It must have been a place of strength from antiquity. 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. Later Jacob settled here, and dug a well. 1. Jacob actually purchased a some land at Shechem. As mentioned before, it was here that Abram, the father of the Jewish nation, first came when he came to the land. From Mount Ebal, they shouted the curses if they disobeyed the law, and from Mount Gerizim, they shouted the blessings if they obeyed. 3:1). Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho under the curse (1 Kings 16:34).Bethel in Hitchcock's Bible Names the house of GodBethel in Naves Topical Bible 1. Called so from the oath of peace between Abraham and Abimelech, king of the Philistines (Genesis 21:31), else from the seven (sheba' ) ewe lambs slain there: indeed sheba', an oath, is from the custom of binding one's self by seven things, as Abraham made the seven ewe lambs a pledge of his covenant with Abimelech. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987. Gerizim (Sirach 50:26; Ant, XI, viii, 6; XII, i, 1; XIII, iii, 4). The Exodus Route: Travel times, distances, rates of travel, days of the week . 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 . (1) According to Genesis 49: 29-32; 50:13 Jacob was buried in the cave of Machpelah near Hebron which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite (Gn. Trace any civilization back to its origin, and geography takes center stage. Israel came to Bethel to consult the Divine oracle (Jdg 20:18), and it became an important center of worship (1 Sam 10:3). the longest distance you ever "walk" in your life is from your . And you lived in the wilderness for a long time. When Terah is 145 years old, God makes 3 promises (nation, land, seed) to Abram at age 75 years old in Haran and tells him to move to Canaan. Sabbath. It is succinctly described: "Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem." . Smith, DB, under the word) would identify it with Sychar of John 4:5; but see SYCHAR. It is mentioned among the "cities" given to the tribe of Simeon (Josh. Mahanaim. I. . Laban was outraged and pursued them to Mizpah, the Lord intervened for Jacob and in Mizpah Laban made a treaty of peace with Jacob (Gen. 31:1-55). Jacob's children fulfilled their promise and carried the coffin all the way to Canaan. Ge 13:18 Its original name was Kirjath-arba, Jud 1:10 "the city of Arba;" so called from Arba the father of Anak. 1837. In later times it was the seat of a bishopric; the names of five occupants of the see are known.2. In process of time the name Luz disappeared, giving place to that of the adjoining sanctuary, town and sanctuary being identified. The other well is 5 feet in diameter, and was 42 feet to the water. First Century Israel Map - 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Weekly Prayer. It was one of Samuel's towns of circuit for judging (1 Samuel 7:16). Josiah, as foretold, defiled the altar with dead men's bones, but disturbed not the sepulchre of the prophet of Judab when he discerned its title. To the East of the city, in a recess at the base of Gerizim, is the sanctuary known as Rijal el-`Amud, literally, "men of the column" or "pillar," where some would locate the ancient "oak of Moreh" or "of the pillar." Bible Book: Genesis. There might be slight difference . Ya'acov) was the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham the first Hebrew. The situation is one of great beauty. The southern limit of the Holy Land, as Dan in the N.: "from Dan to Beersheba" (compare in David's census, 1 Chronicles 21:2; 2 Samuel 24:2-7) comprehends the whole. (See BETHAVEN.) His history is related in the latter half of the book of Genesis. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.Isaiah 44:23 - Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done [it]: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.Isaiah 49:6 - And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.Isaiah 58:14 - Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].Genesis 27:42 - And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, [purposing] to kill thee.Deuteronomy 9:5 - Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Girgashite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. The city lies close to the foot of Gerizim. He found Canaan ites living there. And Jacob came [in] peace [to the] city Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-Aram, and encamped before the city. Shechem (Nablus) (Jewish Virtual Library) A lengthy article describing the archaeology and history of the ancient city. When the land of Canaan was conquered and divided among the Israelites, Shechem was allotted to Ephraim, and finally . In one part of the modern city is a great mosque, which is built over the grave of Machpelah. God used this sad turn of events to eventually take the entire family of Israel to Egypt, protecting and multiplying them. Islam sees Jacob (Ya'qub) as a Prophet of Islam and Muslims believe that he preached the same monotheistic faith as his forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael. After settling in Hebron, Jacob's sons (minus Joseph) traveled north to herd their flocks in Shechem. 2. Jacob arose and returned to Bethel where he would renew his vow to the Lord and he built an altar at Bethel and worshiped God (Gen. 35:1-15). Bible Book Code: 0103702801a. That which was promised he would have received in some good way; but Jacob and his mother, distrusting God's promise, sought the promised blessing in a wrong way, and received with it trouble and sorrow. Son of Kohath Ex 6:18; Nu 3:19; 1Ch 6:2,18; 23:12,19Hebron in Smiths Bible Dictionary (alliance). Again, from the like oath between Abimelech (with Phichol, his captain) and Isaac, it being not uncommon for an event to be recorded as occurring apparently for the first time, which has been recorded as occurring earlier before: so Bethel (Genesis 26:31-33). Abraham camped there after leaving Ilaran. Picture Study Bible - StudyBible with Pictures and Maps. 2. To the rich pasture land near Shechem Joseph came to seek his brethren (Genesis 37:12). 