שֶׁכֶם
𐤔𐤊𐤌
Shekhem
H7928 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun primarily denoting (1) a significant urban center located in the hill country north of Jerusalem in central Canaan, (2) the eponymous ancestor of a Hivite or Canaanite group associated with the city, and (3) also used as a personal name for two Israelites in genealogical lists. The term's semantic range is predominantly as a place name, but also includes personal and tribal identifiers in genealogical or narrative contexts.
Semantic Range
proper name of a Canaanite/Israelite city, eponymous ancestor of a Hivite group, personal name of Israelites, regional or clan identifier
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁכם (שׁ־כ־ם), meaning 'shoulder,' 'upper back,' or 'ridge,' likely alluding to the topography of the city—situated on the slope or 'shoulder' between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The noun שֶׁכֶם is thus derived as a toponym, and subsequently as a personal name or eponymous ancestor.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שֶׁכֶם most commonly refers to the prominent Canaanite/Israelite city north of Bethel and Jerusalem, frequently appearing as a site of covenant, conflict, and early Israelite settlement (notably in Genesis, Judges, and the historical books). The name occasionally designates individuals: (a) the Hivite/‘prince’ Shechem, son of Hamor (Genesis 34), associated with the city's pre-Israelite inhabitants; and (b) two later Israelites (Numbers 26:31; 1 Chronicles 7:19) whose names may signal ancestral connection to the region. English renderings as 'Shechem' directly transliterate the Hebrew and are generally accurate, but do not clarify the topographical nuance of the name or its derivation from 'shoulder.' Linkage to post-biblical identities (such as Samaritans inhabiting Shechem/Nablus) reflects later historical developments and should not be read into early contexts. The term is to be distinguished from the common noun שֶׁכֶם ('shoulder'), which is related etymologically but contextually distinct.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
for שְׁכֶם; Shekem, the name of a Hivite and two Israelites; Shechem.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שכם (sh-k-m) — rise early, rise, shoulder
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7925 | שָׁכַם | to rise early |
| H7926 | שְׁכֶם | from his shoulder |
| H7927 | שְׁכֶם | in Shekem |
| H7929 | שִׁכְמָה | from her shoulder blade |
| H7930 | שִׁכְמִי | the Shikmite |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7928-03 |
וְ/שֶׁ֕כֶם | veshekhem | HC/Np |
and of Shechem | and Shekem | 1 |
H7928-02 |
וָ/שֶׁ֔כֶם | vashekhem | HC/Np |
and Shechem | and Shoulder-Ridge | 1 |
H7928-01 |
שֶׁ֔כֶם | shekhem | HNp |
Shechem | shoulder of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7928-03 |
Numbers 26:31 | וְ/שֶׁ֕כֶם | veshekhem | HC/Np |
and of Shechem | and Shekem |
H7928-01 |
Joshua 17:2 | שֶׁ֔כֶם | shekhem | HNp |
Shechem | shoulder of |
H7928-02 |
1 Chronicles 7:19 | וָ/שֶׁ֔כֶם | vashekhem | HC/Np |
and Shechem | and Shoulder-Ridge |