Hebrew word · H7766

שׁוּנֵם

shunem

Shunem

A place name of uncertain meaning. It is modern Sulam (Solem), on the south-west slope of the Hill of Moreh, across the valley from Jezreel and Gilboa.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

§ Shunem = "double resting place"

a city in Issachar, located 5 miles (8 km) south of Mount Tabor

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Joshua 19:18

Range of meaning

A place name of uncertain meaning. It is modern Sulam (Solem), on the south-west slope of the Hill of Moreh, across the valley from Jezreel and Gilboa.

Against the English

English transliterates it as 'Shunem'. Readers may know it from 'the Shunammite' without connecting her to this town.

Used elsewhere in the period

Shunem appears in Thutmose III's list of conquered towns (15th century BC), in the Amarna letters (14th century BC: EA 365, where Biridiya of Megiddo says he cultivated fields at Shunama with forced laborers while other rulers did not), and in Shishak's campaign list (10th century BC). In the Bible it is where the Philistines camped before Saul's last battle (1 Sam 28:4), the home of Abishag (1 Kgs 1:3), and the home of the woman who hosted Elisha (2 Kgs 4:8).

From the study of 1 Samuel 28:4

Range of meaning

A place name. The town lay in the territory of Issachar (Josh 19:18), on the lower southern slope of the Hill of Moreh (Givat HaMoreh), overlooking the eastern Jezreel Valley. It is usually identified with the modern village of Sulam.

Against the English

All English versions simply transliterate it as 'Shunem'. The problem is not the translation. Modern readers do not know where Shunem is, and the geography carries much of the verse's meaning.

Used elsewhere in the period

Shunem is one of the better-attested towns of the Bronze Age Levant. It appears in Thutmose III's list of conquered Canaanite towns (15th century BC). In the Amarna letters (14th century BC), the ruler of Megiddo mentions working fields near Shunem with forced labour (EA 365). Later in the Bible it is the home of Abishag the Shunammite (1 Kgs 1:3) and of the woman who hosted Elisha (2 Kgs 4:8).

Where it appears

Joshua · 1

  1. Joshua 19:18 וְשׁוּנֵֽם׃ and Shunem

    Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,

    Here: 'And Shunem', a town on the south slope of the Hill of Moreh, looking across the Jezreel valley. It already had a long history before Israel, and it becomes important later in Israel's story.

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 28:4 בְשׁוּנֵ֑ם at Shunem

    The Philistines gathered together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.

    Here: A town on the southern slope of the Hill of Moreh, on the north side of the Jezreel Valley, directly facing Mount Gilboa across the plain.

2 Kings · 1

  1. 2 Kings 4:8 שׁוּנֵ֗ם Shunem

    One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.

    Here: A town in the Jezreel Valley in the territory of Issachar (Josh 19:18), on a main route through northern Israel. Abishag "the Shunammite" came from there (1 Kgs 1:3).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.