Shebarim
Shebarim is a region mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Samaria in modern-day Israel. Known today as western cliff of Wadi Makkuk. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Shebarim appears in a single dramatic passage in Joshua 7:5, following the disastrous Israelite defeat at Ai shortly after the conquest of Jericho. After the sin of Achan, Israel's army of approximately three thousand men was routed by the small city of Ai, with the pursuers chasing the fleeing Israelites "from before the gate as far as Shebarim." The Hebrew word shebarim itself means "breaks" or "quarries," possibly describing the terrain of this location — rocky outcroppings or cliff faces along the descent from Ai. Thirty-six Israelites were killed in this rout, and the hearts of the people "melted and became like water" (Joshua 7:5). The defeat served a providential purpose: it exposed Achan's hidden sin and demonstrated to Israel that covenant faithfulness was prerequisite to military success. Once the sin was dealt with through Achan's judgment, Israel returned and conquered Ai successfully. Shebarim thus marks a moment of crisis and spiritual reckoning in Israel's early settlement of Canaan.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Shebarim is identified by many scholars with the western cliff face of Wadi Makkuk, a rugged ravine descending from the Benjaminite highlands west of the ancient site of Ai (identified with et-Tell or Khirbet el-Maqatir). The name likely derives from the broken, rocky terrain of the wadi's escarpment. No dedicated excavations have targeted this specific location, and its identification remains tentative. The broader Ai region has been extensively studied; et-Tell and Khirbet el-Maqatir have both been proposed as biblical Ai, with ongoing debates about which site best fits the Joshua account. The landscape of shattered limestone cliffs in this area is consistent with the biblical description of fleeing soldiers being cut down on a steep descent.
Verse Appearances (1)
Josh
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →