mains of houses and have laid bare numer- 

 ous ancient earthenware vessels. 



As we look upon these primitive habi- 

 tations, more than 3,000 years old, it is 

 hard to realize that we are not actually 

 looking on the oldest city built here, but 

 upon a town that, at this early date, had 

 already had a long existence. 



It is at Shechem, then called "Sichem," 

 and the plain of Moreh, into which the 

 Shechem gorge opens at its eastern ex- 

 tremity, that Biblical history introduces 

 Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, in 

 Canaan. Likewise Jacob made this lo- 

 cality his first halt on returning from his 

 sojourn with Laban in Haran. Here he 

 purchased the parcel of ground whither, 

 at a later date, Joseph's bones were 

 brought from Egypt to be buried, and 

 where today Jacob's well is pointed out 

 as the spot at which Jesus and the Sa- 

 maritan woman met (see map, page 46). 



Immediately following the Israelitish 

 invasion of Canaan and the taking of 

 Jericho and Ai, Joshua built upon Ebal 

 the first altar of sacrifice erected by his 

 people in the new land. 



The Shechem Valley now became the 

 theater of the first general convocation, 

 and, according to the Mosaic injunction, 

 the whole congregation was assembled, 

 "half of them over against Mount Geri- 

 zim and half of them over against Mount 

 Ebal." From Ebal were to be proclaimed 

 the curses against those who should for- 

 sake the law of their God, and from 

 Gerizim the blessings that would result 

 in the following of Yahweh (the unpro- 

 nounced Hebrew name for God). 



Here also, just before his death, Joshua 

 addressed the last assembly of the people, 

 making a covenant with them. 



We now come to the broader period of 

 its history. Ephraim, destined to figure 

 as the leading tribe of the Northern King- 

 dom, had the lot of its possession fall to 

 the district wherein Shechem lay. This 

 territory was then known as "Mount 

 Ephraim." 



The town of Shechem itself was appor- 

 tioned to the Levites, since they, being 

 a tribe of priests, received no inheritance 

 except cities and their suburbs in which 

 to dwell throughout all the tribes. She- 

 chem was also selected as one of the cities 

 of refuge, and throughout the Hebraic 

 occupation held an important place. 



ABU EE HASSAN, SON OE THE LATE HIGH 

 PRIEST JACOB 



All the Samaritan priests wear long hair, 

 which they wind under their dome-shaped 

 fezzes. "And the Lord said unto Moses, speak 

 unto the priests and say unto them that they 

 shall not make baldness upon their heads; nor 

 shall they shave off the corner of their beards' 

 (Lev. 21 : 1-5). 



13 



