Shechem (Tel Balata): The First Capital of Israel

Shechem (Tel Balata) is one of the most important biblical cities in Israel, the first place in the land of Canaan where tradition holds Abraham stopped and received God’s promise: “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the Lord” (Genesis 12:7). Shechem later became the first capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the site where the nation split in two, and the center of Samaritan worship on Mount Gerizim above.

Abraham and Jacob

Shechem was Abraham’s first stop in the Promised Land, at Alon Moreh. Jacob later purchased land near Shechem and dug a well that is still venerated today: “Jacob’s Well” is preserved inside a Greek Orthodox church and is one of the few biblical sites whose identification is virtually certain. according to John’s Gospel, Jesus met the Samaritan woman at this well: “Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst’” (John 4:13-14).

Division of the Kingdom

After Solomon’s death, the tribes of Israel gathered at Shechem to crown his son Rehoboam. They asked for a reduction in taxes and forced labor. Rehoboam, following the advice of his young advisors, replied: “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions” (1 Kings 12:14). The northern tribes revolted, choosing Jeroboam as their king, and the kingdom was permanently divided. Shechem became the first capital of the Northern Kingdom.

The Ancient Tel

The archaeological site of Tel Balata preserves the remains of one of the largest and most fortified cities in the ancient Levant. The Canaanite city gate, the massive walls, and the temple (the “Tower of Shechem” mentioned in Judges 9) have been excavated and are visible. The temple is one of the largest Canaanite temples ever found, with walls over 5 meters thick.

Joseph’s Tomb

At the eastern entrance to the valley between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, a small domed structure marks the traditional burial place of the patriarch Joseph. The Book of Joshua records: “And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor” (Joshua 24:32). The tradition connects to Genesis 50:25, where Joseph, dying in Egypt, made the Israelites swear to carry his bones back to the Promised Land. The current structure dates to the Ottoman period, though the site has been venerated by Jews, Christians, and Samaritans for centuries. The location at Shechem completes a circle: Jacob purchased land here, Joseph was born to Rachel during Jacob’s years with Laban in Haran, and Joseph’s bones returned here after the Exodus.

Visit with Hoshen Tours

Shechem is where the story of Israel in the land begins. Hoshen Tours visits the tel, Jacob’s Well, and Joseph’s Tomb, telling the story from Abraham’s first altar to the division of the kingdom to the burial of Joseph’s bones, carried all the way from Egypt back to the land of promise.