oned
in the Talmud to Sichem, which he thinks is "very doubtful," and he
seems to incline rather to an accidental corruption of Sichem into
Sychar, although he feels the great difficulties in the way of such
an explanation. Ewald condemns the "Talmudische Studien" of Delitzsch
as generally more complicating than clearing up difficulties, and
his views as commonly incorrect, and, whilst agreeing with him that
Sychar cannot be the same place as Sichem, he points out that the
site of the _valley of the_ well of the Talmud is certainly doubtful.
[33:2] He explains his own views, however, more clearly in another
place:--

"That this (Sychar) cannot be the large, ancient Sikhem, which, at
the time when the Gospel was written, was probably already generally
called _Neapolis_ in Greek writings, has been already stated; it is
the place still called with an altered Arabic name _Al 'Askar_, east
of Naplus. It is indeed difficult to prove that Sychar could stand
for Sikhem, either through change of pronunciation, or for any other
reason, and the addition [Greek: legomene] does not indicate, here any
more than in xi. 54, so large and generally known a town as Sikhem.
or Flavia Neapolis." [33:3]

Mr. Sanday, [33:4] of whose able work Dr. Lightfoot directly speaks,
says:--

"The name Sychar is not the common one, Sichem, but is a mock title
(='liar' or 'drunkard') that was given to the town by the Jews.
[33:5] This is a clear reminiscence of the vernacular that the
Apostle spoke in his youth, and is a strong touch of nature. It is
not quite certain that the name Sychar has this force, but the
hypothesis is in itself more likely than, &c.... It is not,
however, by any means improbable that Sychar may represent, not
Sichem, but the modern village Askar, which is somewhat nearer to
Jacob's Well."

To quote one of the latest "travellers and apologists," Dr. Farrar says:
"From what the name Sychar is derived is uncertain. The word [Greek:
legomenos] in St. John seems to imply a sobriquet. It may be 'a lie,'
'drunken,' or 'a sepulchre.' Sychar may possibly have been a village
nearer the well than Sichem, on the site of the village now called El
Askar." [34:1] As Dr. Lightfoot specially mentions Neubauer, his opinion
may be substantially given in a single sentence: "La Mischna mentionne
un endroit appele 'la plaine d'En-Sokher,' qui est peut-etre le Sychar
de l'Eva