Nablus was first called Shechem and when God called Abram out of Ur of the Caldeans and was led by the LORD to the land of Canaan, the first altar Abram built was in Shechem (Genesis 12:6-7). This was the first place that God promised the land to Abram and to his descendants. This was the place that Simeon and Levi waged revenge on the defilement of thier only sister, Dinah. (Genesis 34) This is where Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob is buried and the location of Jacob’s well. It is the largest city in the West Bank.
The Greek called it Neapolis (New City) and today it is the modern day city of Nablus. It is located between the mountains of blessing and cursing, Mount Gerizim & Mount Ebal in what is now called the West Bank. The word Nablus means ‘violence’.
July 11, 1927 (Tammuz 11, 5687) an earthquake shook the West Bank and the city of Nablus was most heavily hit. Almost every building was leveled and many were killed. 1919-21, the Arabs refused to allow Jews to settle there. Yet, following the quake, the Jewish municipality of Tel Aviv sent two truckloads of bread and financial assistance to thier enemies. According to government reports, many Arab lives were lost in the quake, but there was not one Jewish casualty.
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