Συχάρ
Sychár
G4965 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Sychar; a site or settlement referenced in the Gospel of John, often identified with a specific locality near Mount Gerizim and Jacob's well. The word functions as a proper noun designating a particular geographic location, likely a village or small town, with no independent lexical meaning apart from its function as a toponym. Its identification and etymology have been the subject of scholarly debate.
Semantic Range
Sychar (a settlement near Mount Gerizim), proper noun designating a locality near Shechem, without independent lexical meaning beyond its toponymic function
Root / Etymology
The term Συχάρ (Sychár) appears to be a transliteration of a Semitic place name, generally assumed to correspond to Hebrew שְׁכֶם (Shechem) or, less likely, שֵכָר (shekar, 'strong drink'), though this association is speculative. No clear evidence links it directly to a common noun, and the etymology remains uncertain. It is widely considered a Hellenized rendering adapted for a Greek-speaking audience.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the New Testament, Συχάρ appears only in John 4:5, where it designates a village near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph, in proximity to Mount Gerizim. The identification of Sychar has been much debated: some ancient interpreters and later commentators equated it with Shechem, while others proposed it was a distinct settlement. The possibility of a wordplay or deliberate alteration in the Greek text (to allude to a negative connotation, such as 'drunkenness' from Hebrew shekar) has been suggested, but no firm evidence supports this reading in the cultural context of the period. The name does not carry any semantic meaning beyond its referent as a location. English translations generally render Συχάρ as a straightforward place name ('Sychar'), but historical and archaeological scholarship provides only tentative identification with any known site. There are no wider occurrences in LXX or other Greek literature, indicating this was a local designation or a Greek rendering of a Semitic place name relevant primarily in the context of the Gospel narrative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (שֵׁכָר); Sychar (i.e. Shekar), a place in Palestine:--Sychar.
Root Family
συχ- (Sychár) — place name, geographic designation
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4965-01 |
Συχὰρ | suchar | N ACC F SG |
Sychar | Sychar | Sychar | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4965-01 |
John 4:5 | Συχὰρ | suchar | N ACC F SG |
Sychar | Sychar | Sychar |