Genesis 33:18
in Genesis 33After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the city.
KJV
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan–aram; and pitched his tent before the city.
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This verse in Genesis 33
Commentary
5 notes on this verse(Verse 18) And Jacob came to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Mesopotamia of Syria. A confusion arises, as to how Shechem is called the city of Salem, when Jerusalem, where Melchizedek reigned, was previously called Salem.
This site's exposition
he arrived safely at the city of Shechem
Clarke and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read shalem as a word before it is a place, that Jacob came whole, or safe, or in peace. His vow at Genesis 28:21 was to come again to his father's house in peace, and that word stands on the same root. He is back in Canaan unharmed. He has stopped short of Bethel and short of his father's house.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem - The word שלם shalem, in the Samaritan שלום shalom, should be translated here in peace, or in safety. After resting some time at Succoth, which was necessary for the safety of his flocks and the comfort of his family, he got safely to a city of Shechem, in health of body, without any loss of his cattle or servants, his wives and children being also in safety.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Shalem--that is, "peace"; and the meaning may be that Jacob came into Canaan, arriving safe and sound at the city Shechem--a tribute to Him who had promised such a return (compare Ge 28:15). But most writers take Shalem as a proper name--a city of Shechem, and the site is marked by one of the little villages about two miles to the northeast.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹא֩ | vaiyavo' | and he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֨ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| שָׁלֵ֜ם | shalem | safe | H8003 → | 28 times |
| עִ֣יר | ʾir | [the] city of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| שְׁכֶ֗ם | shekhem | Shechem | H7927 → | 63 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | beeretz | [is] in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| כְּנַ֔עַן | kenaan | Canaan | H3667 → | 94 times |
| בְּבֹא֖וֹ | bevoo | when came he | H935 → | 2568 times |
| מִפַּדַּ֣ן | mipadan | from Paddan | H6307 → | 11 times |
| אֲרָ֑ם | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | 143 times |
| וַיִּ֖חַן | vaiyichan | and he camped | H2583 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| פְּנֵ֥י | penei | [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הָעִֽיר׃ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
וַיָּבֹא֩and he came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
יַעֲקֹ֨בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
שָׁלֵ֜םsafe
shalemH8003 →28 times
עִ֣יר[the] city of
ʾirH5892 →1090 times
שְׁכֶ֗םShechem
shekhemH7927 →63 times
אֲשֶׁר֙which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ[is] in [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
כְּנַ֔עַןCanaan
kenaanH3667 →94 times
בְּבֹא֖וֹwhen came he
bevooH935 →2568 times
מִפַּדַּ֣ןfrom Paddan
mipadanH6307 →11 times
אֲרָ֑םAram
ʾaramH758 →143 times
וַיִּ֖חַןand he camped
vaiyichanH2583 →
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
פְּנֵ֥י[the] face of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
הָעִֽיר׃the city
hairH5892 →1090 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 4:5So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
it leads to
- Joshua 24:32
And the bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up out of Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the plot of land that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father,…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 33:19
And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.
- Genesis 48:22
And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
- Joshua 24:32
Through
Genesis 25:20and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.
it leads to
- Genesis 24:29
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
- Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
- Genesis 24:29
Through
Joshua 24:1Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.
it leads to
- Joshua 23:2
he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,
- 1 Samuel 10:19
But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the…
- Joshua 23:2
Through
Judges 9:1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
it leads to
- Judges 8:31
His concubine, who dwelt in Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
- Judges 8:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis

Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.
- PlaceUpper MesopotamiaPaddan-aramThe region of Laban's household where Jacob sojourns, marries, and prospers (Gen 28–31).
- PlaceThe LevantCanaanThe land God promised to Abraham's seed, walked and marked with altars by the patriarchs and possessed under Joshua four centuries…
- PlaceCentral hill countryShechemThe city between Ebal and Gerizim where Abram built his first altar in the land, where Joshua set the people to choose whom they w…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).
