Shunem

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

SHUNEM . A border town of Issachar ( Joshua 19:18 ), and the camping-ground of the Philistines before Saul’s last battle ( 1 Samuel 28:4 ). It has been identified from early times with Sôlam , a village five miles south of Tabor, on the south slope of Little Hermon. It is on the north of the Valley of Jezreel, and opposite to Gilboa, where Saul was encamped; the situation suits the scene of the battle well. A Shunem is also the scene of Elisha’s miracle in 2 Kings 4:8 ff., where the identification is more doubtful. The narrative suggests a place on the road from Samaria, his home ( 2 Kings 4:1 ), to Carmel, and not too far from the latter ( 2 Kings 4:25 ff.); Solam satisfies neither of these conditions. Shunammite is applied (1) to Abishag ( 1 Kings 1:2 ), who is perhaps the original of the Shulammite of Song of Solomon 6:13 , the interchange of t and n being exemplified in the modern Solam = Shunem; (2) to the unnamed friend of Elisha in 2 Kings 4:8 ff; 2 Kings 8:1-6 . The narrative gives us a picture of Heb. home-life at its best, and shows how the legal and theoretical subjection of the wife was often modified in practice. She is ‘a great woman,’ perhaps an heiress, and takes the lead in both stories; by the time of the latter she may have been a widow. For the miracle, cf. 1 Kings 17:8 ff..

C. W. Emmet.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

SHUNAMITE. A city of Issachar (Joshua 19:18). The Philistines' place of encampment before the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 28:4). The residence of the Shunammite women (2 Kings 4:8), amidst grainfields; connected with Mount Carmel. Abishag's home (1 Kings 1:3). "Five miles S. of Mount Tabor," in Eusebius' (Onom.) time called "Sulem." Rather eight Roman miles from Tabor. Now Solam, a village on the S.W. side of "little Hermon," jebel Duhy , three miles N. of Jezreel, five from Gilboa (Fukua), in view of the sacred site on Mount Carmel, amidst rich grainfields. It has a spring, without which the Philistines would not have encamped there.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Shunem (shu'nem), two resting-places. A city in the territory of Issachar. Joshua 19:18. The Philistines encamped there before the great battle of Gilboa. 1 Samuel 28:4. David's nurse, Abishag, was of Shunem, 1 Kings 1:3, and it was the residence of the Shunammite woman who entertained Elisha. 2 Kings 4:8. It answers to the modern Sulem, on the southwestern slope of Little Hermon, about 53 miles north of Jerusalem.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Shu'nem. (double resting-place). One of the cities allotted to the tribe of Issachar. Joshua 13:18. It is mentioned on two occasions - 1 Samuel 23:4; 2 Kings 4:8. It was, besides, the native place of Abishag. 1 Kings 1:3. It is mentioned by Eusebius as five miles south of Mount Tabor, and then known as Sulem. This agrees with the position of the present Solam, a village three miles north of Jezreel, and five from Gilboa.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city of Issachar, Joshua 19:18 . The Philistines encamped at Shunem, in the great field or Plain of Esdraelon, 1 Samuel 28:4; and Saul encamped at Gilboa. Abishag, king of David's nurse, was of Shunem, 1 Kings 1:3; so also was the woman whose son Elisha restored to life, 2 Kings 4:8-37 . Eusebius and Jerome place it five miles south of Tabor; and it is now recognized in a poor village called Solam, on a declivity at the northwest corner of a smaller valley of Jezreel.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

SHUNEM—Or Shunammite

is the same with the former, only by a corrupt reading Shunem for Shalem. One of David's wives, and the generous woman to the prophet Elisha, were each called by this name. (1 Kings 1:3 etc 2 Kings 4:12 etc)

Morrish Bible Dictionary

City in Issachar, near to which the Philistines encamped previous to the fight on Gilboa. Also where a Shunammite showed hospitality to Elisha. Joshua 19:18; 1 Samuel 28:4; 2 Kings 4:8 . Identified with Solam , 32 36' N, 35 20' E .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua 19:181 Samuel 28:42 Kings 4:8-372 Kings 8:1-6

Holman Bible Dictionary

Joshua 19:181 Samuel 28:41 Kings 1:32 Kings 4:1

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Shunem', שׁוּנֵ , uneven place [Furst] from שָׁנִ ם, or perhaps [Gesen.] for שׁוּנִיַ ם, two resting places; Sept. Σουνάμ or Σουνάν v.r. Σωνάμ or Σωμάν etc.), one of the cities allotted to the tribe of Issachar (Joshua 19:18; where it occurs between Chesulloth and Haphraim). It is mentioned on two occasions. First as the place of the Philistines' first encampment before the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 28:4). Here it occurs in connection with Mount Gilboa and En-dor, and also, probably, with Jezreel (1 Samuel 29:1). Secondly, as the scene of Elisha's intercourse with the Shunammite woman and her son. (2 Kings 4:8). Here it is connected with adjacent cornfields, and, more remotely, with Mount Carmel. It was, besides, the native place of Abishag, the attendant on king David (1 Kings 1:8), and, according to some, of Shulamith, the heroine of the poem or drama of "Solomon's Song."

By Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast.) it is mentioned twice, under Σουβήμ , and "Sunem," as five miles south of Mount Tabor, and the known as Sulem (Σουλήμ ); and under "Sonam," as a village in Acrabattine, in the territory of Sebaste called Sanin. The latter of these two identifications probably refers to Sanur, a well known fortress some seven miles from Sebastiyeh and four from Arrabeh, a spot completely out of the circle of the associations which connect themselves with Shunem. The other has more in its favor, since except for the distances from Mount Tabor, which is nearer eight Roman miles than five — it agrees with the position of the present Solam or Sulem, a village on the southwest flank of Jebel Duhy (the so called "Little Hermon"), three miles north of Jezreel, five from Gilboa (J. Fukua), faull in view of the sacred spot on Mount Carmel, and situated in the midst of the finest cornfields in the world. It is named as Salem by the Jewish traveller Hap- Parchi (Asher, Benjamin, 2, 431). It had then its spring, without which the Philistines would certainly not have chosen it for their encampment. Now, according to the notice of Dr. Robinson (Researches, 2, 324), the spring of the village is but a poor one. The change of the n in the ancient name to l in the modern one is the reverse of that which has taken place in Zerin (Jezreel) and Beitin (Bethel). There is nothing specially to mark an ancient site in Sailem, for it is only a mud hamlet with cactus bushes. West of the houses there is a beautiful garden, cool and shady, of lemon trees, watered by a little, rivulet; and in the village are a fountain and trough (Conder, Tent Work in Palestine, 1, 123).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shōō´nem ( שׁוּנם , shūnēm  ; Codex Vaticanus Σουνάν , Sounán  ; Codex Alexandrinus Σουνάμ , Sounám ): A town in the territory of Issachar named with Jezreel and Chesulloth ( Joshua 19:18 ). Before the battle of Gilboa the Philistines pitched their camp here. They and the army of Saul, stationed on Gilboa, were in full view of each other (1 Samuel 28:4 ). It was the scene of the touching story recorded in 2 Ki 4:8-37, in which the prophet Elisha raises to life the son of his Shunammite benefactress. Eusebius ( Onomasticon ) describes it as a village called Sulem, 5 Roman miles South of Mt. Tabor. This points to the modern Solam, a village surrounded by cactus hedges and orchards on the lower southwestern slope of Jebel ed - Duḥy ("Hill of Moreh"). It commands an uninterrupted view across the plain of Esdraelon to Mt. Carmel, which is about 15 miles distant. It also looks far across the valley of Jezreel to the slopes of Gilboa on the South. It therefore meets satisfactorily the conditions of Joshua and 1 Samuel. A question has, however, been raised as to its identity with the Shunem of 2 Ki 4. Elisha's home was in Samaria. Apparently Carmel was one of his favorite haunts. If he passed Shunem "continually" (2 Kings 4:9 ), going to and coming from the mountain, it involved a very long detour if this were the village visited. It would seem more natural to identify the Shunem of Elisha with the Sanim of Eusebius, Onomasticon , which is said to be in the territory of Sebaste (Samaria), in the region of Akrabatta: or perhaps with Sālim , fully a mile North of Taanach, as nearer the line of travel between Samaria and Carmel.

There is, however, nothing to show that Elisha's visits to Shunem were paid on his journeys between Samaria and Carmel. It may have been his custom to visit certain cities on circuit, on business calling for his personal attention, e.g. in connection with the "schools of the prophets." Materials do not exist on which any certain conclusion can rest. Both Sōlam Sālim are on the edge of the splendid grain fields of Esdraelon ( 2 Kings 4:18 ).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Shu´nem, a town of the tribe of Issachar , where the Philistines encamped before Saul's last battle , and to which belonged Abishag, the last wife of David , and 'the Shunamite woman,' with whom Elisha lodged . Eusebius and Jerome describe it as, in their day, a village, lying five Roman miles from Mount Tabor towards the south. They call it Sulem. It has of late years been recognized in a village called Solam, three miles and a half north of Zerin (Jezreel), which is a small place on the slope of a hill, where nothing occurs to denote an ancient site.