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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

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SYCHAR

Town in Samaria, mentioned in the Bible only in John 4:5. The name has been taken as a variant form of the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Shechem. Many scholars favor an identification with the present-day village of Askar, which is located at the southeast foot of Mt Ebal, about one-half mile (.8 kilometer) north of Jacob’s well. Excavations appear to favor the Shechem identification, which was proposed by Jerome. The Babylonian Talmud refers to a place called Sichar or Suchar, but its location is not known.

Show passage in OET: JHN 4:5

OET-RV JHN 4:5

5 By choosing that route, they came to a town in Shomron called Sukar, which was near the place that the patriarch Yosef (Joseph) had inherited from his father Ya’akov (Jacob),

OET-LV JHN 4:5

5 Therefore he_is_coming to a_city of_ the _Samareia being_called Suⱪar, near the property which Yakōb/(Yaˊₐqoⱱ) gave to_ the _Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf), the son of_him,

Jump to OET JHN 4:5 section.

Sychar is said to be near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph (Jn 4:5). The record of the giving of this parcel of land is recorded in Genesis 48:22. When Jacob had concluded the blessing of Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, he told Joseph that he had given to him rather than to his brothers “one mountain slope which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow” (Gn 48:22, rsv). The Hebrew word translated “slope” is the word for shoulder and the name of the city of Shechem. It was on this piece of property that Joseph was buried (Jos 24:32). This passage also states that Jacob bought the ground from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of silver (cf. Gn 33:19; Acts 7:16).

Show passage in OET: GEN 48:22

OET-RV GEN 48:22

22 I’m giving Shekem to you as an additional inheritance over that of your brothers. I captured it with my sword and my bow from the descendants of Amor and it’s now yours.”

OET-LV GEN 48:22

22 And_I I_give to/for_yourself(m) a_shoulder one over brothers_of_your which I_took from_the_hand_of the_ʼAmorī by_sword_of_my and_by_bow_of_my.
Show passage in OET: JOS 24:32

OET-RV JOS 24:32

32 They buried Yosef’s (Joseph’s) bones (that they had carried out from Mitsrayim (Egypt)) in Shekem—in the portion of the field that Ya’akov (Jacob) had bought from the sons of Hamor (Shekem’s father) for a hundred coins, and that land became the inheritance of Yosef’s descendants.

OET-LV JOS 24:32

32 And_DOM the_bones_of Yōşēf/(Joseph) which the_people_of Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) they_had_brought_up from_Miʦrayim/(Egypt) they_buried at_Shəkem in_the_portion_of the_field which Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) he_had_bought from_with the_sons_of Ḩₐmōr the_father_of Shəkem for_a_hundred piece[s]_of_money and_they_were of_the_descendants_of of_Yōşēf (into)_an_inheritance.
Show passage in OET: GEN 33:19

OET-RV GEN 33:19

19 In due course, he bought the portion of the field where he’d pitched his tents from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shekem, for a hundred pieces of silver.

OET-LV GEN 33:19

19 And_he_bought DOM the_portion_of the_field where he_had_pitched there tent_of_his from_the_hand_of the_sons_of Ḩₐmōr the_father_of Shəkem for_a_hundred piece[s]_of_money.
Show passage in OET: ACT 7:16

OET-RV ACT 7:16

16 although their bodies were moved to Shekem where they were put into the tomb that Avraham had bought from the sons of Hamor.

OET-LV ACT 7:16

16 and they_were_replaced to Suⱪem/(Shəkem), and they_were_put in the tomb, which Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām) purchased for_a_value of_silver from the sons of_Emmor/(Ḩₐmōr) in Suⱪem.

Jump to OET GEN 48:22 section.

Jump to OET JOS 24:32 section.

Jump to OET GEN 33:19 section.

Jump to OET ACT 7:16 section.

Sychar in Samaria

Jesus passed through Sychar on his way to various towns in Galilee.

