Jacob's Well
JACOB'S WELL, the scene of the conversation between Jesus and the " woman of Samaria " narrated in the Fourth Gospel, is described as being in the neighbourhood of an otherwise unmentioned " city called Sychar." From the time of Eusebius this city has been identified with Sychem or Shechem (modern Nablus), and the well is still in existence i^ m. E. of the town, at the foot of Mt Gerizim. It is beneath one of the ruined arches of a church mentioned by Jerome, and is reached by a few rough steps. When Robinson visited it in 1838 it was 105 ft. deep, but it is now much shallower and often dry.
For a discussion of Sychar as distinct from Shechem see T. K. Cheyne, art. " Sychar," in Ency. Bibl., col. 4830. It is possible that Sychar should be placed at Tulul Balata, a mound about i m. W. of the well (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1907, p. 92 seq.); when that village fell into ruin the name may have migrated to 'Askar, a village on the lower slopes of Mt Ebal about I J m. E.N.E. from Nablus and $ m. N. from Jacob's Well. It may be noted that the difficulty is not with the location of the well, but with the identification of Sychar.
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
