Places in the Bible Today:

Sychar

Data

Translated NameSychar
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

2 Possible Identifications

  1. Askar (modern): 65% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around AskarAskar

  2. another name for Shechem (ancient): 25% confidence
    1. aerial panorama of Tell BalatahTell Balatah

Verses (1)

John 4:5

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com892
Logos FactbookSychar
OpenBible.info (2007)Sychar
OpenBible.infoa27b472 (Sychar)
TIPNRSychar@Jhn.4.5
UBS Names Databasent ID_1117
WikidataQ12971071

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Sychar
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Sychar
  4. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  5. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Sychar
  6. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  7. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Sychar
  8. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Sychar
  9. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  10. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 155
  11. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Sychar
  12. IVP Atlas of Bible History (2006): Sychar
  13. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Sychar
  14. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Sychar
  15. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  16. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Sychar
  17. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Sychar
  18. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary (2012): John 4:5
  19. Rogerson, New Atlas of the Bible (1985): page 159
  20. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Sychar
  21. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Sychar
  22. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Sychar
  23. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Sychar
  24. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  25. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  26. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): John 4:5
  27. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 303

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, Askar), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, יאיר דב

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.