (Josh 19:2), one of "the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah" (Josh 15:28). Camels can travel at up to 50 miles per hour. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, New Living Translation "Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along," Jacob said. After the death of Saul, David was here anointed king (2 Sam 5:3) and reigned here 7 1/2 years, until he captured Jerusalem and made that his capital (2 Sam 5:5); while here, six sons were born to him (2 Sam 3:2). Jacob, in his 78th year, was sent from the family home to avoid his brother, and to seek a wife among his kindred in Padan-aram. Shechem itself became a city of refuge and was given to the . Modern Shechem:The modern town contains about 20,000 inhabitants, the great body of them being Moslems. And the ensuing argument about the true place of worshipGerizim or Jerusalemwas in full force (John 4:20). Genesis 37:12 His brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. Judges 9:41 Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem. Aharoni, Yohanan, and Micheal Avi-Yonah. 5. Then he erected there an altar, and called it El-Elohe . His history is related in the latter half of the book of Genesis. Shechem had great spiritual significance for Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Joshua. Shechem in Israel's History. He was finally buried in Hebron at the family tomb, the Cave of Machpelah. However Zerubbabel refused, and the Samaritans developed almost a cultdevoted only to the Pentateuch. Hence the prophet Hosea (Hos. The main center of interest in the town is the synagogue of the Samaritans, with their ancient manuscript of the Pentateuch.3. Jeroboam chose Shechem as the capital for the Northern Kingdom, perhaps because of the significant history there for Ephraim. The road was thus forced to pass through the city located in the valley between these two mountains. The Days of the Monarchy: David, when a fugitive, received kindness from the people of this city (1 Sam 30:31); here Abner was treacherously slain by Joab at the gate (2 Sam 3:27), and the sons of Rimmon, after their hands and feet had been cut off, were hanged "beside the pool" (2 Sam 4:12). 2. shoulder. 3. Abraham, now 75 years old, leaves Haran and takes the family to the land of Canaan (the land of promise . A city of Judah, Jos 15:54 situated among the mountains, Jos 20:7 20 Roman miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beersheba. Mutton was preferred to camel meat, which came second in popularity, costing US$2/kg. 12. Josephs last memories of Israel, before his brothers sold him, was of Shechem and Dothan. The people traveled more than 25 miles from Ai to the beautiful valley of Shechem surrounded by mountains, two of which were Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God (vv. After the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon, Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king (1 Kings 12:1). For they were obliged to do this when they were brought over Jordan into the land of Canaan, Deuteronomy 11:29; Deuteronomy 27:2-3.But this is not to be understood strictly, as if it were to be done the same day; for it is manifest they were first to be circumcised, and to eat the passover, which they did, and which . There are two accounts of the origin of the name. 3. And he bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent, from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. From this place the patriarch departed for Egypt by way of Beersheba (37:14; 46:1). Shechem first steps on the pages of Scripture as Abram enters the land of Canaan. But Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, escaped by hiding. 7. In addition to the Ridge Route leading south, the road also passed directly through Shechem, which lay on the northeastern side of Mount Gerizim and just south of Mount Ebal. Please help us share God's truths and hope in Christ. Genesis 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, "Aren't your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Beersheba. The Samaritans do not total more than 200. The kingdom of the ten tribes extended from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim (2 Chr. Those three verses included God's call to Abram and the covenantal promises that God gave to Abram Remember that God's call was to leave the world that . Later Joseph was buried there (Josh 24:32). Probably on rising ground East of Bethel Abraham and Lot stood to view the uninviting highlands and the rich lands of the Jordan valley (Gen 13:9 ff). 