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In Genesis, Jacob arrives at Shechem and builds an altar. The Greek Septuagint translation changes this to say he arrives in Salem, connecting that city with Shechem. This may have been to challenge other traditions that identified Salem with Jerusalem.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Genesis 33:18
Hebrew Bible
15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” “Why do that?” Jacob replied. “My lord has already been kind enough to me.” 16 So that same day Esau made his way back to Seir. 17 But Jacob traveled to Sukkoth where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called Sukkoth. 18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near the city. 19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 pieces of money. 20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.”
LXX Genesis 33:18
Septuagint
16 And Esau returned on that day on his journey to Seir. 17 And Jacob departs to his tents; and he made for himself there habitations, and for his cattle he made booths; therefore he called the name of that place, Booths. 18 And Jacob came to Salem, a city of Secima, which is in the land of Chanaan, when he departed out of Mesopotamia of Syria, and took up a position in front of the city. 19 And he bought the portion of the field, where he pitched his tent, of Emmor the father of Sychem, for one hundred lambs. 20 And he set up there an altar, and called on the God of Israel.
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Notes and References
"... As we have already glimpsed, Jewish sources generally held that Melchizedek's kingdom, Salem, was simply a shortened form of the name "Jerusalem" ... Some interpreters, however, thought otherwise. A tradition existed that identified "Salem" as a site at or near Shechem, the capital of Samaria (formerly the northern kingdom of Israel). A fragment attributed to (Pseudo-) Eupolemus (who may or may not have been a Samaritan) actually mentions Melchizedek in retelling the story of Abraham. However, this text says that Melchizedek served as a priest in a temple on the Samaritan mountain, Mt. Gerizim, near Shechem ... Elsewhere, as well, Salem is identified as a place in its own right ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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