Acts 7:16
and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Stephen intentionally conflates two different burial purchases—Abraham's purchase at Machpelah and Jacob's purchase at Shechem—to highlight Shechem as a significant ancestral burial site, potentially aligning with Samaritan tradition. This wasn't just a slip of the tongue but a strategic move, emphasizing a broader connection to the land for "all Israelites," a claim that would have deeply challenged his audience.
Stephen recounts that Jacob and the patriarchs were buried in Shechem, in a tomb Abraham purchased from the descendants of Hamor. This statement blends the Old Testament accounts of Abraham buying the cave of Machpelah in Hebron for burial and Jacob buying a field in Shechem where Joseph's bones were later laid. Stephen's reference here highlights Shechem as a significant ancestral burial site, possibly drawing on Samaritan traditions to underscore its importance to the Israelites' history.
Stephen's speech mentions Abraham buying a burial plot in Shechem, but the Old Testament seems to tell a different story. How can both be true?
This verse presents a historical puzzle that has puzzled readers for centuries! The Old Testament records two significant land purchases in the Shechem area:
Stephen seems to blend these two accounts. The scholars suggest a few possibilities:
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Why would Stephen bring up Shechem, a place often associated with conflict and even the hated Samaritans, in his defense?
Stephen's choice to highlight Shechem as the burial place for the patriarchs (or at least Joseph, according to the Old Testament) is significant. It wasn't just a geographical detail; it was a theological statement:
Stephen's mention of Abraham buying the burial site in Shechem blends traditions about Abraham's purchase at Hebron and Jacob's purchase at Shechem, reflecting a potential Samaritan tradition about the patriarchs' burial.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham buys Machpelah cave
Abraham purchases the cave of Machpelah near Hebron from Ephron the Hittite to serve as a family burial site.
c. 1700 BC
Jacob buys field at Shechem
Jacob buys a parcel of land in Shechem from Hamor, father of Shechem, possibly for a pasture or temporary dwelling.
c. 1630 BC
Jacob dies and is buried
Jacob dies in Egypt and is carried back to Canaan for burial in the cave of Machpelah at Hebron, as he requested.
c. 1630 BC
Joseph dies and is buried
Joseph dies in Egypt, and his bones are preserved by the Israelites, with instructions to carry them to Canaan.
c. 1400 BC
Exodus and Joseph's burial
During the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, they carry Joseph's bones and bury them in Shechem, in the plot of land Jacob had purchased.
c. 40 AD— this verse
Tradition of Patriarchs' burial at Shechem
A Samaritan tradition, possibly known to Stephen, held that all the patriarchs, not just Joseph, were buried in Shechem.
This passage records Abraham's actual purchase of the cave of Machpelah as a burial site, providing a direct contrast to the transaction mentioned in Acts 7:16, highlighting a potential discrepancy or conflation of historical accounts.
Genesis 33:19This verse details Jacob's purchase of a field in Shechem from the sons of Hamor, which is understood by many commentators to be the actual transaction Stephen might have been referencing, albeit attributed to Abraham.
Joshua 24:32This passage confirms that Joseph's bones were indeed buried in Shechem, which supports the location mentioned in Stephen's speech and provides a specific burial for one of the patriarchs.
Hebrews 11:22This verse speaks of Joseph's faith regarding his bones being carried out of Egypt, underscoring the theme of the patriarchs' hope and connection to the promised land, even in death.
ellicottActs 7:16: "And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem."
(16) And were carried over into Sychem. —The words appear to include Jacob, who was buried not at Sychem, but Machpelah ( Genesis 1:13 ). If we limit the verb to the patriarchs, which is in itself a tenable limitation, we are met by the fresh difficulty that the Old Testament contains no record of the burial of any of the Twelve Patriarchs,…
meyerActs 7:16: "And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem."
Acts 7:16 . Μετετέθησαν ] namely, αὐτὸς κ . οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν . Incorrectly Kuinoel and Olshausen refer it only to the πατέρες ;[202] whereas ΑὐΤῸς ΚΑῚ ΟἹ ΠΑΤΈΡΕς ἩΜῶΝ are named as the persons belonging to the same category, of whom the being dead is affirmed . Certainly Genesis 49:30 (comp. Joseph. Antt. ii. 8. 7), according to which Jacob wa…
Stephen intentionally conflates two different burial purchases—Abraham's purchase at Machpelah and Jacob's purchase at Shechem—to highlight Shechem as a significant ancestral burial site, potentially aligning with Samaritan tradition. This wasn't just a slip of the tongue but a strategic move, emphasizing a broader connection to the land for "all Israelites," a claim that would have deeply challenged his audience.
Stephen recounts that Jacob and the patriarchs were buried in Shechem, in a tomb Abraham purchased from the descendants of Hamor. This statement blends the Old Testament accounts of Abraham buying the cave of Machpelah in Hebron for burial and Jacob buying a field in Shechem where Joseph's bones were later laid. Stephen's reference here highlights Shechem as a significant ancestral burial site, possibly drawing on Samaritan traditions to underscore its importance to the Israelites' history.
Stephen recounts that Jacob and the patriarchs were buried in Shechem, in a tomb Abraham purchased from the descendants of Hamor. This statement blends the Old Testament accounts of Abraham buying the cave of Machpelah in Hebron for burial and Jacob buying a field in Shechem where Joseph's bones were later laid. Stephen's reference here highlights Shechem as a significant ancestral burial site, possibly drawing on Samaritan traditions to underscore its importance to the Israelites' history.
"and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem." — Stephen intentionally conflates two different burial purchases—Abraham's purchase at Machpelah and Jacob's purchase at Shechem—to highlight Shechem as a significant ancestral burial site, potentially…
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