10. Genesis 33:18 Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city. From Dan to Beersheba (2 Sam 17:11, etc.) Near Hebron was the cave of Machpelah, where he and Sarah were buried. Amen. He was presented to Pharaoh, and dwelt for seventeen years in Rameses and Goshen, and died in his 147th year. However, the site thought to be the biblical Shechem, called Tel Balata by archaeologists, is near a well. After much recrimination and reproach directed against Jacob, Laban is at length pacified, and taking an affectionate farewell of his daughters, returns to his home in Padanaram. 2. His body was embalmed, carried with great care and pomp into the land of Canaan, and deposited with his fathers, and his wife Leah, in the cave of Machpelah. To the Southwest of the city is a small mosque on the spot where Jacob is said to have mourned over the blood-stained coat of Joseph. 15:10), who probably expected to find his chief support in the tribe of Judah, now called el-Khulil. It was here at hebron where Jacob met saw his father Isaac in his old age (Gen. 35:27) and he dwelt here in Hebron. For a spiritual lesson from Shechems history, we look back at Joshuas challenge to the nation in Joshua 24. It is found about forty times in the Old. 2. In Jos 16:1 and 1Sam 13:2 Mount Bethel, a hilly section near Beth-el, is referred to.Bethel in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE beth'-el (beth-'el; Baithel and oikos theou, literally, "house of God"): (1) A town near the place where Abraham halted and offered sacrifice on his way south from Shechem. 2:42, 43. Jacob, now called Israel, sends Joseph to meet his brothers. These people did not know the Lord (2 Kings 17:24-41) and thus they continually struggled with idolatry. They were therefore removed by authority, and their place taken by the prickly pears mentioned above.W. 3. 5:5); and here he was anointed as king over all Israel (2 Sam. 5. The Tabernacle of Ancient Israel - Brief Overview of the Tabernacle of Moses in the Wilderness and the Ark of the Covenant. Shechem first steps on the pages of Scripture as Abram enters the land of Canaan. The naming of Bethel Jacob repeated more publicly on his return home, 20 years later, with his family purified of idols, when God again appeared to him, and confirmed his change of name to Israel (Genesis 35:1-15; Genesis 32:28). Because Jerusalem was the only appointed place God allowed for worship, and since Jerusalem lay in Judah, Jeroboam set up a rival sanctuary in Bethel, complete with a golden bull image. Ge 22:2 Its position is doubtful, some thinking it to be Mount MOriah, others that Moreh, near Shechem, is meant. The town has no walls; but the main streets opening on the principal roads have gates. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah. Genesis 35:9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. Shechem. The well of, belonged to Abraham and Isaac Ge 21:25,26 -3. The maqom was doubtless that at which Abraham had sacrificed, East of the town. Jacob purchased a parcel of land here in Shechem and actually made for himself a dwelling place in the land of Canaan (Gen. 33:18-20). God's answer to his sacrifice at this altar of the threshing floor, and God's removal of the plague, determined David's choice of it as the site of the temple (1 Chronicles 28:2; 1 Chronicles 21:28; 1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1, etc.). A city of the tribe of Judah, south of Jerusalem When built Nu 13:22 Fortified 2Ch 11:10 Called KIRJATH-ARBA Ge 23:2 ARBA Ge 35:27; Jos 15:13 Abraham lived there and Sarah died at Ge 23:2 Hoham, king of, confederated with other kings of the Canaanites against Joshua Jos 10:3-39 Descendants of the Anakim live at Nu 13:22; Jos 11:21 Conquest of, by Caleb Jos 14:6-15; Jud 1:10,20 A city of refuge Jos 20:7; 21:11,13 David crowned king of Judah at 2Sa 2:1-11; 3 David crowned king of Israel at 2Sa 5:1-5 The burial place of Sarah Ge 23:2 The burial place of Abner 2Sa 3:32 The burial place of Ish-bosheth 2Sa 4:12 The conspirators against Ish-bosheth hanged at 2Sa 4:12 Absalom made king at 2Sa 15:9,10 Jews of the Babylonian captivity lived at Ne 11:25 Pool of 2Sa 4:12 -3. 24:32) in land which Jacob had bought from . Jacob purchased a parcel of a field which contained the well that he had dug there. Calm our fears and strengthen our faith that we may never doubt his presence among us but proclaim that he is your Son, risen from the dead, living for ever and ever. This accounts for a school of prophets of Jehovah being there in Elijah's time (2 Kings 2:2-3). Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? E. of this mount stands the ruin Tel er Rijmah, "the mound of the heap," answering to Ai or Hai. Joshua 17:7 The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. . Wayne earned his masters and doctoral degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary and served in the pastorate for 14 years before also serving 12 years in leadershi More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. It is at this point Joshua stops speaking for the Lord and begins speaking for himself, giving the implications and applications from looking at the past. He cursed them with forty years of wilderness wandering until the unbelieving generation died off, never stepping foot in the Promised Land. Hebron is said to have been rounded before Zoan (i.e. Jehovah's vision to David in the same spot, before the preparation for building the temple there, revived the name Moriah (2 Samuel 24:16; 2 Samuel 24:24-25.) 1837. Not ours, but Gods. The first mention of Shechem in the Bible is Genesis 12:6, when Abram first entered Canaan. Against God's directive to settle in Bethel (28:21; 31:3, 13), Jacob settles near the city of Shechem instead. (See BETHAVEN.) [2][3] Before the birth of Benjamin, Jacob is renamed "Israel" by an angel, the name after which the modern nation of Israel is named. When Judah returned from exile to the southern portion of the nation, the Samaritans requested to help rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Son of Kohath Ex 6:18; Nu 3:19; 1Ch 6:2,18; 23:12,19Hebron in Smiths Bible Dictionary (alliance). Answer (1 of 20): Haran is in northern Syria. All of Egypt mourned with Joseph over the passing of Jacob, who, in the time of his stay in Goshen, had gained the esteem and love of all the people. Because of its central location and vital crossroads, Shechem saw a lot of traffic in its history. of God, a favorite name for Abraham; compare Jas 2:23). In Jewish tradition, the old name was understood in . Jacob (Heb. And he set up there an altar, and called it El-Elohe . Eusebius, in Onomasticon, here identifies Shechem with Shalem; but see SHALEM. Bethuel, 1 Chronicles 4:30. There the prophet from Judah foretold the overthrow of the calf altar by Josiah. The worship of Jehovah and of the calves had been all along strangely blended. In the time of Jerome it was still a considerable place, and still retains its ancient name --Bir es-Seba. Thus Shechem often found itself in major events in the Biblical narrative. Judges 9:1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, Judges 9:2 "Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem,'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' A Sacred Shrine: Beersheba was a sacred shrine. Located about ten miles north of Jerusalem near the border of Israel and Judah, Bethel was known as Luz in pre-Israelite times (Gen. 28:19).The name "Bethel" (beit el) means the "house (or place) of God."Abraham, according to Genesis 12:8, built an altar east . 11. Remember how you yourselves shouted the blessings and the curses in this spot? The third resting place of Abram; Shechem was the first, Bethel the second. Judges 9:26 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. HARAN TO SHECHEM n About 400 miles distance n Crossing Jordan at Succoth Genesis 12:1-7 n 1st altar built n Abram worships God SHECHEM TO BETHEL n About 20 miles distance n Genesis 12:8 n 2nd altar built n Prayer offered n Famine in Canaan BETHEL TO EGYPT n About 225 miles southwest n Genesis 12:9-13 n Abraham denies that Sarah is his wife . The Angel of Jehovah had stood by Araunah's threshing floor; there David saw Him, and Araunah (Ornan) also, subsequently on turning back, saw Him and hid himself. In process of time the name Luz disappeared, giving place to that of the adjoining sanctuary, town and sanctuary being identified. Then Joshua built an altar Namely, after the taking of Ai. After the Israelites blazed a safe trail to central Canaan by defeating Jericho and Ai, they immediately went 34 km north to convene a covenant ceremony in the area of Shechem (Josh 8:30-35). I. Acts 7:16 and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem. The Ark of the Covenant was positioned in the valley between Mt Gerizim and Mt. Shechem is also where Abraham lived, Jacob lived, Joshua rallied the nation of Israel together and gave the curses and blessings on Mt. DISTANCE: It was a long and difficult journey of more than fourhundred miles (about 600km) from Canaan (Bethel) to Haran. Resolved second: That whether others do or not, I will. Joshua says that regardless of what they chose, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD..