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Sychar
(meaning unknown)-- a city of
Samaria mentioned in connection with Jesus' visit to Jacob's Well (Jn 4:5).
The fame of Sychar is associated with Jesus' conversation with the woman who
came there to draw water, her conversion, and the conversion of many of the
Samaritans during His two days in the area.
Many scholars identify Sychar with ancient Shechem (Gen 33:18). Jacob's Well,
one of the best attested sites in Palestine, is situated on the eastern edge of
the valley which separates Mount Gerizim from Mount Ebal.
It is now commonly located at the site of the village of 'Askar, on the
eastern slope of Ebal, almost two miles ENE from Nablus,
about a half mile N of Jacob' s well, and a short distance SE of Shechem.
Shechem is first mentioned in connection with Abraham's journey into the land
of Canaan. When
Abraham eventually came to Shechem, the Lord appeared to him and announced that this
was the land He would give to Abraham's descendants (Gen 12:6). This fulfilled
God's promise to Abraham at the time of his call (Gen 12:1-3).
In response, Abraham built his first altar to the Lord in Canaan at Shechem
(Gen 12:7). Because of this incident, Shechem is an important place in the
religious history of the Hebrew people.