Shunem

See Shunamite

Shu´nem, a town of the tribe of Issachar (Jos 19:18), where the Philistines encamped before Saul’s last battle (1Sa 28:4), and to which belonged Abishag, the last wife of David (1Ki 1:3), and ’the Shunamite woman,’ with whom Elisha lodged (2Ki 4:8-37; 2Ki 8:1-6). 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.

A city of Issachar, Jos 19:18 . The Philistines encamped at Shunem, in the great field or Plain of Esdraelon, 1Sa 28:4 ; and Saul encamped at Gilboa. Abishag, king of David’s nurse, was of Shunem, 1Ki 1:3 ; so also was the woman whose son Elisha restored to life, 2Ki 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.\par

Shu’nem. (double resting-place). One of the cities allotted to the tribe of Issachar. Jos 13:18. It is mentioned on two occasions -- 1Sa 23:4; 2Ki 4:8. It was, besides, the native place of Abishag. 1Ki 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.

SHUNAMITE. A city of Issachar (Jos 19:18). The Philistines’ place of encampment before the battle of Gilboa (1Sa 28:4). The residence of the Shunammite women (2Ki 4:8), amidst grainfields; connected with Mount Carmel. Abishag’s home (1Ki 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.

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

[Shu’nem]

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

SHUNEM.—A border town of Issachar (Jos 19:18), and the camping-ground of the Philistines before Saul’s last battle (1Sa 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 2Ki 4:8 ff., where the identification is more doubtful. The narrative suggests a place on the road from Samaria, his home (2Ki 4:1), to Carmel, and not too far from the latter (2Ki 4:25 ff.); Solam satisfies neither of these conditions. Shunammite is applied (1) to Abishag (1Ki 1:2), who is perhaps the original of the Shulammite of Son 6:13, the interchange of t and n being exemplified in the modern Solam = Shunem; (2) to the unnamed friend of Elisha in 2Ki 4:8 ff; 2Ki 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. 1Ki 17:8 ff..

C. W. Emmet.

shōō´nem (שׁוּנם, shūnēm; Codex Vaticanus Σουνάν, Sounán; Codex Alexandrinus Σουνάμ, Sounám): A town in the territory of Issachar named with Jezreel and Chesulloth (Jos 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 (1Sa 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” (2Ki 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 (2Ki 4:18).