The account of Jesus’ visit to Sychar in John 4 is important. Jesus came to Sychar because of a spiritual, not geographical, imperative (Jn 4:4). One of the objectives of this mission was to break down barriers: the hostility between the racially pure Jew and the mixed-race Samaritan (v 9); the social restrictions between men and women (v 27); the societal separation between the ritually clean and the morally impure (this woman was ostracized; she came to the well alone and at an unusual time, v 6). The conversation between Jesus and the woman is instructive as to personal witness. The spiritual discernment and compassion of Jesus are evident. When the woman received the testimony of his identity as the Messiah, she too became an effective witness (vv 28-30). The new believers among the Samaritans asked Jesus to stay with them, so he remained for two days and many more believed in him (vv 39-41).

Show passage in OET: JHN 4:4

OET-RV JHN 4:4

4 On the way up, he decided to go through Shomron (Samaria).

OET-LV JHN 4:4

4 And it_was_fitting him to_be_passing_through through the Samareia/(Shomrōn).
Show passage in OET: JHN 4:9

OET-RV JHN 4:9

9 The woman said to him, “You’re a Yehudi (Jew). How come you’re asking me for a drink when I’m from Shomron?” (Yehudim (Jews) don’t normally associate with anyone from Shomron.)

OET-LV JHN 4:9

9 Therefore the the from_Samareia/(Shomrōn) woman is_saying to_him:
How you being a_Youdaios, are_requesting to_drink from me of_a_woman being from_Samareia/(Shomrōn)?
For/Because Youdaiōns are_ not _having_association_with with_Samareitaʸs/(Shomrōn).
Show passage in OET: JHN 4:27

OET-RV JHN 4:27

27 After this, his followers arrived back, and they were astounded that he was speaking with a woman. However no one dared ask her, “What are you after?” Or to ask him, “Why are you talking with her?”

OET-LV JHN 4:27

27 And after this the apprentices/followers of_him came, and they_were_marvelling that he_was_speaking with a_woman, however no_one said:
What are_you_seeking?
Or:
Why are_you_speaking with her?
Show passage in OET: JHN 4:6

OET-RV JHN 4:6

6 and ‘Ya’akov’s well’ was there. Yeshua was tired from all the walking and was sitting by the well around midday.

OET-LV JHN 4:6

6 and well of_ the _Yakōb was there.
Therefore the Yaʸsous having_wearied from the journey, was_sitting thus at the well.
The_hour was about the_sixth.
Show passage in OET: JHN 4:28–30

OET-RV JHN 4:28

28 So the woman left her water jar there, and went back into the town where she told the people,

OET-RV JHN 4:29

29 “Come and see a man who knew as much about me as I know myself! He must be the messiah!”

OET-RV JHN 4:30

30 So they went out from the town to go and see Yeshua.

OET-LV JHN 4:28

28 Therefore the woman left the waterpot of_her, and she_went_away into the city, and she_is_saying to_the people,

OET-LV JHN 4:29

29 Come, see a_man who told to_me all things as_much_as I_did, surely_not this is the chosen_one/messiah?

OET-LV JHN 4:30

30 They_came_out out_of the city, and they_were_coming to him.
Show passage in OET: JHN 4:39–41

OET-RV JHN 4:39

39 And many people of Shomron (Samaria) came out of that town and believed that Yeshua is God because the woman had told them that he knew everything about her.

OET-RV JHN 4:40

40 So when they all came, they asked him to stay in their town and they stayed on there for a couple of days.

OET-RV JHN 4:41

41 As a result of his teaching, many more believed

OET-LV JHN 4:39

39 And many of_the Samareitaʸs/(Shomrōn) out_of of_ the that _city, believed on him, because_of the message of_the woman testifying, that He_told to_me all things whatever I_did.

OET-LV JHN 4:40

40 Therefore when the Samareitaʸs came to him, they_were_asking him to_remain with them, and he_remained there two days.

OET-LV JHN 4:41

41 And with_many more believed, because_of the message of_him,

Jump to OET JHN 4:4 section.

Jump to OET JHN 4:9 section.

Jump to OET JHN 4:27 section.

Jump to OET JHN 4:6 section.

Jump to OET JHN 4:28–30 section.

Jump to OET JHN 4:39–41 section.