20:18, 31; 21:2). Hebrew). And David said, Whither shall I go up? There are four springs which yield supplies of good water. Joshua gives us all a good reminder: Remember where youve come from. Here Abram built an altar to the Lord, and here God confirmed His promise to give the land to Abram. 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. . He was presented to Pharaoh, and dwelt for seventeen years in Rameses and Goshen, and died in his 147th year. It is usually included in Zion, to the north-east of which it lay, and from which it was separated by the Tyropoean valley. . These people did not know the Lord (2 Kings 17:24-41) and thus they continually struggled with idolatry. Rousseau, John J. and Rami Arav. At the oak of Moreh in the vicinity he reared his first altar to the Lord in Palestine (Genesis 12:6 f). Soon after his acquisition of his father's blessing (Gen. 27), Jacob became conscious of his guilt; and afraid of the anger of Esau, at the suggestion of Rebekah Isaac sent him away to Haran, 400 miles or more, to find a wife among his cousins, the family of Laban, the Syrian (28). 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.) The total distance between Hebron and Egypt is 402 KM (kilometers) and 72.87 meters. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwelt here, and it was here that Abraham bought a tomb - the Cave of Machpelah. 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). Come, and I will send you to them." If we are to accept the precise definition of Ge 12:8 the name of Bethel would appear to have existed at this spot even before the arrival of Abram in Canaan. 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. Jeroboam shouted: To your tents, O Israel and separated the ten northern tribes from the southern kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 12:1,16). He desired to see his father Jacob and invited him to Egypt because of the great famine. Shechem was captured by John Hyrcanus in 132 B.C. Excavations, mainly in the 20th century, have unearthed the remains of many important Canaanite cities, including Bet Shean, Gezer, Hazor, Jericho, Jerusalem, Lachish, Megiddo, and Shechem.The most important literary sources for the region's history are the Old . Bethel became the king's chapel" (sanctuary) "the king's court" ("house of the kingdom") (Amos 7:13; Amos 3:14-15). It is mentioned as lying to the West of Michmethath (el-Makhneh) on the boundary of Manasseh (Joshua 17:7). And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed [and] keep thy flock:Genesis 35:14 - And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, [even] a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.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.Genesis 30:41 - And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.Ezekiel 37:25 - And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever.1 Samuel 12:8 - When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.Obediah 1:18 - And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be [any] remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken [it].Deuteronomy 29:13 - That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and [that] he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.Genesis 31:46 - And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.Isaiah 43:22 - But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.Lamentations 2:2 - The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought [them] down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.Psalms 22:23 - Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.Genesis 37:2 - These [are] the generations of Jacob. The traditional site of Jacob's well cannot be located by finding Sychar, as that city is no longer in existence. 1Ch 15:9; 23:19 2. Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because he was born to him in his old age. (a) In Babylonian documents of the period of the Patriarchs, there occur such personal names as Ja-ku-bi, Ja-ku-ub-ilu (the former doubtless an abbreviation of the latter), and Aq-bu-u (compare Aq-bi-a-hu), according to Hilprecht a syncopated form for A-qu(? In his dream, the LORD renewed his covenant promise to give the land of . Hebron is one of the Palestine city. 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). 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. Remember how Jacob put away his idols in this spot? Joseph was buried here (Joshua . That was Joshuas challenge to Israel at Shechem, and it is a good one for us to heed as well. Ramban (R. Moses Nahmanides, 1194-1270) takes a similar approach, but avoids ibn Ezra's geographical error: They all pour their streams into the wady es Seba, and are called Bir es seba, the largest 12 ft. diameter, and masonry round reaching 28 ft. down, and 44 from bottom to surface of the water. 8. a. Bethel. 67, 113, 98 and 4). Ge 12:8; 13:3,4 Bethel was the scene of Jacob's vision. Gottwald held that Israel emerged from within the population of Canaan and not by invasion from outside of it. 11. (1.) These have come so that your faith. 2:2-8), who spoke for God, were carefully obeyed by Joshua (30,31). It became the central city of the Samaritans, whose shrine was built on Mt. Bethel still abounds in stones such as Jacob used for his pillow and afterward for a sanctuary. 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.