The site of Shechem is said to be of unrivalled beauty. Stanley says it is
“the most beautiful, perhaps the only very beautiful, spot in Central
Palestine.”
Gaza, near Shechem, only mentioned 1 Chronicles 7:28, has entirely
disappeared. It was destroyed at the time of the Conquest, and its place
was taken by Shechem. (See SYCHAR.)
- SHECHINAH a Chaldee word meaning resting-place, not found in
Scripture, but used by the later Jews to designate the visible symbol of
God’s presence in the tabernacle, and afterwards in Solomon’s temple.
When the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, he went before them “in a pillar of
a cloud.” This was the symbol of his presence with his people. For
references made to it during the wilderness wanderings, see Exodus 14:20;
40:34-38; Leviticus 9:23, 24; Numbers 14:10; 16:19, 42.
It is probable that after the entrance into Canaan this glory-cloud settled in
the tabernacle upon the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. We
have, however, no special reference to it till the consecration of the temple
by Solomon, when it filled the whole house with its glory, so that the
priests could not stand to minister (1 Kings 8:10-13; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14;
7:1-3). Probably it remained in the first temple in the holy of holies as the
symbol of Jehovah’s presence so long as that temple stood. It afterwards
disappeared. (See CLOUD.)
- SHEEP are of different varieties. Probably the flocks of Abraham and
Isaac were of the wild species found still in the mountain regions of Persia
and Kurdistan. After the Exodus, and as a result of intercourse with
surrounding nations, other species were no doubt introduced into the herds
of the people of Israel. They are frequently mentioned in Scripture. The
care of a shepherd over his flock is referred to as illustrating God’s care
over his people (Psalm 23:1, 2; 74:1; 77:20; Isaiah 40:11; 53:6; John
10:1-5, 7-16).
“The sheep of Palestine are longer in the head than ours, and have tails
from 5 inches broad at the narrowest part to 15 inches at the widest, the
weight being in proportion, and ranging generally from 10 to 14 lbs., but
sometimes extending to 30 lbs. The tails are indeed huge masses of fat”
(Geikie’s Holy Land, etc.). The tail was no doubt the “rump” so
frequently referred to in the Levitical sacrifices (Exodus 29:22; Leviticus