Albert Barnes Commentary John 4:5

"So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph:" — John 4:5 (ASV)

Sychar. This city was located about eight miles southeast of the city called Samaria, between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. It was one of the oldest cities of Palestine and was formerly known as Shechem, or Sichem (Genesis 33:18; Genesis 12:6). The city was in the tribe of Ephraim (Joshua 21:21). It was at this place that Joshua assembled the people before his death, and here they renewed their covenant with the Lord (Joshua 24).

After the death of Gideon, it became a place of idolatrous worship, with the people worshipping Baal-berith (Judges 9:46). It was destroyed by Abimelech, who beat down the city and sowed it with salt (Judges 9:45). It was afterward rebuilt and became the residence of Jeroboam, King of Israel (1 Kings 12:25).

It was called by the Romans Flavia Neapolis, and this name has been corrupted by the Arabs into Nablus, its present name. It is still a considerable place, and its site is remarkably pleasant and productive.

The parcel of ground. The piece of ground; or the land, etc.

That Jacob gave, etc. Jacob bought one piece of ground near Shalem, a city of Shechem, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver (Genesis 33:19). In this place, the bones of Joseph were buried when they were brought up from Egypt (Joshua 24:32).

He also gave Joseph an additional piece of ground, which he had taken from the hand of the Amorite by his own valour, with his sword and his bow, as a portion beyond what was given to his brothers (Genesis 48:22).

Possibly these pieces of ground lay near each other and were part of Jacob’s homestead. The well was near to this. There is now—as the Rev. E. Smith mentioned to me in conversation—a place near this well called Shalem.