Sychar

John 4:5 names the town of Samaria called Sychar, which was near the field that Jacob had given Joseph. Many scholars believe Sychar to be a derogatory alternate name for the city Shechem. It’s literal meaning is “liar or drunkard” as used in Isaiah 28:1-7. See also #2 in the Nave’s Topical Bible entry.

However, some newer explorations of the area have identified it with Askar, a small Samaritan town on the southern base of Ebal, about a mile to the north of Jacob’s well.

Jacob bought the field that is mentioned in Genesis 33:18-20. Just as John 4 notes, it was given to Joseph, and is presumably where Joseph’s embalmed body was laid to rest after he died in Egypt and was carried back to the promised land. See Genesis 50:24-26.

Jacob’s Well

John 4:6 states that this is the location of Jacob’s Well. Here is some info from Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary:

This is one of the few sites in Palestine about which there is no dispute. It was dug by Jacob, and hence its name, in the “parcel of ground” which he purchased from the sons of Hamor (Gen. 33:19). It still exists, but although after copious rains it contains a little water, it is now usually quite dry. It is at the entrance to the valley between Ebal and Gerizim, about 2 miles south-east of Shechem. It is about 9 feet in diameter and about 75 feet in depth, though in ancient times it was no doubt much deeper, probably twice as deep. The digging of such a well must have been a very laborious and costly undertaking.

See the entire post here…

Mt. Gerizim

Mount Gerizim is located in Samaria and is about 3,000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea. Here are some of the events that happened there:

• It became known as the Mount of blessing (see Deuteronomy 11:29; 27:12)
• Mount Ebal is just 2 miles away, and the two mountains form a natural amphitheater used by Joshua (see Joshua 8:30-35)
• Jotham spoke to the Shechemites against the conspiracy of Abimelech (see Judges 9:7)
• Interestingly, it is involved in the suicide of Pilate (see entry by Eusebius Pamphilius)

The Samaritans developed a Pentateuch-based religion, accepting only Genesis through Deuteronomy, and rejecting the remainder of the Old Testament. They believed it was here, not Jerusalem, that Abraham offered Isaac (see Genesis 22:2) and God chose to establish His name (see Deuteronomy 12:5). With this as a basis, they used Mount Gerizim as the center of their worship.

In Josephus’ Antiquities 11:8, we learn that Sanballat obtained authorization from the Persians to build a Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim in the fourth century B.C. This temple was a rival to the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and was destroyed by the Jewish leader John Hyrcanus in 107 B.C. when he took nearby Shechem and the surrounding territory, but was later rebuilt by Herod the Great.

For centuries, Mount Gerizim has been the center of political outbreaks. A small number of devout Samaritans still inhabit Mount Gerizim and practice their ancient ceremonial worship.

Links about Mount Gerizim:

• Easton’s Bible Dictionary
• Bible Atlas
• Photos of Mount Gerizim today
• Smith’s Bible Names Dictionary